PORTION DISTORTION, part 2

I have to work at eating 5 to 8 servings of fruit and veggies a day. Some days I get 1 or 2. Occasionally, none. However, due to portion distortion, 5 to 8 servings isn't as much as it sounds. A couple of pieces of fresh fruit in the morning. (Or one large banana, which counts as 2 servings.) I generally pile half my lunch plate with veggies; that's about 3 servings right there. Add eight ounces of V-8 with dinner: bingo, I'm up to 7 servings (4 oz. per V-8 serving).

It doesn't happen, though, unless I plan for it. And it won't happen at all on a dollar drive-through menu or at the snack machine. I'm finding, though, that veggies cost less than fast food, and, believe it or not, I've come to enjoy them more. Honest!

Focusing on eating *enough* fruit and veggies keeps me from awakening my rebellious inner-adolescent, who wants to feed my face with both hands if I focus too much on *not* eating too much junk food. Heaven forbid if I even whisper the word d-i-e-t. Shhh.

--Judith Allee
Parent Support Coordinator