This week we had the chance to sit down with Keri Gans, MS,  RD, author of  The Small Change Diet, to discuss her thoughts on healthy eating habits.

Q: Can you explain the premise behind your book?

A: The whole idea behind the ten tips is really for the reader to choose one, tackle it, and then choose another. So that’s one of the most important things I like to stress. Don’t take on all the changes at once because that could be overwhelming. Even though there are 10 steps, they do not need to be adopted in any particular order.

Q: I think that actually brings us to another question on the list, how do you determine appropriate portion sizes?

A: Well it’s very hard and especially in a book because everybody is a different height, different activity level. So if we’re talking about pasta, I might recommend a cup of pasta, but if you’re a long distance runner and you are so extremely active that cup of pasta might be able to go to a cup and a half or possibly more.

Throughout the book when I talk about different foods, I suggest what the portion sizes should be and easy ways to learn them. The simplest is going with the plate method, which teaches you to eyeball your plate. One quarter of your plate should be your high fiber carbohydrates, another quarter lean protein and the other half of the plate should be veggies that you can pile high as long as you’re not adding a lot of fat (i.e. butter, cream) !

There are also little tricks like a serving of chicken should be about the size of a deck of cards, or a serving of white fish should be about the size of a checkbook. And then some products, snacks in particular such as The Laughing Cow wedges and the Mini Babybel are pre-portioned taking all of the guess-work out of the equation!

Q: How important is the taste of foods in terms of managing your diet?

A:  I like to stress that my clients should try new foods and new tastes.  You have to be adventurous and step out of your comfort zone. For instance, start using new spices you might not normally use like rosemary, garlic, oregano, parsley, dill and curry.  And remember, fresh fruits and vegetables don’t need to be doctored they just need to be enjoyed.

Q: What are some of the snack suggestions that you recommend to your clients?

A: Snacks are wonderful. Remember these are mini meals so you don’t want to sit down to a huge meal, you want to sit down to a little meal, something that has a carbohydrate which is high in fiber and some protein such as cheese or peanut butter. One example would be to take an apple and pair it with a Mini Babybel.  At the moment, white cheddar is my favorite and that makes a perfect snack! You can also take a serving of wholegrain crackers and smear a Laughing Cow wedge onto it.

The most important thing is to be prepared. If you don’t bring snacks with you or buy them to have in your home then you’re more likely to make the wrong choices.

Q: What are the most frequently asked questions that you get from your readers?

A: My clients always want to know “Can I eat bread?”   My answer is always to make sure you’re not eliminating the foods that you love. It’s important to find a balance and that is what I have been trying to teach so many people so it’s not about elimination, it’s not about deprivation, it’s about learning how to eat the foods we love but in a healthier way.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A:  You should always remember that the winner in weight loss is not the person who loses their weight the quickest. The winner is the person who keeps their weight off the longest.

Check out our interview with Keri at the American Dietetic Association Conference in San Diego, CA.

For more healthy tips, pick up a copy of The Small Change Diet by Keri Gans, MS, RD

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