The 'sometimes carb' weekly challenge - stage three

Stage one and stage two of the 'sometimes carb' challenge were largely about familiarising yourself with the foods in this group, identifying the dominance (or healthy balance) of 'sometimes carbs' in your daily eating plan, and gaining some understanding of portion control.

Remember to keep your stage one and stage two charts for your reference.

How did you manage stage two of the 'sometimes carb' challenge?

If you managed to keep to your stage one average number of serves per day whilst reducing the size of those serves then well done. All progress is good progress and that is a mammoth effort.

If you found that recording the smaller portions meant you recorded more 'serves' and your number of serves for the day, or the week increased, that is okay. It is part of giving you a fuller understanding of your weaknesses in this area as well as a baseline for further progress.

Over the previous two weeks you may also have noticed that some foods from this group are more dominant in your eating plan than others. You may have noticed that some foods are a particular weakness for you at certain times of the day. Give these things some thought as you go into stage three.

Stage three of the 'sometimes carb' challenge

Whatever your average daily serves from stage two (whether it increased, decreased or remained the same in comparison to stage one),  this will be the number to use as your bench mark for stage three.

Continue to work on the reduced or controlled portions, just endeavour to manage each day with one less serve from this group than you consumed in stage two.

If using controlled portions you may record ½ serves if used.

If printing this chart is not an option for you
pencil, paper and ruler is a quick fix

As a guide this may mean, for stage one you had 11 serves per day, for stage two you tried 11 reduced serves but recorded 17 reduced serves, so for stage three you would be aiming to come in at 16 portion controlled (or reduced portion) serves per day.

Important note - if you were trying smaller portions, but when you found the smaller portion wasn't enough you recorded a second (or third…) portion…. You may still have reduced your 'sometimes carb' total in this week. i.e. 11 original portions could be 22 smaller portions… so you see, if you came in at 17 that could be great success.

So whatever your total for stage two…. don't be discouraged. What matters is reducing your number of portions (either reduced or portion controlled) in stage three.

(If you are already only having three portion controlled serves from the 'sometimes carb' group per day try and improve the quality of your choice for these serves.)

Helpful tips for a successful stage three

Try to reduce the number of serves of 'sometimes carbs' that are together in the same meal. i.e.

• we always served spaghetti with garlic bread. You might eliminate the spaghetti, or the garlic bread. (I add an 'anytime' salad to my plate to bulk it up)
• breakfast was commonly cereal, then toast. Try eating either cereal or toast rather than both

Look at foods from within the 'anytime food' group that you enjoy and look for ways to use them more in your eating plan as you reduce your 'sometimes carb' intake.

Try to swap a 'sometimes carb' serve for 'fruit carb' serve (maximum 3 fruit carb serves per day). I know fruit is also carbohydrates but fruit brings a different range of good things into your diet and it's good natural sugar great for sustainable energy.

Try eating extra portions between meals rather than doubling up at meal times. It helps keep that 'starving' feeling under control if you have breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, tea/dinner, and supper even if its not a full portion (½ portions are recordable).

Other things worth considering

When choosing a 'sometimes carb' serve to eliminate, try to eliminate some (if not all) cakes, biscuits and pastries etc before you eliminate healthier stuff like the 'sometimes carb' vegetables, rice, pasta and wholegrain breads.

A better control of portions is well worthwhile, but if your 'portion control' enthusiasm is limited, focus it on the 'sometimes carbs' that feature more heavily in your week.

Important: You may feel you're ready to eliminate several serves per day and if so, go for it, but don't be afraid to take things one step at a time. Remember small victories are still just that….victories.

Try to enjoy 'embracing' the challenge this week, and don't forget to join me next week for stage four of our 'sometimes carb' challenge.


Appendix A:

For your information if trying appropriate portion sizes (approximately 15 gram carbohydrate)

• ½ cup Weeties or Cornflakes 
• ⅓ cup Sustain, Fibre Plus or Just Right 
• 1½ Weetbix or Vita Brits 
• ¼ cup raw oats 

• 1 small potato or ½ cup mashed potato 
• ½ cup polenta 
• ½ cup green peas or sweet corn
• ½ cup cooked rice, or pasta, or cous cous, or lentils

• 1 normal slice of bread 
• ½ English Muffin (breakfast style) 
• ⅓ Bread Roll
• 1 flat bread (many are 2 portions)

• 3 Sao Biscuits
• 4 Corn Thins
• 1 Cup (loose) potato chips (not hot potato chips!!)
• 5 water crackers

Pizza, pastry, cakes and biscuits vary too much to give an exact amount. Packaged items will have labels (in Australia) and you can work it out for your self from that … or...

… as a rough guide and for the purposes of this exercise

allocate 1 portion per

• middling wedge of pizza
• middling portion of savoury pie
• slim (2cm/1inch) wedge of plain cake
• 2 small biscuits
• 1 medium biscuit

allocate 2 portions per

• modest wedge of sweet pie
• slim (2cm/1inch) wedge of rich/fancy cake

Anything not listed just try to reduce your usual portion.