Fuel for Life

Nutritionists, doctors, and researchers continue to emphasize the importance of a balance of nutrients for both health and fitness. While the debate over high-fat versus low-fat diets continues, the simple fact is, as Dr. Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston put it, "reducing fat alone is no guarantee of weight loss. You must cut calories or increase physical activity."

How do you know how many calories you're consuming? Use your head - you can save some of that super size lunch for dinner - as well as your hand:

• A 3-4 ounce serving of meat or fish is about the size of your palm
• A one-cup serving of starches is about the size of your fist
• A cupped hand will hold about 2 ounces of snack food
• The top half of your thumb equals about an ounce of cheese
• Salads and vegetables - heap it on, says Dr. Pamela Peeke, assistant clinical professor of medicine specializing in nutrition and metabolism at the University of Maryland

Check with your doctor or other health professionals to make sure you're getting the right mix of nutrients in your diet.

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