How the PATH Portion Control Plan Helps Women Over 40 Lose Weight While Enjoying Carbs
One woman used this simple eating plan to lose 77 pounds and 13 inches from her waist
Have you noticed just how complicated nutrition advice has gotten over the years? “With the rise of influencers on social media, doing the right thing for weight loss and optimal health can seem like a full-time job, and many people forget about the basics,” says Melina Jampolis, MD. So women are rejoicing over the easy, sustainable approach that celebrity fitness trainer Harley Pasternak shares in his latest book The Carb Reset. Here, how to use this deliciously-simple portion control plan to lose weight. And don’t miss Crysta’s 77-pound weight-loss success story!
Why you can trust this plan with your weight-loss goals
Practicing portion control using Pasternak’s PATH method isn’t a TikTok fad diet. Pasternak holds degrees in nutrition and exercise physiology and has worked with tens of thousands of clients in his nearly 34 years of practice. He’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto who is the bestselling author of eight wellness books. But there’s more. He says this way of eating is “backed by the most science any nutrition plan could be backed by.” He promises, “Women over 40, you’re about to be in the best shape of your life!”
Woman's World Answers
How to use the PATH plan for portion control
Portion control is a way of healthy eating that encourages sticking to recommended serving sizes in order to feel satisfied without overdoing it. Pasternak recommends using your hand as a portion predictor at each meal to know how much to eat. Using his method, PATH stands for:
- Palm-size of carbs
- All the veggies you want
- Thumb-size of healthy fats
- Hand’s worth of protein
This provides the right balance of macronutrients to keep hunger satisfied throughout the day without having to obsessively check food labels or log meals in a food diary. Plus it delivers an array of vitamins, nutrients and minerals to quiet cravings. It also prevents one of the most common nutrition mistakes Dr. Jampolis sees people make: “eating too much healthy fat.”
Why PATH portion control is ideal for women over 40
Having a quick, handy (pun intended) way of recognizing the amount of food you’re eating takes much of the guesswork out of controlling portion sizes. Here’s why it works so well when it comes to lowering your body weight:
It embraces good carbs
If you’ve tried low-carb and failed, we have good news. You don’t have to eliminate all carbs to see weight-loss success. Eating carbs can actually help you lose weight, says Pasternak. This plan welcomes carbs in their natural state, like whole grains, veggies, legumes and fruits. “There is nothing wrong with an apple or potato,” says Pasternak. “Eating these is one of the most incredible things you can do for blood sugar and weight loss.”
The research is clear: “If you look at the 10 healthiest countries in the world with the longest life spans and lowest obesity, diabetes and heart disease rates, those countries are amongst the highest consumers of carbohydrates,” Pasternak says.
For example, research has shown that people in Japan get 43 percent of their total calories from carbs, but their obesity rate is 10 times lower than the US, according to the World Obesity Federation. In addition, Pasternak notes that as the US has cut carbs over the last 30 years, we’ve seen rates of diabetes, heart disease and obesity soar.
Fiber helps regulate our hormones
“Healthy carbs are loaded with fiber, which is essential to support gut health and hormone production for appetite control,” says Dr. Jampolis. That includes “natural GLP-1 hormones that keep you full, reducing inflammation and supporting healthy blood sugar, making fat loss easier.”
The hormone support from fiber-rich carbs is especially key for women over 40. That’s when weight accumulation often “moves from butt and thighs to the belly” causing even more inflammation, Dr. Jampolis explains. Just be sure to keep your carb intake portion controlled.
You don’t have to skip treats
Pasternak tries to remove guilt from the weight-loss process. He notes that cravings often come when you restrict food. “If you cut out carbs, you’re probably going to have low blood sugar and crave sugar.” So his plan allows for a daily or occasional treat.
“There’s no such thing as a bad food. Only a bad diet.” He adds, “When you look at a building, you don’t look at one brick. You see how thousands of bricks work together. That’s how you have to look at nutrition. Who cares about one cookie or piece of chocolate? It brings you joy and creates a sustainable way of eating so you never feel like you’re in a diet prison. This permission reduces cravings that come from your brain, not your body.”
Portion control success: Crysta lost 77 pounds
As a busy single mom, Crysta Harkey was in the worst shape of her life. “My hips were hurting from bursitis, and I needed cortisone shots in my knee.” As a late-night binge eater, she referred to herself as “the garbage disposal.” But she felt unsure of how to grab control
Then Crysta volunteered to get some expert help and was paired with Harley Pasternak on the TV show Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian. She liked his advice: “Do not shy away from carbs.
She learned healthy ways to enjoy her favorite sweets, like drinking apple pie-flavored protein smoothies. Nothing was off limits. “I ended up saving money, the food was filling and nourishing and I wasn’t depriving myself.”
She also shed 13” from her waist
In 12 weeks, Crysta lost more than 40 pounds. But what she learned has stuck with her for years. “Harley set me up for success and I’ve maintained that success.” She recalls how she started dating her husband, her own personal southern chef, at her heaviest weight. “He loved me for me.” Together, they’ve tried Pasternak’s carb-friendly recipes—using the PATH method—and slimmed down side-by-side.
In all, this California property manager has lost (and kept off) 77 pounds and 13 belly inches. She also dropped five clothing sizes! And her hubby lost 34 pounds. But she doesn’t measure her success on the scale. “I lost a lot of years to insecurity. But I’m not carrying that baggage physically or emotionally anymore. I feel good!”
A PATH meal Crysta loves to eat with her husband: shrimp stir fry with a palm of rice, all the veggies in the house, a thumb of cashews for healthy fats and a handful of shrimp.
How to try PATH portion control for yourself
There’s zero deprivation with this portion-control plan. To try it for yourself, simply enjoy three meals daily using Pasternak’s PATH formula: eating a palm-size portion of carbs, all the veggies you want, a thumb of healthy fats and a handful of protein. Also have one crunchy snack daily, such as veggies and hummus or Greek yogurt and nuts. Crunchy foods slow our eating pace by 50 percent, so we consume 300 fewer calories per sitting, according to research conducted in the Netherlands.
Sample PATH meals to get you started
- Oatmeal pancakes: Pulse 1⁄2 cup quick oats with 4 egg whites; cook on a griddle. Top with berries and nut butter.
- Loaded potatoes: Fill 2 baked spuds with cooked taco meat, grilled veggies and black beans. Add cheese.
- Chicken parmesan: Coat meat in 1 egg white and panko. Bake. Serve with broccoli, cheese and marinara.
- Bonus: Check out Pasternak’s viral weight-loss soup recipe.
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