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Over the past few decades, portion sizes of everything from muffins to sandwiches have grown considerably. Unfortunately, America’s waistbands have reacted accordingly. In the 1970s, around 47 percent of Americans were overweight or obese; now 66 percent of us are. In addition, the number of just obese people has doubled, from 15 percent of our population to 30 percent.

While increased sizes haven’t been the sole contributor to our obesity epidemic, large quantities of cheap food have distorted our perceptions of what a typical meal is supposed to look like. These portion comparisons, adapted from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Portion Distortion Quiz, give a visual representation of what sizes used to be compared to what they are today.

Two Slices of Pizza

Twenty years ago
500 calories

Today
850 calories

Those extra 350 calories, if eaten a two times a month, would put on two extra pounds a year, or forty pounds in the next two decades.
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One of the keys to a successful career is making the right decisions at critical junctures, whether you’re fielding a job offer, asking for a promotion or plotting your next move.

Beyond those major decisions, every day presents myriad, small opportunities to make good — and bad — choices that could have a big impact.

In an uncertain economy, knowing how to proceed at these junctures becomes even more critical, according to Arizona-based business and workplace consultants Jamie and Maren Showkeir, co-authors of “Authentic Conversations.”

Here are seven tactics to help keep your career on track.

1. Don’t play the blame game.
2. Skip the gossip and get down to work.
3. Get the real story.
4. Don’t play the victim.
5. Think big picture.
6. Be a listener, not a talker.
7. You gotta have hope.

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