Control Freak – Get your Portions in Check!

One of the biggest determining factors of weight loss success is portion control! One of the easiest ways to assure proper portion control is to actually use measuring cups. If the portion size you are shooting for is  ½ cup then get out your measuring cups and divvy it up. You will be surprised at what you thought was the proper size once you actually measure it up. Now this will work at home, but what about when you are out and about?? Here are some good rules of thumb:

• 3 oz of meat = a deck of cards
• 2 tbs of dressing/dip/spread/condiment = a ping pong ball
• ½ cup of pasta or rice = a tennis ball
• 1 cup of fruit or veggie = a baseball

You are probably confused by all of the different terms used when proper nutrition is concerned. Portion size and suggested serving are not the same thing, additionally, daily recommended serving is something else. A suggested serving is an amount determined by the manufacturer of the product. It is often a size determined to make sure that the nutritional facts are appealing – ie lower calories, less fat, salt, etc . It may not have anything specifically to do with portion size. A daily recommended serving is the amount of each type of food (dairy, fruit, vegetable, meat, grains and fats, oils and sugars) that the USDA has determined to be part of healthy diet. You can learn more about the food pyramid at http://www.mypyrimad.gov/ Portion size is the amount of any one food item that you eat in a single meal. This is the concept that is out of control in today’s food industry. Did you know that a bagel used to the size of hockey puck and not stack of 50 CDs? Or cookies used to be approximately a third the size of what they are now? By controlling our portions we can drastically change our current weight situation. There are several ways to do this. You can buy special plates that have portions outlined on them (http://www.thinnerware.com/) . You can measure out eat type of food (as I mentioned above). Do not eat directly from the bag or container. If you are having some chips, put a handful in a bowl or on a napkin and put the bag away. Studies have shown that people eat much more then they intended when they eat directly from the bag/container. When you eat out you can split an entrée with your friend or spouse. You can order a small or single instead of large or double on every item (drink, fries, burger, etc.)

This is another one of those lifestyle changes that will take a while to acclimate to, but will have a lasting effect. This concept is not only for you but for your whole family. Getting your portion sizes under control will put you once step closer to an overall healthier lifestyle.