portion sizes

Portion Sizes
Food

When It Comes to Portions, Which Would You Rather Eat?

Whether you're trying to drop pounds or maintain your current weight, eating appropriate portion sizes is key.
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Whether you're trying to drop pounds or maintain your current weight, eating appropriate portion sizes is key. The only problem is, not all foods are created equally. Five large carrots offer 150 calories, but one little ounce of almonds (about 24) offers about the same amount, 164 calories. With high-calorie foods, even if they're healthy, portion sizes have to decrease dramatically or else the scale will definitely let you know you overdid it.

Although I do crave higher calorie foods such as nuts, cheese, and bread, eating small portions doesn't satisfy my hunger (even though I'm getting enough calories). I'd much rather eat large portions of low-calorie foods such as fruits, veggies, nonfat yogurt, and lean proteins. What about you?

Thanksgiving Portion Primer
Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Portion Primer

Few of us, if any, sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with a food scale in hand.
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Few of us, if any, sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with a food scale in hand. Nevertheless, portion control on this day of feasting still matters. Using visual cues can certainly help keep your plate from turning into a pyramid of starch and fat.

  • Turkey: A serving of meat is three ounces and looks like a deck of cards.
  • Potatoes and stuffing: A typical serving size of a starch is 1/2 a cup. To keep from going overboard, visualize a tennis ball cut in half. Remember, carbs should only take up a quarter of your plate.
  • Veggies: A serving of veggies is similar to a rounded handful, but veggies should take up at least half of your plate. Load up on green beans, Brussels sprouts, and squash.
  • Salad: A cup of greens is considered a serving, so about the size of your hands cupped together.
  • Butter: A teaspoon of butter is about the size of the tip of your thumb.
  • Gravy: A tablespoon resembles the size of both a woman's thumbs.

Source: Flickr User walkering

Healthy Eating Tip: See Less, Eat Less
Food

Healthy Eating Tip: See Less, Eat Less

When it comes to eating, we're very visual people.
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When it comes to eating, we're very visual people. If food looks delicious, we're more likely to eat and enjoy it, and research shows that the more that's in front of us, the more we have an appetite for. Since we tend to eat whatever is on our plate, set yourself up for success by giving yourself an appropriate portion size. I find it's helpful to use small salad-sized plates instead of large dinner plates — when I see more food and less plate, I feel more satisfied. After serving your portion, if there are leftovers, put them away immediately. The less you see, the less you'll eat.

Portion Distortion: Less Is Not Always More
healthy living

Portion Distortion: Less Is Not Always More

Food portions have gotten larger over the years.
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Food portions have gotten larger over the years. From "super size," to "all you can eat" most food portions are enough to feed at least two or three people. You may be thinking, "So what?" but with this growth in portion sizes comes an increase in waistlines, body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart disease. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has done a little research to put portion sizes of 20 years ago and portion sizes of today in perspective. You'll be surprised to see the differences in sizes as well as in calories.


20 years ago Today
140 Calories 350 Calories

There's more so read more

Yummy Links: From Martinis to Foie Gras
grilling

Yummy Links: From Martinis to Foie Gras

by partysugar

Scale Back Your Food Choices
portion sizes

Scale Back Your Food Choices

With restaurants expanding portion sizes with menu items like the Country Burrito from Hardees or the 42 oz.
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With restaurants expanding portion sizes with menu items like the Country Burrito from Hardees or the 42 oz. Xtreme Gulp at 7-Eleven (pictured), it's easy to eat way more than you actually need or even want. I am not saying you have to give up going out for a meal, but just be smart when you do. Bigger size may mean a better value, but is it realistic to need 42 oz. of soda in one sitting? Probably not.

One way to be smart is by scaling back how much you actually eat and drink in the first place.

Here are a few tips for getting you on track:

  • Steer clear of large, jumbo and king size orders. Even a medium portion can be big, so share it with a friend. Better yet, opt for the small.
  • Eat half of what you order. Ask for a doggie bag and enjoy the rest on another day.
  • Have a bottle of water or diet soda instead of a regular sugar-laden soda.
  • Order a side salad with your meal.
  • Savor your food and eat more slowly. Put your fork down between bites. This will help you eat less.

Also, be sure to check out some of my breakdowns of popular restaurants before heading out so you can make wise choices along with portion size.

Source

Keep it Simple: Portion Sizes
portion sizes

Keep it Simple: Portion Sizes

We all have a hard time deciphering portion sizes, especially when we're eating off a large plate, or even wedge shaped foods.
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We all have a hard time deciphering portion sizes, especially when we're eating off a large plate, or even wedge shaped foods. There are some pretty simple ways to measure portion sizes but sometimes even that is too confusing.

One very simple technique for figuring out how much you should eat is using this simple diagram from the Daily Bureau of Canada.

Easy enough, right?

Did you notice half of the plate is dedicated to veggies!!! I didn't think you missed it, but I just wanted to hit that point home.

portion sizes

Size Does Matter: Portion Sizes Made Easy

I don't know about you, but I get confused with how much of what is what when it comes to serving sizes.
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I don't know about you, but I get confused with how much of what is what when it comes to serving sizes. I can read the labels just fine, but when it comes to visualizing how much 3 ounces of fish is, I have a hard time doing it.

Luckily MealsMatter.org has come up with this handy dandy way to visualize portion sizes:

  • Woman's fist or baseball - a serving of vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist
  • A rounded handful - about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta - this is a good measure for a snack serving, such as chips or pretzels
  • Deck of cards - a serving of meat, fish or poultry or the palm of your hand (don't count your fingers!) - for example, one chicken breast, 1/4 pound hamburger patty or a medium pork chop
  • Golf ball or large egg - one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts
  • Tennis ball - about one half cup of ice cream
  • Computer mouse - about the size of a small baked potato
  • Compact disc - about the size of one serving of pancake or small waffle
  • Thumb tip - about one teaspoon of peanut butter
  • Six dice - a serving of cheese
  • Check book - a serving of fish (approximately 3 oz.)

Source