FitSugar

Smarter Eats: Use Smaller Plates and Grab It to Go

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:34 -0700

I grew up in a house where I was told to clean my plate. Not always a bad thing but it stuck with me for many years, even after serving sizes kept growing. I'm also a fast eater, something I've been working on, but I sometimes overeat before realizing I am full. A few things I've done to help kick my habits are using smaller plates and always taking food to go.

After inheriting some dishware from my grandmother I noticed that the dinner plates used during her era are much smaller than the ones we use today. I now use these dishes at home, which has reduced my portion size - yet I'm just as satisfied after every meal. Scientists confirmed that the brain takes visual cues when it comes to eating. If we see it, we somehow believe that we have to eat it and will end up feeling unsatiated even if we're physically full.

Portion sizes are out of control in restaurants. To remedy this I usually have half of my meal packed up to enjoy as lunch the next day. I don't go out of my way to starve myself, but it's always pretty obvious when you're given too much food at one sitting. If it's a restaurant I frequent a lot and know that the portion is going to be big, I ask my server ahead of time to make me a doggie bag before the plate even gets to my table.

The Diet Plate: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:00:00 -0700

When it comes to food, portion control is a struggle that prevents a lot of people from achieving a healthy weight. There are everyday visuals to use as an aid for measuring a proper portion, like your own hands, but some people require more straightforward guidelines.

Enter The Diet Plate ($23), a plate that partitions sections for various types of food like protein, starchy carbohydrates, vegetables, cheese, sauces, etc. The plate is rimmed with affirmations like "you can do it" and "diet with a friend." The dinnerware comes in a female and a male version, and there's a bowl that serves the same portion control purpose.

I appreciate the easy visual this plate provides for those who need help controlling their portions, and can see how it would help teach someone how to eyeball portions when using other dinnerware. However, I'm not keen on the use of the word diet - portion control is not dieting. With this mentality, someone who loses weight by eating appropriate portions may revert to oversized portions after they no longer need to "diet." It creates a vicious cycle. What do you think of The Diet Plate, is it cool or not?

Portion Control Quiz

FitSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Portion control can be hard and downright confusing, and we all fall prey to portion distortion every once in a while. There are small tricks we can all learn to make it a little easier on our minds, and our waistlines. Take this little quiz to see how well you have your portion sizes down.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Use Measuring Cups Every Time

FitSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:00:00 -0700

You've made the switch to healthy cooking - olive oil instead of butter and whole grains instead of processed carbs - but you're not losing weight. Even if you're loading up on tons of healthy food choices, it won't matter if you are consuming tons of calories.

The best way to make sure you're eating appropriate serving sizes is to be scientific about it. Keep measuring cups and spoons handy when it comes to everything you prepare. Don't just eyeball a half a cup of granola or freely pour marinara sauce over your pasta. Chances are you'll overestimate and not even realize you're eating half a cup of almonds instead of a quarter cup serving. The same goes when you're cooking. Measure out two tablespoons of olive oil instead of just pouring it from the bottle. If you have items that are difficult to measure, such as meat, chicken, or fish, use a food scale instead. You don't have to be anal about it, just be aware. The extra small amounts of food you eat over time really add up, so if losing weight is on your mind, use measuring cups every time you eat.

What Counts Toward Your Daily Fruit and Vegetable Intake?

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Several fruits and vegetables come into their prime during the Spring and Summer seasons, making it cheaper and easier for us to reach our daily requirements. Striving to eat five colors a day is a fun way to meet your nutritional needs, but do you know what size portions you should be eating to fulfill your daily five? Take the quiz to find out!

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Healthy Eating Tip: Use Smaller Plates and Salad Forks

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Looks can be deceiving. Your double serving of pasta might look like it's a normal size when served on a big plate, but you're probably eating more calories than you intended. When you're dishing out dinner at home, reach for the smaller plates rather than your big entree plates for food that gives you portion control trouble. Less food in front of you means there's less of a chance you'll overeat.

In the same light, think about switching out your big fork for one that's smaller. Taking tinier bites will slow down the whole eating process and increase your satisfaction. So even though you're eating less than your dining partners, you won't be finished before everyone else and tempted to head back for another helping.

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Embrace the Dixie Cup For Portion Control

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Portion control is often an exercise in willpower, something that's difficult to trust when we're looking for a satisfying snack. The 100-calorie-pack manufacturers have been capitalizing on portion-conscious shoppers and making a killing - those big boxes filled with little baggies are so pricey! Not to mention the amount of waste generated by these single servings.

Choosing a fresh snack is usually best, but when craving something that comes in a bag or box, portion control is the key to not overeating. Buy a box of Dixie cups and use them to scoop out a small snack-sized serving of cereal, pretzels, goldfish, etc.; one cup should hold just enough to fix your craving. Reuse your Dixie cup the next time you reach for a snack to cut down on the trash.

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Cookbook Recipes Yielding More Caloric Servings Than Ever

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Taking your diet into your own hands by eating at home is the best way to control what and how much you're consuming, but it appears that restaurants aren't the only source of super-size portions that threaten your waistline. A new study evaluated how classic recipes have changed over the years and discovered a disturbing trend: for nearly every recipe reviewed, there was an approximate 40 percent increase in calories per serving.

In studying the evolution of recipes in the Joy of Cooking cookbooks, first published in the 1930s and most recently updated in 2006, 17 of 18 recipes were found to have an increase in calories per serving.

To see how some of the recipes compared from then to now, read more.

The 1936 chicken gumbo recipe made 14 servings at 228 calories per serving, while the 2006 recipe yields 10 servings at 576 calories each.
The book's brownie recipe from the '60s and '70s editions yielded 30 brownies, while recipe from the 1997 edition yielded 15 - using the same sized pan.
The 40 percent increase in calories per serving can be attributed to an increase in total calories per recipe (about 567 calories) and larger portion sizes.
The study's director, Brian Wansink, said, "That (calorie increases) is more insidious because that's the sort if thing the average person wouldn't notice, wouldn't even think would have happened over the years."

To combat this trend, continue being mindful of your portions and make healthier substitutions in recipes when possible.

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Portion Control: It's All in Your Hands

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0700

We all know that portion control is the key to healthy eating as well as losing and maintaining weight. When you are about to bite into a nice chunk of cheese, it is hard to recall just exactly how big four dice actually are. Four dice is about the equivalent oh a portion of cheese, but who keeps dice in their pockets?

According to Jennifer Nelson, director of clinical dietetics at the Mayo Clinic, all you really need as a portion serving cheat sheet is your hands, fingers and thumbs.

To see how Nelson told Men's Health how hands can guide you through the jungle of portion control, just read more.

Two fingers = 1 serving of cheese
Open palm = 1 serving of meat
Closed fist = 1 serving of fruit or vegetables
Cupped hand = 1 serving of cereal or grain
Tip of thumb = 1 serving of margarine, oil, or salad dressing
Thumb = 1 serving of candy

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Diet Tip: Good Things Don't Always Come in Small Packages

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If you've been buying junk food in small packages in an effort to lose a few, you may be missing the mark.

Two new studies have found that people actually may consume more calories when the portions and packages are smaller. The idea is if there were a king-size candy bar sitting in front of you, most of us would pass on it. However, if there were a few mini candy bars, then most of us would indulge because they're smaller and we're programmed to believe that's better for us. I know that I, for one, am totally guilty of this. Sometimes I'll buy the fun-size bags of mini candies with good intentions of only eating one, and then I'll end up eating far more than one because they're so small.

I'm not saying don't indulge every once in a while, but just beware that even though the package is smaller, the contents are still the same.

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