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.

Visual Reminder: What Portion Sizes Look Like

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:01:31 -0800

Serving sizes have grown so much in recent years that we barely remember what an average portion is supposed to look like. When restaurants offer us tremendous amounts of food, it's difficult to put down the fork and say "done," even after you're full. Overeating can sabotage your goals of reaching or maintaining a healthy weight, so here's a visual guideline from ABC showing how big the portion sizes on your plate should be.

Food	Portion Size
3 oz. of meat	Deck of cards
Baked potato	Computer mouse
Bagel	Hockey puck
Potato chips, pretzels, popcorn	Teacup
Rice	Cupcake wrapper
1 oz. of cheese	Roll of film
Nuts	Egg
Pasta	Lightbulb

To see a video clip about portion sizes from ABC, read more.

Fit Tip: Curious to know more about what serving size measurements look like? Then check out this handy chart.

Source

What Does 300 Calories Look Like?

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:30:00 -0700

I've showed you what 200 calories looks like, and I've showed you how you can burn 200 calories, but check out this video. It shows what 300 calorie meals look like. If you're watching your calories, it's great to see visuals, since 300 calories can be a lot or a small amount of food. I'm in no way saying that your meals should only be 300 calories, but it's a great starting point. You can always add 100 to 200 calories with your beverage, condiments, extra snacks, fruit, and dessert.

You Asked: Fruit Serving Size?

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

"I have read before that the 'medium apple' is no longer at all the average size of apples we'll find in the store . .. what's the REAL deal with that issue? What is the size of a medium apple? A medium banana? A medium peach? And then... what are the calorie differences per fruit? Does size really matter there too?"
-kellybel006

Wow, you have a lot of good questions - I am going to do my best to answer them, so read more.
To start, here is what one serving of fruits and vegetables literally means:

1/2 cup of fruit
1 medium piece of fruit
1/4 cup of dried fruit
3/4 cup (6 ounces) of 100% fruit or vegetable juice
1 cup of leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of cooked or raw vegetables

I know, I know. This still doesn't tell you what that looks like in terms of the foods, so this should help clarify:

1 medium piece of fruit: the size of a tennis ball
1 cup vegetables or fruit: the size of a baseball
1 medium potato: the size of a computer mouse
1/2 cup of grapes: one bunch the size of a light bulb
1 cup of lettuce: 4 leaves

Obviously if you have a really huge apple and a really small apple, the calorie counts will be different but I generally tell people not to worry about the calorie counts in their fruits and vegetables (unless it's dried fruit or juice) because they pale in comparison to all the wonderful nutrients you'll be getting if you eat it. Also, I tend to have the theory that more is better when it comes to eating fruits and veggies, so if you think you may be lagging in your five a day it definitely doesn't hurt to eat some more.

Source

Diet Tip: Order Kid-Sized Portions

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:45:00 -0800

Is it me, or are portion sizes totally out of control? I try to plan on sharing my meal with someone else or taking half of it home, but if the food is in front of me, I'm more likely to nibble at it. So if you're really trying to watch your calories, here's a tip - order a kid-sized portion. I'm not talking about ordering the happy doodle mac 'n' cheese from the kids menu. Instead, talk to your waiter and see if you can get the entrée you want in a smaller portion. Many restaurants have large- and small-plate options, so see if you can order the small fettucine alfredo. Not only will you end up eating a healthier portion size, but you'll also save money on your meal.

Source

Keep it Simple: Portion Sizes

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 14:30:00 -0700

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.

Size Does Matter: Portion Sizes Made Easy

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

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

Thanksgiving Portion Primer

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:25 -0800

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

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:22 -0700

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

FitSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:30:00 -0700

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.

20 years ago	Today
45 Calories	350 Calories
210 Calories	610 Calories
500 Calories	850 Calories
333 Calories	590 Calories

Hopefully the visuals will serve as a little reminder that it's a good idea to scale down the portion sizes you get when eating out. Eat half that bagel. Order a short mocha instead of a tall. Bring half your dinner order home and have it for lunch the next day. There are a lot more interesting comparisons so visit the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to check them out.