FitSugar

Must-Have Products to Keep Portions Under Control

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:25:19 PDT

Whether you're trying to lose those last stubborn pounds for bikini season or you want to maintain your current weight, keeping a close eye on portion sizes is critical. You could always eyeball amounts, but let's face it, our eyes tend to be bigger than what our stomachs should be eating. Keep yourself honest and prevent overeating with these portion-control products.

What Does a Serving Size Look Like?

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:47:26 PST

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, there is so much talk about portion size. Since we're living in the age of Super Size Me, bottomless this, and all-you-can-eat that, we've really lost sight of what an actual serving size is.

Keep on reading to see a chart showing what a serving size of most foods looks like.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Portion Control

Heather Dale — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:50:32 PDT

You may be cautious about what you eat, but how well do you pay attention to the amount of food you are consuming? Portion sizes have steadily increased over the last 50 years, which is why it's important to be mindful of the quantity of food you're eating. Eating healthy, balanced portions is not only essential for losing weight, but for keeping it off as well. Here are some quick and easy portion control tips to keep in mind the next time you sit down for a meal.

An Easy Guide to 100-Calorie Portions

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:22:21 PDT

With all the large servings of food around, it's important to control your portions. Mindless eating can be controlled with little tricks, like not eating out of the container and using smaller plates to make them look fuller.

It's one thing to see what you're eating, but knowing what's in it is important as well. An easy way to keep portions in check is to be able to estimate how many calories are in your meal. Check out a handy guide on what 100 calories of your food looks like after the break.

Skip the Supersize and Order Down

Michele Bell — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 09:00:51 PDT

If you're a fast food frequenter, you've probably heard the term "supersize" more than you'd care to admit. While obesity continues to grow as an epidemic, it seems the question we should be hearing is, "Would you like to minimalize that?" Since it's not given as an option at most eateries (doesn't exactly help the bottom line, right?), try posing the question to yourself before ordering your meal.

Instead of getting a large bowl of soup and a house salad, consider going down a notch from your usual size order. Ask for a small salad or sandwich or even an appetizer for your entree. Chances are, the smaller portion will satiate your appetite just fine. In addition to it filling your belly adequately, the smaller size is likely in tune with recommended portions and will save you a buck or two on the bill. Besides, if you are still hungry after the gobbled grub, you can always order more.

Smarter Eats: Eat Snacks Off a Plate, Not From a Package

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:30:41 PDT

I'm in the midst of a snacking revelation. Instead of eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream straight from the container, I've been putting it in a bowl. Total game changer. I know that you're probably thinking, "Big deal, Fit. Most people eat out of bowls!" But when it comes to snacks, a lot of people do eat straight from the container. I see it every day: the mister eating chips from a bag, or friends munching on crackers directly from the box.

Think about it; when you grab snacks from a box or bag, it's a bit like mindless eating. There's no sense of how much or how little you're eating. Also, there's no clear end in sight. Putting snacks on a plate helps you practice portion control and allows you to engage with your food more. The more you engage, the more likely you'll be to make healthier eating choices. So the next time you're snacking, put it on a plate. Chips, cookies, popcorn, whatever! If you see what you're eating, you're more likely to be accountable about your diet.

Smarter Eats: Don't Fill Your Whole Plate

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:00:10 PDT

While researching what diet trends emerged during the 1960s (aka the Mad Men era), I was struck with how portion size has steadily increased over the last 50 years. Almost all of the dinner plates I spotted in vintage ads, cookbooks, and commercials were the size of a modern-day appetizer or salad plate. Our grandmothers were eating off of dinner plates that were roughly two inches smaller in diameter than the ones that sit in our own cabinets. And while two inches might not seem like a lot, it equals about 30 percent more food!

The thing is, you probably don't need that extra food. In Mindless Eating ($10), author Dr. Brian Wansink explores, in part, the psychology of dinner plates. He was able to prove with some pretty convincing data and research that food intake is greatly affected by the size of the plates and bowls we use. We've been taught to clean our plates, and often finish our food before that "full feeling" even has a chance to reach us.

The next time you've made a meal, put less on your plate. Or, even better, buy smaller plates. Look for dinner plates that range somewhere between eight and 10 inches - chances are, you'll still feel satisfied once your plate is clean. And if you're looking for some guidance or online support, join the Small Plate Movement, whose goal is to help people reduce their portion sizes, while also being mindful of eating habits.

5 Ways to Get Portions Under Control

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:50:08 PST

If weight loss is your goal for 2010, then downsizing your portions is a must. On average, we eat way too much at meal time, and often our snacks are supersized. Try these tricks to help get your portions in check the next time you sit down to eat.

Source: Jupiter Images

Sometimes Smaller Is Better

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:47:49 PST

Here's a healthy eating tip from the OnSugar blog Coach Lark Says.

I am continually amazed at how great I feel when I stick to eating small portions instead of stuffing myself until I'm full. Every day I can pull it off, I feel energized and light on my feet.

"Small portions" generally means eating food that is roughly the size of your own fist . . . Like a half a sandwich, a half a cup of oatmeal, or a piece of fruit.

To see what Coach Lark ate today,

Today, for instance, this is how I ate:

a tangerine at 5:30am
a half a fist-sized portion of oatmeal at 8:00am
a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich (on an English muffin) at 9:30am
a romaine lettuce salad at 12:30pm with carrots, red cabbage, onions, celery, radishes and a little bit of blue cheese dressing
a half an apple and a half a banana at 3:00pm
I worked out at 5:00pm and then had a spicy crab sushi roll right afterward

Now, obviously I'm not on a diet. I allow myself to splurge on goodies like bacon and blue cheese dressing - within reason. I balance it out with a lot of fresh fruits and veggies and fibers. In addition, I drink water all day. Today I had the energy of a super hero! And I can guarantee that I burned off any calories I took in with a balance of activity and allowing my body to properly digest with this "grazing" technique.

There are a lot of gimmicky diets out there, but limiting how much food I put in my belly at any one sitting is the best and healthiest way I know how to manage my weight. I attempt to eat this way every day. It's an ongoing battle to stick to healthy eating habits, but with this tactic, I don't feel deprived and starved . . . ever.

I am not always perfect in my eating habits. Sometimes I do pig out. But I keep trying, and I do the best I can.

My advice is this: If you can pull the small-portions eating plan off for just one day, you'll have created an experiential template going forward. Try it and see how you feel. You'll be inspired, you'll see!

As a dear friend and client said to me this morning, "It seems like we are always fattening ourselves up for the famine that never arrives."

It's time to relax. There is always more food in our future!

Want to see more? Start following Coach Lark Says or start your own OnSugar blog. We'd love to post your inspiring stories and helpful advice here on FitSugar too!

Smarter Eats: Use Smaller Plates and Grab It to Go

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:34 PDT

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.