10 Tips for Portion Control
Dear Jess, Help! Do you have any suggestions for controlling portion sizes? That gets me every time. Thanks, KM
This is a common and serious problem for many Americans. The super-sizing of America over the last few decades has lead to a distorted sense of portion-size. Research shows this increase in portion size is a primary contributor to the rapid rise of obesity in this country. We have developed an erroneous sense of what is a “normal” serving size and we underestimate the number of calories in a large serving. Because of this portion-distortion we eat a lot more than we did 20 or 30 years ago. We are a nation of over-consumers — We shop at Costco and eat at McDonald’s to “get more value for our money”. A commentary in the July 2006 Journal of American Dietetic Association by Drs. Wansink and Van Ittersum entitled “Portion Size Me: Downsizing Our Consumption Norms” cites some interesting statistics: Large packaging in grocery stores has increased 10-fold from 1970 to 2000. Restaurant serving sizes are 250% bigger than regular serving sizes. Our dinnerware has increased by 36% to accommodate these expanding portions. Even the 2006 edition of the Joy of Cooking
You can take a pro-active approach to this problem. Just like any new habit, it takes a bit more time and energy right off the bat. Hang in there and down-sizing portion sizes will be easy.
Here are 10 tips to portion control to get you off on the right track:
1. Use your hand as a guide. For a meal:
-Your protein source should be no bigger or thicker than the palm of your hand.
-Your starchy carbohydrate choice (whole grains, sweet potatoes, etc) should be no bigger than your fist.
-Your non-starchy carbohydrates can be as big as two open, slightly cupped hands (read: lots)
-Add a bit of healthy fat the size of the tip of your thumb.
2. Plan ahead. Plan your daily menu and stick to it.
3. Measure your food. Yes, at first, use a measuring cup or a kitchen scale and measure out the correct amount. This takes time, but soon you learn what a healthy portion size really looks like.
4. Choose nutrient dense, low calorie foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes).
5. Avoid highly refined foods. The portions size for this kind of food is tiny!
6. Use a smaller dinner plate. Trade your 12” dinner plate for an 8” salad plate.
7. Don’t put a serving dish on the table. It only encourages a second helping.
8. Put leftovers away in measured, single-portion servings for your next meal.
9. If you are eating out, split a meal with a friend or take half home to enjoy as leftovers.
10. Keep a food log. People who write down what they eat each day, eat less.
Changing your environment will, ultimately, change your thinking. Soon you will have a whole new perspective of what a normal serving really is.
Remember why it matters to you to make healthy choices. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.
To your good health,
Jess
Jessica Adlin, MS, CN
