Serving Size and Weight Control

Portion control, what is it and how can it be used for weight loss and weight control? Portion control is the understanding of what a correct portion size actually is and applying it to your eating habits. The portion sizes in America have gotten out of control, go to any fast food restaurant and you will see. Super size, up size whatever they call it, the portions are at least twice what is really needed.

Why is portion control important? The body only needs a certain amount of food and when you overeat; your body stores the extra calories as fat. Portion control is an important tool in losing, maintaining and keeping your weight under control. Children should be taught at a young age about portion control, so many children are overweight in this country. Many times it is blamed on the school lunches. So the school lunch programs have implemented portion control. This is a wonderful thing but I have to say it is not all about the school lunch program. I have spent over 22 years working in school food service system and I so often see children starting school already overweight. So the training needs to be started at home and early in life. But how can that happen if the parents do not understand this concept?

How do we use portion control to control weight? We have already established that portion control is the key to losing and keeping weight off so I will give you some tips on how to accomplish this.

1. Before you eat divide your plate in half and fill half with fruits and vegetables, the other half fill with meat and starch.

2. Pre portion tempting treats, this means that if you want to eat M&Ms do not eat them from the bag, put a small portion in a bowl and only eat them.

3. Stop Mindless munching, when you sit down to eat you must be conscious of how much you are eating, if you can’t remember how much bread you ate then remove it from the table before you begin to eat.

4. Downsize your dishes, if you generally use the 12 to 14 inch plate switch to the 8 to 10 inch plate.

5. Limit choices; don’t put as many choices on the table as you usually do.

6. Use your power (if you do the shopping you control what comes into the home and what sizes you purchase) for the good.

7. Avoid a see food diet, keep candy out of sight

8. Turn off the Television! This leads to mindless eating because you are not paying attention to how much you consume

9. Think before you drink, pay attention to the portion size of your drink

10. Buy and serve good food, not all food is about eating less

If you think that the portion control size is too small, don’t worry too much because you can eat multiple serving’s everyday from each food group. The best way to be able to tell what a portion size is would be to compare to everyday objects. Below I have provided some comparisons for you to get started with.

1. One small apple or orange is equal to the size of a tennis ball

2. Vegetables ½ cup of cooked veggies is equal to a half of a baseball-this is one serving. You can even eat more of the raw leafy vegetables.

3. Carbs, ½ cup whole grain cooked pasta is about the same size as a hockey puck

4. Protein/Dairy 1 ½ to 2 oz of low fat hard cheese are about the same size as 3 or 4 dice

5. Protein 2.5 oz piece of cooked chicken is about the same size as a 2/3 rd of a deck of cards

6. Fats – 2 teaspoons of regular mayonnaise are about the same size as 2 dice

Putting all of this together may take some practice, but controlling portion size means that you ultimately control your calories and that will lead to weight loss and weight control. If you feel you need more help with controlling your portion sizes they offer a portion control plate. These plates will help you get a better idea of what a portion size is. When eating out I suggest that you split an entrée with a friend or box half of the meal as soon as it is served. Don’t wait until you have eaten, because you will overeat by that time.

When you are shopping always be aware of large packages the larger the package the more we seem to overeat. If you need to buy large packages divide the contents into portion sizes and do not eat straight from the package. There are so many ways to lose weight but portion control is one of the best. It teaches you how to eat and gives you the tools to keep the weight off. Why does it matter? Portion control will help you stop the mindless eating, control weight and help you become a healthier you.

Thanks for joining me!

Velzipmur aka Shelly Wyatt

While you are concentrating on portion control it is important to remember that healthy food is of the utmost importance. One should choose foods that will provide vitamins and minerals. I have talked to different people who say " I take my vitamins everyday." That may be a good idea, but nature knows how to make vitamins and minerals accessible to the human body so it is important to "eat" your vitamins.

Start teaching your children from the time they are able to eat from the table how important it is to try different fruits and vegetables. They learn early in life how to eat. If they are taught to eat healthy this is something they will take with them throughout their life.