Size Does Matter--Master Portion Control
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-08-05 00:00:00-04:00
You’ve heard it over and over. The key to a healthy diet and weight management is portion control. The concept is easy: if you eat less, you consume fewer calories.
But in a world where big is better and restaurants serve overflowing plates of food, it’s tough to figure out what a “normal” portion size is. It is very easy to overeat when oversized portions and all-you-can eat buffets surround us. While most of us know the basics about nutrition, it’s time we take a few minutes to rethink how much we eat. It’s just as important as what we eat.
Visualize Servings
A portion is how much food that we eat in a sitting, for a meal or snack. The first step to mastering portion control is to identify what a recommended serving of your food selections looks like. So when you have a meal that includes some meat, vegetables and grain, for example, you’ll notice how many servings of each you have on your plate. For many of us, it will take time to retrain our bodies, eyes, and heads to recognize what sensible servings look and taste like! But by mastering portion control, you’ll improve your health and manage or even loose weight.
The following tips can help you bite off less than you can chew!
- Visualize what one serving of each of the foods you are eating should look like, before digging into a meal.
- Pay attention to the food labels when you cook and eat. Make a habit of reading food labels to help you manage your portion sizes.
Use this guide to help you visualize your food choices:
| Grain Products | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 cup of cereal flakes | The size of a fist |
| 1 pancake | A compact disc |
| ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or potato | ½ of a baseball |
| 1 slice of bread | A cassette tape |
| Fruits and Veggies | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 cup of salad greens | A baseball |
| 1 medium fruit | A baseball |
| ½ cup of raisins | A large egg |
| Dairy and Cheese | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 ½ oz. cheese | 4 stacked dice |
| ½ cup of ice cream | ½ baseball |
| 1 cup serving of milk, yogurt, or fresh greens | The size of a fist |
| Meats and Alternatives | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 3 oz. meat, fish, and poultry | Deck of cards |
| 3 oz. grilled/baked fish | Checkbook |
| 2 Tbsp. peanut butter | Ping pong ball |
| Fats | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 teaspoon of oil | The size of your thumb tip |
One Size Does Not Fit All
Many factors affect how much food you may put on your plate, such as age, gender, activity level, and appetite. For example, consider the difference between these two people:
| Steve: | Male, 50 years old, 180 pounds Gets 30 minutes or less of activity/day Daily calorie need = approximately 2200 |
| Steve ’ s well-portioned meal may include: 3 ounces of chicken, 2 cups green beans, and 1 ½ cups of brown rice | |
| Judy: | Female, 50 years old, 140 pounds Gets approximately 30 minutes of physical activity/day Daily calorie need: approximately 1800 |
| Judy ’ s well-portioned meal may include: 2 ounces of chicken, 1 cups green beans, and 1 cup of brown rice. | |
As you see, Judy’s dietary requirements are less than her counterparts so the amount of food she eats is less. It makes good sense, doesn’t it?
Think Before You Bite
“Mindful eating” is another way to help you master portion control. The concept is simple:
- Be aware. Think about what and how much you are consuming.
- Eat slowly, taste each bite.
- Recognize how frequently you eat.
- Enjoy the experience of eating.
By mindful eating, we monitor our choices and give our bodies the chance to respond to what we consume. This way we can enjoy food and share the cooking and dining experience with others, while recognizing when we have eaten enough so that we don’t overeat.
Hungry for More?
There may be times when eating sensible portion sizes are hard. Special occasions, busy schedules, stressful situations, travel, and other experiences may be reason to overeat. We know how easy it is to eat more than you need to. Don’t worry if you slip. Just take it one meal or snack at a time. Use these tips and make an effort to be mindful about eating, and you’ll find that you can establish a routine and adjust to eating smaller amounts. You will create a habit that is a more natural and healthy way of eating. And the best part, you’ll feel and look better!
AARP Resources
Eating Right
How healthy is your diet? Eating right is achievable. Learn more.
Healthy Snacking
You can eat snacks and still be healthy. It’s easier than you think with smart choices.
Read Food Labels for a Healthier Diet
Learn to read food labels to help you eat healthy and control your portion sizes.
Additional Resources
Eat Just Enough
This brochure from the Weight-control Information Network breaks down portions and serving sizes. It provides helpful information and resources to help you manage your weight by watching what and how you eat.
Portion Distortion Quiz
Do you know how food portions have changed in the last twenty years? Test yourself!
Portion Control Buzz
Take some advice from the American Athritis Association on how to keep portions under control.
Books
Find these books online at Borders.com
Portion Teller: Smartsize Your Way to Permanent Weight Loss
Lisa R. Young, Broadway Books, May 2005
American Heart Association No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss
American Heart Association, Crown Publishing Group, June 2005
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