How to Avoid Portion Size Pitfalls to Help Manage Your Weight
Topics: Keeping Your Kids Healthy, Nutrition, Healthy Eating Strategies, Weight Loss Strategies, Nutrition Basics
When eating at many restaurants, it's hard to miss that portion sizes have gotten larger in the last few years. The trend has also spilled over into the grocery store and vending machines, where a bagel has become a BAGEL and an "individual" bag of chips can easily feed more than one. Research shows that people unintentionally consume more calories when faced with larger portions. This can mean significant excess calorie intake, especially when eating high-calorie foods. Here are some tips to help you avoid some common portion-size pitfalls.
Portion control when eating out. Many restaurants serve more food than one person needs at one meal. Take control of the amount of food that ends up on your plate by splitting an entrée with a friend. Or, ask the wait person for a "to-go" box and wrap up half your meal as soon as it's brought to the table.
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Portion control when eating in. To minimize the temptation of second and third helpings when eating at home, serve the food on individual plates, instead of putting the serving dishes on the table. Keeping the excess food out of reach may discourage overeating. Portion control in front of the TV. When eating or snacking in front of the TV, put the amount that you plan to eat into a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package. It's easy to overeat when your attention is focused on something else. |
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Go ahead, spoil your dinner. We learned as children not to snack before a meal for fear of "spoiling our dinner." Well, it's time to forget that old rule. If you feel hungry between meals, eat a healthy snack, like a piece of fruit or small salad, to avoid overeating during your next meal. Be aware of large packages. For some reason, the larger the package, the more people consume from it without realizing it. To minimize this effect:
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Out of sight, out of mind. People tend to consume more when they have easy access to food. Make your home a "portion friendly zone."
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Related Resources
Check out these Web sites for more portion size tips:
The Portion Distortion Quiz from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute* (NHLBI) shows how portion sizes of some common foods have changed over the years.
Food labels can help you understand that portion sizes are often larger than you think. Click the links below to learn how to use the Nutrition Facts Label on food packages:
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention content is free and public domain.
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