Portion Control

I cannot express enough the importance of portion control while your beginning your journey to a healthy lifestyle. Portion control is one of the most important things that need to be done; yet, so few people are aware that this is a problem. Don't believe me? The average restaurant meal contains between 1,000 and 1,500 calories, according to an article on SmartMoney.com. If that doesn't gross you out, this will:

Here are some examples of how serving sizes have changed since the 1950s:

• Then: The average burger sandwich was 3.9 ounces. Now: A burger sandwich is 12 ounces. (I'm not even going to comment on the toppings and sauces.)
• Then: The size for fries was 2.4 ounces. Now: The size is 6.7 ounces.
• Then: Soda came in a 7-ounce cup. Now: The average soda is 42 ounces. (If this is a sugar-sweetened cola, calories have gone from about 90 to 530!)

 

Just because times are changing, doesn't mean you have to go with the flow. You are the only one in charge of what you fill your body with. One of the main reasons of weight gain is due to portion sizes. Take breakfast cereal for example, when was the last time you broke out the measuring cups and actually measured? Chances are you are eating 2-3 servings in one sitting because you have no clue. Americans are overeating. I have compiled a list of tips that can help you portion your food correctly to help you reach your goals.

 

1. Read Nutrition Label

If you want to get your portion sizes correct, you must start here. This is imperative to your success with your new lifestyle. If you don't know the serving size, then you do not know how much to portion. There is a lot of helpful information on the nutrition label! If your new to this, you may feel overwhelmed when looking at it for the first time. After you have done it a couple times, you will know just what to look for! Click the image below to learn to read food labels!

 

 

2. Measuring your Food

This goes hand-in-hand with reading the nutrition label. Why read the nutrition label if your not going to follow the recommended serving size? This is exteremely important if you are tracking your calories or macros in order to reach a goal. If we do not measure out foods and 'eyeball' it - we tend to overestimate the serving size. You are only cheating yourself. Think of the breakfast cereal for example. You are in the kitchen, you have your bowl, spoon, milk, etc - why not pull out the ½ cup measuring cup. At the beginning of your journey, you may only have access to measuring cups; however, the only way to accurelty measure you food is with a foodscale. Of course, we all have the times when we are out and don't carry measuring cups so check out the chart below to estimate as best as you can.

 

 

 

3. Balance your Plate

Unfortunately if you think that your protein (meat-source) should take up half of your plate, you are wrong. Shockingly enough, vegetables/fruits should take up half of your plate. These are nutrient dense foods and a great source of fiber. One cup of broccoli gives you 130% of Vitamin C! One cup of carrots gives you a whopping 420% of Vitamin A! With ½ of your plate being used by vegetables - this allows ¼ for your protein, and ¼ for your whole grain starches.

 

 

4. Avoid Eating out of the Container

This can also be called 'emotional eating.' You've done it, I've done it.. you're bored and you open the fridge or pantry as habit. STOP! Go occupy yourself by doing something else, there are plenty of at home exercises that will also aid in the success of your goals (squats, planks, lunges, push-ups, etc). Anyway, this leads to overeating - BAD. You're standing infront of the pantry eating chips or crackers, before you know it - you've been there for 5 minutes. Take the time to put a serving on to a plate or in to a bowl, doing so will all but force you to dish out a little "automatic" portion control. If it helps, divide helpings into single-serving zipper bags. You'll still be much more likely to keep yourself in check than if the full-size package ends up in your hands when you're in the grip of some serious cravings.

 

5. Plan your Meals

If your really serious about reaching your goals, it's time to plan your meals. By planning your meals ahead of time, you'll be able to measure and pack your food for whenever it's time to eat. I plan my meals everyday, that's right - 6-7 meals! This way I don't have to wonder what I'm going to have, or settle for getting something that won't help me reach my goals. I set myself up for success. By planning my meals, I don't have to worry about eating off track or eating more than I should. I go further and plan dinners for a week or two in advance. It's nice to not question what I'll be making for dinner, and then end up going out somewhere to spend money when a meal can be cooked at home for less.

 

 

 

Would you like to know more about how I plan meals and dinners? Comment below if you do and it can be a future post!