Exercising portion control
Published:Thursday | April 7, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor
It is easy to believe the proverbial saying that you are what you eat. When some people sit down to eat, the last thing on their mind is portion control. In many instances, you are eating more than you need to, resulting in your concern about gaining or maintaining weight or controlling meals for combating diseases.
Correct serving size
When labels of food items give you the recommended serving size, it is designed to control the portions of what you consume. One of the first steps in mastering portion control is to learn the correct serving size. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has established references for most foods and the Scientific Research Council in Jamaica will include recommended serving sizes as part of a nutrition profile. Despite the recommended serving size, what you choose to eat is a portion, most times larger than the recommended serving size.
Strategies for portion control
How do you go about having smaller servings? According to Kristin Stewart in Everyday Health, Inc, you can achieve portion control by following some basic practices.
1. Be aware of foods you are eating: pay special attention to calories per portion.
2. Learn how to measure accurately: use measuring tools for food and beverage. You should have measuring cups, spoons and a food scale. Be careful in measuring fats and oils, as these have more calories than proteins and carbohydrates.
3. Learn to estimate serving sizes. You can use estimates to get portion control right. Three ounces of cooked meat, fish or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards. When you want a half cup, think of an ice cream scoop. One cup is the size of a tennis ball and one ounce of cheese, the size of a domino.
4. Use smaller plates, bowls, cups and glassware when eating.
5. Serve foods individually from the stove to the plate instead of family-style service from the table. This reduces the temptation to take seconds when food is placed on the table.
6. Pack individual portions and freeze when you have prepared large portions of food.
7. When dining out, eat a half of what you are served and take home the rest, or you could share a meal with a friend.
8. Eat lavish amounts of low-calorie vegetables to fill you up and reduce the temptation to eat large portions of meats and starchy foods. Add vegetables to dishes to make them healthier and your portion sizes will be more filling. You will not go back for more.
9. Listen to your hunger cues. You should never allow yourself to become hungry, as you should plan your meals regularly. However, if you get hungry, you should eat, but stop when you are satisfied or feel comfortable.
10. Savour each mouthful you take, and chew foods very carefully before swallowing.
As soon as you start practising portion control, you will find that it easily becomes natural when you eat. Lent is an ideal time to practise portion control for better health.