PORTION CONTROL
October 23, 2006 by erin.
It’s no secret that weight loss and maintenance is about proper caloric intake. If you intake less energy than you expend, you lose weight. If your intake matches your expenditure, you maintain weight. And, if your intake exceeds your expenditure, you will certainly gain weight. The tricky part to proper caloric intake is eating healthy while dining out and determining portion sizes. If there seems to be nothing healthy on the menu, how do you order? If you don’t have a food scale or measuring cups handy, how do you tell if you are eating too much? Follow these easy tips and stay on track with your diet no matter your dining circumstance.
SMART ORDERING TIPS
- Don’t arrive at the restaurant starving: if the dining situation isn’t ideal, you can avoid overconsumption of rich foods by having a piece of fruit or some fresh, crunchy veggies to curb your appetite.
- Know your destination: decide what type of restaurant you will be dining. Choose a place where there will be healthy options. Thai, Greek and, Japanese are better choices than Italian, French, and Mexican.
- Study the menu: look for the healthiest possibilities. Don’t be afraid to modify the order if needed. Order dishes without cheese; dressing & sauce to the side; request steamed veggies without the butter sauce, and choose a veggie over a pasta side.
- If you don’t see what you want, ask for it: Most restaurants are interested in pleasing the customer and will accommodate a special request. i.e. no salt, no oil, no butter…
- Rethink your appetizer and dessert: Opt for a salad as a starter and a cup of fruit as your sweet treat.
- Portions served in restaurants have become enormous. Ask the waiter to bring half of your entree and box up the other half. You won’t have to pack lunch the next day.
- Avoid drinking alcohol with your meals: alcohol can stimulate your hunger and dim your reasoning ability. Calories can add up quickly!!
- Order one entree and split it between two people.
VISUAL PORTION CUES
- ONE FIST CLENCHED = 8oz fluid
- BASEBALL, WOMAN’S FIST, TWO HANDS CUPPED = about 1 cup
- ONE HAND CUPPED = 1/2 cup
- LARGE EGG OR GOLF BALL = 1/4 cup
- CASSETTE TAPE, DECK OF CARDS, PALM OF HAND = about 3oz (meat)
- CHECKBOOK = 3oz (grilled fish)
- SIX DICE = 1.5 oz (cheese)
- 1 DIE = 1 tsp.
- THUMB TIP = 1 tbsp
Another tip to help control portion size is to control your plate size. Research has indicated that the bigger the plate, the more we eat. Even if we perceive that we are eating sensibly, if the plate is large we will inaccurately gauge portion size. Try to stick with a nine or ten inch dinner plate and don’t go back for seconds.