Are you aware of the fact that the sizes of food portions in the United States have grown at the very least two to three times what they were 30 years ago? As unbelievable as that may seem, it is true. Americans are showing that they cannot exercise proper portion control and society is not helping much at all. The sizes of popcorn and soft drinks at movie theaters, for example, are up to five times what they were back then and this is happening to our portions all across the board.
Doctors and nutritionists agree that the best way to lose weight is via moderation, meaning to control the amounts or portions of foods you eat. The U.S. Center for Chronic Disease Prevention says that how much food we eat is very much dependent on the size of the serving and not upon how full or hungry we may feel. What this means is that you will eat more food when you are served a larger portion.
The average person will eat 30{44f93193654ee8e357ba54f38b49cfc3563b7d623a8103b2d4e387aa181f7fed} more calories of the same food if it is served on a larger plate. Only about half of the people would even notice that the portion size is bigger. What then is involved in eating healthy portions? If the best way to lose weight is portion control and moderation, how should we judge portion size?
Most of us cannot tell the difference in portion size and just eat what is served to us. However by simply watching the size of the portions themselves, you are exercising moderation in your food intake which will lead to a healthier weight. It gets easier to estimate the appropriate portion when you can visualize in your mind the correct size.
The correct portions of meat, poultry and fish is three ounces which is the size of a deck of cards. With vegetables and fruit the correct portion size is one cup which is the size of a baseball. With grains such as potatoes, rice and pasta, you should expect a portion to be ½ to 2/3 of a cup or about the size you can fit into the palm of your hand. The correct portion for beverages is eight ounces which is the amount that fits into a coffee cup.
Even though the best way to lose weight is portion control, it does not mean that you have to give up foods you love, even salty or sweet foods. If you crave sweets you can indulge in them once per week, for example. Research has shown that giving in to your cravings in moderation helps you stay on track instead of depriving yourself and then binging when the temptation strikes.
So now that you know that the best way to lose weight is by controlling portions, it is recommended to eat your meals on a smaller plate so that you get the sense that you are actually eating larger portions.
