Portion Control

By Health & Medical Last updated Saturday, November/09/2019

Due to unemployment, foreclosures and gas at an all-time high, consumers have no choice but to tighten their wallets. People are becoming more and more apprehensive about spending money, especially when it comes to participating in diet programs. Consumers are having a tough time trying to justify paying the high costs to join these programs, maintain membership fees, and pay for pre-packaged food and are therefore searching for cheaper alternatives to banish those extra pounds!! Last week we worked on keeping an exercise journal. Now that you are more aware of your eating habits- what types of food you eat, what times of day you eat, how much you eat- you can use the information in your food journal to customize an eating program that will not only fit into the parameters of your lifestyle, but will also fit into the parameter of your budget.

Why Is It So Hard To Lose Weight?

One of the primary reasons why it is so hard to lose weight is because of portion control. One of the key ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight is through portion control. It is the easiest- and most budget friendly- way to begin healthier eating habits. Yet, research has shown that Americans often underestimate how many calories they are consuming each day by as much as 25%.

What Is a Serving Size?

How can you control your portions if you don’t know how big a portion should be? Use the list below to gain a perspective on how much food a recommended serving size really is; it may be much smaller than you realize.

According to the USDA, 1 serving equals:

1 slice of whole-grain bread

1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta

1/2 cup of mashed potatoes

3-4 small crackers

1 small pancake or waffle

2 medium-sized cookies

1/2 cup cooked vegetables

1 cup (4 leaves) lettuce

1 small baked potato

3/4 cup vegetable juice

1 medium apple

1/2 grapefruit or mango

1/2 cup berries

1 cup yogurt or milk

1 1/2 ounces of cheddar cheese

1 chicken breast

1 medium pork chop

1/4 pound hamburger patty

Help! I Can’t Remember All Those Measurements!!

A good guideline to help you understand portion sizes is to translate the abstract information represented by the serving size into something visual that's easily remembered. So instead of trying to memorize lists of ounces, cups, and tablespoons, simply compare the serving sizes of particular foods to familiar physical objects. For example, a single serving of:

Vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist.

Pasta is about the size of one scoop of ice cream.

Meat, fish, or poultry is the size of a deck of cards or the size of your palm (minus the fingers).

Snacks such as pretzels and chips is about the size of a cupped handful.

Apple is the size of a baseball.

Potato is the size of a computer mouse.

Bagel is the size of a hockey puck.

Pancake is the size of a compact disc.

Steamed rice is the size of a cupcake wrapper.

Cheese is the size of a pair of dice or the size of your whole thumb (from the tip to the base).

The best way to determine the amount of food in a given serving is to look at the Nutrition Facts label and measure it out. Although this may not be practical or that much fun, if you are able to take the time, you will soon be able to "eyeball" the amount of food and know whether there is too much or too little.

For example, filling a measuring cup with the proper sized portion of vegetables, rice, etc. and then emptying it onto a plate will help you learn what these serving sizes look like. Take note of how much of the plate is covered; this will help you in the future, even if you only do it once. Simply by having and implementing this knowledge, you will have taken an important step in managing your weight!

Since we now know what types of food we are eating and will take this week to fine tune our portion sizes, it’s time to get moving. Next week, we will look at exercise for both the frugal person and the busy person!

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