Portion Control Made Simple

500 calories per day. That’s how many MORE calories we routinely eat today vs. 30 years ago. No wonder we’re gaining weight!

Where do those extra calories come from? Sweetened beverages and fast food are two popular culprits, but I put my money on expanding portion sizes contributing to our expanding waistlines.

You’ve probably encountered one of the Frisbee-size cookies strategically placed next to the cash register at delis and quick stops. Did you know that these cookies are 700 times bigger than a standard cookie? Virtually every category of food is now larger than it used to be: muffins are 333% larger, pasta servings 450% larger, and bagels 200% bigger.

Fight back with reasonable portion sizes

Tip #1: Measure!

If you want to know how much you’re eating, you simply have to break out the measuring cups and spoons. Pour a typical bowl of breakfast cereal, then measure the amount in your bowl. Compare that to the serving size listed on the label, and adjust the cereal in your bowl accordingly. Do the same for everything you eat, and you’ll see exactly where you can make changes.

Tip #2: Purchase calorie-portioned foods

I love the new 100 calorie snacks, already portioned out for us. No more guess work or reading labels and then counting out the exact number of cookies or crackers in a serving. We can eat the whole bag, and still feel proud of ourselves because it’s only one serving.

You can accomplish the same thing if you prefer to purchase in bulk by simply pre-portioning your food into serving-size baggies. It takes a bit more time, but it’s cheaper in the long run.

Tip #3: Use your hands

It’s not convenient to carry around measuring cups all the time, but your hands are always available! Use these comparisons to estimate portion sizes when you’re eating out or at a friend’s house:

• Woman’s fist or baseball – one cup serving of vegetables or fruit

• A rounded handful – about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta; also a good measure for a snack serving, such as chips or pretzels

• Palm of your hand – a 3-ounce serving of meat, fish or poultry (don’t count your fingers!)

• Golf ball or large egg – one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts

• Tennis ball – about one cup of ice cream, potato, pasta or rice

• Compact disc – about the size of one serving of pancake or small waffle

• Thumb tip – about one teaspoon of peanut butter or margarine

• Four dice – one ounce of cheese

Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE, cPT is a health, food and fitness coach in southwestern Vermont and at http://www.LynnGrieger.com

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