Portion sizes have grown considerably in recent years. Super size servings in restaurants, the rise of all-you-can-eat buffets, super-size fast food meals, family packs of crisps in the supermarket and jumbo lattes in coffee chains have all contributed to this phenomenon.

To add to the problem, due to lifestyle changes, many people now eat away from home, or in front of the TV giving them less control over the amount of food on their plates or the amount they put into their mouth — research has shown that people are more likely to overeat when given large portions because it’s harder to gauge what is a ‘normal’ or acceptable amount. Larger portions can lead to an increase in calorie intake that, over time, can cause weight gain. This in turn can cause health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. So it’s a good move to keep an eye on portion sizes when you can.

That isn’t to say you should be eating so little that you end up going hungry — rather more about listening to your body and putting down your fork when you’re full!
Here are some ways to keep portion sizes sensible:

Don’t super-size — fast foods aren’t recommended as part of a healthy diet, but if you do find yourself tempted to tuck into a pizza, order the regular or small sized meal. Large or extra-large meals can be value for money, but they are extremely high in fat and calories, and can contain bad fats, the trans fatty acids.

And remember it’s not just foods that are available in outsized portions: fizzy drinks, milkshakes and sweet, milky coffees are too. These are usually high in calories and can contain sugar, artificial sweeteners or colourings, additives etc, so best avoided as part of a healthy diet.

When eating out (and at home) don’t feel guilty about leaving food on your plate. Most people have grown up with the notion that they have to clear their plates at every meal. If leaving food seems wasteful to you, ask for a child’s portion or a half-portion — most restaurants are happy to oblige. And if you find yourself in an all-you-can-eat venue, reach for a small plate, and fill up only once.

Try not to eat out of big bags of snacks such as crisps, nuts or sweets — this will only tempt you to keep picking; dish out a serving in a small bowl instead. Also better not to eat out of big bags when at the cinema or watching television as you will end up eating more unconsciously.
Don’t worry too much about portions when eating nutritious foods such as fruit, veg, pulses and whole grains — rather, concentrate on cutting down on portions of fatty, sugary foods — these contain the most calories and the least nutrients.

Finally keep an eye on your plate. Ultimately, getting a healthy diet is about getting the right foods in the right amounts. Here are a few final tips to bear in mind when you are next dishing-up…

• The protein-based part of your meal should be around the size of a deck of cards
• The starchy part of your meal, for example: the rice, potatoes, bread or grains should be around the size of one tennis ball or your balled fist. If you want to lose weight then make the starch part of your meal even smaller and up the vegetables
• If possible, fruits and vegetables should fill around half of your plate
• Fats and oils should be kept to a minimum, for example: less than one tablespoon

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2007 at 2:30 pm and is filed under Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.