Thursday, November 13, 2008

Strategies for Portion Control


Research has shown that Americans often underestimate how many calories they are consuming each day by as much as 25%. If you've been working out consistently and think you should be maintaining or losing weight but are gaining weight it may be your diet.

Follow the strategies below to get on the right track


At Home

1. Measure your portions on a food scale. Figure out what a real portion is of all your favorite foods and stick to that.
2. Serve food in the appropriate portion amounts and don't go back for seconds.
3. Avoid mindless eating. Never eat out of the bag or carton. Instead put the correct portion in a plate or bowl.
4. Don't keep platters of food on the table; you are more likely to pick at it or have a second serving without even realizing it.

At Restaurants
1. Eat only half of your meal. The portions at most restaurants are enormous, so either share it with a friend or ask for a to-go bag right away and put it away ASAP. The longer it stays in sight you’ll be more tempted to pick at it.
2. Limit consumption of bread sticks, chips and appetizers.
3. Drink water to avoid filling up high calorie beverages.
4. If you have dessert, share.

No comments:

Post a Comment