How do I keep food portions under control?
April 7th, 2012
Portion control is just as important as controlling the amount of fat in your diet. The food portions that are served to us at restaurants, delis, and even by our own families are growing, and our waistlines are following. In New York City, this is most obvious with the New York bagel. They are HUGE. The original size was close to a Lender frozen bagel, about 200 calories. Today, the typical deli breakfast staple has about 600 calories, and that’s before the cream cheese, jelly or butter! If you have gotten a bagel in the Big Apple, you will also notice the amount of cream cheese is ridiculous. They pretty much shmear a tub of cream cheese in the middle. By simply eating just half of a bagel and maybe splitting one with a co-worker, you will avoid overeating. You can also ask for the cream cheese to be put in a cup so that you can control how much you put on.
When I was a kid, a typical pizza pie could yield 8 slices. Today, most pizza shops cut them into 6 slices. That’s a big change! If you must have pizza for an occasional splurge, ask to have your slice cut in half, and share with a friend or set aside for later if you are still hungry.
Dinner at my family’s house is usually “family style”, i.e. the food is placed in the middle and everyone serves themselves throughout the meal. While this may seem quite benign it is a recipe for overeating as it is difficult to see how much you have already eaten. For kids, they can learn to avoid the vegetables and splurge on fatty meats. The healthy alternative would be to have each plate prepared with controlled portions. A good rule is to divide the plate so that half the plate is filled with vegetables, one quarter with a lean protein, and one quarter with a starch like rice or potato. Another way to look at it, limit your carbohydrates to a fist-sized portion, your protein to the size of your palm, and the rest should be vegetables.
Plate size is another important variable. Our waistlines have grown with our dinner plates. If you ever browse an antique store, you will find what appears to be a small salad plate by today’s standards was actually used as a dinner plate. By changing the servingware in your household you will find that you will eat less because the plate will look more full.
Time is another factor in eating. Our bodies are able to digest only as fast as our stomachs are able to empty. I have observed that when I eat at a restaurant, the waiters will often bring the dessert menu as soon as you put your fork down from finishing your entree. They know that if they wait too long, the satiety from eating the main course will set in, and you will feel too full to think about dessert. Allow yourself time to enjoy and digest your food. All too often, we are in a rush and end up eating way more than we should. Assess your eating habits, how many times have you eaten a meal, then half an hour later feel “over-stuffed”?
Portion control may seem like a borderline obsession with food, but it is necessary task for maintaining good health. Once you get started, you will find it gets easier.
