How can I control my food portions?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:One of the keys to controlling your portions is to choose healthy foods that will fill you up and satisfy your hunger without adding a lot of calories. For a great product that fights cravings -- and a secret weapon that will help you fight portion distortion -- watch this video featuring Cleveland Clinic dietitian and Dr. Oz Show guest Kristin Kirkpatrick.
One of the keys to controlling your portions is to choose healthy foods that will fill you up and satisfy your hunger without adding a lot of calories. For a great product that fights cravings -- and a secret weapon that will help you fight... More -
Dr. Rovenia Brock answered:Here are some tips to curb your overactive appetite and to eyeball your food portions:
1. Slow Down! Take a breath between bites - it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness.
2. Fill-up on water before eating (just 1 glass can curb a veracious appetite).
3. Plan ahead: cook more and control what you eat.
4. Get back to “Grandma’s” advice and “Eat your roughage!” Leafy green veggies contain lots of fiber which curbs appetite.
5. Eat more beans for protein and soluble fiber which also protects against heart disease.
6. Design your meals with three-fourths colorful veggies and fruit and complete the final quarter with 4-6 ounces of lean protein and a serving or half-serving of whole grains.Helpful? 3 people found this helpfulHere are some tips to curb your overactive appetite and to eyeball your food portions: 1. Slow Down! Take a breath between bites - it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness. 2. Fill-up on water before eating (just 1 glass can... More -
Kate Geagan answered:We eat with our eyes as much as with our stomachs, and no one wants to feel deprived, stars included. Cornell University’s Mindless Eating Lab has done some fun and fantastic research on this, and their findings are consistent: both our bodies and our brains fight against deprivation -- and visual cues are a key part of feeling satisfied. Aim for 350-450 calorie meals and 100-150 calorie snacks. Avoid portion distortion: Remember big plates, big spoons, big cups = bigger servings and more calories. The trick? Research suggests you can easily consume 20-30% less without even missing it, simply by serving on smaller plates, glasses and bowls.
Helpful? 2 people found this helpfulWe eat with our eyes as much as with our stomachs, and no one wants to feel deprived, stars included. Cornell University’s Mindless Eating Lab has done some fun and fantastic research on this, and their findings are consistent: both... More -
Anna-Lisa Finger answered:Okinawans have a wonderful saying: Hari Hachi Bu. Which means eat only until you are 80% full. They also eat a mostly plant-based diet, which includes plenty of vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes and fish.
Why eat like the Okinawans? Heart disease, stroke and rates of cancer are much lower in Okinawa compared to the US.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulOkinawans have a wonderful saying: Hari Hachi Bu. Which means eat only until you are 80% full. They also eat a mostly plant-based diet, which includes plenty of vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes and fish. Why eat like the Okinawans?... More -
Chris Embry - NASM Elite Trainer answered:One tactic you can use to control your food portions is eating your protein and veggies before the rest of your meal. For example, if you are eating a breakfast that includes ham, eggs, and pancakes, eat the eggs and ham first. Then eat the pancakes until you are full. This is much better than eating all of the pancakes and leaving the ham and eggs. Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates. By eating the protein first, you ensure you are getting finishing the most important part of your meal and you may end up eating less overall. The same strategy can be applied to your lunch and dinner. Eat your chicken, steak, salad, and side veggies before eating your pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulOne tactic you can use to control your food portions is eating your protein and veggies before the rest of your meal. For example, if you are eating a breakfast that includes ham, eggs, and pancakes, eat the eggs and ham first. Then eat the pancakes... More -
Dr. Doris Day answered:Leave the last bite on your plate. If you finish everything on your plate, and even scrape it clean with bread to get every last drop, you are sending a message to your brain that there was not enough food. You are letting the portion dictate how hungry you are. If you make a decision that you are done before the portion is finished, you send a very strong message to your mind and through it to your stomach that you have had enough and you couldn’t eat another bite. This strategy gives you control over how much is enough. It makes a dramatic difference in how you look at food and your level of satisfaction will increase significantly.Leave the last bite on your plate. If you finish everything on your plate, and even scrape it clean with bread to get every last drop, you are sending a message to your brain that there was not enough food. You are letting the portion... More -
Dee Sandquist of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:Great question since dishes are way too large for portion sizes. Try these tricks: use a coffee cup for ice cream and cereal. Use the cereal bowl for salad. Use the salad plate for the main dish plate. Another strategy is to eat 2/3 of what you are now. If you like detail, use measuring cups and measure half cup portions.
Great question since dishes are way too large for portion sizes. Try these tricks: use a coffee cup for ice cream and cereal. Use the cereal bowl for salad. Use the salad plate for the main dish plate. Another strategy is to eat 2/3 of what you are... More -
Dr. Edward Phillips answered:Begin by familiarizing yourself with how much you should eat from each food group. This varies based on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. Get a personalized list of the amount of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, and beans you should eat each day. Then, for one week, measure your portions until you find them easy to eyeball. Portions seem larger on smaller plates, so consider scaling down your dinner plate, or substituting a salad plate, to fool your mind into feeling full. Then divide the plate: heap half of it with salad or vegetables, saving one-quarter for protein and one-quarter for starch.
Quick tips for portion control:
1 thumb tip = 1 teaspoon of peanut butter, butter, or sugar
1 finger = 1 oz. of cheese
1 fist = 1 cup cereal, pasta, vegetables
1 handful = 1 oz. of nuts
1 palm = 3 oz. of meat, fish, or poultry
2 handfuls = 2 oz. of pretzelsBegin by familiarizing yourself with how much you should eat from each food group. This varies based on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. Get a personalized list of the amount of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, and beans... More -
RealAge answered:If you need help being a conscious, aware eater once you move your mouth into the kitchen, try these two tips to keep mealtimes lighter:
- Use the skinny glass. Experts say you'll drink a third more of something if it's served in a short, fat glass rather than in a tall, skinny one.
- Go for 9 inches. To avoid overeating, don't serve food on plates bigger than 9 inches. Over and over, research has shown that the bigger the bowl or plate, the more people will eat. For instance, in a study researchers found that kids will eat twice as much cereal when using a 16-ounce bowl versus when they use an 8-ounce one.
If you need help being a conscious, aware eater once you move your mouth into the kitchen, try these two tips to keep mealtimes lighter: Use the skinny glass. Experts say you'll drink a third more of something if it's served in a short, fat glass... More -
Intermountain Healthcare answered:You can control your food portion sizes by keeping serving platters off the table, eating from smaller plates and bowls, and measuring your helpings as you serve yourself. Avoid eating directly from food packages, and keep in mind that if it's bigger than your hand, it's probably more than one portion!You can control your food portion sizes by keeping serving platters off the table, eating from smaller plates and bowls, and measuring your helpings as you serve yourself. Avoid eating directly from food packages, and keep in mind that if... More
