Portion Control

I know trying to be healthy can be a lot of work and that many things can play a large part in helping you to reach your goals. One major area that can have an impact is how much food we put on our plates and the portion amounts that we actually eat. When you eat out or put food on your plate, do you realize just how many calories you end up eating?? Most of us really don't think about the portion size of our food when we sit down to eat. What we want is to have a plate that is full with a wonderful tasting meal - even when this works against us and is at the expense of our own health.

The portion size that you put on your plate is important because it impacts how many calories you take in. When you take in excess amounts of calories that your body does not need, then your body (being the smart machine that it is) turns around and will store this for later use. By storing the calories for later use you end up gaining weight which then impacts all area of your health from increasing your blood pressure to even leading to disease like diabetes. So, how do you control the portion size and make sure that you keep your calories within a healthy range?? Well, there are many wonderful ideas and suggestions out there to help you....Here are just a few to get you started:

1) Use smaller dishes at meals (use salad plates for your main meal, etc...)

2) Measure ingredients with a food scale

3) Serve food in smaller portions and don't go back for seconds.

4) Put away leftovers in separate/portion-controlled amounts. Consider freezing the portions you likely won't eat for a while.

5) Don't eat straight from the bag or carton (make a fancy table setting and treat yourself to a quiet environment).

6) Don't keep platters of food on the table (you may nibble and this adds up quickly).

7) Ask for half or child size portions when at a restuarant.

8) Ask up front for a doggie bag and pack half the meal for latter enjoyment.

9) Share a dessert with a group of people so you all get a taste of the treat or do a mini-shot (Many restuarant now offer mini-shot sized desserts).

And many more....

Portion control may seem like a lot of work at first, but in the long run it will help you to keep your body healthy. Isn't the smaller size actually worth is to you if it keeps you living longer?? I would like to think that less in means longer time to be around to enjoy the things that are important in life. Just like the type of food you take in is important so is the amounts. Here are two images to think about too. One shows changes in portions serving and another shows how to split your dinner plate in order to keep portions in control and gives you a variety of healthy options: