topic Re: How do you practice portion control? in Wellness

How do you practice portion control?

qualitygal — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 10:19:22 GMT

Rather than put this under food, I felt it was probably better here.

I've seen the plates that are split up, but I wonder too if you measure your portions? Also, what other ways, at other times or places do you keep your portions under control?

I've read "portions" and "servings" are two different things, of course. So, how do you keep it under control by portion sizes?

Re: How do you practice portion control?

AngelPuppy1 — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:00:16 GMT

I don't measure or anything. I just eye-ball things. After years and years of dieting, you kind of get a feel for it. I think if you're new to dieting, it's probably helpful to weigh and measure. But after awhile, you probably don't need to. I always make sure I have way more vegetables on my plate than I do meat and/or potatoes. I rarely eat bread. I love fruit but even a lot of that will make you gain. Having a little of everything and everything in moderation is the key. If you go out to eat and they give you a big or huge portion, immediately ask for a container and put half in it. That way, you won't be tempted to eat it all and you also have another nice meal to take home.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

lolakimono — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:03:38 GMT

I use a salad plate as my dinner plate.

I love these containers from Lock & Lock- the perfect size for snacks. K39578

Re: How do you practice portion control?

qualitygal — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:53:35 GMT

On 6/17/2014 lolakimono said:
I use a salad plate as my dinner plate.

I love these containers from Lock & Lock- the perfect size for snacks. K39578

I do both of those things too. When I do salad only for lunch I have used a regular sized plate, guess I'd better downsize that too. Thanks.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

Desertdi — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:29:14 GMT

It's always been difficult for me. Usually (when I am alone) I just eat ONE ITEM per meal. All vegetables......or all protein........ It's difficult when eating out, since my "friends" always order a piece of cake, a milkshake, or something like fried onion rings FOR ME no matter how much I protest. I try and be "polite" and nibble or pick at it.....or take it in a doggie bag.................

Re: How do you practice portion control?

focksie — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:36:36 GMT

I eat most of my meals in a cereal bowl and my meals are mixtures or "stackings" of mostly vegetables, lean protein, and small amount of carbs. I believe if you eat on a big dinner plate, you will fill up that plate with food. Protein at every meal to fill me up.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

StylishLady — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:59:30 GMT

I bought a nice digital scale that I often use to weigh items to keep portions and calories in check.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

willdob3 — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:19:54 GMT

I know what I need to eat for my nutritional requirements - I'm losing fat/weight and working on maintaining muscle while I'm doing it. I eat only healthy foods & they satisfy me.

I do track my food but I started doing that because of a tendency to undereat when eating healthy. I now know how much I need to eat & that has become habit so I really don't need to think much about portion control anymore. Most foods I would tend to overeat are not healthy for me so I avoid them.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

MargieRJ — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:21:49 GMT

I weigh or measure everything when I need to portion control. It's the only way I can keep myself from overeating when dieting. I don't trust myself to eyeball everything, although there are some tricks to use to judge portion sizes. For example, a fist is about the size of a portion of rice or pasta. The palm of your hand is the size of a meat portion. Your thumb is a portion of cheese (~ 1 oz).

Re: How do you practice portion control?

meem120 — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:29:17 GMT

I have a hard time with this also. I have been trying the new WW Simple Start and you don't measure anything. They give you a list of acceptable foods to eat. Its a good program, especially if your tired of weighing and measuring. That being said after the first few weeks, weight loss for me was down to zilch!! So I thought portion control was the problem. Yes, I could go back to counting points, but with that I had a tendency to eat junk ….and use my points for that. Anyway, someone at my office was doing the Beachbody 21 day fix. She just fills up the containers they give you with the program with the approved foods, which is the same as WW SS. This seems to have given me a boost and the weight loss is steady at about a pound a week. I wasn't about to spend $60.00 for $1.00 worth of plastic containers, but if you go on Amazon and read the reviews they will tell you the size of the containers and U Tube will give you the amount of containers per day. Its easy and for awhile a good guideline for me. Anything that will help!!

I also use the app Lose It to track calories sometimes.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

bonnielu — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:34:09 GMT

I watch what others eat and get a mental picture of what looks like tooooo much and then when I put something on my plate I remember that picture and it helps me eat reasonable fist size portions. What is an eye opener is a buffet. Wow, what mounds I see going back and forth.

My weakness is dessert. I really am not a main mean kind of gal.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

151949 — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:54:41 GMT

In my diet class we learned that we should measure or weigh all our food - count out our snacks etc.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

brii — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:58:54 GMT

I used to weigh and measure everything. I can eyeball things pretty good now.

I still measure cereal/oatmeal. I just don't fill up the bowl - LOL

I have one portion of chicken or fish or a small steak, unlimited vegetables and salad, and a small portion of potatoes...

Re: How do you practice portion control?

Montana — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:02:16 GMT

On 6/17/2014 StylishLady said:
I bought a nice digital scale that I often use to weigh items to keep portions and calories in check.

This is what I also did at the beginning of my diet plan. After a while, it was easy to eyeball the right amount and I don't need to use the scale anymore. Also, many products give the amount for a serving and I follow those too.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

kzjohnson — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:36:17 GMT

Every dinner is started with a large salad with all different kinds of vegetables added, light on the low cal dressing.

And then dinner is weighed out on a scale before cooking. Both the fish/protein substitute and side with usually rice, grains, pasta, or potato. We only cook what we will eat. We tend not to cook with leftovers in mind.

Unless we are have Chinese (at least once a week). I weight that out in the bowl I'm eating out of.

After you repeat dishes several times you get better at "guessing" the weight of something, so not everything is weighed out every single time now.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

bells4me — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 17:49:32 GMT

I have a portion plate I use often. If I don't I just eat a spoonful of everything.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

Justice4all — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 18:47:33 GMT

I use the DASH diet which is like the Mediterranean diet. Since it consists of so much salad and vegetables, you never have to measure!

Re: How do you practice portion control?

ive been framed — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 18:51:13 GMT

I have a very small serving of the meat and go nuts with the vegetables (except potatoes or corn). I also never eat bread at meals, nor do I use salt, butter or margarine. I like olive or other flavored oils on veggies and make use of herbs, pepper, lo fat sauces. Focus on seasonings and nothing is bland!

I made hamburgers on the grill last night, made a smaller one for me (I'd say it was about twice the size of a meatball to begin with, much less than 1/4 pound) grilled with Worcestershire sauce and laid it on lettuce, tomato, Vidalia onion, roasted red pepper slice, and drizzled just a bit of Italian dressing. No bun. MMMMM! That and one ear of corn was plenty.

We don't eat out often at all, but when I lunch with friends or do have dinner out I always eat half and bring the rest home.

I also snack on as much seasonal fruit as I can stand! I'll eat fruit while making meals, so by the time I sit to eat I don't feel starved.

Re: How do you practice portion control?

straykatz — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 19:20:55 GMT

A general guideline....

Fist = 1 cup

Cupped hand = 1/2 cup

Palm of hand = 3 ounces

Thumb = 1 tablespoon

Thumb tip - 1 teaspoon

Re: How do you practice portion control?

HonnyBrown — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 17:03:39 GMT

Portion control is difficult, especially when you don't realize you are eating.

I add raw vegetables, mainly kale, to the stir frys that I cook. They already have a lot of peppers and onions, so now they have kale.

When I make DH's plate, he gets more vegetables and less meat/sauce.

Katz, I love those references!