Denise Nowack, RD
No doubt many of you launched the New Year with good nutrition intentions—eating more veggies, losing weight, or perhaps cutting down on the “junk food†in your diet.Â
Making healthier choices is a great start! But in a world of “super-sized†food, it’s easy to lose sight of a true portion size on anything we eat—healthy or not! As the sizes of foods swell, so have our waistlines. These simple portion control techniques are some of the easiest ways to trim calories–and your weight.
Read the Label
Let the food label be your portion-size guide. Many of us tend to underestimate the amount of food we really eat. Take this test…put your usual portion of pasta on your dinner plate and then measure it. You might find that it’s two or three times more than the recommended serving on the food label.Â
Stay away from “super†anything!
Words like “grande,†“super,†or “supreme†may be red flags for more food than you may need. These value portions are no deal when it comes to fat and calories.
Good things come in little packages
If you’re easily tempted by a whole bag or box of snack foods buy single portion packages. Pre-packaged servings of cheese, yogurt, tuna, frozen meals and other types of lunch kits take the guess work out of portion sizes.
Clear eye for the right size
Can’t be bothered by measuring your food? Here are some everyday items that can help you easily size up servings.
- A light bulb – 1 serving (1/2 cup) of vegetables
- A computer mouse  – A medium potato
- A bar of soap  – 3 ounces of meat (the suggested portion for a meal)
- An eyeglass case  – 3 ounces of fish
- Two dice – 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine
- Two dominoes   – 1 ounce of cheese
- A ping pong ball   – 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or salad dressing
- A tennis ball  – ½ cup or rice…or even ice cream
- A baseball (not softball)Â Â –Â 1 cup pasta
- A hockey puck —  Average bagel (though many are twice that size!)
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[tags]denise nowack, stress, holiday stress, eating, nutrition, healthy recipes[/tags]