PORTION SIZE

Hey peeps :) Today, Lets learn how to control daily portion size.

A recommended serving size is the amount of each food that you are supposed to eat during a meal or snack. A portion is the amount of food that you actually eat. If you eat more or less than the recommended serving size, you will get either too much or too little of the nutrients you need.

Portions and Servings: What’s the Difference?

A portion is the amount of food that you choose to eat for a meal or snack. It can be big or small..

A serving is a measured amount of food or drink, such as one slice of bread or one cup (eight ounces) of milk.

How to control your portion sizes when you’re eating at home? Here are some tips.

• Don’t eat from the bag. You could be tempted to eat too much. Use the serving size on the package to portion out the snack into small bags or bowls.  
• Serve food on smaller plates. Eat from a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. Keep serving dishes on the kitchen counter so you’ll have to get up for seconds. Putting your food out of easy reach will make it harder for you to overeat.
• Substitute lower-fat varieties of food. Instead of whole-fat  milk, buy low-fat or skim instead. Use half the amount you would normally use of these products to save even more calories.
• Don’t eat mindlessly. When you snack in front of the television or while doing other activities, you’ll be distracted enough that you may eat too much. 
• Snack between meals. If you’re hungry between meals, eat a healthy, high-fiber snack such as a piece of fruit, small salad, or bowl of broth-based soup. The snack will fill you up so that you don’t eat too much at your next meal.

How to control your portion sizes when eating out?

• Order the small size. Instead of a medium or large, ask for the smallest size. Never super-size your order.
• Order the "lunch size" of a food, rather than the dinners size.
• Order appetizers rather than entrees.
• Share your meal. Split an entrée with a friend, or cut your meal in half when it arrives.
• Fill up with lower calorie foods. It will fill you up so that you eat less of your meal.

Watch Your Portion Size

• Share an entree with someone
• If entrees are large, choose an appetizer or side dish
• Share dessert, or choose fruit instead
• Eat sweet foods in small amounts. To reduce temptation, don't keep sweets at home
• Cut or share high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into small pieces and only eat a few pieces
• Eat off smaller plates
• Skip buffets