Avoiding Portion Pitfalls

One of our biggest challenges when it comes to losing weight is eating the right amount. To do it right, it takes knowledge and willpower.

Think about it. Do you always eat everything on your plate? Do you keep eating even though you’re not really that hungry anymore? Do you reach for another slice of warm bread because it’s there, sitting in a basket on your table?

It’s pretty easy to fall into these traps. Temptation is everywhere.

Cookies come as big as your hand. Fast food restaurants offer free refills on soda. Even dinner plates are much bigger than they used to be.

So how much should you be eating?

The best person to answer this is a Registered Dietician. Not only can they tell how exactly how much you should be eating, they know what you should be eating as well. Ask for a Nutritional Assessment.

You can also try these strategies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Split an entree with a friend when you order at a restaurant. If that’s not allowed, you can ask your server to wrap up half your meal when they bring it to you.
• At home, avoid reaching for extra helpings from the serving dish by not placing one at the table. Instead, serve food on individual plates.
• Never eat out of the bag. Always pour a serving into a bowl.
• Eat healthy snacks between meals to keep from eating too much during the next meal.
• Watch out for large packages of food. People tend to eat more when food comes from a large container.
• Keep high-calorie foods with little nutritional value out of sight. Move cookies and chips to a shelf that’s hard to reach. Keep healthy food choices like fresh fruit available.
• Know Your Body Mass Index

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Alice Warchol is a fitness instructor and freelance health writer.