Weight gain is endemic, and one of the biggest contributors is food portions. If you find out some ways to control food portions, you will better be able to manage your weight, and, subsequently, your health. Food portions vary from person to person, and it seems as though we are able to eat much more of foods that have empty calories.

When you are sitting down to eat, use a coloured plate so that empty areas do not seem quite so noticeable. A white plate screams out that there is still room for more food. The truth of the matter is, if you fill your plate entirely, chances are that you have taken too large of a portion of food.

The serving size of most foods is listed right on the packaging, so a quick perusal of the recommendations will also allow you the opportunity to realize just how much you should be eating of a certain food. Ignoring the suggested serving size leads to larger portions, which leads to weight gain. This is a bad habit that can easily be fixed.

Portion control is paramount with food intake, and the most effective way to manage your weight. Many people tend to take a little too much on their plate, or to take too little and then return for a second go around. When deciding your portions, you should understand that your plate should be filled in half by vegetables. This will give you a reference point as to your portions.

Never go up for second helpings. This will undoubtedly lead to increased food portions, which should be avoided. Take the proper amount of food the first time you fill your plate. Try not to eat when you are absolutely starving, or else you will probably take larger helpings than you need. This lack of food portion control can lead to many unhealthy choices.

When trying to figure out how much of each food to take, you must realize the daily food guide stipulations, and adhere to them accordingly. If you try to make certain to fulfill the quota of each food group per meal, then you will find that you are taking less of certain items that are empty calories. This is extremely helpful. The foods that are better for you tend to fill you up quicker than do fast foods or greasy, fried foods.

Food portions are easily controlled by slowing down the eating process. The slower that you eat, the more that your brain is signalled that you are full, and you will not take another bite. Another helpful piece of advice is to eat more often throughout the day. If you eat four or five meals per day, as opposed to three, then you will feel more full, and you will be less inclined to eat too much per meal. The grazing strategy will help you to reduce your total food intake. This is portion control at its best.

Controlling food portions is not a very simple task, one that is fraught with peril when eating at a restaurant or at someone else's domicile. While trying to diet, lose weight, or simply to eat properly to maintain a healthy lifestyle, monitoring your food portions is of the utmost importance. You should only eat so much as to make sure that you have fulfilled your daily nutrient requirements.

Food portions are a deceptive entity, because when we are at the local supermarket or restaurant, we tend to think with our wallets and purses, rather than with our hearts and our brains. We shop with our eyes at the grocery store, making sure to get the most bang for our buck. We scour for unit price discrepancies, seek out the largest quantity that we can afford. This is the same at a restaurant, where we look first to the prices, and then tend to settle on a meal that seems to be economically sound.

Managing your portions takes a little bit of knowledge. For example, a deck of cards amounts to about 3 ounces of meat (75 grams). This should give you a reasonable idea of how much protein you need from a serving, and thus you can select your meat accordingly before you cook it, or to cut it before you place it on your plate. These types of references come in handy when you are out of the house. A teaspoon of margarine or butter is about the size of the tip of your thumb, and a closed fist is equal to about 1 cup of past or rice (250 ml). The palm of your hand holds about 1/2 cup of vegetables (125ml).

Controlling your portions will enable you to better follow the food guidelines to healthy eating. Once you find out exactly what the typical amounts of each type of food should be on your plate, then you can take the steps necessary to ensuring that you are meeting all of your dietary needs. Once you have figured out your limits, then you can plan your meals a little bit more accordingly.

To better control your portions, you should always use the same size plate for your meals. If you consistently use the same size plate or bowl, you will quickly learn how much is too much in regards to certain foods. This will also prevent you from eating right out of a package or out of the bowl in which it was cooked. This will help you to ration your portions.

When eating at home, use a measuring cup to accurately determine the portion sizes of your meal. Make certain that you are getting the right amount of food from each grouping. If you have a friend or family member that you regularly eat with, have them inspect your plate before you begin eating, and this accountability to someone else will help to ensure that you are only taking the proper portions for your plate.

Learn more about this author, Bobby Coles.
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