If you can control the amount of food or calories, based on recommendations, you consume in a day then there is no need to worry about portion sizes, but most people consume more calories than they are aware of. Your favorite bag of chips or meal at a restaurant has more than recommended serving sizes. One of the best ways to manage weight is to control portion sizes of high-calorie foods.
Research
The number of food establishments in the U.S. increased by 75 percent between 1977 and 1991, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of these restaurants serve inexpensive food in large portions. Eating at fast food restaurants is associated with an increase in calories and fat intake and a higher body mass index. The CDC notes numerous studies show increased increased caloric intake in the American diet due to larger portion sizes of salty snacks, french fries, soft drinks, hamburgers and Mexican meals. Studies also indicated it is difficult for people to eat fewer calories when they are confronted with larger portion sizes.
Strategies
Assume your restaurant meal is a nonstandard serving size. Share the meal with a friend or plan for a "doggie bag" to take half of the meal home. Stop eating once you feel full. Avoid large beverages and drink water. For meals at home, prepare foods using a measuring cup. Reduce bulk or larger packaged foods by dividing them and placing them in one-serving size bags. Use visual cues to know serving sizes. For example, a fist-size serving of food is equal to 1 cup of cereal or one small baked potato.
Recommendations
Always read the nutrition facts label on foods for serving size information. This information will help you understand how much food you can eat for one serving of food. Don't eat in front of the television. This can cause you to overeat because you are not aware or focused on what you are eating. If unavoidable, put the food in a small bowl. Eat nutritious snacks between meals to avoid the temptation of eating a larger meal for dinner.
Warning
Serving and portion sizes have two different meanings. A serving size is based on a standard unit, such as a 1 cup or 1 oz. and a dietary guideline, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Portion sizes are not standardized and vary by restaurant, prepackaged food and what you put on your plate -- it is a subjective amount.
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