How to Avoid Over-Eating

What's the biggest hurdle to overcome in dieting? Control portion size... how much actually goes in your mouth! Eating healthier is one thing, but without reducing the amount of food you are taking in you might not be doing that much good! The American Heart Association estimates that ¾ of the population consumes portions that are too large.

The problem is that most of us do not have a good grasp on how much food is too much. That is why it is so important to look at the sizes of the portions you are eating. If you practice portion control, it is possible to eat almost any type of food and still stay within a healthy range of calories for the day.

What is a "Portion"?

The following foods are listed to give you an idea of how much food is in a "portion". Most of you may be surprised at how same a "portion" is:

· 3 ounces of meat, poultry, or fish are about the size of a women's palm, or a deck of playing cards.

· 1/2 cup of cut fruit, vegetables, or pasta is about the size of a small fist.

· 1 cup of milk, yogurt or chopped fresh greens is about the size of a small hand holding a tennis ball.

· An ounce of cheese is about the size of your thumb.

· A teaspoon of margarine is about the size of your thumb tip.

Read the labels

A good place to start learning about portion size is to read labels, some of us may be surprised to find that a "portion" of our favorite cookies is 2 cookies and not the 6 we normally eat! Make a conscious effect to only eat the serving size or "portion" when you are eating a particular food. When cooking, look at how many serving the recipes makes, if the recipe says "serves four," that means one portion is one-fourth of the total amount you prepare.

Eating out

One of the hardest aspects for most dieters is eating out, in America they always serve you more than a "portion"! Because restaurants often serve very large portions, practicing portion control is especially important when eating out. Some suggestions for eating the right amount and not over-eating include the following:

· Split your meal with someone at the table, or ask if you can order a lunch sized portion rather than the dinner portion.

· Eat only half your meal and take the other half for lunch the next day.

· Ask for substitutions (for example, ask for steamed vegetables or a salad instead of mashed potatoes.)

· Ask for all sauces, dressings, and gravy on the side, that way you can decide how much to put on (your best bet is not to put any on, restaurant sauces are usually full of fat and calories.

· Look for "healthy" listings on the menu, but don't be fooled, these portions are probably too large as well, same some to take home with you!

Understanding a "Portion"

I watch my grandmother make cookies and it amazes me, she never uses a measuring cup, a pinch of this a cup of that, she clearly can eye-ball what a cup of rice looks like- unfortunately most of us do not have this talent. It is a good idea to keep measuring cups around, if the package reads that a portion is one cup of cereal, measure out one cup (you might be surprised how much you were over eating before). By measuring things out for yourself you will get a good idea of what 3 oz of chicken look like (the recommended serving size), a cup of cereal looks like, a teaspoon of butter, and over time you will become accustomed to these measurements and will be able to eye-ball it yourself- although after 20 years of watching my grandmother make cookies I still can't make them without a measuring cup!