Something I was reading yesterday was an important aspect of good nutrition and weight management and to understand the difference between portion size and serving size. And often we forget that when we’re hungry, our tummy sees or smells food and before we know it, we’ve eaten tooo much!
A serving size is the set amount stated in the Australian Dietary Guidelines. This amount does not vary. NB: not all food groups provide the same number of kilojoules (kJ) per serve.
A portion size is the amount of food we CHOOSE to eat. It can be as large or small as desired. For example at lunch you might eat one or 2 sandwiches, so one serve or two of carbs. Ff you eat a large steak for dinner ie 300gram then you may have had 3 serves in one go of your protein.
Maintaining control over portion size is important for weight control. Many people tend to misinterpret signs of hunger and ignore the signs of being full thus leading to over eating..
Some tips to maintain control over portion size include
• Eat meals on smaller plates so meals look larger and you can’t put as much on
• Eat slowly and mindfully – chew your food, savour it.
• Eat in an environment like the dinner table without distractions like TV or phones.
• Allow the body time to give feedback – it takes about 20mins for the mind to know it is full.
• Be aware that restaurant portions or take away are often way more than we think – think pub food – Big schnitzel, loads of chips and a tiny bit of salad or a large pizza. Oops way too much!
2 responses to “Portion Controlling Your Plate”
Yep- right on! Always try to eat about 1/2 of what Joe (my husband) eats.
Great idea! And balance your day with the five food groups you can’t go wrong.