Eating smaller

This blog post will give you 10 practical tips on how to eat smaller portions. Everywhere you look, something new is blamed for America’s obesity crisis. “We are eating too much and moving too little.” “It is due to our stress and our lack of sleep.” “We are dining in our car, eating on the run and choosing foods from a box or a fast food restaurant over healthy, homemade meals. Then all the diet advice Keto, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soup only… lots of advice out there on what to eat.

The authors of a the British Medical Journal (BMJ) calculated that simply reducing the size of a plate or bowl reduces food intake by 159 calories a day - a 10 per cent change for a British adult. They have cited figures which show that a range of everyday supermarket products have increased in size over the last 20 years. Pies, muffins, bagels, pizzas and packets of crisps are sold in larger packets than they were in the 1990s. It’s now 2022, so sizes have increased even more-so.

If the same approach of reduction of the portion is applied to all food and drink consumption - with smaller food packaging in supermarkets and sandwich shops, smaller bottles or glasses in bars and smaller portions in restaurants - overall calorie intake could be reduced by up to 16 per cent, they said.

Here are my practical tips to help you reduce portions until the experts get this all sorted out!

1.     Use a smaller plate

2.     Serve food in the kitchen, not family style with the food at the table. Wait 20 minutes before adding more food to your plate or “seconds”

3.      If you are eating out or carry out at home - can apply to Door Dash and delivery as well

A: Transfer to a smaller plate to limit the portion that is served. 

B: Ask the restaurant to split the meal in 2 boxes for pickup. Add veggies to fill ½ your plate for take-out. Divide the meal yourself at home.

C: Order 1 meal for 2 people, add veggies to half the plate . Split the takeout or delivery meal.

FACT: Restaurant serving sizes are, on average, about 2.5 times larger than standard serving sizes — and up to a whopping eight times larger.

4.     Use MY Plate as a portion guide (2 illustrations below)

MyPlate is one way to portion food properly.

5.   Use your hands as a serving guide - see illustration above.

6.   Always get sauces on the side (dressings etc.) measure them out according to the label on the product.  Find a container that fits that amount and use it for your “dressing” cup/measure at home.  This reduces the effort to measure each time and trains your brain on what a serving of a sauce is. Controls that portion.

7.   Start all your meals with a glass of water. It not only fills you up a little bit BUT it helps you distinguish between thirst and hunger.  MOST times when we “graze” we are thirsty and never find the food – because we are dehydrated and need water.

8.   Eat slowly – your brain takes about 20 minutes to know your stomach is full.  Like I said in #2, when your smaller plate is empty – wait 20 minutes before “seconds”. You will learn what satiated feels like verses eating until you are full.

9.   DO not eat distracted by TV or a screen (some other distraction – driving or on the go for example) Focus on the meal, enjoy the company.  Chew 5-6 times before your swallow.

10. Don’t eat out of a container, box, bag, or jar.  When the food comes into the home – be aware of the portion sizes by reading labels.  Either:

A: portion food out immediately

B: Portion it into a container when eating and put the container away

C: Buy pre-portioned food (read the label, many bags have 2 servings) to limit over eating

11.  Be aware of serving sizes – be a label reader

12.  Write what you eat down – use a food diary. Its will help you see what you are really eating!

Serving and Portion Sizes: How Much Should I Eat? (these are general guidelines from MyPlate

• Vegetables — 2 to 3 cups.

• Fruits — 1½ to 2 cups.

• Grains — 5 to 8 ounces.

• Dairy — 3 cups (fat-free or low-fat)

• Protein foods — 5 to 6½ ounces.

• Oils — 5 to 7 teaspoons.

MyPlate Servings Worksheet: 2,400 Calories

This worksheet tells you how many servings you should get each day from each food group, and tells you how much food makes a serving. Use this as a guide as you plan your meals throughout the day. Track your progress daily by writing in what you actually ate.

Food Group  Daily MyPlate Goal  What You Ate Today 

Vegetables 6 Half-cups or 6 Servings

One serving is:

• ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

• 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables (dark green is best)

• ½ baked sweet potato

• ½ cup vegetable juice

Note: At meals, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit.

 Fruits

4 Half-cups or 4 Servings

One serving is:

• ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

• 1 medium piece of fruit

• 1 cup of berries or melon

• ½ cup dried fruit

• ½ cup 100% fruit juice

Note: Make most choices fruit instead of juice.

 Grains

8 Servings or 8 Ounces

One serving is:

• 1 slice bread

• 1 cup dry cereal

• ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal

• 1 5-inch tortilla

Note: Choose whole grains for at least half of your servings each day.

 Dairy

3 Servings or 3 Cups (non dairy included, calcium rich foods)

One serving is:

• 1 cup milk

• 1½ ounces reduced-fat hard cheese

• 2 ounces processed cheese

• 1 cup low-fat yogurt

• 1/3 cup shredded cheese

Note: Choose low-fat or fat-free most often.

 Protein

  6½ Servings or 6½ Ounces

One serving is:

• 1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, or ham

• 1 ounce cooked chicken or turkey (no skin)

• 1 ounce cooked fish or shellfish (not fried)

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup egg substitute

• ½ ounce nuts or seeds

• 1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter

• ¼ cup cooked dry beans or peas

• ½ cup tofu

• 2 tablespoons hummus