Portion distortion

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randilea
randilea Posts: 140
in Food and Nutrition
I have come to realize over the past few months that portion size is one of my BIGGEST problems. I have gotten past the urge to snack and have learned to not suppress my cravings because it will only make it worse. The thing I haven't been able to conquer is my portion distortion. The interesting thing I realized today is that portion size goes way beyond food. I am pretty sure I use more then a single portion with everything from toothpaste to shampoo AND unfortunately food.

Today I have decided to be more conscious of my portion size with EVERYTHING....hopefully that will make my idea of accurate portion size less distorted. Wish me luck:wink:

Replies

  • sundinsgurl
    sundinsgurl Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I think thats a great idea :) It will really help, I suggest getting a little digital scale so you can weigh things accurately
  • Cina04
    Cina04 Posts: 609
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    I serve my food on my daughter's plates vs the big dinner plates =)

    Or when I go out to eat and it's still lunch time frame I get the lunch plate vs the dinner plate
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
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    Our culture doesn't help. Have you SEEN the portion sizes at most restaurants?
  • stringsNlinks
    stringsNlinks Posts: 293 Member
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    I measured for several months when I got started, just to get the visual of what a 1/4, 1/2, or full cup was. It really helped me. Plus the suggestion of getting a scale was a great idea. I do eye-ball stuff more now but I also have a pretty realistic idea of how much a portion is now.

    I also chew, chew and then chew some more, put the fork down, drink some water and then chew some more. It gives my brain time to realize I'm full.

    Good luck!
  • amylynne26
    amylynne26 Posts: 195 Member
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    digital food scale changed my life.... biggest loser scale from Bed Bath and Beyond was less than $20. I don't know how I ever lived without it!
  • themyriadthings
    themyriadthings Posts: 225 Member
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    I really try to weigh and measure things pretty regularly. I find I err on the side of more when I don't! I've got a few Tbsp and Tsp measures, and my measuring cups are pretty much always out. A little digital scale has also helped a lot with things like cheese, which is one of my main weaknesses!
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
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    SOOOO true.....that is half the battle....you don't realize until you actuallly measuere....for example peanut butter on celery...a serving of PB is 1 TBS.....that doesn't spread too far when you actually measure out the TBS>.....I measure practically everything!!
    And I also use a scale for my meat and cheese......really a lot smaller portions than I would give myself just guessing so the sacle helps a lot too..
  • IowaJen1979
    IowaJen1979 Posts: 406 Member
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    The Mayo Clinic has a GREAT guide for portions: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/portion-control/NU00267. I printed it out and hung it on my fridge. After awhile, you get used to measuring or eyeballing things. For crackers and pretzels (or anything like that), I literally count out the exact number for a serving size. I don't mind doing it anymore.
  • susiewusie
    susiewusie Posts: 432 Member
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    I weigh everything things I thought I could guess ,I was so way over no wonder I am the size I am lol
  • akaDumbo
    akaDumbo Posts: 187
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    I would say using scales is a must for anyone trying to lose weight for at least a month if not longer. I usually try and guess the weight of things before weighing them. I find that my guesstimates for meet fish & cheese have always been pretty accurate but my carbs guesses used to be a long way off. Much better at it now and I feel much more confident about estimating calories when eating out now. As a lot of the things in the database seem to be measured in cups I went and bought some (not the usual way of doing things in the UK) I hope they are the same size as they use in the USA. (1 cup holds 250ml of liquid)

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