Plate method

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EternalSnow627_
EternalSnow627_ Posts: 85 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does the plate method help a person loose weight or is weighing and measuring the best option?

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  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
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    It could help, IF it put the person at a calorie deficit. Same as intermittent fasting, or mindful eating, every diet or eating approach only results in weight loss if you have a calorie deficit and end up consuming fewer calories than you burn.

    The problem with these methods is you are guessing how much you're eating and need to see the weight trend over time to determine if you have a deficit.

    For that reason, in my opinion weighing food (not measuring cups and spoons, weighing on a scale) is the easiest way to make sure you are in a deficit.
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
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    Depends on the person.

    If someone eats a consistent amount of food daily and is maintaining their weight, then just switching to a smaller plate and eating a bit less is likely to produce a loss.

    However, if someone is actively gaining, has eating patterns that are all over the place, snacks compulsively, or binges, then a smaller plate isn't likely to make a difference, because they have an eating issue that needs to be addressed.

    It all comes down to why you aren't already the weight you want to be. There's a reason. Identify the reason and address *that* with a systemic approach.

    So if you have a hard time losing because you pile your plate full of food and always clear your plate regardless of how full you are, then a smaller plate will likely help.

    If you drink too much alcohol and that's why you gain or can't lose, then plate size isn't likely to make any difference.

    If you eat reasonable meals, but late at night compulsively eat potato chips and cookies, then plate size isn't going to matter at all.

    If you graze throughout the day between meals, plate size won't likely have much impact, unless your meals are also too much.

    What works always depends on *why* the person has excess weight and why they haven't been able to lose it. Figure out the why and the solution becomes obvious.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,955 Member
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    "Plate Method..." do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate?

    Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.

    Weigh food, it's the best way. Enter it into your FOOD page here, then study it and see what needs to be adjusted to hit your macros. Much better and easier than the plate thing.

    I could seriously over-eat using those plate suggestions.
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    "Plate Method..." do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate?

    Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.

    Weigh food, it's the best way. Enter it into your FOOD page here, then study it and see what needs to be adjusted to hit your macros. Much better and easier than the plate thing.

    I could seriously over-eat using those plate suggestions.

    That's a thing? I thought OP just meant the age-old trick of using smaller plates.
  • chobambina
    chobambina Posts: 8 Member
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    For me personally, just because the plate is small, it doesn’t mean I can't pile up the food lol.
    I prefer weighting to be honest.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,127 Member
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    Xellercin wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    "Plate Method..." do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate?

    Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.

    Weigh food, it's the best way. Enter it into your FOOD page here, then study it and see what needs to be adjusted to hit your macros. Much better and easier than the plate thing.

    I could seriously over-eat using those plate suggestions.

    That's a thing? I thought OP just meant the age-old trick of using smaller plates.

    One interpretation would be the USDA "My Plate" guidance, or something similar.

    https://www.myplate.gov/

    I think the USDA version more about eating healthfully, than about weight loss - although there's some weight-management guidance there if a person digs down into details on the site.

    If a person follows that kind of eating guidance, there's a chance that weight loss will result, generally from the idea that whole foods (which it will recommend) are more filling and nutritious, can make calorie-appropriate eating easier or more automatic for some people (no guarantee). How they were eating before would also matter, in that, of course.

    But if that's what OP means, it's not really a weight loss method in its main focus.

    As far as the comment from someone up-thread about "do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate? Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.": The USDA version has portion size and portion count suggestions, and a way to get a customized version of that (including a calorie estimate) based on age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.

    It's not just the picture of a plate, and fractions of the plate to allocate to each food.


  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Xellercin wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    "Plate Method..." do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate?

    Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.

    Weigh food, it's the best way. Enter it into your FOOD page here, then study it and see what needs to be adjusted to hit your macros. Much better and easier than the plate thing.

    I could seriously over-eat using those plate suggestions.

    That's a thing? I thought OP just meant the age-old trick of using smaller plates.

    One interpretation would be the USDA "My Plate" guidance, or something similar.

    https://www.myplate.gov/

    I think the USDA version more about eating healthfully, than about weight loss - although there's some weight-management guidance there if a person digs down into details on the site.

    If a person follows that kind of eating guidance, there's a chance that weight loss will result, generally from the idea that whole foods (which it will recommend) are more filling and nutritious, can make calorie-appropriate eating easier or more automatic for some people (no guarantee). How they were eating before would also matter, in that, of course.

    But if that's what OP means, it's not really a weight loss method in its main focus.

    As far as the comment from someone up-thread about "do you mean the divided plate images that give the different types of food a section of the plate? Depending on which one of those "plates" you use, they are very misleading.": The USDA version has portion size and portion count suggestions, and a way to get a customized version of that (including a calorie estimate) based on age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.

    It's not just the picture of a plate, and fractions of the plate to allocate to each food.


    Ah, I'm not American, so have never heard of this
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,594 Member
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    chobambina wrote: »
    For me personally, just because the plate is small, it doesn’t mean I can't pile up the food lol.
    I prefer weighting to be honest.

    Me too. I was thinking this much plate for protein and this much for veggies and this much for starches.

    yry0xu12uzx6.gif
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
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    Are platters allowed? Probably not so much. :/
    Best accurate way is weighing your food.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,127 Member
    edited June 2022
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    This (below) is what an actual personalized USDA Myplate plan looks like, at the intermediate level of detail. On a previous page, it recommended 2200 calories daily (TDEE estimate, i.e. maintenance), based on my personal characteristics, which is in the ballpark.

    0osz9f54zpza.png

    Yes, it's mostly in volume measures, not weights. If I click through to the "read more" in a category, the data includes a table of specific example foods/quantities for the category.

    This is not an insane approach, though I personally prefer more flexible eating with a calorie goal and nutrient goals, and do use a food scale (rather than cups/spoons) for most things I eat.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,127 Member
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    @EternalSnow627_ , to be more specific, this is how I approached remodeling my eating habits, using MFP logging, plus calorie and nutritional goals:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

    If the plate plan you're talking about is the USDA one, or something similar, a thing I think the USDA version does well is be specific about high-quality foods to consider including in your eating routine, if you're not eating that way already, things like fruits, veggies, meats/fish, whole grains, dairy.

    Eating exclusively those foods is not (IMO) some kind of quasi-religious necessity for health, but many people will find those kinds of foods filling as well as nutritious, if they're the core of one's eating. Mixing in some less nutrient-dense foods, including some treat foods sometimes, isn't going to cancel out the benefits of eating mostly nutrient-dense foods, however.
  • seekinghimin2021
    seekinghimin2021 Posts: 1 Member
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    I bought plates and bowls from tops love them and cheap !!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I don't think it's purpose is weight loss, but more so guidance on how to build a balanced meal. It could result in weight loss depending on your current eating habits I suppose.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    EternalSnow627_ wrote: »
    Does the plate method help a person loose weight or is weighing and measuring the best option?

    It depends on how precise and accurate you need or want to be. Some people have very little margin for error and need to be both accurate and precise as possible for which weighing anything solid and measuring anything liquid would provide. I myself haven't logged anything in years. I don't use any kind of plate method or anything like that...if I need to cut weight I usually just drop a couple of snacks and reduce my serving sizes of certain things and make sure I'm eating home cooking most of the time. YMMV...I have a pretty wide birth with my calorie needs so uber accuracy and precision isn't necessary for me.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,609 Member
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    EternalSnow627_ wrote: »
    Does the plate method help a person loose weight or is weighing and measuring the best option?

    Depends on how much food you can pile onto your plate, honestly. If you divide your plate into the sections, but are talented enough to really pile up your food, then no, it most likely won't help.

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