Scale Creepers – Learning Portion Control

Your calories can really add up!  

When calories add up, so do carbs, fats & sugars! Make sure you measure!

No measuring cups or food scale? Handy tips to use.

• 3 ounces of protein is about the size of a woman’s palm or a deck of cards
• 6 ounces is the amount of protein usually served in a restaurant during lunch
• 8 ounces is the amount of protein served in a restaurant during dinner, this can goas high as 20 ounces
• 1 ounce of cheese is one slice or a cube 1″ by 1″ by 1″
• 1 scoop of cottage cheese is about ½ cup
• 1 cup of salad greens is about the amount in a side salad
• 2 -4 cups usually fills a salad bar plate
• 2 tablespoons of salad dressing is usually on a side salad
• 1 small potato is about 2″ in diameter, a medium is about 4″ and a large potato is about 5″ (restaurant portions)

How much is a 3 ounce serving?

• Half of a skinless chicken breast
• 3/4 cup of shredded chicken, loosely packed
• 3 slices of roast beef
• hamburger patty 3″ across and 1/2 ” thick (1/4 lb. before cooking)
• Canned tuna, ¾ cup
• Sardines, 6 medium

Quick Mindful Guidelines

• Eat off a smaller plate. 8″ – 10″ in diameter is best, we always recommend using a salad plate.  When you use a large plate, you often feel like you are depriving yourself because you portions look smaller.  When you use a small plate, your portions tend to look larger.  It’s retraining your eyes and stomach to take and to be satisfied with less.
• Fill up on fruits and vegetables.  They are low in calorie and high in fiber.  An easy trick, when you aren’t able to measure, is fill half of your plate with fruits and veggies, ¼ with protein and the other ¼ with a healthy slow starch.
• Order the smallest size. When in doubt, order the smallest offered size.  Don’t be fooled because they say “small”, even their small can be way bigger than what we actually need.
• Buy single servings.  We understand that this isn’t always cost effective, so if you buy in bulk, portion out each single portion to avoid over eating.  Never eat/drink directly from the container.  This will set you up for failure as you are not aware of how much you are actually getting.
• Enjoy each bite.  Chew slowly.  Savor each bite.  When we are rushed and unable to relax when we eat, we miss the opportunity to actually enjoy our food and we never end up actually feeling full.
• Limit liquid calories.  Water is water is water!  Have a piece of fruit instead of juice or a cocktail.  We consume more calories when our food is consumed in liquid form because we don’t feel satisfied.  When choosing a beverage to have with your meal, water is always best.  Not only will it keep you hydrated, but it will also help fill in the gaps and help prevent you from over eating.