Portion Distortion!

One of the topics at my Weight Watchers meeting today was portion control. This is a major topic when it comes to not only losing weight but staying healthy. I have always been a big supporter of the "everything in moderation" mindset. Essentially, enjoy those unhealthy, specials treats every now and then and measure what you are eating!

I really think this is how I am able to tackle my weight loss challenge. Without the occasional sweet treat or cheesy snack I think I might go insane! Weight loss should never be about what you CAN'T have. You should focus more on what you CAN have and how MUCH you should be eating.

One way that I manage my portions is by changing the size of my plate. Back in the day, circa 1960's, plates were 8-9" in diameter. Now-a-days, our dinner plates are 12"! That is more than 40% larger! Can you imagine how many fewer calories we would consume by just switching to smaller plates? I am aware that this is not a new concept, but I think that with the holidays looming, the topic is valid. As I sit here and write this I am thinking that I may switch to my salad plate even during the holidays!

Typically I use our smaller bowl and plate set. When I make my plate I feel like I have a great deal of food simply because my plate is pretty full. If I were to put the same amount on my larger plates, it would look like I wasn't getting to eat much. Tricking your brain by thinking you are getting more food can certainly help you eat less.

Here is the comparison between what I use on the left and what my hubby uses:

Note my husband has the metabolism of a racehorse...he could probably have 5 full plates and still lose weight :(

Now I promise not to bore you all day with chatter about choosing smaller plates. I was really just inspired to talk about this during my meeting when we were shown some neat new products available for portion control. Of course I am going to share a few with you!

The first and I think pretty fun item is a graduated wine glass! Marked at 4, 6, and 8 oz this glass will keep you from having to guesstimate how much wine you are getting.

Of course I can't find a link to it anywhere! I saw it in the Weight Watcher's Holiday Issue. I will grab it this weekend and post a link on Twitter.

How about a tiny condiment container? This little squeeze bottle holds about 3tbsp or 1.5 servings of salad dressing. A great way to measure and carry dressings for lunch.

HumandGear Mini GoToob

I also love this compartmentalized lunch container. I wouldn't say it is specific to portion size, but it does help you pack ahead and pre-portion items out for lunchtime. I typically do much better at lunch if I take it and don't buy it. Usually I will take a protein, a starch, a veggie and a fruit. This container would be perfect.

Fit and Fresh On The Go Lunch Container

Love these little half cup containers. I would use these to separate out portions of pretzels or cereal snacks. By pre-portioning an entire bag of pretzels, you will be less likely to mindlessly eat more than you should straight out of the bag.

Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid 1/2 Cup Food Storage

I am super sad that I couldn't find a picture of the wine glass, but I promise to post where you can find it this weekend. I hope y'all have enjoyed my rant about portions and changing plate sizes. I will being putting my advice to good use this weekend when I am at my hubby's family reunion. The menu? fried fish, fried hushpuppies and fries, breakfast tacos, BBQ and fixins. Where are the greens you may ask...well they will be in my cooler. Planning on taking some fruits and veggies to keep me from overdoing the fried festivus! Wish me luck!