You eat more; you have a large portion size. Because of the increased size of food packages and plates and the amount served in restaurants, we often have a bigger portion in front of us than we should. The problem is that we get used to them, and portion size does make a difference in weight loss.
”How much I should eat?” is the million-dollar question.
Correct portion size is individual for everyone. It depends on sex, age, size and amount of exercise. Therefore it’s difficult to apply a ‘one-size-fits-all’ rule. For the users of the My Plate Coach app I recommend using the Feeling-meter actively. It can help you recognize what size portion is suitable for you.
How do you feel after eating?
Another name for the Feeling meter could be a satiety meter. The idea is to assess your level of fullness about half an hour after eating. If you are already feeling hungry, your portion was either too small or the quality of the ingredients wasn’t good enough. If you feel full and want a quick nap, you know your portion was too big. Aim for the middle, and you should feel energetic and alert. Then you’ll know that your portion has been perfect in both size and composition.
S, M or L portion size?
Sometimes your body gets used to bigger portions than you need. You may even eat too much healthy food. It’s time to start using the portion assessment of the app and pay special attention to the meals. What do your food pictures tell you? If you constantly eat meals that are L or XL it will be impossible, as a woman, to keep weight balance.
In order to provide some concrete hints about suitable portion sizes, here are some lunch examples. I usually recommend a lunch of 500kcal for a woman wanting to lose weight. Here are some examples of suitable meals:
1
350ml Salmon soup
2 slices of rye bread
2 tsp fatty margarine
an apple
= 550 kcal
2
200 g green salad
100 g grilled/roasted chicken
100ml whole grain pasta
0,5 tbsp canola oil
= 400 kcal
How large is your plate?
It’s good to know that plate size plays a significant role how much food you’ll end up eating. The larger the plate, the bigger the portion. Measure your plate.
A normal plate size is between 7” (17,78cm) and 9” (22,86cm).
Now you have insights to get your portion size right!
Marika
Authorized Nutritionist
P.S. One thing that also affects your portion size is your eating rhythm; skipping meals makes you eat more at the next meal; read how you can find balance just by changing your rhythm here.
