Being aware, getting rid of portion distortion

Published: Friday, March 1, 2013 at 00:05 AM.

You can use your hands to help figure a normal serving size. A palm full of nuts is about 1-ounce, the palm of your hand is about the same as 3 ounces of meat, chicken or fish. Your thumb can estimate 1 ounce of cheese. Your fist is about the size of one cup, and you can also use it to estimate one cup of foods like cereal, rice and pasta.

A bowl could be more than one cup or one serving, which can put you in a higher calorie count. Let’s say you figure calories based on a bowl of cereal, but you use a larger bowl. You could end up adding an extra 100 calories and not even know it if you aren’t staying aware of portion sizes.

The program said the best way to get rid of portion distortion is to weigh your food. Now, if you’re rolling your eyes at the idea of this (like I did) don’t worry, you don’t have to do it for long. Only a few days to a week.

Weighing the food helps “reset your internal cues as to what a serving should look like on your plate or in your bowl.”

Other ways to break the cycle of portion distortion is to stay aware of what you are eating and how much.

For instance, you shouldn’t eat while doing other things like watching TV or driving or working.

I am guilty of doing two out of three of those things.

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