NUTRITION

Portions Out of Control

In addition to baseball spring training, March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day, The American Dietetic Association has declared March National Nutrition Month. Put down the corn beef and cabbage, green beer, and fantasy league
sheets. Let’s talk about nutrition in general and portion control in particular.

By 2008, most of my clients have good ideas about healthy and mindful food choices. One of the most often asked questions is, “I know what is good for
me. But how much? What constitutes a portion?” As Americans, we tend to think if a little of something healthy is good, then more is better…right? American Dietetic Association spokesperson Elizabeth Ward, RD, summed it up, “People need to realize when it comes to weight control, they can eat any food they want, as long as they control the portion and get regular physical activity, too.”

Several years ago, a client swore she only ate healthy foods but could not lose more than a few
pounds of excess weight. As part of her nutrition and weight management program, I asked her
to prepare several dinner plates for me when preparing dinner for her family. “Roasted chicken,
mashed potatoes and peas make for a healthy dinner, right Trainer Joe?” Upon evaluating her
exquisitely prepared dinner plate, I found a breast, wing, thigh and leg of chicken, two ounces of
peas, and a pile of mashed potatoes that was so big it rivaled Mount Blanc. All healthy food, but
the chicken was two portions, the peas half a portion and potatoes are still being analyzed by the
lab.

So what constitutes a portion? For prepared foods, look at the information on the label. You
may choose to eat more or less than what is a suggested serving; at least you are aware of what
you are really eating. As for food you prepare yourself or eat at a restaurant, the following
guidelines are helpful in estimating healthy food servings:
Food Serving Size Compares to
Meat, poultry or fish 3 ounces size of a computer
mouse or deck of playing cards
Fruit ½ cup small fist
Cheese 1 ounce your thumb
Milk or yogurt 1 cup your hand holding a tennis ball
Vegetables, rice or pasta ½ cup small fist
Wine 5 ounces a lot less than you think
Some additional helpful hints to guide your control of portions include:

Measure the glasses, cups, and bowl you use in your home. I was shocked to find my red wine
glasses held twelve ounces, over twice what constitutes a portion. My cereal bowls held two
servings of cereal.

Know how much you are eating. Invest in a food scale. A nice one can be purchased from
Linen N’ Things for under $40.

Read what constitutes a serving or portion on prepared food. For example, a serving of Snapple
contains about 120 calories, not too many, one might think. But…a 16-ounce bottle contains
two servings, totaling 240 calories! To burn up 240 calories, one would have to run for almost
40 miles at a fast 8-mph pace. Is flavored ice tea worth that?

Bridge the gap. Practice what the Germans call “ess mit verstanden,” eating with understanding.
As you increase your level of awareness, remember that these skills take time to develop. Start with one meal. Exercising your mind about making smart food choices is a lot easier than trying
to exercise away indiscretions. Bridging the gap between good intentions and action is the most
challenging exercise of all.