This will likely be the final installment of the Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays series I started publishing October 28. Thanksgiving is just a few days away. But, I wanted to get one last post in on what I consider to be the most important concept in weight reduction and weight control – portion size. Size does matter.
In the nearly four years of blogging I have written a number of posts on portion control, most of which I will list at the end of this post. What follow immediately are a number of examples to give you some visual guidance to help with your portion control at the upcoming feast.
Don’t gamble with portion sizes. A deck of cards is the same size as three ounces of turkey white meat – that comes to 119 calories – without skin or gravy.
A serving of turkey totals three ounces. That much turkey stacks up to about the size of a deck of playing cards. A serving of white meat yields 132 calories. Dark meat yields 145 calories. White meat with no skin yields 119 calories.
On the subject of old Tom, consider this when administering gravy. A serving of gravy approximates 1/4 cup. That is about the size of a golf ball. Each of those golf ball sized servings adds 30 to 50 calories to your meal.
A single serving of potatoes is a half cup which is about the size of a tennis ball cut in half. That half tennis ball of potatoes will add around 150 calories to your total – without gravy.
On the other hand, veggies can cut way into your calorie total if you don’t smother them in gravy or cheese spread. Cooked cauliflower with an herbal flavoring adds only 15 calories to your meal. One serving is the size of a tennis ball. Steamed broccoli, another healthy veggie is only 30 calories per serving. If you stack up a lot of veggies on your plate and start eating those, you can help to satisfy your hunger and not load a lot of calories into your body.
For more on portion control check out the following posts:
How to use portion control
Get a food scale for portion control
Weight Watchers portion control tricks for dining out
Spoon and bowl size affect portion control
Pay attention to portion sizes – You CAN have too much of a good thing
Get control of your weight
Visualizing portion sizes
Single serving portions
From the Portion Teller
The portion plate
Portion size reminder – pasta
Tony
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Searching online for information about the problems he was having, he learned that everyone should limit their intake of cherries at one sitting to a cup at most.
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