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What's on YOUR plate? The importance of portion control.

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:36 pm
by LifeisaBlessing
I came across these eye-opening images on another diet/fitness website and thought I'd share for those who may be struggling with the idea of portion control and what exactly comprises a reasonable plate of food.

How much can a plate hold?

Spot the Difference

Notice the wide range of calories that can be placed on a single plate, even with "healthy" choices.

Definitely some food for thought! :)

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 5:04 am
by Soprano
When I'm eating at friends or relatives I find it interesting what their normal portions are compared to their weight......

Not many that serve large portions are slim

Jx

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 4:49 am
by ladybird30
Somewhere between the 11 and 12 inch plate looks about right to me, with a bit of fat added.

Let say that is dinner, with breakfast and lunch a bit smaller.

That would give about 1800 or 1900 calories for the day, enough to allow a slow weight loss and give enough energy for exercise.

Those smaller plates would be starvation level for me if 3 plates was all I had for the day.

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:38 pm
by oolala53
Cool visuals.

I would gain weight on an average of 1800-1900 calories a day. I would have even when I started, if I had also had extras on S days. I would just get way to full! But I'm not very tall, though I'm not tiny.

I've used my hand- palm, fist and thumb- as serving estimators as general guidelines for so long that the portions on the first link of the bottom plates looked huge to me.

And I did guess right on the second link because I looked for the dense food, not the greens.

Greens is something I would add to the plates in link 1!

Also, I do periodically use a measuring cup to scoop servings out since I cook in bulk and then take the food out for the meal. So I've gotten used to what they look like on the plate.

No matter what, it takes a bit of honesty to admit that it feels very different to eat those bigger portions even if they do fit on the plate. A corollary of No S should be "no S-tuffing yourself," even on N days. 8)

But if I had tried to limit myself to small portions at first, I would have felt like I was on a diet. Now my plates can just look like I'm on a diet.

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:00 am
by ladybird30
That average of 1800-1900 calories per day would includes extras on S days. not that I have calculated it over a week since I started No S. But it is based on logging my food as accurately as I could for several weeks sometime in the last few years. It's not something I can be bothered doing now.

I have never been able to eat less than that without getting very hungry.

But lets say, with a heroic effort of will power I lasted for 5 N days at 1500 cals per day. Come Saturday I would be unable to restrain myself. Lets say I ate 2 slices of cheese pizza, 1 piece of chocolate cake and 2 cups of icecream on top of my normal food. That, according to the USDA food tables, is an extra 1760 calories. On Sunday nausea and a food hangover would probably prevent me repeating that effort. However, I would probably still be in the grip of the desire to overeat. So lets say I ate an extra 800 cals on top my normal food.

That is an extra 365 cals per day when averaged over the week, putting me back at 1860 cals per day on average.

I prefer to eat much the same on S days as N days, as regular habits make me feel better.

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 2:12 pm
by oolala53
Sounds like it's getting you what you want. Negotiating the amount of hunger we want to feel is key. Do-ability counts for a LOT!

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:13 am
by poilly
oolala53 wrote:Cool visuals.

I would gain weight on an average of 1800-1900 calories a day. I would have even when I started, if I had also had extras on S days. I would just get way to full! But I'm not very tall, though I'm not tiny.

I've used my hand- palm, fist and thumb- as serving estimators as general guidelines for so long that the portions on the first link of the bottom plates looked huge to me.

And I did guess right on the second link because I looked for the dense food, not the greens.

Greens is something I would add to the plates in link 1!

Also, I do periodically use a measuring cup to scoop servings out since I cook in bulk and then take the food out for the meal. So I've gotten used to what they look like on the plate.

No matter what, it takes a bit of honesty to admit that it feels very different to eat those bigger portions even if they do fit on the plate. A corollary of No S should be "no S-tuffing yourself," even on N days. 8)

But if I had tried to limit myself to small portions at first, I would have felt like I was on a diet. Now my plates can just look like I'm on a diet.
This review is the best.

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:48 pm
by dropfiftyfast
oolala53 wrote:Cool visuals.

I would gain weight on an average of 1800-1900 calories a day. I would have even when I started, if I had also had extras on S days. I would just get way to full! But I'm not very tall, though I'm not tiny.

I've used my hand- palm, fist and thumb- as serving estimators as general guidelines for so long that the portions on the first link of the bottom plates looked huge to me.

And I did guess right on the second link because I looked for the dense food, not the greens.

Greens is something I would add to the plates in link 1!

Also, I do periodically use a measuring cup to scoop servings out since I cook in bulk and then take the food out for the meal. So I've gotten used to what they look like on the plate.

No matter what, it takes a bit of honesty to admit that it feels very different to eat those bigger portions even if they do fit on the plate. A corollary of No S should be "no S-tuffing yourself," even on N days. 8)

But if I had tried to limit myself to small portions at first, I would have felt like I was on a diet. Now my plates can just look like I'm on a diet.
THIS

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:51 pm
by elegantportions
Thanks for posting these links. I loved the graphics.