Monday, May 30, 2016

Portion Distortion

By Kellijo Eccleston

Understanding correct serving sizes can be a bit confusing.  We all have heard of serving sizes and that we need to eat the correct amount of serving sizes but what is the correct amount?  Have you ever heard of the term portion distortion?  I didn’t know what that was until I was looking into serving sizes.  Portion distortion is when we eat large amount of portion sizes thinking that it is normal.    I know that I over eat and it is something that I have to work on.  But let’s face it; it is way too easy to overeat in our society because everything is oversized.  Just in the last 30 years portion sizes have increased dramatically.  In the 1980’s if you were to go to a restaurant and order fries it would have been around 210 calories.  Now it is 610 calories. Just because portion sizes of increased dramatically does not mean that our waistlines can handle it!  Check out how much these foods have changed since the 1980s.

Serving Sizes: Then and Now
Food or beverage
1980s (calories)
Today (calories)
Turkey sandwich
320 calories
820 calories
French fries
210 calories
610 calories
Bagel
140 calories
350 calories
Slice of pizza
500 calories
850 calories
Soda
85 calories
250 calories

       I for one have a hard time going out to eat and ordering anything small. I really don’t know of very many people who do go out to eat and just orders small meals or doesn’t get refills.  But we all should!  If I go to Wendy’s and get the asiago chicken ranch meal that comes with a large drink and large fries that would be 1580 calories.  The average person is on a 2100 calorie per day diet. That means I can only eat 520 more calories.  If I get the same meal in a small it is 1120 calories.  That is still a lot, it is a little better but I would still be eating 2 to 3 serving sizes in one meal!  No wonder people have a hard time losing weight. No wonder I am having a hard time losing that muffing top! You can also fall victim to portion distortion even if you didn’t eat fast food and are eating healthy.  There are certain healthy dinners that I make and I know I over eat but I have no will power.  If something is good I go crazy and eat and eat and eat.  Then I get mad at myself when I cannot lose that few pounds I have been working so hard on to lose.  You can work out at the gym everyday but if you are overeating then you will not make your goals.  Losing weight or getting amazing abs and toned body is 20% gym and 80% diet.
*I know it is not easy or realistic to eat healthy all of the time or to never over eat.  Here are some helpful ideas that I use to help me keep my portion sizes in check.
*Always order small meals when eating out.  Order off of the kids menu when you can to keep the calories down as much as possible.
*If at a restaurant ask for a to-go container before you get the meal.  When your order arrives, take at least half of the meal and put it away immediately so you do not overeat.
*Try splitting  meals with someone else.  (This is tough for me.  Anyone that knows me knows I will not split a meal but I am working on it!)
*Always pack a lunch so you do not have to go out.
*Measure out your food until you get the idea of what a serving size actually looks like
*Look at the serving size on the back of the package on everything you eat so you know how many serving sizes are actually in a package.  Don’t eat a whole bag of chips or a whole bag of candy. 


One of my favorite websites is choosemyplate.gov.  If you haven’t checked it out I would recommend that you do.  It is easy to use and you can find out what serving sizes you need in all of the food groups.  You can also use supertracker which helps you plan your diet, tracks your diet, and tracks your physical activity. But if you do not want to go to the website I have the charts right here!  I use these charts all the time.  I have them printed up in my kitchen so that everyone in the family can see how much they need to eat every day to stay healthy.  Hope this helps out you guys.  Try not to fall victim to portion distortion!  

Daily Fruit TABLE
Daily Recommendation*
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
1 cup
1 to 1 ½ cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
1 ½ cups
1 ½ cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
1 ½ cups
2 cups
Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
2 cups
1 ½ cups
1 ½ cups
Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
2 cups
2 cups
2 cups




Daily Vegetable Table
Daily Recommendation*
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
1 cup
1 ½ cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
2 cups
2 ½ cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
2 ½ cups
3 cups
Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
2 ½ cups
2 ½ cups
2 cups
Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
3 cups
3 cups
2 ½ cups



Daily Grain Table

DAILY RECOMMENDATION*
Daily minimum amount of whole grains
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
3 ounce equivalents
5 ounce equivalents
1 ½ ounce equivalents
2 ½ ounce equivalents
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 ounce equivalents
6 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
6 ounce equivalents
8
 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
4
 ounce equivalents
Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
6 ounce equivalents
6
 ounce equivalents
5
 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents
Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
8 ounce equivalents
7
 ounce equivalents
6
 ounce equivalents
4 ounce equivalents
3
½ ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents



Daily protein foods table
Daily recommendation*
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
2 ounce equivalents
4
 ounce equivalents
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 ounce equivalents
5
 ounce equivalents
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 ounce equivalents
6
½ ounce equivalents
Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
5 ½ ounce equivalents
5
 ounce equivalents
5
 ounce equivalents
Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
6 ½ ounce equivalents
6
 ounce equivalents
5
½ ounce equivalents


 
Daily Grain Table

DAILY RECOMMENDATION*
Daily minimum amount of whole grains
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
3 ounce equivalents
5 ounce equivalents
1 ½ ounce equivalents
2 ½ ounce equivalents
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 ounce equivalents
6 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
6 ounce equivalents
8
 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
4
 ounce equivalents
Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
6 ounce equivalents
6
 ounce equivalents
5
 ounce equivalents
3 ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents
Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
8 ounce equivalents
7
 ounce equivalents
6
 ounce equivalents
4 ounce equivalents
3
½ ounce equivalents
3
 ounce equivalents



Daily Dairy table
Daily recommendation
Children
2-3 years old
2 cups
Women
19-30 years old
3 cups
4-8 years old
2 ½ cups
31-50 years old
3 cups
Girls
9-13 years old
3 cups
51+ years old
3 cups
14-18 years old
3 cups
Men
19-30 years old
3 cups
Boys
9-13 years old
3 cups
31-50 years old
3 cups
14-18 years old
3 cups
51+ years old
3 cups

 

Daily Allowance oils




Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old
3 teaspoons
4 teaspoons

Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 teaspoons
5 teaspoons

Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old
5 teaspoons
6 teaspoons

Women
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
6 teaspoons
5 teaspoons
5 teaspoons

Men
19-30 years old
31-50 years old
51+ years old
7 teaspoons
6 teaspoons
6 teaspoons

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