Portion distortion

People gain weight when they eat more calories than they use up. So watching the number of calories in food is fundamental to weight management.

Also important, however, is the size of the portions you eat.

Bigger portions tend to encourage us to eat more whether we really need to or not, so it stands to reason that if you have less food in front of you, the less you’ll eat and the fewer calories you’ll consume.

Here are a few tips you can use to cut down on portion size and still satisfy your appetite:

• At home, serve food on individual plates instead of a serving dish on the table.
• Keep second helpings to a minimum.
• Put crisps, nuts and snacks in bowls or on plates rather than eating them straight from the pack.
• When you’re eating out, order two starters or skip a course. If the menu allows it, order a small portion whenever you can.
• At parties, avoid standing at the buffet table. Load your plate with what you want and move elsewhere to eat.
• Measure food with weighing scales or in a measuring cup to give you an accurate idea of what a portion should be.
• Look on food packaging to find guidance on what constitutes an ‘average’ portion. A reasonable portion of ice cream, for instance, will be a lot smaller than a healthy portion of fresh veg!

Remember as well that controlling portions properly means you need to buy less food each week and saves you more money.