Tips to Control How Much You Eat

Kitty Broihier, M.S., R.D.

Fighting that thickening of the middle that seems to come with age requires one thing above all else -- firm control of how much we eat. A number of studies indicate that portion size is more closely correlated with the number of calories you take in than is the quality or type of food you eat. And the reverse also seems to be true -- portion control yields more weight loss than changing the foods you eat or exercising more (though doing those plus paying attention to portions is best of all).

Keeping portions reasonable is not always easy, but it's certainly doable whether you eat out or eat in. Order an appetizer as an entree plus a salad or soup. At home, choose single-serve packages, but only if you can stick to just one. And remember, it's an expensive option and environmentally unfriendly because of all that extra packaging.

Here's EN's quick pop quiz to determine your portion control prowess.

Q. Your "portion" of food should be the amount listed as a "serving" on the Nutrition Facts label.

a) Yes

b) No

c) It depends

A. c) It depends. A serving size listed on the Nutrition Facts label is a standardized amount of food as determined by the Food and Drug Administration, so consumers can compare the calories and nutrients among brands. It is not necessarily a recommended portion -- the amount of food you choose to eat at one sitting -- though it is a good yardstick. And if you don't pay attention to the serving size listed, the calories and nutrients listed are meaningless, because you might be eating twice that amount. Keep in mind, although the amount of food you are served may not always be under your control, you are always in control of the portion of food you eat. And if it's you doing the serving, then wise up to reasonable portions.

Q. A two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter is roughly equal in size to:

a) A pair of dice.

b) A ping-pong ball.

c) Your pinky finger.

A. b) A ping-pong ball. Though peanut butter packs a wallop of fat (16 grams) and calories (190), at least it provides nutrient-rich calories and half the fat is as nutritious mono fats. So don't avoid it, but do keep that ping-pong ball visual in mind when making your next PB&J -- or when tempted to just dig in with a spoon.

Q. Twenty years ago an average serving of movie theater popcorn was five cups. Today it's:

a) 6 cups

b) 9 cups

c) 11 cups

A. c) 11 cups. What used to be a reasonable treat, providing 270 calories, now weighs in at 630 calories. And that's not even the biggest; some buckets hold 16 cups of corn. If you add "butter topping," it can top 1,500 calories -- a day's worth for some people! Obviously, skip the extra butter (there's plenty on it already). And buy just a small or medium and share it. Otherwise, your hand mindlessly reaches in without stopping until it hits bottom.

Q. How much more chocolate candy do you think people eat, on average, from a one-pound bag versus a half-pound bag?

a) About twice as much.

b) About three times as much.

c) About four times as much.

A. a) About twice as much. According to research conducted by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., on leave from Cornell University, when participants ate from a half-pound bag, they ate 71 pieces of chocolate versus 137 pieces when dipping into a pound-size bag. Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating" (Bantam, 2006), has demonstrated our similar lack of control with popcorn, candy, even soup. One trick he says helps -- using smaller bowls and plates -- and not eating out of the bag. Pour a portion into a bowl and don't refill it.

Q. True or False? People eat about the same volume of food each day.

A. True. Many studies have shown this. Research by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., of Penn State University and author of "The Volumetrics Eating Plan" (HarperCollins, 2005), indicates that people don't rely on a calorie level to know when they're full; they eat until they've reached a certain volume of food. In her book, Rolls shows how to bulk up portions with fruits and vegetables without adding many calories.

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