Tips to manage your serving size

Tips to manage your serving size

Judicious selection of serving sizes help in achieving balanced diet. However, sometimes we tend to consume larger portions or extra servings of food and tend to gain weight which may result in obesity and diet related non-communicable diseases. In order to avoid consumption of larger portions or extra servings, following tips can be useful.

Tips to manage your serving size

• When cooking at home: Offer the proper "serving" to each member of the family, then put the extra food away. Save leftovers for another meal.

• When dining out: Skip the appetizers and split a large salad or main dish with a friend/family.

• While watching movies at home or at the theatre: Don't eat while watching TV or a movie or when you're on the computer. It's harder to control how much you're eating if you don't pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth, and when. At the movies, buy a small box of popcorn or share a big box.

• Don't eat in hurry If you eat in hurry, you tend to eat more.

• Avoid add-ons in food while ordering.

• When buying on discount or food on offer (e.g. buy one and get one free), keep one portion to be consumed later.

• Track your calories: Tracking your calories helps you monitor your weight. It helps to know what the appropriate serving size is so you can correctly estimate the calories in your portions, especially if you dine out a lot. Using a food diary can help you pay closer attention to what you're eating, how much and how often.