Food Portions

It is an obvious principle that any successful weight loss requires less calories in than one is taking in now. However, portions have exploded since the 70’s. Supersized servings of french fries and sodas are often two to five times larger than when they were introduced. In order to downsize your portions one must know the portion sizes of today and realize the difference in portion sizes when they were introduced.

The Burger King hamburger in 1954 went from 2.8 oz and 202 calories to 4.3 oz. and 310 calories today. Macdonald’s french fries went from 2.4 oz and 210 calories to a current size of 7 oz and 610 calories. Hersheys milk chocolate bar went from 2 oz and 297 calories in 1900 to 7 oz and 1,000 calories today. At 2,000 calories a day as an average of what one should consume only two Hershey chocolate bars will make one fulfill his 2,000 calorie requirement. Coca -Cola went from 6.5 fluid oz and 79 calories in 1916 to 16 fluid oz and 194 calories today. That movie popcorn in the 1950’s was 3 cups and 174 calories and is now seven times as much at 21 cups (buttered) 1,700 calories.

Typically if one ate ½ of the current portions they would be near the calories of the products in the above paragraph when those products were first introduced.

At our home meals we also do not adhere to proper portions. The portions sizes that follows are based on recommendations from the American Dietetic Association and Weight Watchers International.

Fruit should be the size of a deep champagne glass. Cheese should be the size of a domino. How many of us have steak the size of a deck of playing cards or a burrito the size of Dove or pasta the size of a computer mouse or a potato the size of a light bulb and butter the size of one of a pair of dice?

Quite simply by keeping portion sizes in mind when eating fast food and at home in meals is the simple and successful way to bring in less calories than one presently takes in. It may not sell a new diet book but quite simply less calories in than the overweight person takes in means lower weight.