Nutrition experts say portion sizes are one of the biggest factors for success in regard to weight loss, but in the case of Americans are not very good in regard to a reasonable size portions.
“If people can reduce their portion sizes, this would be the best way to combat the growing epidemic of obesity,” says Madelyn Fernstrom, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center.
“It’s a simple concept, but apparently difficult to implement because there is so much hidden fat in foods that are difficult to know what is in a portion.”
“So eat more food than you should at a meal, be concerned with only 100 calories a day adds up to more than 10 pounds in a year,” said Miriam Pappo, clinical nutrition manager at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
“It’s just one or two tablespoons of salad dressing,” he added.
A recent study of 120 healthy adults found that when people are restricted portion sizes, were more successful in their efforts to achieve weight loss.
Men in the study were told to eat about 1700 calories a day, while women were advised to eat 1365 calories.
Both groups were those formed a diet consisting of 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein and 20 percent fat.
In addition, 30 men and 30 women were given tickets with meat and rice also were told to add two large salads, fruit and two glasses of skim milk per day.