The good news is that we know what we should and shouldn’t be eating. What we are still struggling with is: how much of it we should eat? Even when we are eating foods that are low in calories, controlling portions is very important. It teaches your body to be satisfied on less volume. The older you get, the more portions come into play because, as your metabolism slows down, you need to reduce the amount of food you eat in order to prevent that 3–5 pound weight gain every year. The reality is you just don’t need to eat that much food.
 
When you order a burger or a plate of spaghetti, the portions are huge. You could make those portions into 2–3 different meals. Here are a couple of strategies for healthy portioning.
 

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     Too big. 

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    Too much.

1. Your portions should fit in the palm of your hand. One hand, not both.

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       2. Use a small plate, like a coffee cup saucer.

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       3.  Use a 1-cup measuring cup to determine portions. One cup of pretty much anything is plenty.

       4.  If you still feel hungry after eating a small portion, wait 15 minutes. If you are still truly hungry, have another small portion, half the size of the first.
 
       5.  When you order food at a restaurant, order an appetizer as your main course. The portions are much healthier.
 

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       6.  Don’t let yourself get too hungry. It’s tempting to overeat when you are starving. 
 
       7.  When you do eat, eat slowly and enjoy your meal.
 
       8.  Drink water with every meal. It will fill you up a little — and because it’s good for you :)
            Try it for a week and give us your feedback.