Mastering Portion Control: Tips for Weight Loss Success

Hleap Nutrition was just featured in this Lose It! article, where we provided insight into portion sizes and making satisfying choices when eating out.

According to the CDC, 36.6% of Americans consumed fast food on a given day. (1)

In the grad scheme of physical and financial health, ideally try to limit takeout to special occasions. The frequency of meals away from home has increased significantly since 1970's and is believed to contribute significantly to the increased prevalence of obesity in the US, which is now a major public health concern. (2, 3)

Takeout servings are often larger than what you'd serve yourself at home and contain added fats and sugar that regularly contribute to increased calorie content (and tastiness). According to the CDC, Americans consume 11.3% of their total calorie Intake from fast food. (4)

The calorie and nutrient composition of your meals come down to what you choose to order and how you choose to portion out your meals. You can of course still include takeout in your diet! Play around with incorporating any of the following suggestions for more balance and moderation in your takeout meals:

Prioritize high fiber carbohydrates

If available try swapping white rice or bread with a brown rice, quinoa, beans, and whole wheat bread or wrap. This will help to increase the fiber content of your meals, which can contribute to satiety and long term fullness. (5)

Order non-starchy vegetables whenever possible

When possible, either order a side or extra entree of non-starchy vegetables. This way you can get your typical order and split the plate between the two entrees; 50% non-starchy vegetables and 50% whatever else you ordered. This will help to moderate the amount of calories and carbohydrates at the meal, regardless of what you've ordered. (6)

Make sure to include a source of protein with your meal

Protein is essential for satiety and long term fullness. Make sure to include a source of protein with your meal in order to balance your post prandial blood sugars, make you feel full, and help you regulate your muscle mass and metabolism. (7, 8) When possible prioritize lean low-fat proteins, for example: seafood, chicken breast, low-fat ground meat, plant based proteins (tofu), etc.

Other sources of protein: meat, seafood, bone broth, eggs, nuts, nut butter, milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, tofu, edamame, beans/legumes/bean-based pasta, hemp seeds, flax powder, protein powder, nutritional yeast

Portioning your takeout

Another tip for balancing takeout orders is to never eat out of the container (when this is something that can be avoided). Move your food from the takeout container to a plate. What fits on this plate is your first serving. Put the rest of the food away In the fridge and save this for a balanced lunch tomorrow! There is often more food in the takeout container than you might realize. If you visually see how much food fits on one plate, you may be surprised once you calculate how many plates of food you may have been eating in one sitting before.

For more takeout tips, click here for the full article: https://www.loseit.com/articles/how-to-eat-fast-food-and-still-lose-weight/ 

Fast Food Delivery - Adobe Stock Image

Resources

1. Cheryl D. Fryar, M.S.P.H., Jeffery P. Hughes, M.P.H., Kirsten A. Herrick, Ph.D., MSc., and Namanjeet Ahluwalia, Ph.D. Fast Food Consumption Among Adults in the United States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief No. 322, October 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db322.htm

2. Anderson B, Rafferty AP, Lyon-Callo S, Fussman C, Imes G. Fast-food consumption and obesity among Michigan adults. Prev Chronic Dis 2011;8(4):A71. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/jul/10_0186.htm.

3. The Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. Rockville (MD): Office of the Surgeon General; 2001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44206/

4. Cheryl D. Fryar, M.S.P.H., and R. Bethene Ervin, Ph.D., R.D. Caloric Intake From Fast Food Among Adults: United States, 2007–2010. NCHS Data Brief No. 114, February 2013. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db114.htm#print

   
   

5. Akhlaghi M. The role of dietary fibers in regulating appetite, an overview of mechanisms and weight consequences. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(10):3139-3150. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2130160. Epub 2022 Oct 4. PMID: 36193993. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36193993/

   
   

6. Nour M, Lutze SA, Grech A, Allman-Farinelli M. The Relationship between Vegetable Intake and Weight Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 2;10(11):1626. doi: 10.3390/nu10111626. PMID: 30400139; PMCID: PMC6266069. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6266069/

   
   

7. Gannon MC, Nuttall FQ, Saeed A, Jordan K, Hoover H. An increase in dietary protein improves the blood glucose response in persons with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Oct;78(4):734-41. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/78.4.734. PMID: 14522731. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14522731/

   
   

8. Paddon-Jones D, Westman E, Mattes RD, Wolfe RR, Astrup A, Westerterp-Plantenga M. Protein, weight management, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1558S-1561S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/87.5.1558S. PMID: 18469287. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18469287/