Measuring and portions?

Walter Bishop

Full Member
Hi guys

Do any of you have any advice regarding portion sizes? I dont eat meat so only do green days. I have a large appetite and love carbs so I am a bit concerned about how much I am eating (I'm in my second week). I havent been measuring anything (except for syns and HE's) but I was wondering if I should start?

I know SW say that free foods are exactly that but I have overridden my 'full signals' which is why I have some weight to lose! :sigh:

Do any of you have any strategies that you use to control portion sizes? Do you weigh out a set amount of rice or pasta for a meal? Also, how many potatoes do you use for SW chips?

I dont have a vast amount of weight to lose so I know that portions are going to be quite important to my weight loss and any advice would be well appreciated.
 
I never weigh free foods but if you are concerned you could follow the recommended portion sizes on the packaging or include the one third superfree rule which is good practice whichever plan you are doing.
 
I took ages to get portion control right & still struggle sometimes.

2 things i do.
Put my superfree on the plate first
Split whatever i have made for dinner on 2 plates & a tupperware box (there are 2 of us). That way i don't put as much on my plate, and have some leftovers for lunch.

I also apply the 10 minute rule. If i'm still hungry when i've finished i wait 10 minutes, and only then will i have some more.
 
I really like that idea Kingleds,I am afraid I just eat. I try to remember to slow down and have found if I eat some super free fist then I do better but have eaten a mountain of pasta before and I will do it again.
 
good ideas there kingleds,

I think you have to do what works for you, some people feel that carbs restrict their weight loss and if thats the case then you need to increase your superfree, you can still do EE days

just try different strategies until you find what works for you hun xx
 
The only things I weigh/measure are my HE's

One thing I do do though is put my knife and fork down after every mouthful and chew my food properly, I find this stops me from overeating and also stops me rushing my food :)
 
I find with pasta eg that if I don't cook enough I'm hungry still but can't be bothered to cook again which can lead to reaching for a bag of crisps etc. So I just throw a load in and if I've done too much it gets used cold in a pasta salad the next day. X
 
There's some fantastic ideas and tips here guys, thanks! I have been having about 100g dry weight of pasta, so I will keep monitoring it. :cross:
 
I found that I was feeling like I was eating too much so I swapped to a pasta bowl instead of a plate........ That works for me plus I tend to have a large drink before hand........

I was quite impressed with myself today as I had cottage pie for tea and in could see the china so my plate/bowl wasn't over full and we had a lovely pudding of strawberries banana and a toffee yogurt split between the both of us...... Guess what I could see the bowl so my pudding wasn't over full...... Yipee :)
 
Thats a fair point about the plates, i like a full plate but our plates are massive so I think I will switch to the pasta bowls we've got (theyre still pretty big though!) :sigh:
 
I never measure! Dont need to if its free and UNLIMITED! portion sizes dont natter!

When I make spag bol I have so much i pile it on my plate :)

Just enjoy your meals without worrying x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
Free food is not unlimited! Its eat as much as you need to feel full. Big difference & one the OP has realised & is asking for help with as she, like so many of us, struggles to realise when she is full.
 
It is ... Says in the book there is NO LIMIT for free food.
Quote in the book ' free foods are yours to enjoy with no limits, no weighing, no calculating, no estimating, no counting, no kidding! '

And it also says ' enjoy unlimited lean meat, poultry, fish, potatoes, rice, pasta , beans, vegetables, fruit and eggs no weighing no measuring no counting' .. Obviously dont include the meat etc since you do green days

And you will eventually realise when your body needs enough to stop you feeling hungry. It is unlimited so you can decide x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
It also says to STOP when you are full. For goodness sake - do you really think you can eat truely unlimited amounts of those foods and loose weight? Of course you can't. Thats just common sense.
 
And like a said their body will learn when its full did you not read what I wrote? No need for speakin to me as if I know nothing!

And yes it is common sense to not continue to eat when your full only stating it is unlimited as it says in the book!

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
You also saud your plate was overflowing when you make spag bol hun! - a rather confused message, at least to me. The OP has already admitted that she struggles with realising when she is full, so saying that free foods are unlimited and sat as much as you want rather than as much as you need is not helpful. I very much struggled myself with this concept when i started SW - and if you are new to this it could be very easy to stop reading after 'eat unlimited free foods' and fail to see the not so small print 'stop when you are full. As you yourself clearly did - otherwise you would not have taken exception to me pointing out that caveat in the first place.
 
a have my spag bol like that cos thats the way I do things! Gave MY opinion and like a said the book stated its unlimited and you also pointed out about u stop when ur full which I agreed with i never said eat numerous amounts of pasta even if your not hungry and stuff ur face n shovel it down just cos its unlimited did i ? Its unlimited for a reason and thats for you to decide when your full which I did say already.

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
' Do you weigh out a set amount of rice or pasta for a meal? '

This is the part of the question I was answering didnt go about saying this is a strategy do what I do its an opinion of what I do. Pointless arguement for stating what I do not very fair is it?

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
Apologies to you ' Walter Bishop ' if you think Im giving out the wrong impression that others think I am. Forget anythin i mentioned I would delete it to make others happy but cant! X

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
Back
Top