NewIdeaFood
  • News
  • Dinner Tonight
  • Baking
  • Trolley Watch
  • Easy Entertaining
  • Healthy-ish
  • Video
NewIdeaFood
  • News
  • Dinner Tonight
  • Baking
  • Trolley Watch
  • Easy Entertaining
  • Healthy-ish
  • Video
ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!
Watch 0:15

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!

{headline}

{headline}

The Low Down on Weight Loss Teas

The Low Down on Weight Loss Teas

Healthiest Cheese: 8 Guilt Free Cheeses

Healthiest Cheese: 8 Guilt Free Cheeses

Does Coffee Make You Fat?

Does Coffee Make You Fat?

8 Low Calorie Pizza Dough Recipes

8 Low Calorie Pizza Dough Recipes

{headline}

{headline}

How many calories in a tin of tuna?

How many calories in a tin of tuna?

10 Foods That Help You Lose Weight

10 Foods That Help You Lose Weight

9 Low-Calorie Cocktails (That Won't Hurt Your Waistline)

9 Low-Calorie Cocktails (That Won't Hurt Your Waistline)

{headline}

{headline}

Are Brazil Nuts Good for Your Health?

Are Brazil Nuts Good for Your Health?

The Six Healthiest Coffees

The Six Healthiest Coffees

I Tried The Paleo Diet and Here’s What Happened

I Tried The Paleo Diet and Here’s What Happened

Everything you need to know about the alkaline diet

Everything you need to know about the alkaline diet

Will a high protein diet help you lose weight?

Will a high protein diet help you lose weight?

What a transformation! Meet the COUPLE who’ve lost 184kg together

What a transformation! Meet the COUPLE who’ve lost 184kg together

Jelena Dokic in HOSPITAL - just weeks after revealing her 120kg weight struggle

Jelena Dokic in HOSPITAL - just weeks after revealing her 120kg weight struggle

  1. Home
  2. News

A Comprehensive Guide to Portion Sizes

Everything you need to know - by Lottie Dalziel
  • 18 Sep 2019
A Comprehensive Guide to Portion Sizes

Q: What is portion control?

A: To put it simply, portion control is monitoring the size of your meals. Portion control tactics were traditionally used as a weight-loss method. The Australian Dietary Guidelines defines portion size as “the amount that you actually eat.” Not to be confused with serving sizes which is how the number of different foods you should eat per day. 

Portion sizes are particularly important when it comes to leading a healthy life, for example, if you ate only healthy foods but in large portions, you could be prone to weight gain.

What are the recommended serving sizes?

There are recommendations on how many serves of each of the five food groups you should eat each day but when it comes to serving sizes there is no one size fits all approach. It really depends on your activity levels, frequency of eating and nutrient density of foods. As a rough guide, the Health & Performance Collective has created this size guide to go buy for lunch and dinner. 

health_performance_collective View Profile
275 likes - View Post on Instagram
We thought we would give you a hand✋with serving sizes.😂 Here's an easy way to make sure you're eating a well-balanced meal. #HealthPerformanceCollective⁣⁠ .⁣⁠ .⁣⁠ .⁣⁠ .⁣⁠ .⁣⁠ #Dietitian #nutritionist #SportsDietitian #SydneyDietitian #HPC #Performancedietitian #ClinicalDietitian #nutrition #healthy #healthylife #healthychoice #wholefoods #sydneyfoodie #healthynothard #eatrealfood #dietplan #nutritionplan #nutritioncoach #nutritiontips #dietetics #snacks

Recommended daily serving sizes

  • 5-6 serves vegetables and legumes
  • 3-6 serves grain (cereal foods), mostly wholegrain and high fibre varieties
  • 2-3 serves lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes/beans
  • 3-4 serves milk, yogurt, cheese and dairy alternatives
  • 2 serves fruit

Tips to portion control

We spoke with Chloe McLeod, sports dietitian and co-founder of Health & Performance Co for her tips on portion control. If you’re looking to control your portions Chloe recommends:

  1. Drink plenty of water
  2. Fill up on lots of colourful veggies 
  3. Include legumes as a regular part of your intake

How to adjust the portions if you want to diet?

If you’re looking to adjust your portion sizes Chloe recommends two key things to keep in mind. 

healthy eating

“Keep protein intake high and monitor your carbohydrates, they will go up and down daily depending on your activity levels.”

If you cut out meals or food groups all together you are more likely to lapse and end up snacking or binging on discretionary foods as you look for that feeling of being full.

If you’re looking to cut down on your portion sizes to help support weight loss, Chloe recommends:

  • Eat slowly, ‘mindfully’ without distractions like TV and give your body time to give you feedback. 
  • Put your cutlery down between mouthfuls when you’re chewing, or sip water in between swallows to slow your pace. 
  • Pace yourself with a ‘slow’ eater or even the clock. 
  • Concentrate on how food looks, smells, tastes and feels in your mouth and stomach.
Lottie Dalziel
Lottie Dalziel
Lottie Dalziel, is a 4AM riser and coffee-addict who lives and breathes all things food. When she isn't reading up on the latest trends in sustainability or discovering ways to upcycle almost anything, you can find her by the beach, cooking up a storm or adding to her abundant (some would say out of control) plant collection.

Subscribe to New Idea-$12 for your first 12 issues!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to New Idea

Subscribe to New Idea-$12 for your first 12 issues!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to New Idea

Recommended to you

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!
Watch 0:15

ALDI - DON'T DROWN IN ONE-OFF DISCOUNTS!

{headline}

{headline}

The Low Down on Weight Loss Teas

The Low Down on Weight Loss Teas

Healthiest Cheese: 8 Guilt Free Cheeses

Healthiest Cheese: 8 Guilt Free Cheeses

Does Coffee Make You Fat?

Does Coffee Make You Fat?

8 Low Calorie Pizza Dough Recipes

8 Low Calorie Pizza Dough Recipes

{headline}

{headline}

How many calories in a tin of tuna?

How many calories in a tin of tuna?

10 Foods That Help You Lose Weight

10 Foods That Help You Lose Weight

9 Low-Calorie Cocktails (That Won't Hurt Your Waistline)

9 Low-Calorie Cocktails (That Won't Hurt Your Waistline)

{headline}

{headline}

Are Brazil Nuts Good for Your Health?

Are Brazil Nuts Good for Your Health?

The Six Healthiest Coffees

The Six Healthiest Coffees

I Tried The Paleo Diet and Here’s What Happened

I Tried The Paleo Diet and Here’s What Happened

Everything you need to know about the alkaline diet

Everything you need to know about the alkaline diet

Will a high protein diet help you lose weight?

Will a high protein diet help you lose weight?

What a transformation! Meet the COUPLE who’ve lost 184kg together

What a transformation! Meet the COUPLE who’ve lost 184kg together

Jelena Dokic in HOSPITAL - just weeks after revealing her 120kg weight struggle

Jelena Dokic in HOSPITAL - just weeks after revealing her 120kg weight struggle

NewIdeaFood
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Dietary info
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Dietary info
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • Better Homes and Gardens Shop
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Home Beautiful
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from New Idea Food

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to New Idea-$12 for your first 12 issues!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to New Idea