Balancing Calories with Portion Sizes

Moderation and Knowledge - Two Weapons in Your Arsenal 

Moderation is key but having the knowledge to make well-informed decisions about portion control can be the difference between over-eating and leading a healthy lifestyle.

While we are always striving to make delicious and nutritious meals, balancing them with acceptable calorie counts can sometimes be a challenge, especially with all the crazy things happening in our busy lives! According to many of the people we’ve talked to, calories are a huge motivating factor in selecting a specific meal option when going out for dinner, using a meal-kit service, or opting to eat in. And we’ve all heard about having small snacks throughout the day as being a healthy way to keep nourished and to prevent over-eating at lunch and dinner.

What's the Scoop?

So how many calories should we be taking in each day, or better yet, per meal? Well, according to Livestrong.com, a recent global news article, and several other sources, each meal without snacks should range between 650 – 700 calories for a woman and 800-850 calories for a man, that’s without snacking throughout the day. That’s 2000 calories per day for a woman and 2500 calories per day for a man. If you opt to have two snacks throughout the day, the recommended calories per meal drops to 450 – 500 calories for a woman and 600 – 650 calories for a man (this assumes that your snacks aren’t exceeding about 200 calories at each interval). Suffice to say, the general population tends to over-eat by these standards, but that’s not to say there aren’t strategies out there to help combat taking in too many calories. Some of these strategies include:

• Saving some of what you’ve made for the following day! (Just because you made it doesn’t mean it has to get completely eaten up in one sitting or that it can’t be saved for another meal)
• Eating lots of veggies with each meal to elicit the feeling of being full

Taking it Home - Wrap it up, Please!

Obviously, the number of calories that a person takes in also depends on their own unique situation, such as doctor-prescribed diets, programs that patients/clients follow from nutritionists, and/or diet plans for those working out a lot and burning a ton of extra calories. According to FoodandNutrition.org, eating small meals throughout the day with several snacking sessions that are well-balanced and nutritious helps to keep your body from craving larger portions at regular meal times and, if done correctly, can have some positive health benefits. So, the next time you’re scrolling through recipes you’re looking to make this week or choosing the tasty menu option from your favorite restaurant, opt for the reasonable calorie option or choose to save a portion for the following day! You’ll be better off for it!

Have a wonderful week!