Free Refills! Endless Pasta Bowls! Buy 1 Get 1 Free! We see these advertisements wherever we go. Some of us have a yearning to take advantage of these opportunities regardless of being hungry or needing an extra box of free donuts at the grocery store. Are we setting ourselves up for failure in the war against obesity?

There are at least four different diet plans that deliver food in the right portions right to your door. Do we really need a manufacturer to tell us that we should limit our portion of meat to 4oz per meal?

Have we lost perspective of what is normal?

Caregivers have a responsibility to ensure their aging loved one eats the right amount to avoid both obesity and malnutrition. Some good techniques to start with are to encourage your loved one to note how much they are eating now and to slow down. Researchers measured typical servings from restaurants and found that in most chains portions are 150% larger than the standard set by the USDA. Desserts were seven times the USDA recommended serving size.

Serving size can usually be found by reading nutritional labels.

The portion size is what you choose to consume. Keeping to the prescribed size set by the USDA helps with losing weight. By measuring accurately we learn that we’re not deprived of eating the foods we like but should be satisfied with the serving size and not double down on the portions we consume.

By using smaller plates, bowls, cups, and glassware in your kitchen you can control what they hold. A bowl you thought held 8 oz. might actually hold 16 oz. meaning you’ve been eating twice as much as you thought. Serve food from the stove onto plates instead of family style, which encourages seconds. Make your own single serving packs of your favorite foods so that when you’re hungry you can be assured that you’re eating the correct portion and serving.

It is very important to measure oil carefully before cooking since it can add many calories to the food. Never pour it directly into the pan or over food. By eating a cup of soup or vegetables prior to eating the entrée, your appetite is already curbed which helps cut down on calories consumed.

Finally, listen to your body. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re comfortably full. Try to gauge when your 85% full and stop there. It’s not going anywhere, relax you’ll be back next time.