Portion Control is a Diet and You Deserve Better
By Katherine Metzelaar, MSN, RDN, CD
For many, portion control feels relatively innocuous.
Individuals that practice portion control or believe in it’s ethos say things like, “I don’t diet, I just watch my portions” or, “you need to portion control or else you will eat the entire bag!” or, “you can eat what you want, but in the end it’s all about portions.” Despite these comments often being more of a reflection of someone’s own internalized weight stigma and fear of food and weight gain, they also echo the beliefs that the (diet) culture holds.
Portion control usually involves a combination of per-portioned containers, advice to measure things out, recommendations to buy “wellness” foods that are pre-portioned, and guidance to use the hands as a visual to guide your portion size. And, a quick search on google about portion control produces some pretty disappointing and for many, triggering descriptions.
Page one of google states: “Portion control means choosing a healthy amount of a certain food.” “Portion control helps you get the benefits of the nutrients in the food without overeating.” “Portion control is important because it allows you to have a tight handle on how many calories you are consuming.” “Portion Control helps you to eat what your body needs, instead of mindlessly overindulging.” (I am actively eye rolling even as I type this.)
The language around portion control is riddled with contradiction and lack of explanation, definition, and description. For example, what does a “healthy amount” of a certain food mean? And why do you benefit from the nutrients in a food when portion controlling in comparison to when you don’t? And why do you need a “tight handle” on how many calories you are consuming? And when did portion control become a “mindful practice?”
Portion control is founded on the belief that humans cannot be trusted with food and that in order to “keep them in check” they need to limit the amount of food that they consume, especially foods that are the most pleasurable. Carbs, limit them. Sweets, heck no! Protein, just a bit. Fat, make sure to measure that! And after years of receiving this kind of advice from places like governments (think MyPlate or the pyramid) to diet or “lifestyle” companies, it makes sense that many believe that portion control is something that is necessary.
What all the guidance and advice around portion control misses though is that the body cannot be tricked into having less energy than it needs and that restricting foods is unsustainable and often leads to bingeing. Restricting portions will only lead to diet-backlash and for many, rebound weight gain.
Remember that the body cannot tell the difference between portion control and a famine.
For those stuck in diet culture and/or an eating disorder, portion control can often create a perceived sense of safety, even if it’s temporary and unsustainable. But here’s the rub: portion control is no different than all the other diets that have existed since the beginning of time. And we know that diets are not sustainable long-term and contribute to disordered eating patterns and nutrient deficiencies.
Your body and your portions do not need to be controlled and you do not need to restrict your food intake based on some arbitrary standards rooted in the belief that your body size and shape need to be controlled by “controlling” your portions. You deserve better than this.
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Do you want to feel more freedom to eat portions that satisfy you?
Developing a sense of permission regarding the quantities of food you eat takes time, especially when you have been praised (directly or in subtle ways) for eating less food. The caring dietitians from our Seattle, WA-based nutrition counseling practice would be honored to help you heal your relationship to food and develop the awareness of what amounts nourish your body best. We offer a variety of services including support for eating disorders, body image, intuitive eating, Bulimia treatment, Anorexia treatment, and chronic dieting. We also offer a body image support group. For more information, please feel free to visit our blog, FAQ, resources page, or contact us now!