No matter what diet or exercise plans you make for yourself or whatever methods you pursue, losing weight is a difficult and lengthy experience for many people. With that said, many health experts will suggest completely avoiding fast food or junk food as you try to create a well-balanced diet that works for you and your needs. There are times, however, whether we’re celebrating something, going out with friends or just want comfort food and head to a local fast food restaurant.
This, we know, is nothing to be ashamed of, and eating this once in a while or in moderation is something many of us do. With that said, we checked in with nutritionists and personal trainers to learn about how to prevent ourselves from making one of the worst mistakes when it comes to weight loss— overeating fast food due to its large portion sizes. Read on for tips and suggestions from Jay Cowin, NNCP, RNT, RNC, CHN, CSNA, registered nutritionist and Director of Formulations at ASYSTEM and Jenni Hackworth, certified personal trainer, CEO of White Lotus Yoga and contributing editor at BarBend.
Why Portion Sizes Are Crucial When It Comes To Weight Loss (And Especially With Fast Food)
Nourishing yourself with essential nutrients and vitamins is just as important as feeding your body when it is hungry in order to support a healthy and consistent metabolism. While fast food is not an optimal choice for health or weight loss, it’s still fine to have in moderation on special occasions. Portion size, Cowin explains, is really what can make the difference between a casual, fun fast food meal and a major mistake for your weight loss journey (especially if food like this in these amounts is consumed often).
“If you want to lose weight, it's important to keep your portion sizes in check,” Cowin says. “Eating too much can cause you to gain weight while eating too little can lead to nutritional deficiencies.” He adds that by keeping your portions reasonable, you can help ensure that you lose weight at a healthy rate. “Although eating fast food once in a while probably won't cause you to gain weight, it's still important to focus on your portion sizes if you're trying to lose some. Many fast-food restaurants serve portions that are much larger than what you would typically eat at home, so this can easily get you off track,” he notes.
Additionally, Cowin stresses that fast food is “usually high in calories, fat, and sodium,” so it's important to make sure that you're not overeating when you indulge now and then. “In general, it's a good idea to eat 3 balanced meals per day and to avoid snacks,” he says. “This will help you control your portion sizes and ensure that you're not eating too much.” If you get hungry between meals, Cowin advises to try eating a healthy snack like fruits or vegetables instead of reaching for unhealthy junk food.
Portion sizes at all restaurants, not just fast food, have increased drastically over the years, Hackworth agrees. “When trying to lose weight, this can be a serious issue,” she says, adding that studies have shown that if a person is given a larger portion of food, at a restaurant, fast food chain, or even a party, they will eat more calories.
“On those occasions, when a person eats out, they absolutely need to focus on portion size, whether you’re trying to lose weight, or not,” Hackworth says. She recommends ordering from the kids menu if possible as “children’s portions are about what the average adult needs.” In addition, many restaurants offer fruit, or a small salad as a side instead of fries, which she deems “a great swap.”
“If you’re at a restaurant, and you can’t order from the children’s menu, for whatever reason, order a healthy option, and ask the waiter for a to-go box,” she says. “As soon as that plate arrives, immediately remove half of the food from your plate, and put it in the to-go box.” This, she concludes, allows you to finish the food on your plate without overeating, and making small changes to your meals like this when dining out can help you stay focused and feel better about your weight loss journey.
