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As time goes on, Americans are getting heavier and heavier by the year. Empty calories, an abundance of sugar, sedentary lifestyles, and successful junk food marketing campaigns are helping people to pack on the pounds. One often overlooked reason for America’s expanding waist line is the increasing size of meal portions.

In the last 20 years, the portion sizes of restaurant meals and pre-made supermarket meals have greatly increased. Cleaning your plate at a restaurant today can be equivalent to cleaning two plates at a restaurant a generation ago. These increased portion sizes effect people who spend extra time in restaurants more than those who do not, but the portion sizes are spilling over into the home. If you can eat a 12 inch submarine sandwich, a bag of chips, and a 32 ounce soda at lunch when eating out, how is a simple white bread sandwich, handful of chips or crackers, and a 12 ounce can of soda going to satisfy you when you eat at home? Getting to the point where you can finish the restaurant meal in one sitting will most certainly increase your regular appetite to the point where homemade meal portions will increase as well. To satisfy your hunger, you are going to have another sandwich, eat some more chips, or have a couple of cookies after the meal.

Does the increased portion size at restaurants mean that we must choose between either accepting the inevitable and get fat and jolly, or rebel and never eat out again? No, there is a middle ground. It is time for Americans to practice a little portion control. You have the power to decide what you will eat. You just need to know how to exercise it.

Armed with the knowledge that restaurant portion sizes are out of control, you can be prepared before you eat. Look at the menu closely to see what you can order with fewer calories and smaller portion size. If nothing is available, or you just really want that big cheeseburger and fries, there is still something you can do. When the food arrives, immediately cut the dish in half and ask for a to-go box for one half. Get it off of the plate immediately to cut the temptation to finish the whole thing in one sitting. The other half can be eaten later or shared with somebody else.

Once you have gotten your restaurant meal portions under control, you will have to learn how to dial down the meal size at home. Start by investing in a quality food scale. Find out what the recommended serving size is for your body type and weigh food portions carefully before making a meal. This will ensure that there are no leftovers to tempt you when you finish the meal. Using a smaller plate will fool your mind and stomach into thinking that you are eating more than you actually are.

With a little work, you can decrease meal portion sizes. You will be rewarded by a decreasing waist size.