Controlling your portions does not mean you need to eat tiny amounts or measure out precisely the number of peas on your plate.
But if we are eating too much, then we may need to retrain our brains to see a smaller-than-normal portion as satisfying enough.
Below we outline some tricks that you can try.
Firstly, what is portion control? Portion control is the process of ensuring you are consuming the right amount of food.
While there are many ways to moderate food intake, portion control is a method of moderating one’s diet to limit the over-consumption of food and calories to support an individual’s health goals.
The act of portion control can benefit anyone looking to support their overall health; however, it is especially important for individuals looking to support a goal of weight loss.
Stop eating out of the bag
That is a disaster waiting to happen. It is just too easy to eat more than you intended. Rather than devouring down that whole bag of chips, put a small handful onto your plate or in a small sandwich bag.
It is helpful to see how much you are eating and once you have resealed the bag you are less likely to go back for more. Enjoy your snack, and when it is gone, it is gone.
The same goes for dinnertime. Rather than setting dinner out on the table family-style, try plating everyone's food at the stove. You will control portions from the start, and remove the temptation to keep reaching for seconds.
Use small plates
One simple way to control the portion of food you put on your plate is to use a smaller plate. Research shows that using smaller plates, knives, forks, glasses, and other tableware could reduce the amount of food we eat.
Plan meals in advance
Planning meals ahead of time can help to control portions. Not only does planning your meals help you to control your portion sizes but planning your meals ahead of time can help to create balanced meals and take the guesswork out of mealtime.
Instead of waiting until the last minute to decide what to eat, and arguably the moment you are over-hungry, plan your breakfast, lunch, and dinner before the day begins.
Whether you have just made a mental note or got everything organised in containers in the fridge, a little forward meal planning goes a long way when it comes to portion control.
Drink a glass of water
Drinking water instead of juice, soda, alcohol, or other calorie-dense beverages can help with portion control.
Not only can swapping water for sugar-filled beverages help to reduce your total calorie intake from liquids but consuming sweetened beverages with meals has been shown to stimulate appetite.
Moreover, studies have shown that simply consuming a glass of water before a meal can help you consume fewer calories overall.
Ask for less
When you are eating out, watch out for supersized portions. It is easier to avoid temptation if the food is not on your plate. To begin with, so say no to the bread basket and think about whether you need to have chips with your burger.