You’ve heard it before, but it’s important to reiterate– portion control matters. When it comes to weight loss, how much food you eat will determine the results that you get.
In fact, did you know that research estimates that 80% of weight loss results come from your diet? That leaves 20% for exercise, which isn’t a whole lot. The old adage that “abs are made in the kitchen” rings true when it comes to getting results.
Maybe for you, some portion control tips would help. You know that eating less food is a key to losing weight, but it’s just not that easy. Especially when most of the portion sizes you order exceed the recommended amount– like the 480% overindulgence of a typical pasta dish at a restaurant.
In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 tips for reducing your serving size so eating less feels normal, easier, and allows you to feel better about your long-term weight loss goals. Let’s dive in!
1. Measure Your Food
Eating the right portions becomes automatic when you measure your food. Sure, you might not like the idea of doing it all the time. It may seem like a chore, which is understandable.
But the truth is, using a food scale (and a simple app like My Macros+, for example) only takes 2-3 weeks of practice to get good at. Research shows we mostly eat the same foods anyway (and it’s not bad for us), so you’ll get a feel for what an appropriate serving size is for most of your favorite food options.
2. Balance Your Meals
Do you know the 3 macronutrients that make up all your food? They are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. One way to eat less at each meal is to offer yourself a healthy balance of the 3.
So instead of eating a plate full of rice, use half the rice and add in some lean meat (protein) and have a salad with some dressing (fat).
3. Drink Water
Besides the major benefits of being hydrated for your body, drinking a big glass of water as a pre-meal routine will help you to feel full quicker. It’s also been proven that our bodies can mistake thirst for hunger, so getting some extra H2O in might help for more than one reason.
And if you don’t drink enough water as it is, making this a ritual will help you to hydrate your body and make you healthier!
4. Wear Clothes That Fit
Perhaps you’ll laugh at the implications of this recommendation, but there’s a reason why people say they want to change into sweatpants after Thanksgiving dinner.
Wearing clothes that fit offers two advantages: one, it’s a motivational tool to remind you while you’re eating. And two, if your clothes stop fitting right, it’s feedback that something went awry!
5. Eat More Vegetables
If your goal is to lose weight, eating vegetables is a no-brainer. They are low calorie, highly nutritious, and very filling. Try to eat some type of vegetable at each meal (yes, breakfast too), and watch how you get full eating less food.
And if you can’t wrap your head around eating vegetables at breakfast, consider throwing some greens into your morning omelet. There are ways to get creative in your portion sizes without having to sacrifice taste or enjoyment of your food.
Here are some other easy ways to eat more veggies.
6. Cook All, Eat Half
Meal prepping seems to be all the rage these days. And for good reason. When you are prepared, you are more likely to make the right food choices. Coming home from a long day of work with food in the fridge makes it a lot easier to not call for takeout.
But the truth is, you’re cooking a lot of food at one given time. If you don’t choose proper portions after you meal prep, you’re prepared, but still not eating the right amounts of food.
Here’s a practical tip for you: Do your meal prep or cook dinner like you normally do. Then, cut your portion in half. Eat one half now, and if you’re still hungry in an hour, finish the other half.
7. Never Eat From Bags
Snacking can help or hurt your weight loss progress. One easy tip for eating the right portions when snacking is to always pour what you’re eating onto a plate or into a bowl.
This way, you are more mindful of the amount of food going into your body– not rummaging through a bag of chips and then realizing it’s almost empty.
8. Use Smaller Plates
Another tip for the psychological advantage is to use smaller plates when you eat. The truth is, a good portion control plate will help you to eat less.
Oftentimes, we just eat the food that’s in front of us. If you’re already full, you may not even notice it. Portion control plates at least give you a reason (and the time it takes to walk to the stove for more) to consider if you need more fuel.
9. Limit Distractions
When you eat, stay off your phone. Stay as mindful as you can during your meal, so you can get a sense of when your body is full.
10. Measure Oils Carefully
Oils can be a real culprit to ruining our portion sizes or calorie counts. A lot of times we pack a ton of calories into meals without even meaning to. We think, “It’s just a salad!”; why bother measuring?
The truth is, oils (yes, even good ones like olive oil) have a lot of calories in them. Measure your oils by the tablespoon so you know how many extra calories are going into your meal.
Portion Control Tips: Wrap Up
Portion control tips come in all shapes and sizes. Whether they are psychological wins like using a smaller plate or a physical act like tracking or measuring food intake, there are plenty of little things you can do to eat the right amount of food and start losing weight.
Visit our website for more weight loss tips and tricks. Good luck reaching your weight loss goals!
