Lose Weight using Portion Control
Have you paid any attention to your portion sizes of food over the years? There are many individuals out there who really aren’t aware that this has become a problem. Mainly this is due to not reading the labels, which always provides a serving size suggestion. So when you sit down to eat, you could actually be having two to three servings more then you were supposed to during your meal. This is especially true at restaurants.
One of the best ways to lose weight is through portion control. It will help you counteract the growth in portion sizes over the years.
Many restaurants offer pasta dishes, like spaghetti and meatballs. When you get the plate, there is a huge mound of spaghetti loaded with sauce and meatballs. If you read the back of the package of a box of spaghetti, a single surveying would probably be a quarter of the dish received in the restaurant. The same goes for steak. The recommended size for a serving of steak would be approximately 3 ounces but when you go to a restaurant, the sizes that are listed on the menu are generally 9, 12 and 16-ounce steaks.
While this information may be news to you, there are easy ways to combat this problem. If you don’t want all the extra calories, then we suggest sharing your food with someone else you are dining with that night. If no one is interested in sharing, you might just want to tell the waiter/waitress to box half of it up before it even comes out. This way you’re less likely to overeat.
However, eating at home is just as difficult. It’s very easy to head to the stove for seconds, thirds, and maybe even fourths. In order to control your portion sizes at home you should eat on smaller plates, or specially designed portion plates. Plus, we would also recommend serving the meals as individual plates instead of “buffet style” in the center of the table. Even though you would think smaller plates would make you go back for more, often times you trick your body into believing it’s full when the plate is empty.
Watching TV can play a huge factor for packing the weight on. People tend to mindlessly munch on junk food while watching TV. Make it a rule to never eat while watching TV. Whenever you find yourself hungry or you have the munchies, turn the TV off and go sit at the kitchen or dining room table to eat.
Long ago our parents used to scold us about eating a snack before dinner. Evidently this was supposed to spoil our meal, but it really doesn’t hold true. Grab a healthy snack before your meal and you’ll be fine. But make sure it is healthy - a small salad or fruits and veggies will be perfect.
You will also find when you purchase food in bulk, it’s an easy path to overeating. Most likely you don’t even realize it, but even though your initial idea is to save money, it’s adding on those pounds. If you have to purchase your food this way, make sure you separate the package into small individual portions. This will definitely help you stay on track.
Oh, and most importantly, if you have dishes sitting out with candy and cookies we highly recommend getting rid of them. If you have a cookie jar, or even sugar and flour canisters on the counter, you should put them away. Since your brain knows it’s there, the first thing that will come to mind when you’re hungry will be the first thing you see. So make a bowl of fruit and place it on the table. If you always go to the fridge, make a vegetable tray and stick it in there where it’s easy to reach.
Using some of these tips, and cutting down on your portion sizes, will definitely help you lose weight.
