Are you trying to lose weight? OR Seeking a more convenient method to eat healthy without constantly feeling hungry?
Portion control is a key to weight loss. It is an excellent way to keep track of your healthy eating habits.
Here, I am going to define portion control and provide numerous recommendations on how to successfully portion manage yourself to a healthy lifestyle.
Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about portion control for weight loss.
Table of Contents
What is Portion Control and Why is it Important?
To me, one of the most effective nutrition hacks I’ve discovered for keeping to a healthy lifestyle, losing weight, and subsequently maintaining my optimum weight is portion control.
But what is portion control? The amount of food served on a plate for a single sitting or meal is referred to as portion size. Not only can portion management help us lose weight and keep excess calories at bay, but it can also help us maintain a healthy weight in the long run.
This allows us to see what’s in our meals and how much we need to eat to achieve our objectives. In the end, portion control implies that no food is beyond bounds; it’s only a matter of deciding whether or not to eat something.
How Does Portion Control DIet for Weight Loss Works?
We can essentially assume control over how much of our food is stored as fat by portioning out our food and managing the quantity of food we put into our body.
And, if we eat at a calorie deficit, which means we consume fewer calories each day than our bodies require to function, we can force our bodies to burn stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss.
Up to a point, the more stored fat your body burns, the more weight you lose, which is why we must maintain a good, balanced diet while using portion control.
Also know about intermittent fasting for weight loss.
Tips to Control Your Portions Sizes for Weight Loss
Don’t worry!!! I’m not suggesting that you lose weight by eating carrot sticks and celery every day. In fact, I encourage eating portions that make you feel full and pleased while also understanding how your food is broken down.
To assist you, I’ve compiled a list of portion control diets for weight loss guidelines that I found useful when I first started.
Drink More Water
Did you know that drinking water before a meal can help you reduce your portion size and lose weight faster? Seriously!
We tend to eat more when we’re dehydrated. Drinking a glass of water before your meal can actually help because you’ll be less tempted to overeat.
What should I do? I sip a glass of water and wait 30 minutes if I know I’ve already eaten everything my body requires. If I’m still hungry, I usually go for a tiny snack and not a full meal.
Don’t Forget to Read Nutrition Labels!
You need to read all nutrition labels. This is a huge step forward in terms of understanding what’s in your food and to determine serving sizes. However, this does not imply that we follow the serving recommendations on the label. Instead, we rely on labels to figure out how much of that meal we should consume.
Knowing the recommended serving sizes for regularly consumed foods can aid with portion control diet for weight loss.
Following are some examples:
- Half cup of cooked rice or pasta
- 1-2 cups of vegetables and salads
- 1 cup of breakfast cereal
- 3 ounces of cooked meats
- 2 tablespoons of nut butter
You don’t have to measure your meals all of the time. However, doing so for a short amount of time may be beneficial in developing awareness of what constitutes an adequate portion size. You might not need to measure everything after a while.
Use Smaller Plates
There’s something about completing your plate that makes all the difference. I know it sounds ridiculous, but utilising smaller plates will make you feel like you’re eating a substantial dinner and fool your brain into thinking you’re full.
According to one research study, people who used a large bowl ate 77 percent more spaghetti than those who used a medium-sized bowl.
As a result, substituting a smaller plate, bowl, or serving spoon for your customary ones can help you eat less and avoid overeating.
Make Your Plate A Portion Guide for You
If weighing or measuring food isn’t your thing, use your plate or bowl as a portion management guide instead. This will assist you in determining the best macronutrient ratio for a balanced meal.
The following is a rough guide for each meal:
- Half plate of salad or vegetables
- Exceptional protein – Meat, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, pulses, poultry, and beans make up a quarter of a meal
- Quarter of a plate of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy veggies
- Half a tablespoon (7 grammes) of high-fat foods, such as cheese, oils, and butter
REMEMBER! This is just a suggestion; everyone’s dietary requirements are different.
Read further about healthy lunches for weight loss.
Use Your Hands as A Portion Guide for You
Another method for determining proper portion size without the use of measurement instruments is to simply use your hands.
The following is a rough guide for each meal:
High-protein foods – Such as meat, fish, and beans, are served in palm-sized quantities for women and two palm-sized servings for males.
Salads and vegetables – For women, a fist-sized portion and for men, two fist-sized pieces.
High-carb foods – Such as whole grains and starchy vegetables, should be consumed in one cupped-hand quantity for women and two for males.
High-fat foods – Such as butter, oils, and nuts, should be limited to one thumb-sized portion for women and two for men.
Also read about protein rich foods for weight loss.
Next is, Eat Slowly
Next tip to portion control diet for weight loss is eating slowly. It may be difficult to retrain yourself at first, but try to eat more slowly. The longer you take to eat, the more full you will feel before you finish, allowing you to eat only what you require and avoid overeating.
Suggested Read: GM Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Some Other Things to Consider!
Finally, there are a few things to bear in mind when it comes to portion control and weight loss.
- Keep using your portion control plates until it becomes second nature.
- Do not consume leftovers from your children.
- Save the leftovers for the next day to avoid food waste. Don’t eat too much.
- Keep your doctor up to date on your new diet and lifestyle.
- Weigh yourself every week, and have your body composition analysed once a month.
Take Away!
You can incorporate portion control for weight loss into your everyday activities in addition to diet and exercise. Portion control is a terrific way to eat less calories without feeling like you’re depriving yourself. To begin, look for government-recommended serving sizes on labels for goods that come in packaging. You can also follow the tips outlined here. Moreover, you can get consultation with the best nutritionists near you via Healthwire.pk to get more diet tips for weight loss.
