Did you know that food portion sizes determine your overall well-being?
A simple step like reducing the size of your serving plate can effectively manage your weight while just sitting at home.
Weight loss is a gradual journey that requires changes in your lifestyle, especially your eating habits.
One of the typical lifestyle changes you can adopt is using portion control to limit your food intake.
Eating less and controlling your portions can prevent weight gain.
There are several tips to help you manage your portions and ensure you maintain lean body weight.
In this article, you will learn:
- The meaning of portion control and how to apply it effectively in your weight loss journey.
- How to use portion control at home or while eating out.
- The correct serving sizes for food.
What is Portion Control? And how to use it for weight loss.
Portion control means eating moderate servings of food to get the most nutrition.
Portion control is an effective habit for weight loss program. With moderate calorie intake, you cannot gain excess weight.
Instinctively, most people are likely to eat more when served more significant food portions. Switching to smaller amounts is a simple task that you can get used to overnight.
So, how does it work for you?
Well, there are several methods to control your food amounts. Here are some tips you can use:
1. Use smaller plates and containers.
Unawares, larger plates, and containers often encourage overindulging.
According to The National Library of Medicine, plate shapes and packaging sizes are environmental factors. They can influence consumption norms without monitoring.
According to nutrition experts, bigger plates can make a regular serving look small, leading to dissatisfaction.
2. Ask for Smaller Portions when Eating Out
Restaurant servings encourage overconsumption. Typically, eating out provides temptation with the large servings. To avoid excess calories, always ask for small or half portions.
Restaurants may give more, sometimes for good customer reviews. You can choose to share a plate when served large amounts in a company.
3. Use a Measuring Cup for The Right Portion
Sometimes you may find it hard to measure the correct portion to eat. Using a measuring cup prevents you from putting in excess amounts.
Standard teacups and containers can double up as measuring cups if you know the correct amount to put.
4. Your Hand Can Serve as a Portion of Guide
Your hands can act as a serving guide in gauging the correct sizes. The lack of measuring cups and containers shouldn’t prevent you from getting the average food amounts.
Typically, your body size correlates with your hands. People with more extensive hands will have a higher portion intake.
3. Take a While Before Adding and Take it Slow
Before going for an extra plate, take a few minutes, typically around 20 minutes. You become satisfied a few minutes after a meal.
Alternatively, take it slow while eating, and do not take extra-large servings with excess calories.
When you eat fast, you become unaware when you are full and may still continue taking additional amounts.
4. Start with a Glass of Water
Staying hydrated before meals is significant in maintaining a lean mass. Water quenches your thirst, occupies some section of your stomach, and only allows you to take up the correct food portion.
Staying hydrated before meals is also good for your digestion. Good digestion is significant in bringing a sense of satisfaction and stops you from overeating.
5. Use a Food Diary to Manage your Portion
Make a schedule and list the types of food you require. Most people eat up without planning their diet.
A food diary helps you to take up the correct food portions. It improves your diet awareness, enabling you to make healthy choices.
Good planning also helps you manage your food expenditure. Only go on a healthy diet as you keep your nutrition in check.
Understanding Serving Sizes During Portion Control
Serving size matters in portion control.
Servings are the amount measured and found on food labels. While you have total control of portions, you cannot control the servings on food labels.
So, how do you know the correct number of servings for weight loss?
An individual portion can contain several servings.
There are several ideal serving sizes for various types of food. The standard sizes include:
- Cereals
The typical serving is 1 cup. From a nutritional standpoint, professionals recommend ¾ a cup for your weight loss journey.
Some cereals ideally weigh less. Don’t pour directly into your bowl to ensure you get the correct size. Instead, use a measuring container to ensure you don’t overindulge.
- 2. Chicken Breast
Limit your intake to less than 4 ounces. While the sizes may differ, a standard serving should not exceed 85 grams.
Always be on the lookout for vendors who ordinarily serve bigger sizes.
- 3. Coffee Cream
Since liquid creamers have high amounts of fats and calories, a standard serving size is one teaspoon.
Always check the cream labels for calorie amounts. While some may have less or no fat, they contain high sugar levels that lead to excess weight.
- 4. Sugary drinks
Drinks like soda and other processed drinks have high amounts of calories. A single serving is about 12 ounces. Always strive to stop taking soda.
Other food types with single servings are:
- Fruits and vegetables the size of your fist.
- A baseball-sized apple.
- CD-sized pancake.
- Meat and fish the size of decked cards.
- One slice of bread.
Benefits of Portion Control
Portion control is a dietary strategy that involves carefully managing the amount of food you consume during meals and snacks. It is a powerful tool for improving overall health and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Here are some key benefits of portion control:
2. Weight Management
One of the most significant benefits of portion control is its effectiveness in weight management.
By controlling portion sizes, you can reduce your calorie intake, which is essential for weight loss or maintenance.
It helps you avoid overeating, which can lead to excess calories being stored as fat.
Combining portion control with a weight-loss exercise reduces your risk of obesity.
2. Calorie Awareness
Portion control encourages you to become more aware of the calories in the foods you eat.
This awareness can lead to healthier food choices, as you are more likely to select nutrient-dense foods over calorie-laden ones.
3. Balanced Diet
Portion control promotes a balanced diet by encouraging you to include a variety of foods in appropriate quantities.
This can help ensure you get a wide range of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimal health.
4. Blood Sugar Management
Maintaining consistent portion sizes can help regulate blood sugar levels.
It helps those with diabetes or at risk of it by avoiding blood sugar spikes and crashes.
5. Digestive Health
Overeating can strain your digestive system, leading to discomfort and bloating.
By controlling portion sizes, you can ease the digestive process and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal issues.
5. Saves Money
Practicing portion control can save you money in the long run.
You’ll waste less food, as you’ll only prepare and consume what you need, reducing food expenses and minimizing food waste.
6. Improved Energy Levels
Eating appropriate portion sizes can help stabilize your energy levels throughout the day. Large meals can lead to energy crashes, whereas controlled portions provide a steady source of energy.
7. Better Eating Habits
Portion control encourages mindful eating. You’ll pay more attention to your hunger and fullness cues, which can help break the habit of eating out of boredom or emotional triggers.
Portion control prevents emotional eating, a major recipe for Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
8. Enhanced Satisfaction
Contrary to common belief, smaller portions can still satisfy when you choose nutrient-dense foods.
You may find that you enjoy your meals more when you savor smaller portions, as you’re more likely to appreciate the flavors and textures
9. Long-term health benefits
Unlike strict diets that can be difficult to maintain, portion control is a sustainable approach to healthy eating.
You can incorporate it into your daily routine and make it a lifelong habit, leading to long-term health benefits.
One of the major health benefits of portion control is managing obesity.
By reducing your serving sizes, you prevent the excess calories and fats from being deposited into your body, hence reducing your BMI.
Managing obesity protects you from diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes. hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, which are life-threatening.
10. Social Benefits
You can practice portion control when dining out or at social gatherings.
It allows you to enjoy meals with friends and family without overindulging by improving your confidence and self-esteem.
Conclusion
Your favorite habits may be detrimental to your weight loss journey. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking the correct amount of food portions and serving sizes go a long way.
Always be careful of excess food amounts, especially at restaurants or while eating out. There are several ways to control your portions effectively.
Measuring containers, using a food diary, and smaller serving plates will help you get the correct amount.
To get the best out of portion control for a successful weight loss journey, follow the correct steps and incorporate an exercise routine.