Use these 5 Tips for Better Portion Control to find simple ways that are easy to build into your life to will help you avoid overeating.
100 pounds ago, I used to dream about eating fruit snacks, handfuls at a time. One package was never enough.
Actually, I’m not sure that I ever reached the level of “enough” back then.
It was like when certain foods entered the picture (pizza, Goldfish, Little Debbie Snacks…), my stomach turned into a bottomless pit and serving sizes went right out the window.
Hearing things like, Just stop when you’re full, meant nothing to me back then because it seemed like my “full” gauge was broken…or at least it never matched up with the recommended serving sizes!
One of the most difficult parts of losing weight is stopping ourselves after we’ve eaten the appropriate amount of food, but there are some really easy changes that don’t take much effort, but they can make a world of a difference.
These are not instant fixes, but one small change at a time, you can train yourself to have better portion control.
5 Tips for Better Portion Control
1. Make things in muffin tins.
Muffin tins are the perfect serving size for so many foods! It’s like having your meal pre-portioned from the get-go.
Try making some of your favorite foods in muffin tins – quiche, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, calzones, mini lasagnas, sliders, mac & cheese, cheesecakes, and that’s just to name a few!
I like using the silicone muffin tins best because it’s easier to get the food out of the flexible cups.
2. Use snack baggies.
You know those huge Costco-sized bags of snacks that are so easy to grab and take straight to the couch with you to munch on while you watch TV? Don’t do it! When you have a huge amount of food in front of you, you are far more likely to exceed those serving sizes (by a lot).
Take the time to divvy out individual portions of crackers, trail mix, nuts, chips, popcorn, and other snacks into individual baggies. That way you still have a bag that is ready to grab, but you are far more likely to eat a reasonable amount. Now, I am definitely guilty of grabbing two or three bags at a time on occasion, but those baggies still make me more mindful of serving sizes and more often than not, I stop with one.
3. Look at serving sizes.
When I actually started looking for the recommended serving sizes and measuring my food to see how well it lined up, I was completely shocked! Who seriously only eats 3/4 of a cup of cereal for breakfast? It barely covered the bottom of my bowl!
Knowledge really is power. Even if it’s not the serving size you are hoping they will recommend, still at least look. Get a handle on how many calories you are actually eating. Just raising that awareness will help you to be more conscious of the amount of food you are eating.
4. Use a smaller plate
Studies have shown that this is a proven trick to help lower your portion sizes! Instead of using a large dinner-sized plate, use a smaller lunch plate instead.
Your eyes actually play tricks on your stomach. Because your plate looks like it’s more full (even if you load it up with the exact same amount as you would the dinner plate), you will feel more full because it will seem like you ate more food.
It’s a tiny change that can make a huge difference over time!
5. Drink water first.
Dehydration is another thing that does tricky things to our brain. Sometimes when we feel thirsty, our brain sends us the signal that we’re hungry, so we end up reaching for food when all we really need is some water. Drink some water and wait a few minutes before snacking.
Not only that, but drinking a glass of water before meals can start filling our stomach before we begin eating and take away that edge of feeling starving as we dive into our first bite. It can help us feel full sooner and stop before we normally would.
Play around with the tips and figure out the ones that work for you. Mix and match them and use them as a tool for building your idea healthy life!
Pin This Post For Later
