Top 5 Tips for Portion Control
Portion control is vitally important to those who struggle with dieting and healthy eating. We tend to not accurately calculate how much food we eat in a day. Have you ever actually seen one cup of pasta? There’s nothing there! We think a serving is over 3 cups while it’s actually 1/2 of a cup. Help eat healthy by accurately serving what you intended. Follow these five easy tips for extra success.
1. Make Breakfasts Easy
Curb unhealthy lunch cravings by always having a good breakfast. Oatmeal is a healthy and filling for breakfasts, but it can be hard to make time to cook a pot of it in the morning. Instead of buying those tiny prepackaged portions of sugary oatmeal, make your own at home. No more guessing how much you ate and no more fast food breakfasts! Get quick cook oats and plastic baggies. Scoop 1/2 cup of oats per bag and add your favorite toppings. 1 tbsp of brown sugar and dried fruit are a great idea. Make sure you don’t add anything liquid, like maple syrup. We want these to be shelf stable. To make your oatmeal, just pour the individual baggie into a bowl and add a cup of water. Microwave for two minutes to cook.
2. Choose Smaller Plates
We tend to fill our plates with food regardless of the size. Dinner plates are oversized for anything except salad. Trick your brain into thinking that you’re still eating the same amount by filling up a smaller plate. Restaurant plates are giant, dinner plates are large, and European sized plates are normal. Lunch sized plates are a good option and you might have them already. Above all, don’t feel like you need to clear your plate of all the food.
3. Fill Up On Salad Before a Meal
It’s shown that eating soup or salad before a meal can help you save calories overall. It takes time for the stomach to communicate to the brain that you’re full, and eating some salad first will help speed up the process in the main course.
4. Choose the Right Ratio
When you go to fill your plate, immediately divide half of it for vegetables and fruit. The remaining space should be split between protein and carbohydrates. That means that when you get pizza, you should be eating an equal amount of vegetables with it. This will help you cut calories and keep for full for longer. There is no need to fear the “green things”. They can taste great and are packed with fiber. If you’re having trouble putting vegetables in your diet, start simply with cucumber beside your steak and potatoes.
5. Use Containers and Accessories
If you have trouble packing healthy meals for work or lunch, then containers are your best friend. Measure each size before you use it so that you know how much you will take with you. Many use regular amounts, such as one cup of space. There are many products on the market with healthy portion control built right in. The laptop lunch products got with the myPlate government initiative for portion control sizing. Likewise, PlanetBox makes healthy lunches easy. Follow their directions for portion options.
