How you should tackle portion control to lose weight

Lately I have been thinking a lot about my portion control. It is so easy to over eat and wonder why you don’t lose weight. The reality is even if you are eating the right foods it is simple science if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight. You can gain weight by eating healthily if you eat too much.

A bowl of oats covered in apple and blueberries with a glass of fresh orange juice

Why we need portion control

If we don’t know what a suitable size portion is then losing weight will be difficult and you may even gain weight.

Learning to eat in moderation is important for maintaining a healthy weight for life.

It is important to teach our children healthy habits for the future. This way you are unlikely to have to worry about your child’s weight.

A plate of food, with rice and side vegetables

10 Easy tips to keep an eye on your portion control

Eat at the table with no distractions using a knife and fork – it sounds silly but this will make you eat more mindfully and eat less.

Use smaller plates – with a smaller plate you still get the feeling of a big plate of food without having quite so much.

Consider your other meals of the day – we do not need three big meals in a day, if you had a big lunch then maybe a lighter tea is best.

Buy smaller packs at the supermarket – whilst it may not be as economical remember if you don’t need it then you really shouldn’t be putting it in your temptation.

Look at restaurant portions – the image above is a main course I was served at The Gherkin last week. When you are out and eating slowly whilst enjoying your evening you realise that smaller portions do fill you!

Put less on your plate and have a rule that you can only have more if you are still hungry an hour later. You will be surprised to find you probably are not.

Drink plenty of water with your meal. By drinking with your meal you eat less as you are filling up on water too. It is easy to mistake thirst for hunger!

Cook Less. Do you need to use the full pack of chicken or the packet of pasta? Look sensibly at how much you need using the portion size on the pack as a guideline. It is so easy gradually to cook more and more each time.

There should always be more vegetables on your plate than any of the other components. They are good for you and fill you up with fewer calories. Have smaller portions of the other parts and more vegetables.

Have the portion you need not the same portion as your partner! I am terrible at giving myself and Stuart the same size portions when I know as a man he needs more than me and I often leave some. If I give myself less I am never still hungry!

How do you watch your portion control? Do you have any tips that could help others? If so do comment on them below. Feel free to share this with anyone you think it may help to manage their weight and portion control.

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Have a good look around and see how I can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Request my free resources to get you started too!