We all wish we could stay slim forever and although it is not really surprising that you’re going to blame the foods that you are eating, the size or portion of your meals should also be looked into. Nowadays, we consider large portions the norm when we eat that, when we are served a dish in a small plate, we scoff at it and order some more. Unfortunately, the amount of food that we eat every time we sit down for a meal contributes to the excess weight that we are carrying today. If you want to learn how to shed weight and be able to stick with it, you really need to learn portion eating.
For those who are not sure how portion control works, here is a guide for you to follow.
- Pasta portions. A regular serving of pasta nowadays is equivalent to three cups so if you want to start losing weight, you need to rethink your portion size. Instead of consuming three cups of pasta, go for a cup of pasta instead and have the rest packaged for you to take home.
- Go half a cup. Did you know that when you cup your hands it is equivalent to half a cup? You can use this to meausre the amount of food to eat like pretzels, cooked vegetables, and crackers too. Keeping your consumption of these foods at just a half a cup will ensure that you’re not overdoing your food intake.
- Go small on steak. Another food serving that you really need to reduce is steak. Most restaurants would serve 12 ounces of steak but if you want to save you from the extra calories that you’ll be consuming, ask the waiter to have yours cut into 3 ounces each with the rest to go. This way, you will be able to limit your portions without missing out on the fine dishes that restaurant is offering. Most of the time, the waiters are happy to oblige your request.
- Limit your oils. Another trick when it comes to portioning your ingredients is to limit your mayonnaise, oils, and butter to just 1 teaspoon or a fingertip if you don’t have your measuring spoon on hand. Keep in mind that too much of butter or mayonnaise can add more calories to your weight so easing up on them is always a good idea.
- Reduce ice cream. We all love ice cream but eating a cup or two of this sweet treat is surely going to add more calories to your body. A good rule of thumb to follow is to reduce your ice cream intake to half a cup rather than a cup. This way, you’ll still be able to satisfy your sweet tooth without worrying about your waistline.
These are just a few suggestions or guidelines when it comes to portion eating. For sure, you will feel hunger pangs from time to time which is not surprisiing because your body is getting used to the smaller portions, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that your stomach will be more amenable to this new diet program that you are following.
Sources: fitbit.com
