Simple Ways To Lose Weight By Portion Control
If you want to lose weight you have to cut back on the amount of food you consume at one setting. It sounds simple and it is, if you know what a portion of food really should be. Control your portions and you'll also start to control your weight.
It can be a shock to find out that what you think you've been eating is two to three times a normal portion. Did you know that a portion of meat is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards? We have become accustomed to the super sizes as the norm which they are not. A 12 ounce can of soda is considered 1 and servings, not counting the sugar content that is in it. One cup of cooked pasta is a serving not a bowlful.
When we sit down at dinner, most of us fill our plate and then consume everything on the plate. An easy trick is to use a smaller plate. You'll still fill that plate and polish off your dinner, but you'll end up consuming less calories at each and every meal. Try and use smaller plates, bowls and cups, you'll still feel satisfied. It is like the saying eat every thing on the plate and then you may be excused.
Another trick is to garnish the plate with inedible garnishes like raw kale, thinly sliced fruit, or a bulky garnish like fresh parsley or spinach. You will think you are eating more than you are because your plate is full. Restaurants do this all the time, so that it looks like you are getting more for your money.
Put your salad on your dinner plate first, then add the vegetables. You will only have a small space left for the meat so you'll end up eating less meat. Meat is calorie dense. Eating less meat and more salad and vegetables means you have decreased your calorie consumption. And most likely your fat consumption too.
Use tall thin glasses filled with ice for your cold beverages. It may just be your mind convincing your tummy you've had enough, but it seems that people judge how much they've drunk, by how much is left in the glass. A tall thin glass gives the appearance that you've had more to drink than you really have, so you're ready to stop drinking sooner.
Use the 50-25-25 rule. Fill 50% of your plate with vegetables and salad, 25% with whole grains, pasta, or whole wheat bread, and 25% with a protein source like chicken or fish.
No leftovers. If there are just two of you, cook only enough food for two. It's tempting to save time and effort to cook enough for another night's dinner. The problem is that it's oh so easy to have that extra piece of chicken because it's right in front of you. No leftovers means no temptation.
Learn what a portion of different foods really are and you're on your way to weight loss.
It can be a shock to find out that what you think you've been eating is two to three times a normal portion. Did you know that a portion of meat is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards? We have become accustomed to the super sizes as the norm which they are not. A 12 ounce can of soda is considered 1 and servings, not counting the sugar content that is in it. One cup of cooked pasta is a serving not a bowlful.
When we sit down at dinner, most of us fill our plate and then consume everything on the plate. An easy trick is to use a smaller plate. You'll still fill that plate and polish off your dinner, but you'll end up consuming less calories at each and every meal. Try and use smaller plates, bowls and cups, you'll still feel satisfied. It is like the saying eat every thing on the plate and then you may be excused.
Another trick is to garnish the plate with inedible garnishes like raw kale, thinly sliced fruit, or a bulky garnish like fresh parsley or spinach. You will think you are eating more than you are because your plate is full. Restaurants do this all the time, so that it looks like you are getting more for your money.
Put your salad on your dinner plate first, then add the vegetables. You will only have a small space left for the meat so you'll end up eating less meat. Meat is calorie dense. Eating less meat and more salad and vegetables means you have decreased your calorie consumption. And most likely your fat consumption too.
Use tall thin glasses filled with ice for your cold beverages. It may just be your mind convincing your tummy you've had enough, but it seems that people judge how much they've drunk, by how much is left in the glass. A tall thin glass gives the appearance that you've had more to drink than you really have, so you're ready to stop drinking sooner.
Use the 50-25-25 rule. Fill 50% of your plate with vegetables and salad, 25% with whole grains, pasta, or whole wheat bread, and 25% with a protein source like chicken or fish.
No leftovers. If there are just two of you, cook only enough food for two. It's tempting to save time and effort to cook enough for another night's dinner. The problem is that it's oh so easy to have that extra piece of chicken because it's right in front of you. No leftovers means no temptation.
Learn what a portion of different foods really are and you're on your way to weight loss.