First and foremost, a healthy lifestyle includes eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. If your healthcare provider recommends that you lose weight, it may be helpful to watch your portions.
Portion control is also just one part of a healthy weight loss plan. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who lose weight gradually through healthy eating and regular exercise are most successful at maintaining their new weight - focusing less on calorie deficits and more on healthy lifestyle choices.
Such a change in diet also doesn't mean you have to go hungry. "Portion control doesn't mean eating tiny portions of everything," says Lisa Young, Ph.D., author of The Portion Teller Plan: The No-Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating, and Losing Weight Permanently told Health. "You don't want to feel like you're dieting, but you need to eat fewer calories."
Here are 14 simple ways to help you watch your portion sizes and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Drink a glass of water
Drink 16 ounces (one large glass) of water before you eat, recommends Dawn Jackson Blather, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet. If you fill your stomach with water, you're naturally less likely to overeat, Blather says.
Plus, some symptoms of dehydration may actually be the cause of your hunger pangs. If you feel hungry, drink water. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, thirst is often mistaken for hunger. So if you take a sip of water before you eat, the hunger pangs may go away.
Use small plates
There is an easy way to control the portions of food on your plate: Use a smaller plate. A 2015 study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that using smaller plates, knives, forks, glasses and other utensils can reduce the amount of food eaten. The College of Cambridge researchers also concluded that completely eliminating larger portions could reduce energy intake by up to 16% among adults in the United Kingdom and up to 29% among adults in the United States.
Vegetables and fiber
An easy way to cut calories while feeling full is to add vegetables to meals. Spinach, for example, can be used as a topping for sandwiches or add fiber and nutrients to pasta and stir-fry dishes, Blather said. Other ideas for adding more vegetables include substituting mushrooms for meat, adding diced apples, oatmeal and using a whole-grain patty instead of bread to fill it with more vegetables.
Use color-contrasting dinnerware
According to a 2018 study published in Nutrition Journal, the color of your plate can affect how much you eat. The study suggests that you should eat less if you use plates that contrast in color with the food you're eating for dinner, such as pasta with red sauce on a white plate. Or if you want to eat more of one food, you can use a plate in the same color -for example, you can try eating more green vegetables from a large green plate or bowl. Health likes the Rehabilitation Advantage 3 Compartment Portion Plate with Lid.
Stop using carbohydrates as the main component of the meal
Another good way to reduce calorie intake is to reconsider the use of grains and starches. Take a breakfast parfait, for example. Instead of starting with a granola base, fill your cup with yogurt and then sprinkle just a tiny amount of granola on top for crunch.
The same principles apply to other meals. First, fill your plate with vegetables and a serving of lean protein. Then add a quarter cup of brown rice or the carbohydrate of your choice.
Eat more slowly
"If you take your time eating, your enjoyment will increase and your portions will be smaller," Blather says. For example, dimming the lights and listening to relaxing music can help you eat your meal at your leisure. Remember to chew slowly, put your fork down between bites and drink water to make the meal last longer.
Try hard-to-open foods
Another way to slow down your eating pace is to try foods that need to be peeled, shelled or unwrapped individually, Blather says. Oranges, edamame and pistachios in their shells are healthy options.
Don't eat from a bag or box
When you sit down with a bag of French fries, you may not be paying attention to how much you're eating.
According to a 2021 Nutrients article, people who ate snacks from smaller containers consumed less than people who ate from larger packages. This could be due to people not knowing portion sizes when eating from a larger package. A smaller container serves as a visual cue as to when one has eaten a full portion.
You can apply this logic to snacks as well. If you buy a bag of pretzels or a can of nuts that contains 10 servings, divide the contents into 10 smaller containers ahead of time.
Eat the soup before the meal
Before you get started on your main course, eat soup. Although it may seem counterintuitive to eat more, eating soup can increase feelings of fullness, much like water. In addition, a 2021 study found that
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