It’s easy to set a big health goal and eventually realize that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. One key to avoiding burnout and actually reaching your goals, is to make them manageable. Portion control is one way to make your dietary goals more achievable.
Portion Control Is Not a Diet
When you think about trying to lose weight, you probably think about restricting food intake and increasing exercise.
Many diets are fads that come and go. Fad diets are not sustainable for most people. They can also backfire and lead to weight gain.
Instead of turning to a diet to help with weight loss, try to make lasting changes to your eating habits. Healthy eating can help you lose weight and improve your health, without making you feel overwhelmed.
Portion control is one aspect of healthy eating. Unlike a diet, which often requires refraining from eating certain foods, portion control doesn’t restrain what you eat. It simply measures it, making you more mindful about the foods you’re eating and how much.
Portion control involves paying attention to the amount of food you’re putting on your plate. If you have a favorite comfort food, you don’t have to give it up. You simply eat smaller servings. “Everything in moderation” is what portion control is all about.
6 Tips for Being Mindful About What You Eat
Being more mindful about what you’re eating—and using portion control—can be a healthier way of achieving your goals because you don’t feel deprived. Rethink how you approach eating with these tips:
1. Focus on Eating Slowly
This piece of advice may seem like a small step, but it can have a big impact. Slowing down while you eat can help you focus on how your body is feeling and notice when you feel full.
Your body takes approximately 20 minutes to recognize that it’s been fed. If you race through your meal, you’re more likely to overeat because the cues that indicate you’re full haven’t had time to reach the brain. Help yourself slow down by practicing putting down your eating utensil between bites and taking regular sips of water.
2. Tune Out Distractions
Do you usually eat in the living room with the TV on? If you’re paying attention to what’s on the screen, whether it’s the TV or your phone, you aren’t paying as much attention to what you’re eating.
That means you probably aren’t fully savoring the flavors of your food or recognizing the fullness cues. Try to eat your meals at a table with minimal distractions.
3. Use a Smaller Plate
The beginning of a new way of eating seems like a good time for a new set of plates, right? Instead of eating meals from a standard dinner plate, use a smaller salad plate instead.
Using a smaller plate is one way to trick your mind into thinking you’re actually eating more because the amount of food looks bigger on the plate. Because a smaller amount of food will fit on the plate, your body is likely to still feel satisfied when you’re finished with the meal.
4. Take Stock of Serving Sizes
Wondering what a portion even is? An appropriate portion varies by food. There are a number of techniques to help you control portion sizes.
The first is to look at dietary guidelines, such as the USDA’s MyPlate. These guidelines break down how much you need of certain foods and can even help you visualize how much to eat. You should fill half of your plate at meals with fruits and vegetables, for example.
To understand portions, you’ll also want to understand serving size. In the past, the serving size identified on a nutrition label was often quite different from the reality of what people actually eat. The 2016 changes to the nutrition label required that the serving size be an accurate depiction of what someone would eat at one time.
Take a look at food labels in your pantry or at the grocery store. Near the top of the label, you’ll find the serving size that aligns with the nutritional information, which can help you moderate what you’re eating. While you’re looking at the label, you can also see things you should avoid or limit, such as added sugar.
5. Measure It Out
Cooking for yourself when you’re trying to lose weight can be challenging. When you’re first starting to establish healthy eating habits, it can be difficult to eyeball food and estimate a serving. Some kitchen tools can help.
Because recommended portion size varies based on a number of factors, including your age, gender and activity level, it’s important to read up on how much you should be eating. Resources such as the National Institute on Aging’s quantity and quality guide can be helpful.
Once you know a target calorie range overall, you can look at what constitutes a serving of specific foods, such as rice, bread, cottage cheese or an apple. Your eyes can sometimes mislead you when it comes to determining the serving, so use a measuring cup or even a kitchen scale as needed to serve up a portion.
6. Half It
If the tips above still seem a little too complicated, you can simplify things. When you’re eating at home, serve yourself only half as much food as you think you want. If you’re out at a restaurant, ask for a to-go container as your food arrives so you can easily portion it in half.
Portion half of your meal on another plate, then proceed with eating what remains on your plate. When you’ve eaten what’s on your plate, pause. Sit for a few minutes and take a few sips of water.
If you still feel hungry after that, eat half of what’s on the other plate. You will probably find you’re full by the time you reach the end of your first plate, but certainly by the end of that second helping.
More to Read
- How Much Should You Eat?
- A Guide to Better Understanding Food Labels
- How Eating Added Sugar Puts You at Higher Risk for Health Issues
- Top Reasons Sugar Alcohols May Not Be a Good Sugar Substitute
Medically reviewed by Catherine Vroome, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES, Diabetes and Nutrition Educator at The University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Upper Chesapeake Health
