This post of portion control tips is a long time coming and I hope it helps me as much as it helps you.
Damn, tonight I overate…again.
Once every two weeks my family and I go out for dinner. We were finding that we were going out too often so we decided to only go out once every couple of weeks to eat better (restaurant and fast food tend to be bad) and to save money. One side effect is that we have complete control over what we eat.
Well tonight I blew it.
We went out for Vietnamese food and as always we order a few plates for all of use to share. I sure wish I would have written these portion control tips before I went out. I out did myself and ate twice what I should have.
I tend to graze throughout the day and my major meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner are fairly small but when I get to a buffet or get a chance to share food I do not share very well.
My portion control without fixed portions is tough. I never really portion like my wife does, no measuring cups or anything but without a plate to gauge myself by I tend to be terrible, but Im learning to understand why and how the portion works, in the Skinny Yoked website I found amazing information, so useful for anyone trying a healthier lifestyle.
Here are 5 Portion Control Tips
1. Drink 1 large cup of water 30 minutes before you meal – The water will fill your stomach a little and start you thinking about the size of your stomach.
2. Dish up all food at once – The problem with how I ate today or any buffet style meal is that you do not know how much you are eating. 1 plate for 1 meal will make you know what you are eating without getting distraction.
3. Eat slowly and concentrate on all the fork or spoonfuls of food – We are supposed to enjoy our meals but I know that when I watch my kids or even myself I will catch us not enjoying but instead racing through eating a meal. Food is not to be sprinted through but enjoyed. Take your time, enjoy it with you and your family.
4. Eat only until you are satisfied – Know when to stop. Having that water before and eating slowly will help you understand how much food you need and to stop on time. No reason to eat to much.
5. Remember that this is not your last meal – Enough said. You can eat again in a few hours.
I am hoping that these portion control tips will help you reach your goal . None of them are very inspired or earth shattering but as 5 tips go they are great to help you to eat better, enjoy your food and never have an excuse to overeat.
For portion control use smaller plates cups, bowls, dishes etc. Take a note of whatever you are eating on a daily food journal to keep a track of food you are eating. So you can keep a check and made changes once you see the effectiveness of certain portion per meal.