How many times have you heard this from a relative or friend? “You’re lucky! I would love to be able to eat like that!” Well, they are telling the truth. You CAN eat whatever you like and never worry about your weight. The secret is portion control.

What Is Portion Control?

Portion control means eating less food, drink, or another item so that the total number of calories consumed stays within a healthy range for your age, height, and weight (BMI). Of course, exactly how many calories you need depends on your age, height, and weight. For most people, the BMI calculator is a great way to determine whether or not you are eating healthy amounts of food, and if not, it tells you how many calories you should be eating.

Ways To Control Your Portions

If you’re trying to get healthier, you’ll need to start controlling your portions. We’ll show you how.

Plan Your Meal

Plan your meals ahead of time and measure your servings (in grams or ounces) before eating. It will help you assess what a proper portion is and make it easy for you to eat the same amount each time. It will help you deliver the right amount of food and in the right amounts. 

Furthermore, it allows you to reduce calories by making sure you take in the energy you need for the day. It is also an excellent way to get creative and try new recipes to surprise yourself with healthy foods that are easy to prepare.

Use A Smaller Plate

Since your eyes are larger than your stomach, putting food on a smaller plate can make it look like you have more food than you do. It puts you in control of your portions, so you don’t overeat. You could also use smaller dishes to avoid taking seconds because it’s hard to stop once the first plate is gone.

Drink Water First

Nutritionists and health experts have been debating the merits of water as a calorie source for quite some time. The idea that drinking water before meals can help curb calorie intake is not a new concept.

The theory behind this technique is that eating feels like work, so drink something that doesn’t require any effort first, and it will take away the hunger pangs associated with not eating anything. Consuming water to feel full also helps prevent overeating since you are less likely to notice the satiety signals from your stomach if you drink enough liquid elsewhere.

Add Plenty Of Vegetables

Adding vegetables to your meals is a simple method to minimize calories while quickly filling you up. In addition to providing health benefits, vegetables contain fiber which can help you feel fuller than other foods. It is one of the best ways to control your portions too. As a general rule, vegetables provide only about 40 to 50 calories per serving. So for a healthy portion of vegetables, you can have anywhere from three to five servings.

Add Dried Fruits And Nuts

The dried fruits provide a natural sweetness that makes them easier to eat a large amount of. Nuts and seeds are incredibly high in fiber which also helps you feel full. A serving of dried fruit consists of 1 to 2 ounces, and a serving of nuts or seeds is one ounce.

Savour Your Meals

You can savour your meal by eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, making sure all the food is gone, and taking time to enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. It is an excellent way to control your portions by eating slowly so that you allow time to chew each bite clearly before swallowing it. 

Sometimes it is difficult to stop eating, but by slowing down your eating and taking time to savour each bite, you will gradually feel full each meal and eat less. You can also give yourself a bonus by trying out this technique. All the times you eat mindlessly may be due to habit. So if you can break that habit, you will be ahead of the game, and most people are always behind.

Keep Away From Carbs At Dinner

Skipping carbs at night is the best way to transform your body without going to the gym. By reducing calories during nighttime, you can keep your body weight stable. Avoid carbs as much as possible before bedtime, and take a glass of water instead. Eating quickly through dinner has many drawbacks, like emptying your stomach and also skipping critical digestive enzymes.

Wake Up Early To Exercise

People who do not have time to hit the gym in the morning or even lunchtime go for a walk immediately after waking up. Everyone understands that waking up early is probably one of the most challenging things to do in life. Getting ready in the morning is a great way to start your day, but having an exercise routine is even better.

Furthermore, be careful about the exercise that you perform. If you are doing some form of machine, make sure that you have the right level of safety and exercise in mind at all times. For example, if you’re lifting weights, be sure to do so at a slow pace (3-4 reps per set) because if you lift too heavy, this could hurt your back later on in life.

Get Into A Routine

Maintaining a routine is all about having structure and organization, which helps you achieve results. If your workout routine changes as a result of life changes, make sure to reschedule your exercises to match the new plan so that you may exercise at the same time every day. Having a routine will eventually make things orderly and systematic in your life, which will help you stay on track.

Takeaway

It is, indeed, essential to control your portions because over-consumption can lead to obesity. There are a lot of things that we go through every day without really thinking about it, but we need to make sure that we are controlling our portions. You can follow the list above and look for some ways to make it easier for you.

Furthermore, having a healthy lifestyle is not easy. If you are one of those people who love to eat and do not want to diet or control your portions, you might have to face the consequences in the long run.