Portion control

jackson_deren

One of my biggest problems is portion control. I work as a news photographer and I don't always get the chance to have a sit down lunch (sometimes dinner) due to the fact that I'm out in the field a lot. I do my best to not eat poorly, Its just by the time I do get to eat, I feel like I eat more than I should and over do it.

Any suggestions on how I can alleviate this problem I keep running into?

Alatariel75

I like big portions, so I just make them fit my calorie goal. Bulking with vegies is my number 1 trick, huge salads, piles of steamed veg, mixing steamed veg with pasta before topping with sauce, adding chopped mushrooms, zucchini, carrots etc to soups and stews, even pasta sauces.

Metazoick

The above (large portions of low calorie foods) is a great way to have a large portion without it having insane numbers in it. You can also try using a smaller plate/bowl which makes the portion look much larger than it actually is and prevents you adding more than you want to a plate just because it looks empty, or have a small snack to eat before cooking. I know that if I cook on an empty stomach I want to make everything I have in my house and start regretting that when I start eating and my hunger pangs go away, if you have a similar issue which causes your increased portions a little snack beforehand just to stop you being too hungry could help you serve more rational portions.

yager8725

I keep snacks in my pockets and bags. My car even has its own "Snack Bag". If I can enjoy a snack before a meal it helps my portions. With your job I think this would help. Being aware of it is half the battle!

maroonmango211

Alatariel75 wrote: »

I like big portions, so I just make them fit my calorie goal. Bulking with vegies is my number 1 trick, huge salads, piles of steamed veg, mixing steamed veg with pasta before topping with sauce, adding chopped mushrooms, zucchini, carrots etc to soups and stews, even pasta sauces.

This is exactly what I do as well, makes me feel FULL if I can see I've eaten a big bowl or plate full as well as it takes longer to eat making giving the body time to catch up. Even with pre packed snacks I like to mix the higher calorie things with a big portion of something lighter. If its all ready ahead of time there's no risk of over eating something having to be grabbed on the road, or hunger pangs that can cause over eating later in the day from not eating enough.

wildtxn

another helpful tactic is to drink a large glass of water shortly before you know your meal is coming to help you fill full faster and meet your intake of water for the day to boot.

eldamiano

Yeah. Cook less

mistikal13

I love to throw a ton of veggies into most dishes that I make. Not only does it allow me to use less meat, but it is really filling and satisfying.

katab2014

I have found Tesco sell small sushi in the lunch section (96g) so I have that for lunch. or I get pre-prepared low fat salads. I like a bagel also which I make in the morning with half an avocado and some meat.
Planning and preparation has been my key. And I am out on the job a lot so I've seen the day when I spent an evening weighing out portions of nuts or snacks.
Other useful thing is grapes or small tomatoes...easy to put into small containers and snack on. Hope this helped.

spzjlb

I prelog my portions before I eat so I can assess the calories. If I find they are too high, I can cut down my portion size before the damage is done. Being aware is half the battle (for me).

andypperchard

Use mfp to monitor your calorie intake. Cut out sweets and snacks. Eat fat free yoghurt. Eat more veg when hungry. Exercise more.