Portion control and good choices

DanniB423

I need advice on how to not just focus on my calorie goal but also what I am eating. I don't believe in "good and bad food" but obviously there are better things than others to stretch your calories further and are just over all better for you. Did anyone start out logging a lot of high calorie foods and focusing more on cutting portions and then transition? Thanks!

Need2Exerc1se

Well, I got fat eating mostly whole natural foods so I just cut back on what I'm eating.

JohnBarth

Logging food in general is a great start. It truly re-sets what proper portions should be. I don't limit any particular foods, but knowing I can have an 8oz chicken breast for the same calories as 3oz of ribeye for the same calories sometimes makes choices easier to make.

Lizzy622

When I first started logging I just logged without paying much attention to calories for the first week. Then I was able to look back and tweaked portions. My protein and starch portions got smaller but I added more vegetables(non -starchy) to fill up my plate. It was interesting looking back at the first week because I thought I was eating right. I quickly realized I was eating the right foods but not in the right proportions.

phyliciamcdonald3

Substitute simple carbs (white bread) for complex carbs (9 grain, quinoa, etc), less oils and sat. fats, smaller portions and just what John said, that 8oz chicken will help better than that 3oz Ribeye. I focused on caloric intake because I was waaaaayyyy bad, but overall I had practiced portion control and smart choices in restaurants. I have a busy life, like most people, so when I travel I opt for something low fat and low carb. But most importantly, listen to your body! it'll tell you when you're done. Take your time after the first controlled portion (about ten to fifteen minutes) and if you think you're still hungry, nuts, celery, water, or half of your original portion if you had brown-bagged it for lunch. That's what helped me.

ana3067

I just focused on picking the food I wanted (while being conscious of meeting protein goals) and then chose servings until I could eat an amount that I wanted and that fit into my calories. I've really not put much thought into actively changing my portion sizes.