Portion control

leasy1

Hi all. I am not new to trying to lose weight, I have tried probably every way to lose weight under the sun I even had a gastric band for 6 years which I recently had to have removed due to complications. But I was wondering if anyone has had success with just portion control alone? I would love to lose 28-35 lb. Any tips and advice will be much appreciated. Thank you

kommodevaran

Well, in order to lose weight, you need to consistently eat less. An effective way to consistently eat less can be to control your portions consciously. Counting calories is just one way to consciously control your portions. It works as long as you make it work.

You're not that heavy. If you don't want to lose weight, you don't have to. But if you want to, it's fairly straightforward. If I can suggest something, it would be to stop "trying", lose the noise, find out what's stopping you, fix that, commit, and really make an effort to just eat less.

Happygenie

Portion control at mealtime (especially dinner) has helped me lose weight. But I also have to limit snacking throughout the day. It doesn't work to eat small portions of snacks that are high in calories plus 3 meals and expect to lose weight. I am also walking for exercise.

ActionAnnieJXN

Yes, I've had success using portion control alone. Right now, I'm down around 90 lbs. from my highest weight by simply eating less food.

It sounds simple but it took me quite some time and effort to put all the pieces I needed together to make this happen. The key for me was to figure out how to make it through the day on less food without 1) blowing it due to hunger or 2) giving in to cravings.

I've noticed that the longer I wait to eat during the day, the better my calories come out - so I have just coffee, water, and bits of fruit for as long as I can in the morning and early afternoon. If I can wait until around 1:30 or 2:00 to eat my first meal, my final calorie count for the day always comes out lower.

Also, I learned to make easy substitutions to lower my caloric intake. For example, I use just the whites of boiled eggs in my salads and give the yolks to my dogs - that reduced my intake by about 70 calories and the salad tastes exactly the same. Simple actions such as these have made a huge difference and are not that hard to do - it's just a matter of willingness and making it a daily priority.

Which brings me to the other part - dealing with cravings/emotional eating/maintaining motivation. I have to use a variety of different tools and strategies in this regard - these are psychological issues and have to be addressed as such. They are really the crux of the matter and why I became overweight in the first place. So although eating less to lose weight sounds simple, for me, it is quite a complex, multi-faceted, and involved process. But by putting all the necessary pieces together, it is doable and it WORKS. Good luck to you!

ccsernica

You lose weight when you maintain a calorie deficit, and controlling portion size is inevitably involved at some point.

Old_Cat_Lady

Get a food scale. I don't portion control. I just make sure I don't eat too many calories. I like this place.

ccsernica

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

I don't portion control. I just make sure I don't eat too many calories.

Is there a meaningful difference between "portion control" and "not too many calories"? Particularly when you achieve both by carefully measuring what you eat?

Muana1005

TheWJordinWJordin: I don't portion control. I just make sure I don't eat too many calories.
Is there a meaningful difference between "portion control" and "not too many calories"? Particularly when you achieve both by carefully measuring what you eat [\b]

You're not measuring your intake accurately using portion control. PC will work for overweight and obese people to get to high-normal BMIs because it stops them overeating. To lose or body comp further you need to count calories.

leasy1

Counting calories is so time consuming, I have a 16 month old I run around after, a partner in have to cook separately for so by the time I have time for me i can't be bothered so I generally do a quick salad but I do believe it is the amount I eat rather than what I eat.
ActionAnnieJXN I have heard of this, 16/8 intermittent fasting I think where you hold off as long as you can so your first meal is at lunch time.

ActionAnnieJXN

Hi leasy1, yes, I've heard of it too - I was already doing it when I first read about it and found out that it was a thing, haha!

kommodevaran

leasy1 wrote: »

16/8 intermittent fasting I think where you hold off as long as you can so your first meal is at lunch time.

Or you can eat when you wake up and stop eating 8 hours before bed if you like to. Or anything inbetween if you like that better. Meal timing doesn't make any difference pr se. Adhering to appropriate calories and getting in proper nutrition is what's important. When you *like* what you're doing, that's when magic happens. "Intermittent fasting" is just a pompous term for eating like a normal person. (But using pompous terms feels good too, I admit that )

hunhun57

What I have learned and has worked for me is prepping food ahead of time. It helps a person stay in control and not to over eat or choose food that is unhealthy.
I prep for a family of 3 and its work but so worth it. If you put the food in ziplock bags or special food trays with covers. My husband likes it and so does my daughter . That way you can grab a snack and go.

Dnarules

Muana1005 wrote: »

TheWJordinWJordin: I don't portion control. I just make sure I don't eat too many calories.
Is there a meaningful difference between "portion control" and "not too many calories"? Particularly when you achieve both by carefully measuring what you eat [\b]

You're not measuring your intake accurately using portion control. PC will work for overweight and obese people to get to high-normal BMIs because it stops them overeating. To lose or body comp further you need to count calories.

This isn't true. Calorie counting is a very useful tool, but it is not necessary.

LivingtheLeanDream

Counting calories lets you practice portion control.
It basically takes a few minutes each day to log food - even if you only log for a while it will let you see how much you are eating and how you can adjust intake - if necessary.
I no longer log my meals but it took me a few years of logging consistently to get in the habit of knowing what my portion sizes should be for me to maintain my weight.

LisaEatSleepRun

leasy1 wrote: »

Counting calories is so time consuming

It starts off a little time consuming, but once you have a range of meals & recipes saved it can be done in a few minutes a day. Also, it is about priorities, most people have busy lives with work, study, children, partners etc & still make time to exercise, cook & log daily. You will find time if it is important enough to you!

Muana1005

I don't know anyone who has practiced portion control (without any knowledge of calories) to ever keep their weight off in the long term. Weight loss might be slow but it eventually creeps up.

Old_Cat_Lady

Eyeballing foods for portion control was a complete failure for me. This place is working. I measure/weigh food and count calories. I think the two are completely different things (from experience).

cosmichvoyager

I only lose weight when I weigh my food and track the calories - when I do that I lose with almost mathematical precision. Key to that is cooking 95% of my meals at home. It can seem tedious but it works and I'm a good cook so I enjoy the food I make. I wasn't aware of portion control being different from just weighing food but I would think that weighing the food would yield better results because it removes error and subjective judgment.

mmapags

Can't imagine how you do portion control without counting calories. Almost impossible to achieve accuracy and consistency.

Chadxx

Cutting down portion size and simply eating less of what you are already eating will reduce the amount calories you are eating and ultimately, it is all about the calories. The problem is that it is like driving cross country with no map and no directions. It might work but eventually, you will probably end up lost because you don't know where you are going. Counting calories, which is incredibly easy, is like making the same trip with Google maps. It allows you to indulge when you want and to choose larger portions of some foods and get the most bang for your caloric buck. I have lost weight in the past without counting calories but this time, I have had greater and more sustainable success and it has been much easier.

Old_Cat_Lady

Chadxx explained my situation perfectly. Like driving cross country with no map.
With portion control I never knew calories in deep dish 3 meat pizza, sausage caserole, apple fritter, etc. Portion control worked a bit because I was a bit more mindful, but this place was my GOOGLE MAPS.

ccsernica

Muana1005 wrote: »

You're not measuring your intake accurately using portion control.

I was unaware of "portion control" having a distinct sense in the context of weight loss. In the context where I'm familiar with it, food service, you absolutely measure portions accurately. That's the whole point. A few oz. here or there multiplied by a thousand servings adds up to non-negligible costs.

laurenebargar

I thought calorie counting would be too time consuming too, but I literally made breakfast for the week yesterday (using the recipe builder) and lunch from today - Wednesday and weighing the ingredients added maybe 5 extra minutes, and there was ALOT of ingredients. I feel so much better knowing what im eating and how much I can eat of the food I made, and I know what a "portion" truly is. Last night we had chicken for dinner, if I was portion controlling I would have guessed 4 maybe 6 ounces of chicken, IT WAS NINE AND A HALF! The food scale has saved me from over eating so many things.

nowine4me

Low calorie does not have to mean small portions. Lots of options for large, filling meals that meet my calorie budget.

leasy1

Thank you all for your responses, I am assuming as the majority are passionate about calorie counting that is the way forward. See I knew coming here would help me see the light, that is if I choose to go down that road. See the only thing with calories I have an issue with is I love fruit, I could eat it all day but having as much of it as I do racks up the calories, for example breakfast is fruit and I could use 400-500 calories alone there. I was told I eat to much fruit by a health care professionals but I don't see how that's bad for you, yes I know about the natural sugar thing but surely natural sugar from fruit is better than sugar laden cereals.
I have also decided going back vegan is the way to go, I can eat fruit, vegetables and salad until my little heart desires and not feel guilty

kommodevaran

leasy1 wrote: »

Thank you all for your responses, I am assuming as the majority are passionate about calorie counting that is the way forward. See I knew coming here would help me see the light, that is if I choose to go down that road. See the only thing with calories I have an issue with is I love fruit, I could eat it all day but having as much of it as I do racks up the calories, foe example breakfast is fruit and I could use 400-500 calories alone there. I was told I eat to much fruit by a health care professionals but I don't see how that's bad for you, yes I know about the natural sugar thing but surely natural sugar from fruit is better than sugar laden cereals.
I have also decided going back vegan is the way to go, I can eat fruit, vegetables and salad until my little heart desires and not feel guilty

All sugar is natural, and the sugar in fruit is identical to the sugar in cereal. The amount of fruit you eat is a problem ("too much" means that it is a problem) if and only if it takes you over your calorie goal and/or prevents you from getting in sufficient nutrition. You can eat plenty of fruit and vegetables even without going vegan, and as a vegan you still need to eat balanced. Feeling guilty for eating may be the core of all this. Don't feel guilty for eating. If you can't stop feeling guilty even after we've told you to, please seek professional help.

missh1967

I am truly envious of those who can naturally control their weight with portion control or internal mechanisms that make them stop eating. I just cannot do it. I may start out eating proper portions, but that gets away from me extremely fast. It sucks, but that's my reality. I will probably need calorie counting forever.

Although, I have vowed that if I live to 90, I get to eat anything I want and as much as I want.

leasy1

Understanding sugars

Natural sugars are found in fruit as fructose and in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, as lactose. Foods with natural sugar have an important role in the diet of cancer patients and anyone trying to prevent cancer because they provide essential nutrients that keep the body healthy and help prevent disease.

Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose, which is the combination of glucose and fructose. We use white and brown sugars to sweeten cakes and cookies, coffee, cereal and even fruit. Food manufacturers add chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to foods and beverages, including crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Low-fat foods are the worst offenders, as manufacturers use sugar to add flavor.

Refined sugar — the kind that’s added to coffee, cookie dough and cake batter — is made from either sugarcane or sugar beets. The two have near-identical nutritional facts and tastes, and they are used about equally in the States. But, their refining process is different. To manufacture table sugar from sugarcane, sugarcane stalks are crushed to separate the juice from the pulp. The juice is processed and heated to crystalize, and is then filtered and bleached with bone char, which results in sugar’s pristine white color.
In the U.S., sugar companies use bone char derived from cows for this filtering and bleaching process. To make bone char, animal bones are heated at incredibly high temperatures and are reduced to carbon before being used in a refinery.

They are not the same and I would rather have something natural than something that has been filtered through boiled bones. Also I would rather have a problem with eating to much fruit than having good a problem with, say, chocolate, alcohol etc.
I didn't say I felt guilty for eating I said I won't feel guilty for eating fruit and going over the calories. So I feel professional help is not necessary. Thank you for your concern and if I feel professional help is needed in the future I will be sure to go and get it.

Muana1005

In terms of the impact to the body, all sugar is sugar unfortunately. Fruit sugar is ever so slightly harder to digest but if you're eating 500 cals per day of fruit (and this is you estimating so it might be even more) that's often hundreds of grams of sugar. That much sugar is not you. Not to mention the acid will weaken the enamel on your teeth.

Far better to gorge on vegetables, as they typically contain less sugar and more nutrients. Green veg should be your go to snack not fruit.

Muana1005

I'm vegan right now (religious reasons - do a vegan fast every few months) and eat rainbow salads of veg. I also have nuts and legumes. It's actually a lot harder to stay on calories for a proper vegan diet than a vegetarian/pescetarian because high protein stuff usually has a lot of fat too. If you're adding all that sugar too it's a recipe for weight gain.

leasy1

Telegraph Reporters
23 FEBRUARY 2017 • 12:01 AM
The "five a day" rule should be doubled to 10 pieces of fruit and vegetables, a major study has said as it found that increasing consumption dramatically decreases the chance of disease.

Eating 800 grams of fruit and vegetables a day can reduce a person's chance of having a stroke by a third, while the risk of heart disease can drop by around 24 per cent.

It may also help stave off cardiovascular disease and cancer, while the study found that if everyone followed the new rule nearly 8 million premature deaths could be prevented worldwide.


The team found that although even the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day reduced disease risk, the greatest benefit came from eating 10 portions compared to people who ate none at all.

The research team also found that apples and pears, citrus fruits, salads and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and chicory, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, may help protect against heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and early death.

And cancer risk could be reduced by eating green vegetables, such as spinach or green beans, yellow vegetables, such as peppers and carrots, and cruciferous vegetables, they said.

Lead author Dr Dagfinn Aune, from the School of Public Health at Imperial, said: "We wanted to investigate how much fruit and vegetables you need to eat to gain the maximum protection against disease, and premature death.

"Our results suggest that although five portions of fruit and vegetables is good, 10 a day is even better. "Fruit and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and to boost the health of our blood vessels and immune system.

How the body metabolizes the sugar in fruit and milk differs from how it metabolizes the refined sugar added to processed foods. The body breaks down refined sugar rapidly, causing insulin and blood sugar levels to skyrocket. Because refined sugar is digested quickly, you don’t feel full after you’re done eating, no matter how many calories you consumed. The fiber in fruit slows down metabolism, as fruit in the gut expands to make you feel full.


I did say my typical breakfast so it's as a meal not a snack, I also said I have salad and veg. Also the natural sugars have more health benefits than refined sugar so it's not the same as the above states. I'd rather have a banana than a chocolate bar.
I didn't realise fruit was so controversial.