Give me tips for portion control

amusedmonkey

It's about mindset and acceptance. I'm capable of eating more, and I will always want to do it. For some things it's possible for other things it isn't. It's just the reality of weight management that you could deploy a few strategies to come close to eating the way you want, but "free for all" will never be an option. You'll have to eventually accept that sometimes you'll have to say "no", "later", or modify your other foods/activity to fit something in.

My best portion control strategy is "the smallest satisfying amount". By satisfying, I don't mean just hunger, but mental satisfaction as well. I'm capable of eating 3 cups of rice and I would always have this tiny voice in my head telling me it would be awesome, but eating 300 grams of rice offers only marginal mental satisfaction over eating 150 grams. Being 98% satisfied is worth it. That 2% extra satisfaction is not worth doubling the calories.

Another portion control strategy I use, often in combination with the first, is bulking. Adding vegetables to pasta, for example, makes it look as large as I'm used to, but for fewer calories. I try to use spices and herbs to my advantage to pack as much flavor into things as possible so the experience of eating is pleasant despite not being able to eat large amounts of food.

To control portions, it doesn't need to be by size alone. There are things that just aren't mentally satisfying in smaller portions no matter what I do. For these things, I use "time spacing" as a portion control strategy. I just have them less often. Taking an extra 15 minute brisk walk for a couple of weeks allows me to plan something high in calories that I need in larger amounts to feel satisfied.

suziecue25

Competeballpythons wrote: »

Use smaller plates

^I do this, it is so simple yet so effective

Dilvish

Feeling hungry all the time means you simply aren't getting enough food. Weight loss has to be a combination of exercise and calorie reduction.

Eating salad is great but you really need to add some fat and protein with it. Most people have the idea that losing weight should be fast and effective. It's not. It's a journey not a destination.

I too agree that adding more protein doesn't always work although it's supposed to keep you feeling fuller longer. I try adding things like broccoli or cauliflower to my meals. They have a good deal of fiber and water content and can fill you up quickly.

I find that 8 ounces of water before a meal can really help too when it comes to portion control. Having said that even though I try to do it, it doesn't always work.

Calorie reduction should really be secondary to exercise. Exercising more means you can eat more. You just have to find the balance.

jdog022

jdog022 wrote: »

It’s about learning self control

I’m interested to know why the post is woo’d. You do realize that she will forever be presented with food that is an oversized portion? Going out to eat , functions, work, weddings, etc

figyello

Try eating your measured portion, and then drink two big glasses of water. Or drink two big glasses of water 10 minutes before you eat. I get full quickly that way.

StevefromMichigan

One thing I always found is that fruits and veggies often do not make be feel full. It seems like I can eat a big salad, and then 60 minutes later, be ravenously hungry again. Try experimenting to find things that are low in calories, but leave you feeling fuller. For me, it's carbs.

estherdragonbat

Fruits and veggies are carbs. Or did you mean grains?

AnnPT77

I didn't really think about portions per se. I logged, then used my food diary to look for foods that were costing me relatively many calories compared to the tastiness, satiation, and nutrition I got from them. I'd reduce or eliminate those, and include something else I liked that better helped me reach my goals. That gradually led to a more satisfying, nutritious way of eating.

Physical volume of food is one thing that helps me feel satiated, but lots of veggies (cooked or raw) usually ticks that box well for me. Personally, I also need adequate protein through the day in order to feel full, and I think it's important for nutrition/health to get a certain minimum amount of fats. So, it all needs to balance out within my calorie goal.

Now in year 3 of maintenance, I find - if I need to cut back a little - that I can fit in my basic nutrition in fewer calories now than when I started losing weight around 4 years ago, and I think the physical volume of food may be greater than those early stages at a reduced calorie goal. (I'm vegetarian, ovo-lacto not strict - not that that really makes a difference strategically IMO.)

1BlueAurora

Things that worked for me: at home, I use a luncheon plate that's smaller than a dinner plate and load that up. It looks like a full plate, and less food on there means smaller portions. One small chicken breast or a portion of salmon, the rest of the plate veggies. Don't eat a second helping. Find low calorie items and eat those. Two scrambled eggs equals around 140 calories and helps sustain me energy-wise better than a handful of carrots, to be honest. For restaurants, I ask the server to put half of the meal in a to-go box when I order the food. I eat the smaller portion right there, and take my box home to put in the fridge for the next day's lunch. That's two meals for the price of one, and I've automatically reduced my daily calorie intake by spreading it over two days.

HoneyBadger302

This was an issue for me, and not one that I found an easy way of getting over. Rather than just trying to "learn self control" I decided to try to work with my desire for a big meal rather than against it, and came up with my own variation of IF (if you need a buzz term to use). I'd have my morning coffee+creamer, then a small snack in the afternoon, and then a large dinner that left me feeling very satisfied. Afternoons were sometimes tough to power through, but knowing I'd have a big dinner when I got home helped me power through. Or, sometimes, I'd just be too hungry earlier, so I'd make my big meal my "lunch" and then wouldn't need much at dinner time.

Since then, my lunches have stayed small (but are actually a small meal now) and my dinners have shrunk a bit, and my appetite in one sitting has started to adjust, but it took probably close to half a year or so for my body to adjust.