I need tips and tricks for keeping portion size down

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Replies

  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
    I have a scale and when I buy groceries, before I even put them up I portion everything out and put them into baggies for the week. so when I am crunched for time, there is no guessing. its already done. especially chicken. portion it out in 4oz portions and freeze it. grab n cook! same with veggies. and pasta.
  • BR3ANDA
    BR3ANDA Posts: 622 Member
    weigh and measure, or use small plates so it looks like your portion sizes are bigger.
  • Dezmodus
    Dezmodus Posts: 68 Member
    I've mentioned this before in another thread, but it's the only tip I've got. Ice Cream Cones.

    I eat ice cream pretty much every night for dessert, but i eat those little cake cones (they're only like 20 cal) because you really can't fit a lot of ice cream in them. WAAAY less than a bowl, but you still feel like you had something, because you DID have a whole ice cream cone.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    For some 6 small meals is key. For others 1-2 large meals. You have to find what works for you.

    For me, 300 cals 6 times a day leaves me feeling hungry all day. So I typically dont eat till around 10 or 11. Then I eat between 800-1000 cals. I like feeling full. Then I eat again around dinner another 800-1000 cals.

    It doesnt matter when or how often you eat so long as you are at a moderate cal deficit.
  • mehaffeymk
    mehaffeymk Posts: 154 Member
    maybe you are someone who is a volume eater, which is completely normal and lots of people are.

    if this is the case, then try adding foods to your diet that let you eat a lot of bulk, but don't take up a large portion of your daily allotted calories.

    here's a short list of foods that fill you up, without killing your calories for the day:
    air popped popcorn
    sugar free jello
    green salad dressed with just lemon juice or vinegar
    chopped fresh veggies (celery, broccoli, cauliflower)
    pirates booty

    hope that helps.

    yes this ^ this is what i am. i know it so i just choose alot of things that i can eat for fewer calories. i love eating vegetables because they are a big item, but very few calories.
  • kiku76
    kiku76 Posts: 352 Member
    For some 6 small meals is key. For others 1-2 large meals. You have to find what works for you.

    For me, 300 cals 6 times a day leaves me feeling hungry all day. So I typically dont eat till around 10 or 11. Then I eat between 800-1000 cals. I like feeling full. Then I eat again around dinner another 800-1000 cals.

    It doesnt matter when or how often you eat so long as you are at a moderate cal deficit.

    see, I feel hungry all day, but I need to eat often. I wake up, sometimes at 5:30 (I have an 18month old) and I'm hungry. Then I snack about 9 or 10, usually a shake with fruit, flax seed and protein powder after running or lifting. Then lunch at 12-ish. I would like space this out more, but I feel hungry. Then I'm hungry again by 2 or 3. I can snack on an apple with almond butter, but I find myself wanted to eat something small around 5. Seems like I'm hungry every 2 hours. I would like to space it to every 3. Maybe I need to distract myself so I dont want to eat. and I do drink a ton of water so that's no help
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    For some 6 small meals is key. For others 1-2 large meals. You have to find what works for you.

    For me, 300 cals 6 times a day leaves me feeling hungry all day. So I typically dont eat till around 10 or 11. Then I eat between 800-1000 cals. I like feeling full. Then I eat again around dinner another 800-1000 cals.

    It doesnt matter when or how often you eat so long as you are at a moderate cal deficit.

    see, I feel hungry all day, but I need to eat often. I wake up, sometimes at 5:30 (I have an 18month old) and I'm hungry. Then I snack about 9 or 10, usually a shake with fruit, flax seed and protein powder after running or lifting. Then lunch at 12-ish. I would like space this out more, but I feel hungry. Then I'm hungry again by 2 or 3. I can snack on an apple with almond butter, but I find myself wanted to eat something small around 5. Seems like I'm hungry every 2 hours. I would like to space it to every 3. Maybe I need to distract myself so I dont want to eat. and I do drink a ton of water so that's no help

    Do you have a medical condition requiring you to eat every 2 hours or is it you just feel hungry?

    Have you tried putting breakfast off later? Eating a big breakfast smaller throughout the day. Adding more volume low cal stuff to meals.

    There are lots of things you can try to figure out what works best for you. I've never been a breakfast person. I loooove breakfast food just not when I open my eyes.
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    if I feel like i am going to get hungry, or like the food isnt going to be filling enough I just add a ton of greens to my plate and vegetables. They are low in calories - high in vitamins and etc etc. Especially dense vegetables like brussel sprouts are really good to eat because they take up more space in your stomach. It's worked for me.
  • kiku76
    kiku76 Posts: 352 Member
    nope. just hungry :(
    I am still nursing my son (yes, he's 18 months, please no flames for that. Nursing a toddler is an irrelevant issue here) and he nurses at night so that might have something to do with it. but even before he was born I would need to eat fairly close to when I get up. DH can go hours before needing breakfast; me, if I don't eat I get light headed and CRANKY!
  • Freyja2023
    Freyja2023 Posts: 158 Member
    I switched to smaller bowls and plates. Most of my feeling of satisfaction with a meal is emotional, visual. I also use more seasoning, herbs and spice, especially chilies to make the smaller portions more satisfying. :drinker: :flowerforyou:


    this ^^^

    I also usually pound my 4 ounce of chicken or pork with a meat hammer before I grill it so that it 'appears' larger on my plate, letting me feel like I am getting a much larger portion
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    nope. just hungry :(
    I am still nursing my son (yes, he's 18 months, please no flames for that. Nursing a toddler is an irrelevant issue here) and he nurses at night so that might have something to do with it. but even before he was born I would need to eat fairly close to when I get up. DH can go hours before needing breakfast; me, if I don't eat I get light headed and CRANKY!

    Have you figured out your TDEE. You might not be eating enough.
  • g4genn
    g4genn Posts: 58 Member
    Since you are nursing your toddler, if he drinks more then 6 times a day (meaning let downs and drinking you "dry") you should be adding 250 calories to your regular day according to my nutritionist. So if he nurses 3 times, then add 125 I guess...

    I'm nursing a 10 mth old a 100 times a day (well 12-18) and a 3 yr old 3 times a day and I had to up my calorie count because of it.

    Also, make sure you don't lose weight to quickly as you may 1, irritate your baby with the toxins released from fat that your liver and kidneys haven't flushed out properly and 2, you could affect your milk supply.

    Hope this helped, if not please ignore. : )
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    2 things: drink 8 ounces before your meal, 8 ounces with the meal, and 8 ounces after. If you can't finish that last glass, then consider spacing out 3 meals into 6 smaller meals. This has the net advantage of ensuring that you get all your water in for the day plus your blood sugar levels will probably stay more even because you are eating smaller portions but more often.

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