portion control

shortwasp
shortwasp Posts: 37 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
I was having a very difficult time with portion control. Even though I like healthy food, I still ate it in unhealthy portions. I wasn't losing any weight because of this. So I decided to eat Lean Cusines for dinner to learn real portion control. It wasn't easy, believe me! I would measure out my bran cereal in the morning and soy milk too, otherwise I'd end up having twice as much as I should. I read labels to see that I was having one serving only. I ate the Spa Classics series of Lean Cusine, and I would pay special attention to how much grain and meat were in each portion. It was about one third of the food that I usually ate!

Now when I go out to eat, I can tell immediately how much is a real portion. I will share meals with my sister or friend, so that we both get a normal amount of food rather than 2-3 times what we should eat. This is something I plan on doing for a lifetime. I don't feel guilty about eating any food now, because I eat just one portion size instead of 2-3 portion sizes.

It took about 3 weeks of eating premeasured food before I could eyeball a normal portion myself. I almost went on Jenny Craig to learn portion control, but then I thought that I could do it myself cheaper with Lean Cusines and using measuring cups and spoons.

Now maybe I can start losing weight instead of being frustrated. I was eating good food, just waaaay too much of it.

Replies

  • lalalady
    lalalady Posts: 31 Member
    I agree portion control is key. I measure my cereal and milk every morning. I pack my own lunch in the same size tupperware everyday so I have the right portion. I also use my kitchen scale to weigh meat. I am trying to rewire my brain to be able to eyeball the right amount and also train my stomach to know when its full. It has helped me tremendously. I also track my food through the MFP diary. Good luck!!

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  • shortwasp
    shortwasp Posts: 37 Member
    I've been wanting to get a kitchen scale to check out the meat, cheese, etc. portions. I guess when I go to Ross again, I'll have to pick one up.
  • xonophone
    xonophone Posts: 474 Member
    I'm with you - portion control has always been my issues as well. I have always eaten healthy foods just too much of them. And I guess I was blessed with a good metabolism, because my weight was never an issue until the last few years, once I turned 35 the pounds started creeping up. I tried counting calories a couple of years ago, not trying to lose weight, just trying to eat the RDA of 1800-2000 calories per day. I lost 7 pounds in two months that time, which tells you how much I had been eating prior to that! Unfortunately I didn't stick with it, began "eyeballing" the portions which eventually led to saying "aw, what the heck" and I went back to eating my old way, the way I ate all my life. Naturally, the scale creeped up again. Then, in December I went to a mini family reunion, and I wore a new outfit that I swore looked good on me, but when I saw the pictures afterwards I cried. I couldn't believe how I actually looked (and 2 of my cousins are professional photographers, so if they can't make me look thin, then nobody can!!!) That very weekend, while in my hotel room, I was determined to start counting calories again. I found this website first through my ipod Touch, and when I came home, I logged onto the website to fill out my profile and dieting goals. It has been 3 months to the day, I have lost 17 pounds, only 2 pounds away from my original goal. So I set a new goal :) Now I want to lose an additional 5, but even if I make it to my first goal - and can maintain it, I will be very happy.

    The key really is to measure absolutely everything!! I have duplicates of my measuring spoons and measuring cups and I bought a simple kitchen scale at Walmart. You think you can eyeball a tablespoon of mayo, 1/2 cup of cereal, etc, but when you actually measure it out, you see how wrong you were!

    I do have my cheat days, but I try not to beat myself up over one day of slipping when I've been good all week - and I never slip to the point where I ate as much as in my pre-MFP days.

    Good luck to you and I know you will reach your goals too if you keep up the good work. And buy a scale!!!!! :smile:
  • chulie
    chulie Posts: 282
    Ohhh I 1000% agree with this!! I totally used the lean cuisines just as a start...I think I ate them every day for at least a month..and there are so many yummy ones to try! I'll never forget every time I pulled one out of the little box and went.....that's IT???? Then try going to dinner that night and convince yourself the giant plate of pasta isn't "that many calories"...when i KNOW what it looks like... sure I still eat more certain days ect....but I'm not fooling myself....and I even remember the first week or two I'd be starving after lunch.....now....I'm full....it's all about re-learning EVERYTHING all over again and I think for anyone starting out, any of those lean cuisine meals are the perfect jump start.....
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    good for you!
  • ltlhmom
    ltlhmom Posts: 1,202 Member
    I weigh everything! I love my kitchen scale. I use it more then measuring spoons or cups.
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    I weigh EVERYTHING down to the very last gram...not one over...not one under...because I know me and once I start to slide it is all over and if I do the measuring cup thing I WILL CHEAT...getting cereal???well that flake is taking up too much room, so I will add 3 more...doing popcorn???well, they don't really fit together well, I will add a little more...peanut butter? Some of it will stick to the spoon, so I will heap it up...BUT when I weigh the grams I am never cheated, nor am I a cheater! Works for me. Digital scale is my best freind!!!
  • GypsyPunkess
    GypsyPunkess Posts: 9
    This is my main problem for trying to maintain a healthy weight at all and why my weight has now completely flunctuated. I can eat healthy foods day in and day out but if it tastes good or I know there's an unhealhier equivalent to what I'm eating-I overeat thinking I can get away with it!

    I hear water is really good for appetite suppression. Like if you-'re hungry - have a glass of water. It suppresses it for a time til you should actually have a proper meal rather than snacking which doesn't help us with the portion control! Plus water is free-Extra food is not!
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    I was having a very difficult time with portion control. Even though I like healthy food, I still ate it in unhealthy portions. I wasn't losing any weight because of this.

    Glad you got the portion sizes under control. it's been my downfall too, this time around I'm making sure I'm measuring everything I eat and so far so good. i'm slowly learning what's a "normal" portion (as opposed to my usual helping) is.

    Keep up the good work!!
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