How do you get used to smaller portions?

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Replies

  • Achoooo
    Achoooo Posts: 130
    If I want pasta, I pair it with a big salad and eat all of that first, I find it helps. I also buy a more quality, fresh pasta, and I try to go whole wheat when I can. I'll add something like a lean chicken (maybe half a portion of a chicken breast) as well to help "bulk" it up. If I have the calories I'll also add a small whole grain bread of some sort. I can usually stick with my calories but the meal has a lot of elements to it and I feel very full when done.
  • callipygianchronicle
    callipygianchronicle Posts: 811 Member
    There are many good tips here.

    One that I haven’t seen suggested is to keep your portions the same, but log them…honestly. If a serving is 1 cup of pasta, and you eat three cups, then log three servings. While you will feel the same fullness, you will see the full effect of your current way of eating in numbers. That’s a more powerful position for driving change than feeling like you have to be deprived and have less of something. In time, you will be able to take some of that pasta away and fill its space with things that are more filling and nourishing.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Expanding my palate of taste to invite flavors from a variety of low-calorie foods helped me to cut down the portions of calorie-dense meals. Most vegetables are very low in calories, so you can pile up on them without significantly decreasing your daily alloted intake, plus the natural fiber content in them will provide longer lasting satiety.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    I've changed what I eat - choosing lower cal foods when I feel like I need to eat more. I also tease myself when I'm tempted to overdo it. For some reason it amuses me to think, "Now you're just being greedy!" when I know I shouldn't eat that much. I laugh at myself and either cut back to proper portion size or choose something else.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
    I make sure to have a big salad with my meals that are smaller portions. the extra fiber really feels the spacce and I dont miss the extra meat and potatoes!
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
    I'll be totally honest with you here Kookla...and it's probably not going to be fun to hear....

    I didn't. I changed what I ate. I am a hungry human being so now I eat a boat ton of food but it is different food- veggies, fruits, green and leafy.

    If I tried to eat "regular" food in the correct portions I would starve to death.

    I do occasionally eat something like pasta or ice cream and either I save it for a day I can eat a normal serving (from a restaurant or weighed out in the kitchen in terms of ice cream) due to an intense work out, but I make sure that I'm already full on something else first- like a salad or a healthy dinner.

    I hope that helps.

    Great post! Exactly that. I found that if I continued to eat what I used to eat, I would have to change my portion size, which left me hungry. However, filling up on lean proteins, lots of veggies, fruit, some dairy, I rarely get hungry now. Sometimes, I can't even eat all that I'm "supposed" to eat, caloriewise.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Have fibre powder before meals. It makes you feel full and adds fibre to your diet without adding calories.

    In terms of portion sizes...eat more slowly, you don't register you are full for about 20 minutes after you actually are, so it is very easy to eat a plate of food and think you are still hungry. Wait a while, have a drink of water and you probably won't still be hungry in 15 minutes.
  • abyssfully
    abyssfully Posts: 410 Member
    Make your "snacks" bigger - for example, instead of just an apple have an apple, yogurt and a slice of whole wheat bread. Then, come your next "meal" you won't be starving so it'll be easier to accept smaller portions of food.
  • marji4x
    marji4x Posts: 144 Member
    I load up on veggies...lately I've been addicted to broccoli....I have the most of that. It's a LOT of bulk and filling for very few calories. I eat chicken thighs but i remove the skin and fat and still keep things tasty by adding a mustard-paprika sauce. Very filling!

    I also find low-calorie options for foods I love like this mac and cheese recipe I found online (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/macaroni-and-4-cheeses-recipe/index.html)....it substitutes squash for a lot of the cheese and is still yummy! The best part is it's like 400 calories for a HUGE serving size (about a cup).

    I find those rice cakes very filling for snacks....and the white cheddar ones are like 45 cals per cake.

    It's a matter of finding the foods that are low in calorie and big in bulk. And eat smaller meals more often....5-6 meals a day for instance. It did take me a little getting used to the first week because I was just used to physically shoving more food in me....but I was never really hungry just getting cravings...and now I never feel hungry or deprived.

    I still get cravings for candy and chocolate or whatever but those aren't hunger-based of course ;)

    I'd stay away from frozen dinners or premade stuff as much as possible because those serving sizes are tiny, too. If you make your own food you can have a lot more food and still eat under your calories for the day.
  • Mad_Dog_Muscle
    Mad_Dog_Muscle Posts: 1,251 Member
    Something that helps me is drinking a lot of water! I drink about 4 liters a day, and eat small meals throughout the day. I am no expert, but i have read this many times, but what we interpret as "hunger" can be dehydration. Most people think the picture of dehydration is someone laid dying of thirst, which it's not. When I feel hungry and I know I shouldn't be, I drink a large glass of water and wait 10 minutes. If I am still "hungry" then ya, bring on the chow!!
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    Eat on a small plate- makes it look bigger.
    Add more veggies- fills the plate up more- even 2 or 3 different veggies per meal.
    Cut a sandwich into more pieces- spreads out a bit
    Make sure you are eating from all food groups at all meals, this puts more food on your plate.

    Hope these help!
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    gradually.

    Exactly.... what I was going to say.
    (It's not about being perfect it's about doing better, bit by bit)
  • khrys1
    khrys1 Posts: 444 Member
    I have to measure stuff, and should eventually get a food scale. I also bought a lot of zip lock/tupperware-like containers that are only one cup, to "make" me stay at portion size. Then I also enjoy large portions of stuff like popcorn, that doesn't have a lot of calories!
  • khrys1
    khrys1 Posts: 444 Member
    I have to measure stuff, and should eventually get a food scale. I also bought a lot of zip lock/tupperware-like containers that are only one cup, to "make" me stay at portion size. Then I also enjoy large portions of stuff like popcorn, that doesn't have a lot of calories!
  • sirmio
    sirmio Posts: 44 Member
    I want to reiterate what others have already said because it's been very important to me: I can be full and satisfied without eating so much it's hard to breathe.

    It was hard to train my brain, but I managed by eating slower and being more social while I ate. To keep from overeating, I'd measure and log the portions before I ate and then let myself get lost in conversation while I ate.
  • dragonairis
    dragonairis Posts: 75 Member
    Eat slowly - no really! It's a little about that 20 minutes to feel full thing, but also about taste and telling your brain 'OK, I'm eating now, shut up."

    When I cut down the portions on my lunch, I had no idea what to do - I was starving even though I knew how many calories I just ate. So now I heat up my lunch and wait for it to cool a bit. Then I cut it up and wait a bit longer. Then I eat, one bite at a time. I try to note the flavors in my food, because I tend to be the type of person who inhales her food. The tasting and anticipation help me focus on the tasty goodness and distract me from the portions.
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    Make your "snacks" bigger - for example, instead of just an apple have an apple, yogurt and a slice of whole wheat bread. Then, come your next "meal" you won't be starving so it'll be easier to accept smaller portions of food.

    I think a very important point is made here. If you get used to all snacks containing all 3 food groups (fat, carb, protein), it helps "train" your stomach to be satisfied with less even at regular mealtimes. This was a tip that I learned from MFP and it really worked for me. While you are eating this 'mini meal' you tell yourself "This is just a snack, I'll eat more at lunch (or whatever)" . When lunch arrives, you aren't as hungry as you would have been without the snack and you can eat less more successfully.
  • kookla33
    kookla33 Posts: 234
    Wow! Thanks so much to all of you who replied. I will come back and re-read these responses when I feel tempted to pig out and stuff myself. I am looking forward to the day when I don't feel the impulse to do that anymore. Getting closer...
  • newbeautifulme
    newbeautifulme Posts: 112
    Eating 5-6 times a day, every 2-3 hours really helps. Also, I try to drink 1/2 my body weight in ounces of water and I am sure that helps too. I try to get protein at every meal too so I feel more sustained.
  • sunflowerkb
    sunflowerkb Posts: 7 Member
    Pasta is a big one for me. Bread and cheese and not fat free cheese! But I do eat pasta once a week. I measure it but I still eat it. I save enough calories for the day to allow 2 servings. And the same with cheese. Once a week I have a big ole sandwhich with whatever cheese I want. It works. I don't go over my calories for that day but I keep in mind what I am going to do, it's either at lunch or supper and I try to spread them apart or make sure I do it on a work out day. I just make sure I do because otherwise I will binge and then regret.
  • JigglyPig
    JigglyPig Posts: 231 Member
    There are times that I'll eat an entire "dinner" before I actually eat dinner! Especially if I'm going somewhere that I can't control the food (a party, for example). I'll eat a HUGE salad of vegetables. I get stuffed from this! Then, it's much, much easier to deal with a small portion of the good stuff (pasta, ice cream, etc.). Stuff yourself full with leafy greens. Then it's easier to deal with a teeny tiny portion of pasta. :)
  • absolament
    absolament Posts: 278 Member
    I snack a lot. So when it's time to eat dinner, breakfast, lunch, I usually can't fit a large portion in my stomach. Lots of small snacks keeps me satisfied, keeps me fueled, keeps me entertained. ;c}
  • armywife1986
    armywife1986 Posts: 31
    I have the SAME problem. Eating things with a lot of protein and fiber help. Also, try to fill up with veggies. Examples: if you are eating a wrap/fajita, load up on the veggies. If you're eating pasta, add a cup of spaghetti squash. Before dinner, try to eat a BIG salad. Like someone else, drink water before and after. For me, it's more of a mental thing. I can do everything I mentioned, feel like I'm completely fully, but I'm still craving something.
  • Kath_21
    Kath_21 Posts: 19
    I use a smaller plate which just kind of tricks the eye into thinking you have a full plate and I also drink a pint of water with my meals and take sips in between every couple of bites. If you eat too quickly your brain won't recognise that your stomach is full.
  • mmonconduit
    mmonconduit Posts: 51 Member
    I haven't used a bowl to eat anything that belongs in a bowl since I've started this program and it has helped alot. I use a coffee mug which is about 1 cup and usually one portion size.
  • susanofscottsdale
    susanofscottsdale Posts: 114
    I'll be totally honest with you here Kookla...and it's probably not going to be fun to hear....

    I didn't. I changed what I ate. I am a hungry human being so now I eat a boat ton of food but it is different food- veggies, fruits, green and leafy.

    If I tried to eat "regular" food in the correct portions I would starve to death.

    I do occasionally eat something like pasta or ice cream and either I save it for a day I can eat a normal serving (from a restaurant or weighed out in the kitchen in terms of ice cream) due to an intense work out, but I make sure that I'm already full on something else first- like a salad or a healthy dinner.

    I hope that helps.

    Exactly what I was going to say. I don't worry about the correct serving size of pasta, chips or ice cream because I don't eat them. (or eat them VERY rarely).

    I eat small meals frequently throughout the day. Basically just enough to take away the hunger, but then I'm hungry two to three hours later, so I eat again. For example, this morning I had Kashi cereal with almond milk, 2 hours later my shakeology with a banana and peanut butter, two hours later a handful of almonds, and now I'm eating my chicken breast on a salad and I'll eat half a sweet potato for my carb. About 3pm I'll have an apple and protein shake. Then I'll have dinner which will be 4-6 oz lean meat and some veggies.

    Ditto
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
    Eat plenty of protein, it takes longer to digest and then burns slowly & steadily. So it fills you up for much longer than fat or carbs. When my doctor set my protein at 300g per day, I had to struggle to eat *enough,* I even had to set an alarm on my phone to remind myself to eat. So I would think that if you eat something with protein first, whenever you have a small treat, the protein will fill you up & keep you from noticing that the treat isn't very big.

    Also, I had to train myself to pay attention to my food. I live alone, so eating while doing something else (cleaning the kitchen, watching TV, etc) used to be the norm. Now, whenever I eat (especially when eating a treat) I make sure to sit down for a minute and savor it, eat slowly and take time to taste each bite.

    Another good trick is to use muffin tins for all your cooking. Every meatloaf or quiche or bread or casserole is split up and baked in a muffin tin. That way, not only is it easy to freeze your food for later, there's also automatic portion control. There's no way to "accidentally" cut yourself a really big slice... :wink:

    Hope this helps!
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    I'm not used to them yet. I still want to gorge :/
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