Tips for cutting portion size?

Hmmm, sorry about the all italics. Don't know how that happened.

I used to be anorexic and still have some of the tendencies, cutting back portions was always easy for me, I still break up my meals the same as I used to usually only bigger.
you might try making a certain weight of food a goal, or counting how many of something you eat. having something low calorie you can munch through the day helps also,
you might make the ideal small meal, make sure to drink water before and during the meal, have water on hand all through the day and some filling snack like carrots or celery.
the first few days might be hard, but once you start seeing results you will be encouraged to continue, and your body will also get used to less. my mom lost 45lb this way with method.
I don't know if this will help but I hope it does.

I bought myself a smaller plate and bowl. That way I can have smaller portions but still feel like I have got a full plate full of food, if that makes sense? Also I just gradually reduced my portion sizes rather than straight away cutting my portions in half.

Use a small plate and weigh/measure everything. You would be surprised how much of something you are eating.

Buying a food scale will help a ton and eating your food much slower (50 chews per bite) will help make you feel fuller faster!

You could also do a gradual decrease - so if you have 2 bowls or chicken breasts, cut to 1.5 instead, then down to one. It takes time for your stomach to shrink. I always find I'm hungrier the next day if I ate a LOT the day before (my theory is a stretched out stomach!).

When I did a medically supervised weight loss program they had a list of things we could eat unlimited quantities of. It was basically fruits and vegetables but we had to eat AT LEAST 5 cups per day and more if we were still hungry. So, have your pasta, after you have had a cup or two of a vegetable. Eat an apple or even two before you are going to have pizza.

weigh everything! You will be surprised how much you over/under estimate what a 'portion' is. Reading more labels can be educational to - a so-called recommended serving size can differ a great deal from what you feel a standard portion size should be

Make sure you are getting enough protein. MFP recommendation may be too low. Try for .8 g/kg of body weight. Some people are more satisfied if they include protein in every meal and snack.

Make sure to include enough fiber. This can help with satisfaction. Beans are high fiber, as are green leafy vegetables, among others. 25g fiber minimum/day is good, or 15 g/1000 calories eaten. Increase fiber gradually so it doesn't get your digestive system upset.

Look at proportions as well as portions. Try to get half your food from fruits/veggies:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

Try to have a glass of water with meals. Sometimes hunger is actually thirst.

I prefer to make my own meals. That way I have better control over things like sodium, fat, and sugar content. I am often able to make the same meal as I would eat at a restaurant, except with less fat and sodium and fewer calories.

Pizza tends to be high in calories. You can try making your own at home, with less cheese, using a thin crust pita, and a tablespoon of tomato sauce (or tomato paste with seasonings sprinkled on). Chose healthy toppings, and eat with a salad so it is more filling.

Pasta is high in calories. I make a ragu at home, but I find that to fit my calorie goals I can only have about 21 g pasta with it (about 21 whole wheat rotini).

Don't try to restrict calories too much. If you are really hungry, gradually reduce calories. Try only going down 100 calories from maintenance a day, to give your body a chance to adjust. Slower weight loss that is maintained is better than a high deficit that is given up early on.

You can earn calories from exercise. MFP may overestimate the burn, so many posters recommend only eating back about half the calories. Exercise can make you less hungry, and intense exercise may more effectively depress appetite.

Try to ensure you are getting enough micronutrients (i.e. iron, calcium.) Nutrient deficits can lead to strange cravings, but can be avoided with a varied diet.

Sometimes you wil be hungry during a diet, particularly duing the first few days, or after a cheat day (or during hormone fluctuations ). You may end up having to live with the hunger for a bit. Try to distract yourself, stay active, focus on the reason you are losing weight (i.e. for health, so you will be there for your family), have some water, wait 15 minutes, talk to a friend, or whatever coping strategy you can come up with. The hunger should subside after a day or two.

Just try one small change at a time, and give yourself a few weeks for it to "lock in" if it is working.

If you try everything and nothing works, speak to your Dr. or a dietician for advice.

Good luck

I'd suggest trying finding foods that have lots of volume for not as many calories ie vegetables, egg whites etc.. eat a meal filled with voluminous foods then maybe you may not be as hungry when eating your preferred foods which should be in moderation anyway.

You have a great suggestions so far on the portion sizes; smaller plates, food scale, measuring etc. To help with the “I still feel hungry” I suggest more filling snacks. Two snacks in between may not be enough. I snack ALL day. Bananas, things with tons of fiber like low sugar fruits, mixed nuts, hard boiled eggs (provide no cholesterol concerns), KIND bars and oatmeal all very helpful.

As another person posted, it is a little bit of habit too. Knowing the difference between feeling stuffed and feeling full and accepting a full (but not stuffed) feeling. I found that those foods listed really help keeping me feeling full all day and I slowly no longer felt the need to overdo my portions at my meals.

My last point, dehydration can sometimes manifest itself in feeling hungry especially if you are new to eating healthy. Often we feel hungry when we are actually dehydrated so (and you have probably heard this a million times) start filling up good old water. Takes time….you will get there.

TTHdred wrote: »

You have a great suggestions so far on the portion sizes; smaller plates, food scale, measuring etc. To help with the “I still feel hungry” I suggest more filling snacks. Two snacks in between may not be enough. I snack ALL day. Bananas, things with tons of fiber like low sugar fruits, mixed nuts, hard boiled eggs (provide no cholesterol concerns), KIND bars and oatmeal all very helpful.

As another person posted, it is a little bit of habit too. Knowing the difference between feeling stuffed and feeling full and accepting a full (but not stuffed) feeling. I found that those foods listed really help keeping me feeling full all day and I slowly no longer felt the need to overdo my portions at my meals.

My last point, dehydration can sometimes manifest itself in feeling hungry especially if you are new to eating healthy. Often we feel hungry when we are actually dehydrated so (and you have probably heard this a million times) start filling up good old water. Takes time….you will get there.

I've heard some cravings for sweet things can actually indicate thirst as well.

Drink a full glass of water before dinner. That way you fill up quicker, then also eat slower. Your body probably isn't as hungry as its telling you. Drink more water and slow down, and likely you'll get "full" signals after 1-3 slices of pizza. If you get a side salad with anything, eat it first.

If you are the cook-then cook less. Only have 1 cooked chicken breast available for yourself.
And as others have said eat lots of salad and vegetables. fill up on those.

+1 to this. Not easy to do though.

- One of the biggest things for me was re-adjusting my mindset of what "full" meant. This actually happened because I had late evening practices for my sports team. If I ate until I was "full," meaning "STUFFED," then sprinting up and down the field was absolutely *dreadful* because I had a giant food-baby. So I started paying attention to when I felt "full" meaning "SATIATED" - and I stopped eating when I was no longer hungry, rather than when I was actually "FULL" full. (If you know what I mean ). Now I feel "full" when I am no longer hungry, vs still feeling hungry if I am not completely stuffed and having to unbutton my jeans.