Strategies on Portion Control

amandakatebanana
amandakatebanana Posts: 11 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for some successful strategies on practicing portion control? Thanks.
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Replies

  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    i weigh EVERYTHING on a food scale...pretty simple and accurate.
  • amandakatebanana
    amandakatebanana Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Weigh and bag "problem children" foods as soon as they come into the house. And if it's a REAL problem, just don't buy it at all, for now.
  • roselemonade
    roselemonade Posts: 53 Member
    If I make a big recipe, I portion it into single-serve containers right away. Today I made a big pot of soup, entered the recipe into the recipe calculator, portioned the soup into 5 mason jars to put in the fridge, and set the servings on the calculator to 5. Since I'm the one who is going to be eating all 5 servings eventually, it doesn't matter if they aren't *exactly* identical in size. And, since it's pre-portioned and entered as a recipe, it's really easy to take out 1 jar and log 1 serving at a time.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    For meals/recipes, I portion out the recipe into individual servings - usually 4 containers. I eat one and put the rest in the fridge - no temptation for seconds. Then I have 3 more meals already portioned out and ready to go.

    If I'm cooking for my family, then I weigh out my portion first, then let the rest of the family have at it. Thankfully, I almost never have to worry about leftovers when my family is eating.

    For snacks, I weigh out and pre-log what I'm going to eat - sometimes the calorie hit isn't worth it and I put it back. Weighing out my evening snacks has really opened my eyes to how much I was eating before... easily, 4-6 portions, probably even more. It's no wonder I was steadily gaining.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Get a food scale, weigh EVERYTHING.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    -Weigh the food. Decide how much fits into your day. Eat it.
    -Pre-log (I do this the night before or somethings on the train on the way to work in the morning). By the time my breakfast is finished I already know what I'm having for dinner-down to how many GRAMS of onions are going in the pot.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Eat dinner from your salad plates instead of oversized dinner plates--it makes it seem like there is more food.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Food scale.
  • hollbert90
    hollbert90 Posts: 8 Member
    I have some of those 'bowls' that are really shallow for things like cereal but great for having my meals out of. I always weigh everything but as they're smaller than a dinner plate I still feel as though I'm loading my plate up when I'm really not. It's just satisfying to think I've eaten a lot.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Weigh and measure everything.
    If I am making a dish that has multiple ingredients I weight and measure out each individual item and create a recipe on MFP. Make a tight fist and look at it, that's about how big your stomach is, now compare your fist to the food on your plate... lol! How much do you wanna stuff in there? :wink:
  • BRaye325
    BRaye325 Posts: 1,383 Member
    Don't eat while standing.
    Never eat from an open container or bag.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    weigh, measure and package yourself :)
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    Add me to the weigh everything list. :)

  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?
  • Jackie9950
    Jackie9950 Posts: 374 Member
    I always fill my plate with the food I know is better for me before getting to the other food. i.e. I put the chicken and broccoli on my plate before I try to put things like bread or potatoes. That way there is little room for it. I always use a smaller plate than everyone else as well. Like a salad plate or one of my kids toddler plates.

    My family are snackers. My husband needs snacks for work, so I always buy him the flavors of things he likes and I don't. He likes spicy hot food and pickle flavored chips (yuck) So, I always buy those and not snacks we both like. I always keep water on me...like always! Before a meal or snacking I drink water.

    I always keep raw veggies and fruit on hand in the house to snack on.

    I always plan my day for 5-6 small meals. I am never hungry and most of the time don't end up eating all meals.

    I also have 2 (yes 2) food scales. One for my kitchen and one I can keep in my lunch box for work. I weigh everything.

    Hope this helps!
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    I eat from small plates & bowls. I also pack my lunch in small containers so it seems like more.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    edited June 2015
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?

    She means the food measuring containers like in the 21 day fix program
    http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Calabreses-Day-Fix-Essential/dp/B00I89MAKS

    I agree with the others who say weigh your food!
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?

    21 day fix containers.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    kami3006 wrote: »
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?

    She means the food measuring containers like in the 21 day fix program
    http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Calabreses-Day-Fix-Essential/dp/B00I89MAKS

    I agree with the others who say weigh your food!

    I love the B&A pics that show the girl with bigger boobs in the after. BWAHAHAHA!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?

    She means the food measuring containers like in the 21 day fix program
    http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Calabreses-Day-Fix-Essential/dp/B00I89MAKS

    I agree with the others who say weigh your food!

    I love the B&A pics that show the girl with bigger boobs in the after. BWAHAHAHA!

    :D

  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    kami3006 wrote: »
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pre-logging and weighing.
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    Don't use colourful Tupperware thingies. ;)

    And weigh everything.

    Huh?

    She means the food measuring containers like in the 21 day fix program
    http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Calabreses-Day-Fix-Essential/dp/B00I89MAKS

    I agree with the others who say weigh your food!

    I love the B&A pics that show the girl with bigger boobs in the after. BWAHAHAHA!

    :D

    I want the Perky Tits workout plan. Forget size. I want them to look like they did before 3 babies!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I go by the suggested serving sizes like 2 oz of sandwich meat, 100 g of berries, 4 oz of meat, 1/2 c. (112 g) Greek yogurt, etc. and I weigh everything. I found that if I took what I wanted, then weighed it, I was eating too much.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Eat off 9 inch plates.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
    Definitely portion out everything in advance, when possible. When eating out, try to eat half of what's on your plate- for American restaurants, at least. American restaurants give you WAY more food than you should be eating.

    Smaller plates/bowls/utensils.

    Drink a glass of water 10-20 minutes before you start eating.

    Eat slowly, and stop when you're full (when you no longer have that empy stomach feeling, but before you eat too much and feel bloated).
  • Heulitt26
    Heulitt26 Posts: 14 Member
    I switch between specific weighing and the 21 day fix containers - and honestly I have had more success using the containers than the stress of weighing it all. It was so much easier to meal plan for the week ahead and I didn't freak out if I need my scale and was out or couldn't find it. Freak OUT! haha

    Knowing correct portion sizes is great too. Like the amount of one serving (about 6 oz) of protein is the size of your palm. Or when most people eat a bagel for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and potatoes for dinner - the carbohydrates you're getting (although healthy choices) are overloading your system. So knowing not only portion sizes specifically, but the frequency of your portions is really important. That's why I liked the containers - everything was simply put and helped me understand HOW MUCH of each type of food group I should be eating to maintain a healthy weight loss goal.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    After weighing and placing on small plates, when eating, chew s l o w l y.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Sit down and eat.

    Pause between each bite. Be conscious of chewing your food and savor!

    Hold a conversation while eating.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Eat off 9 inch plates.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    My Corelle 10.25" dinner plates are used as serving platters here, and the 8.5" plates are what we use for meals. We have the 6.75” "Bread & Butter Plates" as well, and they get used at lunch for sandwiches and chips/crackers (or for the kids at dinner time).
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