Portion control

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corinemh
corinemh Posts: 22
in Food and Nutrition
The biggest thing I'm worried about is eating my favorite foods in moderation. My favorite foods are anything Italian and mexican foods. I never seem to get full from them and I eat them in crazy amounts. And big reason of why I weigh what I do now. How can I still have my favorite food and not over do it? HELP

Replies

  • jraps17
    jraps17 Posts: 179 Member
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    That's probably the hardest thing to do, the one thing i can think about is putting it in a smaller plate and stoping once everything on the plate is gone, you can easily do this at restaurants, you'll just have to ask for the plate.
  • nosey_rosey
    nosey_rosey Posts: 380 Member
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    I am a sweets freak!!! When I buy sweets I portion them out ahead of time in baggies so I don't eat them all in one sitting. When eating out I get a to go box ahead of time and put some of it in the box so I wont eat the entire table worth of food! Mind over matter girl!! You can do this =)
  • DieselGrrl
    DieselGrrl Posts: 55
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    Find healthier substitues for your favorite foods. I use ground lean turkey and whole wheat noodles when I make spaghetti and have created healthy substitutes for almost all of my favorite foods. Not only will it help you stay on track until you reach your goal, but it will allow for continued success in the long run. If you don't cook, you can also try lean cuisine or healthy choice options. I would not suggest to rely on them fully, but for a craving fix, they're not bad! Good luck!
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I had similar problem, once you start portion control regularly, you are not as hungry and it gets easier. Especially since you have not deprived yourself. For an example: I started by using soft taco shells to make my burritos- we eat lots of home made mexican and used the scale to weigh everything. Fixed my plate and stopped when it was done. I started ordering a la carte at the mexican restaurant which also helped. You can do this and still enjoy.
  • katie_on_a_mission
    katie_on_a_mission Posts: 112
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    Make your own food so you know what you're putting in it! When I make fajitas, for example, here's what I use:
    --whole wheat tortillas
    --lean beef
    --green bell peppers
    --red bell peppers
    --onions
    --fat free shredded cheese
    --fat free sour cream
    --guacamole (just avocado, lime, salt, garlic, cilantro)

    I go heavy on the veggies!

    When I'm craving Italian, I make whole wheat pasta and add a tiny bit of olive oil, plus salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. If I have calories to spare, I will add a little bit of shredded parm.
  • mitymex
    mitymex Posts: 10
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    Here is something I do...I too love mexican and italian food...I still get some of my favorite foods to quench my appetite, but I will cut the serving in half and take the rest home to eat at a later date. This way my craving gets taken care of but I haven't complete gone off the wagon on my calories...Your body won't rebel as much against you if you just eat a smaller portion. I also, check out the menu items on MFP before I go eat...So far it is working great for me, I have lost 27 lbs in 10 weeks and my vitals all came back great from the doctor.
  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
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    Fill up on salad or veggies along with your meal.

    When I really enjoy something and want to go back for more, I try to force myself to wait at least 5 minutes (preferably 10) before I go back for another helping because I usually realize that I'm not actually very hungry anymore. And if I still want more just cuz it's yummy, I'll have a smaller portion than what I would have if I'd gone back for more right away.

    Also, try logging your meal before you eat it. There's something about having to go back and increase the portions that makes you think twice about having more.

    And thanks for asking a good question! I find when I give someone else my 2 cents worth, it really reminds me to practice what I preach!
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    I drink water with my meal and eat a salad first. I also plan what I am going to eat before going out and then stick to that. This includes if I want dessert.
  • fiveohtojd
    fiveohtojd Posts: 3
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    Your answer is in the title. I would know because portions were my biggest enemy. Once i figured that out, the pounds began to fall. You keep working at it until YOU are more important than food. Nothing tastes better than liking what you see in the mirror. Use the will power that got you started on your journey and limit what you put on your plate and what you put in your face. I have arrived at a point in my life where I plan all my meals for the entire day. I make them, pack them, and document them on myfitnesspal. I then know where I will be at the end of my day and I know if I can enjoy something extra, be careful, or swap out something to meet my goals. Bottom line: You are who you choose to be, you eat what you choose to eat, and you live the way you choose to live. Choose to be the girl that smiles at herself in the mirror. That is more important than food ever was!
  • Cdcaldwe
    Cdcaldwe Posts: 189 Member
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    I use to eat out at least four times a week. One night mexican one night italian minimum. Make it at home and like others have said, use the healthy alternatives. I have really started to shed the pounds lately and Italian and Mexican were probably the two things that put the most weight on me. Because once i started i couldn't stop at all. For italian i know that day i am going to eat very little carbs until dinner then i have whole wheat noodles and i have a bowl that i know the exact amount of calories i am ingesting when i eat it. For a treat every couple of weeks i get a pillsbury pizza dough, i know not very healthy, and i brush the dough with olive oil and crushed garlic. On the pizza i put zucchini, onions, peppers and roma tomatoes, then i mix 2% cheddar and mozzarella and sprinkle on the cheese. I eat about 1.5 servings along with a large salad. It really fills my pizza fix.
  • Lovelystrumpet
    Lovelystrumpet Posts: 44
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    I started off putting 2/3 of what I used to call a portion on my plate, and eating it slowly on purpose - chewing for more times than I usually would. This gives your stomach time to register it's full, and I found that it was plenty for me - after a few days I even started leaving some as I got full before I finished!

    The goal of having a meal is not to feel 'full' at the end, just pleasantly satisfied. Dieticians usually advise 'leave the table feeling like you could eat a few more bites'. In around 20 minutes, you'll normally find this feeling is gone, and you're feeling fine. No bloating, no overeating, and no hunger! :)
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
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    Decide whether you just want to be another fat person or be able to wear those jeans you haven't been able to get into in years. I decided i didn't want to be one of the majority (fat people) in the United States anymore. I eat everything I've always eaten but i eat a serving and not until i cant breath because i over ate so much. You just have to make a choice on whats more important to you is all.

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