7 Portion Control Tips

Portion control is one of the best ways to enjoy successful weight loss, but it is also one of the biggest challenges faced by dieters. Many people never learned proper serving sizes, so they may have no idea that they are eating far too much. Others, know the proper portions, but struggle with self-control. Regardless of your portion control challenges, these seven portion control  tips help you feel full faster and make it easier to eat less food and lose weight.

Here are 7 Portion Control Tips:

1. Drink Water
As you know, there are many health benefits to drinking water. Not only is adequate hydration necessary to most of your body’s functions, but water can also help you lose weight! Consuming a large glass of the clear stuff before a meal helps you to feel fuller faster, making it easier to avoid overeating.

Have you tried our Strawberry Basil Water?

2. Use a Smaller Plate
Serving your meals on a smaller plate tricks your mind into believing you are getting a larger serving of food. If you are ready to slim down, get healthier and change your eating habits for good, check out the Skinny Plate Challenge…read more.

3. Serve Pasta as a Side
A large plate of spaghetti with a side of buttery garlic bread is a common dinner item, but it is one of the worst diet saboteurs. The next time pasta is on the menu, serve it as a side. Fill your plate with salad and add a side dish portion of spaghetti. You can also reduce pasta servings by mixing large portions of veggies into the sauce with a quarter to half the usual amount of noodles.

Try our Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad with a side of Pasta Puttanesca and Baby Spinach.

4. Split the Entrée
Sharing food is a great way to control portions. If you are enjoying a particularly indulgent entrée, split it with a fellow diner. If the half portion is not enough to fill you, supplement with a low-calorie side salad or other vegetable accompaniment.

Follow these Tips for Eating Healthy When You’re at a Restaurant.

5. Include High-fiber Foods with Each Meal
For many, high-fiber foods are the trick to feeling full when eating fewer calories. This is why you should include vegetables at every meal. Regardless of the content of your meal, include a side serving of salad packed with lettuce, cucumbers, and other low-cal veggies.

Our Garden Salad with Lemon Miso Dressing is an excellent way to fill up on body-filling nutrients.

6. Resist Second Servings
Breaking the habit of seconds is one of the quickest ways to cut your calories. If you have the habit of enjoying two equal servings at each meal, cutting back to a single serving cuts your calories by half. This is a tremendous savings and should lead to noticeable weight loss. Over time, your hunger will adjust to your cut backs, but if your stomach growls initially after a single serving, munch on carrots or celery, or enjoy a small serving of berries for dessert.

Have you tried our tasty Skinny Mini Dessert Options?

7. Ask for a Doggy Bag
One final tip for eating out: ask for a doggie bag when your food is served. Restaurant portions are notorious for being far too big. If you pack up half of your food immediately, you reduce the temptation to overeat.

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