Have you been hitting your training sessions hard and consistent, eliminated most processed foods, avoid excess sugar 85% of the time and upped your water intake (and bathroom visits) for 30 days or more but you have not lost any weight or felt your clothes get looser?
If you say no to one of those, first go address and remedy that.
If you said yes to all of the above, then you my friend probably have a bit of an issue with food portions; knowing them and sticking to them.
You see in the end, even though rotating carbs, increasing protein intake, and upgrading the quality of your food are all useful, calories still matter. Meaning portion control, even of healthy foods, matters.
If you’re like me though, counting calories to lose weight is kinda crazy-making. And unless you eat 100% of your meals at home, it’s not always realistic or easy to count every calorie accurately which makes me crazier.
An easier way is to control your portions. You can do it with any meal, made by anyone and it works!
Here are some of my top portion control tips:
At Home:
– Pay attention to how many servings any given recipe you’re making serves. Then, as soon as you finish preparing the meal portion it out either onto plates for your whole family, or in individual storage containers to put in your fridge or freezer.
You may soon see that what is supposed to feed 6 has only been feeding 3 or 4.
– Measure out your snacks instead of eating them right out of the bag. In fact, portion the whole bag or batch right away.
It is possible to eat 2-4 servings of your favorite snack in a matter of minutes if you’re not aware. Or, maybe you graze all day and don’t realize how much you’ve eaten. Hand-to-bag snacking is dangerous.
Eating Out:
Okay you’ve heard this before and rolled your eyes, I know this, but hear me out: share an entree with someone else. Most restaurants serve much too large of a portion size.
And here’s the thing you might not have realized: if you share a plate and after, you are still genuinely hungry, you can order more.
*gasp!* What? Can this be done? You’re asking. Yes, yes it can be done.
You are actually allowed to order more food even after you’ve ordered. Who. Knew? ?
This will allow you to start with a more moderate portion and then order an additional something small if needed. You may find that you’re okay.
If sharing is not an option for whatever reason, then use the same portioning technique you use at home; as soon as your meal comes, ask for a to-go container and put away anything over 1-serving size.
Since it’s not sitting on your plate looking, smelling and tasting all good, you’ll avoid being tempted to keep eating for taste.
Parties and Other Social Events:
Wear those tight jeans! Or slim fitting top or dress. Basically, wear something that fits your body closely and will instantly remind you that you need to stop munching as the waistband starts to dig in. Instant portion control reminder!
If you go to a party in a big maxi dress, palazzo pants or anything loose, you’re giving yourself more leeway to chow down. True story: I use to have “eating pants” SMH.
Look, every once in a great while, we all go crazy on a bag of pretzels or dark chocolate covered almonds, if that happens, shake it off. We need to focus on the 85% of your life.
Try being more aware of your portions and tell me what you notice.
