5 Portion Control Tips to Aid in Weight Loss

If you’ve ever found yourself feeling confused on what an accurate serving size is, you are not alone. In fact, many people have difficulty figuring out correct portion sizes and trying to not overeat. Many of our clients come to us at Island Weight Clinic and express feeling uncertain they are getting enough of the “good” foods and too much of the “bad” foods.

Oftentimes, we confuse the difference between serving sizes and what is being served to us. Many of us can recall being a child and hearing our parents tell us we couldn’t get up from the table until our ‘plate is clean’. This mentality has stuck with us into adulthood, so we are always feeling pressured to clean our plate and eat everything on it, even if we are full. The majority of restaurants heap the piles of food on our plates, and we would rather eat it as opposed to taking it ‘to-go’. Nothing is wrong with taking our food to go, and in fact, we suggest getting a to-go box in the beginning of your meal if you recognize that the portion is too large. Below, we will suggest a few other portion control tips:

• Divide and Conquer - If you’re looking for a new recipe, pay attention to the amount of ingredients used for each item, recipes are barely ever written for single servings. What you can do instead is, set aside the additional servings for another meal. Set aside the additional food in the beginning of the meal, this should lower the temptation to eat it and will also save you time in the next few days when your meal is prepared ahead of time, so it’s a win-win. If you think you’ll want more food to feel satisfied and full, add vegetables or have a small side salad.
• Skip the Larger Sizes - In the last 20 years, the amount of food we are served has nearly doubled. Along with the doubled portions, the plate, baking pan, muffin tin, etc., has also increased. We suggest using smaller plates, this will allow you to feel more satisfied with a correctly portioned meal. If your meal is correctly portioned and you continue to use a large plate, it may leave you feeling unsatisfied, deprived and disappointed and will most likely lead to unnecessary overeating.
• Satiating Add-Ins - Reduce the amount of high fat/high calorie components or add extra vegetables! This is a great way to increase the nutrition of the dish while cutting back on the unhealthy ingredients. Spinach is a great example of a replacement option/add-in. It is versatile and can be used in a number of ways across a multitude of dishes. Spinach can be used to reduce the amount of cheese in a lasagna/pasta dish or in an omelet in place of cheese.
• Keep Bowls Out of Reach - Although you may think it makes it easier to have the platters and bowls on the table while you are eating, however, this encourages overeating. If you leave the platters and serving bowls on the kitchen counter and plate your portions before you sit, you will be much less tempted to get a second serving. Instead, opt for a salad at the end of your meal to reach fullness, a nice delicious salad will allow you to end your meal on a nice, satisfying note.
  

We look forward to meeting you at either our Melbourne or Merritt Island location and helping you achieve your weight loss goals. Give us a call today or fill out our contact page, we will be in touch with you shortly.