5 Tricks To Eat Less
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Making smart and healthy food choices can be difficult!
Overeating can be a huge pitfall to reaching your weight loss goals or maintaining a healthy diet. Eating less and portion control go hand in hand in this type of situation, but eating the proper sized portions can be extremely difficult.
American portions today are out of control!
Go into any chain restaurant and you will be hard-pressed to find anything on the menu that is in a proper portion size. Food portions in American restaurants have close to tripled over the past 20 years. American staple foods such as pizza, hamburgers, bagels, popcorn, and even beverages like coffee and coke are frequently served in much larger portions that they used to be. And many still wonder why obesity is such a prevalent problem today!
Put portions back in your control!
Team SML has put together some tips below to help you navigate the world of portion control in your journey to eating better. Most importantly, remember to be intentional with your choices. Eating things like chocolate, ice cream, or pizza are okay, but moderation is important! You can control all of the factors that contribute to a healthy diet and these tips can help you along the way!
1. Keep a Food Journal
Keeping a food diary is a fantastic weight loss tool. It will show you what foods and what portions you have eaten and trends in foods you may eat too little or too much of. The act of just having to write everything down can also serve as accountability to yourself. It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed, like counting every single calorie, gram of fat, or carbohydrate you eat, even a simple list can make a big difference. And don’t forget beverages, condiments, and sauces either, these can be huge hidden calories in your diet.
2. Savor Your Food
Take small bites and chew every bite you take. Fully enjoy the food you eat! When you focus on slowing down and appreciating the food you eat, you will begin to learn how to recognize your feelings of hunger and satiety a little better and will be less likely to overeat.
3. Use Smaller Plates, Bowls, and Cups
Food looks bigger when it is presented on a smaller plate or bowl! Try using salad plates and a “cup” size bowl when eating at home, even if this required getting some new dinnerware. And focus on the proper plating method for meals: fill half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with whole grains. Making vegetables the main part of your meal is important. Not only are they low in calories but they are also packed with great vitamins and minerals.
4. Pre-Portion Your Food
Do you frequently eat chips or cookies straight from the bag? How do you know how much you have eaten when you don’t measure it first? Next time grab your measuring cup or food scale, depending on how the servings are measured, and measure out one serving and put the rest away for another day. This idea can also be used when eating out. Ask for your server to bring a to-go box when they bring your food. This way you can split everything so you aren’t tempted to overeat, and you’ll have a meal for lunch tomorrow as well!
5. Eat Breakfast
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it give your metabolism a kick start first thing, but studies show that people who eat breakfast have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) and consume fewer total calories each day than people who skip breakfast. If you are like many who just don’t feel hungry in the morning, try starting small with a smoothie made with greek yogurt or a piece of toast with peanut butter and a banana. You can retrain your brain to eat breakfast!