Portion control is the act of identifying the amount of food we eat and adjusting it based on its nutritional value and weight loss goals. Portion control is an effective weight-loss strategy. We often tend to overeat because we feel like eating everything that’s on our plates. Restaurants have large serving sizes, making us eat more and put on weight.
People usually reduce their food intake to lose weight, which is not the best approach. If you are struggling with weight loss, you can visit some of the best weight loss centers in Las Vegas for diet counseling. Following are some tips that can help you control your food portions.
- Use smaller cutlery
Evidence suggests that the size of the plates, bowls, serving spoons, and glasses often influences how much a person eats. Food appears to be smaller when you eat on large plates and bowls. This leads to overeating.
Swapping your standard-sized plates with smaller ones can reduce the serving size and help you prevent overeating. Interestingly, people feel as full after eating with smaller utensils as they do with larger ones.
- Don’t pick at leftovers
Wasting food is certainly not good, but you don’t have to clear everyone’s plates. We often become tempted to eat what’s left by our children. Eating leftovers is only going to lead to more eating. The result is weight gain. Try cooking less food or using leftovers in another meal.
- When out, eat less
Restaurants have pre-determined serving sizes, which are often larger than normal. You could always ask for a half serving instead of a full one. You can also share your food with someone else to avoid overeating.
- Drink water before meals
Drinking water 30 minutes before eating will likely fill your stomach and make you eat less. When you are dehydrated, you feel like eating something. Thirst is often confused with hunger. Try drinking a glass of water and wait for 30 minutes. If you are still hungry, eat something; if not, you were just thirsty.
- Take your time while eating
The human body takes at least 20 minutes to come around to the fact that it is full. Therefore, it becomes necessary to eat slowly, savoring each bite. The longer you take to finish your meal, the more full you will feel before you finish it. Make sure to chew it properly and not rush through the meal.
- Avoid eating from the packets
When you eat directly from the packet or box, you may not notice how much you are eating. People eating from smaller packets ate less compared to those eating from larger packets. This works the same way as eating on smaller plates.
Weight loss doctors in Las Vegas say that when you are directly eating from a larger container or packet, you unconsciously feed yourself more, wanting to finish off the contents.
- Check food labels
Food labels help us understand what’s in our food. It also gives a rough idea of the serving size. It does not necessarily mean that we should go by the serving size mentioned on the pack. Depending on their diet, everyone requires a different serving size. Diet counselors at a professional weight loss center in Las Vegas advise that we must look at the labels to understand how much food we should be eating.
- Sweet endings
People usually have the habit of ending their meal with dessert. This leads to unnecessary calorie intake that only adds to your weight. Instead of cake or chocolate, you can end your meal with a bowl of fruit.
Large portion sizes are one of the culprits behind your unwanted weight gain. We never pay attention to the size of the servings we are eating. Being conscious of the portion we actually need will help a lot in our weight loss journey. Measuring your food, drinking water before taking meals, eating at a slow pace, and using smaller-sized plates can aid you in avoiding overeating.
To guide you through your weight loss journey, you can seek professional help at some of the best weight loss centers in Las Vegas. A&S Medical Weight Loss Clinic is one such place to approach if you are overweight and want to shed those extra pounds. One of our main operating principles is portion control, and we offer diet counseling in Las Vegas to help people overcome the habit of overeating. Contact us today and see the results you have always desired.
