The last thing any of us want to worry about as we sit down to eat is portion control. However, anyone on a diet or just looking to maintain their current weight should do just that. To lose weight, you must lose more calories than you eat, which necessarily involves a conscious thought of portion sizes. This does not mean you will not have to consume small portions of just about everything.
Here are some fitness advice to minimize portion sizes, reduce calories, and lose weight without counting down the minutes before your next meal:
- Start meals with a glass of water
Drinking 16 ounces (a large glass) of water before eating would fill your stomach with water, inevitably making you less likely to overeat. Besides that, certain dehydration symptoms may be the source of your rumbling stomach, so drinking some water before eating would absolutely alleviate your “hunger.”
- Fill up on vegetables.
Introducing vegetables to your meals is a great way to reduce calories when wanting to instantly fill you up. Spinach can be used as a sandwich topping or to add fibre and nutrients to pasta and stir-fries. Other ways to consume more vegetables include substituting mushrooms for half of the ground meat in most dishes, adding sliced apples to oatmeal to make it more flavourful, and using a whole-wheat pita instead of bread to pack it with more vegetables.
- Make carbs the topper instead of the base
Reconsider how you use grains and starches. For instance, instead of beginning with a granola base, load your cup halfway with yoghurt and then sprinkle a limited proportion of granola on top for better texture and crunch. If you would want to make a stir-fry, add a quarter cup of brown rice to your dish after adding vegetables and a serving of lean protein.
- Set the tone for a more leisurely meal
It is advised to dim the lights and play soothing music to liven things up for a more pleasant dinner. Slowing down when dining increases relaxation and minimises servings. To make your meals last longer, bite down slowly, place your fork down between bites and sip on a glass of water.
- Taking time with your food
Another way to slow down your diet is to eat foods that may need shelling, peeling, or individual unwrapping. Healthy options include oranges, edamame, and pistachios in their shells.
- Avoid eating from the bag or box.
Researchers from Cornell University conducted an analysis to address this concern and discovered that when people were offered no visual cues as to how big a portion could be, they consumed 50% more chips. After each meal, find a fresh, healthy routine to indicate that you’re done eating. For a low- or no-calorie sweet-tooth satisfier, nutritionists suggest brewing a flavourful decaf tea like peppermint, ginger, chocolate, or one of your favourite fruity varieties.
