Portion Control for Weight Loss

Have you ever glanced at the calorie count on a restaurant menu and been in complete SHOCK at how many calories they can cram into an entrée? It can be challenging to find balance and be cognizant of your intake without becoming obsessed or overwhelmed.

Weight Loss Tip #8 - Watch Portions

It’s no secret that calorie intake plays a major role in the equation of weight gain, maintenance and weight loss. Becoming more aware of your average calorie intake verses our calorie output can help simplify the burning question of “Why can’t I lose weight?!” Here are some recommendations of where to start with portion control:

• Don’t eat from the container - place your meals or snacks into a cup, bowl or plate to increase awareness and avoid overeating or mindless eating.
  

• Ask for a to go box - even before you start eating at a restuarant, ask for a to go box. Place half the meal in this container before eating. If you are still hungry after you finish your portion, wait a few minutes and then allow yourself to eat more. I have a feeling often times you'll be more satisfied than you think with half to portion.
  

• Slow down at meals - your brain has a hard time keeping up with your stomach's signals of hunger/fullness if you eat too quickly. Try to make your meal last 20-30 minutes to ensure your brain is getting signals on when it is time to stop.
  

• Check in half way through your meal - if you are eating slowly, you should be able to take a moment in the middle of your meal to see if you're still hungry. If so, keep eating. If not, use this opportunity to push the plate away. Don't force yourself to "clean your plate"
  

• Eat on a smaller plate - see my past blog post
  

• Monitor your food intake - occasionally consider using an app or food tracker to input your meals and snacks. See about how many calories you typically consume in a day. You may be surprised how quickly they add up! Food tracking apps such as carb manager or my fitness pal can help you find a baseline on your average intake.
  

• Learn a few portion visuals - our idea of proper portions are skewed by the amounts we are served in restaurants or maybe how we grew up. Check out my helpful visual here! **please keep in mind that these visuals do not necessarily portray the size you should be eater per meal, but simply help you to calculate how many servings you are eating at a meal**

In order to avoid diet mentality and feelings of deprivation, it is essential that you don't eliminate foods that you love from your diet. Enjoy them in moderation every so often to avoid feeling too restricted and setting yourself up for failure. My challenge for you this week is to practice some of the recommendations above to become more aware of portion sizes. You may find that you're eating "all the right foods" just in amounts that are not moving you closer to your goals.

I'm here for you and I believe in you!

- Miranda Castillo, RD, LD, CDE

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