Portion Control: What it Is and How to Eat Less – Full Guide
Do you feel frustrated when people criticize your eating habits without explaining exactly how to eat less? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a matter of poor self-control–it’s a matter of portion control. In this Foodie Fit blog, you’ll learn some simple ways to manage your food intake.
What is Portion Control?
Balancing your nutrition intake is a skill that gets easier with practice. Don’t worry about being perfect–gaining control over any part of your life with small steps makes you feel better.
What is portion control? A portion is the amount of food on your plate. A serving, on the other hand, is the Recommended Daily Allowance of certain nutrients to meet your body’s health needs according to the National Institutes of Health. Requirements vary depending on age, health conditions, and gender. Your goal is to match your portion with your recommended RDA. Food is medicine: You take better care of yourself by choosing what goes in your mouth and when.
Benefits of Portion Control
Declare out loud, “MY BODY, MY CHOICE!” Portion control helps you decrease the number of calories while you increase energy, balance blood sugar, improve digestion, boost your mood, and reduce the effects of chronic disease.
Portion control for weight loss means breaking old habits by replacing them with new habits that satisfy your hunger. Check out the resources below on easy ways to measure your food.
How to Naturally Decrease Appetite with Portion Control
Here are tips to help you learn how to decrease appetite without spending money on medications:
- Use smaller plates.
- Drink liquids before each meal.
- Eat foods high in protein, water, and fiber.
- Make it fun by giving yourself variety.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
The average human body is more than 50% water. It needs hydration for blood flow to distribute oxygen and nutrients while carrying away wastes. If you have problems with indigestion, constipation, dry skin, thick mucus, stiff joints, and feeling sluggish, you might be dehydrated. Eat more fresh veggies and fruits.
Interested in how to decrease appetite? Drink fluids! Enjoy more soups, herbal teas, and smoothies. The fewer the additives, the better. Want foods that suppress appetite?Consider green tea, ginger, coffee, and cacao powder.
Choose Protein (and Plenty of It)
Protein is a major nutrient necessary for survival. It provides energy and the building blocks for healing and other processes.
Get protein from animal sources, including meats, eggs, and milk products. For high-quality plant protein, consume nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans of all kinds, which are also rich in fiber.
Because of its density, proteins tend to be filling, making them ideal foods that suppress appetite.
Mindful Eating Practices
Have you ever heard the advice to open your mind before you open your mouth? It not only refers to talking, but also eating. Mindful eating means asking yourself why you’re eating the item you’ve chosen. For emotional comfort? Healing? Health?
- Substitute fruits for candy and bakery sweets.
- Slow down and savor each bite. Chewing aids digestion.
- Eat more veggies!
- Use fiber in learning how to eat less and fight disease.
- A satisfying trick on how to decrease appetite is eating numerous healthful snacks instead of glutting in one or two large meals.
Conclusion
In the old days, doctors often carried black medical bags to make home visits. Imagine your own medical bag filled with different options for keeping yourself healthy. Portion control for weight loss, appetite management, balanced nutrition, more energy, and better health is “in the bag”!