Portion control is a great method that helps to monitor healthy eating practices. Portion control is the biggest nutrition hack that’s possible only after sticking to a healthy lifestyle. The main idea of portion control is to understand the need for food for the body. The main hurdle of weight loss comes when we try to finish everything that is served on a plate. In Today’s article will provide you with all the important information on how portion control can greatly help with weight loss.
How Important is Portion Control for Weight Loss?
Human bodies mainly function with the calories that are provided through food. The amount is calories can be determined through age, weight, and physical activity. For losing weight, a woman needs 1500 k.cals per day to lose one pound per week. Now let’s see the role of portion control. If calories are taken more than what is required for the body then these extra calories are stored as fat. So, for reducing the overload of calories in the diet, portion control is important.
Practicing portion control can be very difficult for some people. It’s because they are habituated to eating larger portions of food. These large portions unknowingly serve lots of calories leading to weight gain.
Role of Portion Control in Weight Loss
When we portion out our food we actually know how much food we are supplying to the body. When a person stays in a calorie deficit, that means eating less than what is required each day then the body uses fat for providing energy. The deposition of stored fat is used for energy leading to weight loss. The more fat is burned, more is the energy utilized which causes weight loss. It’s very important to maintain a healthy balanced diet where we can utilize portion control.
Portion Control VS Inflammation for Weight Loss
Practicing portion control is quite easy and sustainable. It’s because neither the body is deprived of food nor there is the elimination of any specific food group. A person can eat everything but in restricted amounts. In daily life, if a person is hungry within two hours of eating a meal then it means that it’s not working. It’s very important to know the role of inflammation and detoxification in weight loss. Let’s know in detail.
- The demand for nutrients is more in the body when there is systemic inflammation. If a person is practicing portion control but still there is no weight loss success, that means there’s something wrong. It could be all due to the problem of water retention and several allergies. All are signs of inflammation. It’s important to work for lowering inflammation rather than focusing on portion control.
- The weight loss key is to detox the body. Everybody is different. If some person has a tendency to hold weight all due to water retention then it means that the lymphatic system is congested. Such people gain a lot of weight. In that case, practicing portion control will not help. Focus more on optimizing the lymphatic system which helps to lose weight as body water-holding capacity decreases. Leafy veggies are rich in nutrients that are optimum for detoxification.
- Weight loss is all about the game of calories. The calorie output should be more than the input for losing weight. In this case, portion control is applied. When food is eaten one should know whether the body is able to utilize food in a proper way or not.
- When losing weight one has to have great control over cravings. When a person craves it eats in restricted portions without even satiating itself. When you have a small portion of your meal such as rice, dal, and a sabzi then again body craves snacks within a period of two hours. This means it’s not at all sufficient. Instead, have a bowl of healthy greens along with healthy fats which will not only leave you satiated but keeps you full for a long also.
Easy Portion Control Tips for Weight Loss
These tips are not only successful but will help to correct your eating patterns. These corrections could lead to massive weight loss without compromising on food.
1. A glass of water before the meal
Having a glass of water before a meal will actually fill your stomach naturally. This makes a person eat less and avoid overeating. Mostly, thirst is often confused with hunger. So, having water will reduce the desire to eat food. So, sipping water before meals can help with food.
2. Serve on smaller plates
A simple way to control the portion is to serve in smaller plates. A study published in 2015, in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review states that smaller plates, knives, forks, and glasses reduce the amount of food eaten. This small portion helps in managing portion control.
3. Vegetables and fiber
If you want to make yourself full then bulk up your meal with a load of veggies. While having sandwiches, include veggie toppings that can make them fiber-rich and nutrient-dense. Other such ideas are to replace meat with mushrooms, add up chia seeds, and apples to oats, etc.
4. Colorful Dinnerware
According to a study in 2018, published in Nutrition Journal says the color of the plate influences how much a person eats. According to the study, the color of the plate determines how much you are eating in one serving. Foods such as green leafy veggies or rainbow salad can be eaten from larger bowls.
5. Do not make carbs as a main meal
When having meals do not bulk meals with carbs. If cereals are eaten for breakfast then don’t start layering parfait with fruits. Instead, add greek yogurt at the base then sprinkle granola just to add crunch. The same goes for meals also. Start with a bed of salad along with protein sources on it. Then goes one-fourth cup of rice on the side according to preference.
6. Eat Slow
When food is eaten slowly the portion size is automatically reduced. When having meals it’s important to relax and keep the spoon down in between meals. Keep sipping water in between so that the meal lasts longer.
7. Avoid eating from a bag or box
In 2021 article published in Nutrients states that those who eat from smaller packages eat less rather than those eaten from larger packages. From larger packs, it’s difficult to know about portion size. In smaller packs, one can know how much is eaten.
8. Having soup before a meal can help
Before you start relishing food, have a bowl of soup. This will eventually make you eat less at meals. A study published in 2021 Obesity Review states that solid food leaves people more full while viscous soup leaves people more satiated. Have a bowl of fiber-rich veggies that fills half of your stomach.
9. Browse the buffet before choosing food
A study published in 2013, in PLoS One, differentiates between buffet lines in which food is written in order. For example, a line of buffets serves food from healthy to least healthy. People while ordering food look at the first line of the menu card and place an order rather than looking at all the healthiest options. So, look first and make choices.
10. Have a drink from tall glasses
According to a study of 2020 named Scientific Reports states that those who consume alcohol from straight-edged glasses drank less rather than straight-edged glasses. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, drinks should be limited to two glasses for men and one glass for women.
11. Mealtime distractions should be avoided
An article published in 2020, by Frontiers in Psychology states that people consume more calories while using phones during their meals. In a study, it was also stated that in the 2019, Nutrients article, those who work on a computer feels less satiated while working with a computer.
12. Give yourself a healthy sweet treat
Many people are habituated to eating some sort of sweet at end of the meal. Instead of loading on sugar-filled sweets, have some flavored teas such as peppermint, chocolate cinnamon, etc. This will help to satisfy cravings. Some fruits can also be tried out.
Having large portions of food can lead to weight gain. There are many successful ways that could help with portion control. These ways do not compromise on taste and feeling of fullness. Portion control could be a great way to avoid binge eating which improves lifestyle quality.
