Practice Portion Control At Home

Portion control is treating yourself to a healthy amount of food, without over-consuming and over-snacking. Portion control can be especially challenging while eating at home because it is easy to snack continually or eat extra portions of dinner. The key to portion control is to break the habit of overeating. I’ve created a list of six helpful tips to help you practice healthy portion control at home.

Don’t leave food sitting out.

Practice portion control by taking an appropriate sized snack and then closing the package. Put the package back in its place in the pantry. When you put your food away, portion control is easier, because you have to make a conscious effort to reopen the package for more snacking. This gives you more time to exercise your willpower and avoid overeating.

Don’t snack from the package.

Following the same idea of putting the package away, never eat directly from the package. If you want to have a snack while you watch TV, take a portion of your snack and eat from a bowl. Don’t bring the entire package of your snack to the couch with you. It’s much easier to overeat when you have the entire package with you.

Use a smaller plate.

The easiest way to practice portion control is to use smaller plates in your home. Avoid the large serving dinner plates. Try using a salad plate to portion your dinner. Even a normal portion served on a salad plate will feel more satiating when you’ve finished eating. When your brain sees a smaller plate that looks full, you will feel more full. When your brain sees a big plate, that looks less full, you may not feel as satisfied after eating.

No seconds.

After you’ve finished your portion of dinner, avoid going back for seconds. Try going for a walk around the block, reading a book, or cleaning the kitchen. Distract yourself from your craving for a second helping. Once you can break the habit of eating second portions of food, portion control will be much easier.

Portion out your leftovers.

If you intend to bring leftovers for lunch, try portioning your leftovers out the night before! When you have separate containers of food to-go, you won’t take overly large portions on your way out the door. It will be a way to remain consistent with your portion control, even when you’re in a hurry!

For extra support on your journey toward a healthy lifestyle, contact me! I would love to offer support on your weight loss and fitness journey! Check out my website for tips, encouragement, and daily motivation to reach your goals!