Why Portion Control Is Important and How To Start
Trying to diet and change the way we eat is a tough task. Just because you are eating healthy foods does not mean you can gorge yourself and eat as much as you wish. Contrary to popular belief, in order to lose weight you do not have to get rid of all your favorite foods even if they may be considered “unhealthy”. The key is to limit your portions and consume the right amount of what your body needs. Focusing on portion control will aide you in adhering to a healthy lifestyle and is not hard to stick with once you know the keys to success.
Proper Digestion
Larger meals can cause your body to work extra hard in order to digest and process the food you eat. This can cause your body to waste energy. When you eat several smaller meals, the energy used helps to boost your metabolism and helps it work more efficiently. Once you start controlling the portion size of your meals, you will start to notice that you just feel better in general. Portion control helps to limit cramps, stomach pain, and guilt that can come with overeating.
Maintain Proper Glucose Levels
As you digest food, your body processes nutrients into glucose which then is turned into energy. If you eat large, heavy meals your body can be overwhelmed with glucose, causing your body to react and produce insulin to balance itself out. If this happens, your body will start to feel hungry again more quickly because it is “tricked” into thinking it needs more glucose. Portion control can help these important levels remain stable and allow you to feel fuller quicker and your body to work at its optimal level.
Save Money
Often times when we are trying to lose weight we allow ourselves to go overboard with spending. We tell ourselves spending lots of money on healthy foods is ok as long as we lose weight. Well, did you know we can lose weight and actually spend less? Focusing on your portion control will allow you to get more out of each trip to the store and will cut down on the amount of money you are spending on each trip. If you decide to have a night of eating out, a great tip to use is right when your food is delivered to your table, ask for a to-go-box and limit the portion you have. This can also allow you to turn 1 meal into 2, thus saving money.
Now that you can see how important paying close attention to portion size can be, here are a few more tips that will help you on your journey:
- Drink Water – Have a glass of water right before you eat your meal. This will cause you to begin to feel full, helping to limit the portion size you desire.
- Add Veggies – When preparing a meal, try adding more veggies. Veggies are low in calories but will let you feel like you are having a larger meal without consuming too much.
- Carbs on Top – Often times we use carbs like pasta, rice, etc. as the base of our meals. Instead try adding these on top last in smaller amounts and increase the portion of the vegetables or protein.
- Take Your Time – Allow yourself to enjoy the meal you are having. This will also allow your body proper time to digest properly and can help you feel like you are eating more by taking a longer amount of time to eat your meal.
- Work For Your Snacks – When using proper portion control, it is important to have snacks between meals. When choosing a snack, try to find something that will have you work for your food. Examples are oranges, pistachios, edamame or other items you may have to peel or crack before enjoying. This will prevent you from consuming too much of these tasty snacks and will also allow you to take your time enjoying them.
If you think portion control could be the extra boost you need to become a better you, then follow these tips and watch the weight fall off! Programs such as 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme are a great way to learn how to use portion control correctly and can be the start of a life-changing process of eating healthier and eating smarter.