When it comes to planning out your meals, one of the big questions that arises is portion size. You want to make sure you are getting enough to eat, but you also do not want to overdo it. “People tend to eat almost all of what they serve themselves. Therefore, controlling portion sizes can help prevent overindulging.” Check out the following tips for managing your portion size for meals (but, of course, be sure to talk to your physician before making any changes to your diet or fitness regime):

1.      Use smaller dinnerware. This optical trick can actually lead to better portion control. “Evidence suggests that sizes of plates, spoons and glasses can unconsciously influence how much food someone eats. For example, using large plates can make food appear smaller — often leading to overeating. In one study, people using a large bowl ate 77% more pasta than those using a medium-sized bowl. In another study, nutritional experts served themselves 31% more ice cream when given larger bowls and 14.5% more when provided with larger serving spoons. Interestingly, most people who ate more due to large dishes were completely unaware of the change in portion size.” This could be worth a try and if you are still hungry after eating everything off of your smaller plate, remember—you could always go back for seconds.

2.      Let your plate be your guide. It may not have quite the same ring as when Jiminy Cricket said, “Let your conscience be your guide,” but your plate can help you manage your portions throughout a meal. Vegetables or salad should take up about half of your plate, high-quality proteins like meat, eggs, or tofu should take a quarter, and then the last quarter can be complex carbs like whole grains and starchy vegetables. You can also include roughly half a tablespoon of high-fat foods such as cheese, oils, and butter. “Remember that this is a rough guide, as people have different dietary needs. For example, those who are more physically active often require more food. As vegetables and salad are naturally low in calories but high in fiber and other nutrients, filling up on these may help you avoid overeating calorie-dense foods.”

3.      Ask for a half portion when eating at a restaurant. Restaurants, especially American restaurants, have a reputation for doling out huge portions. “In fact, restaurant serving sizes are, on average, about 2.5 times larger than standard serving sizes — and up to a whopping eight times larger.” To avoid a pitfall of eating too much food off of too large of a plate, you can ask your server for a half portion or ask if they can preemptively box up half of your dish for you to take home with you (and then you have leftovers for lunch tomorrow). Alternately, you can split a dish with your dining companion or order an appetizer and a side rather than a main dish.

4.      Hydration is key. Drinking water up to 30 minutes before a meal will naturally help with portion control and proper hydration can help your body better distinguish between hunger and thirst. “One study in middle-aged and older adults observed that drinking 17 ounces (500 ml) of water before each meal resulted in a 44% greater decline in weight over 12 weeks, most likely due to reduced food intake. Similarly, when overweight and obese older adults drank 17 ounces (500 ml) of water 30 minutes before a meal, they consumed 13% fewer calories without trying to make any changes. In another study in young normal-weight men, drinking a similar amount of water immediately before a meal resulted in greater feelings of fullness and reduced food intake.” Yet another reason to keep up with your water intake!

5.      Do not eat straight from the snack package. Think about what it is like to eat from a big bag of chips—you have a few chips and then a few more and then before you know it, half of the bag is gone. By pulling out a serving size instead of eating straight from the package, you can maintain more control over your portions. “Evidence suggests that people tend to eat more out of large packages than small ones — regardless of food taste or quality. For example, people ate 129% more candies when served from a large container than a small one. In another study, participants consumed over 180 fewer grams of snacks per week when given 100-gram snack packs than when given snacks in standard-sized packages.”[1]

What are some of your tips and tricks for maintaining proper portion control? Tag us on social media @therealbodepro and show us how you stay Bodē Pro Happy & Skinny!

[1] Brown, Mary Jane. “9 Tips to Measure and Control Portion Sizes.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 Nov. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/portion-control#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8.