Weight Loss: Learn The Basics Of Portion Control From Nutritionist Nmami Agarwal

Weight loss: Having small, frequent meals can help in managing portion sizes

Portion control is actually the cornerstone of good nutrition, other than making sure that you're eating healthy food. Practicing portion control is essentially balancing and monitoring the portion sizes of your food in meals and snacks. However, portions are different than serving sizes. The serving sizes are listed on a product's nutrition label, and portions are the amount you decide to serve yourself. While practicing portion control, it has to be ensured that your body is getting all the things it needs to work well. Too little or too much of any food can make your bodywork harder to try and remedy the situation.

No matter what the type of diet you are on, identifying the correct portion size allows you to know exactly how many calories, carbs, sodium, or fats you're eating. This knowledge is the building block of good eating habits, which will increase your chances of achieving your health goals.

So, mastering with portion control can be simple which further can help people be successful in reaching and then maintaining a proper weight.

Weight loss: Here are some tips to practice portion control

1. Use hand as a guide: To practice portion control, use your hand as a visual guide for serving sizes. Your thumb, pointer finger, palm and fist can be used to estimate how big your servings should be for each of the food groups. For instance, a clenched fist should correspond to the carbohydrates in your meal.

Also read: Weight Loss: Exercises You Should Do During Periods

2. Eat off smaller plates: Serving yourself on a smaller plate may help with managing portion sizes if you use it as a tool for smaller portions, rather than filling up the plate and going back for multiple helpings.

3. Fill up on veggies: Veggies and greens are always a good idea so make sure you enjoy them with every meal. Not only they add valuable nutrients, but they also are filling and don't take up a bunch of calories, which allows you to better portion out your carbs and protein.

Fill up your plate with veggies to practice portion control effectively
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Maintain timing: Eating every four hours throughout the day or having a rhythm with your eating can really help with managing portions and preventing mindless snacking habits, which can lead to poor choices or overeating.

Also read: Struggling With Portion Control? These Tips Will Surprise You How Easy It Is

5. Drink more water: We tend to eat more when we are dehydrated. As a result, drinking a glass of water before your meal actually helps because you'll be less tempted to eat a big portion size.

6. Eat slowly: It can be difficult at first to re-train yourself, but try to slow down when you're eating. The longer you take to eat your food, the fuller you'll feel before you finish, which will help you eat what you need and not over-eat.

7. Make a note: Recording everything you eat and drink is a great way to become aware of portions, which can help you control them.

Eating with intention is not just important from a weight loss or management perspective, but also in respect to one's relationship with food.

Also read: Here's How Much You Should Be Eating In Your Main Meals

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

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