Dieting and Portion Control

Portion is the amount of food or drink a person chooses to consume. In many cases, an individual’s portion size is usually larger than the ideal serving size. Portion control is basically putting a limit on the amount of food consumed in one sitting.

Portion control is one of the most important aspects in maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle and at the same time, it is also the most easily overlooked aspect. The sad truth is that when most of us sit to eat, the last thing we want to think about is portion control. You may think that portion control isn’t  necessary when it comes to eating healthy foods (they are healthy, so why stress?) but the truth is, for anyone on a diet or looking to maintain their current figure, practicing the portion control is advisable and very important, alongside eating clean/healthy. Gone are the days of eating an unlimited amount of wheat bread, Ofada rice or a banana muffin and feeling safe about the calories. Portion control should be put into consideration while consuming meals no matter how healthy the meal is rated.

How It Works

Educating yourself on the right serving sizes is the first successful step to portion control. The serving size of food products can be found on the nutritional labels of the product. The good thing is with little practice, portion control is easy to adapt to and can help you attain and maintain a desired weight, as well as body figure.

Below are simple ways to keep your portions within healthy range:

• Read Nutritional Labels

Most times, the last thing many people think of before consuming certain products is reading through the nutritional label. The nutritional label comprises of the nutritional content in respect to their amount in the product as well as the calories and appropriate serving size. It is important to always read through the nutritional label even before purchasing as it gives you a rough idea of what the ingredients are and the amount of calories contained.

• Make Use of Portion Control Dishware

Larger plates encourage individuals to consume more food than necessary. Food appears smaller on a larger dish and vice versa, so making use of smaller dishware such as plates, bowls, and cups will help to control the amount of food consumed.

• Dish Out Your Portion Separately

It is advisable to dish out your portion of food directly from the pot into your small dishware and avoid family-style buffet. However, this does not mean that you should not eat together with your family; it only means that it’s better to dish out your meal separately. The reason is that family-style buffet encourages one to consume multiple rounds of food in one sitting without keeping track.

• Measure Accurately During Preparation

It is important to measure beverages and food ingredients like your cooking oil because they contain a lot of calories. It is advisable to make use of measuring spoons instead of just pouring directly in your cooking pan (in the case of oil) or cup (in the case of your beverage).

• Control Portion While Eating Out

It’s so easy to lose control when eating out at restaurants. Self-control is imperative, as most restaurants have their standard serving sizes which might be bigger than your ideal portion size. It is important to know when you have reached your limit, quickly signal the waiter to take away your plate so that you don’t indulge any further.

Maybe you still have flashbacks from your childhood of your mother holding a cane and threatening to ‘flog’ you if you don’t finish your food. It is important to identify your hunger cues, eat when you are hungry and stop when you’re full. Remember you do not necessarily have to finish the food on your plate if you are satisfied.