How Does One Practice Portion-Control (when it comes to food)?

[Cyke]

Wellp, yes, summer will soon invade our lives, and I should've started eating healthier in March. But it's the middle of April and I figure I should ask this now.

So, yes. I'm cutting back on high-fructose corn syrup and my sugar consumption, as well as sodium. I'm also starting a jogging and cardio regimen, as well as just a bit of weightlifting. But even the best laid diets are useless without some sort of portion control.

Research is fine and all, but advice coming from people I actually talk to lends a sense of assurance and personality to it. I need tips, TIPS... on how to exercise some self-control. Any advice? No electro-shock therapy needed, thank you.

[Typo Lad]

Buy those TV dinner trays. Allow yourself one helping of anything. If still hungry, fill up on veggies.

[howyadoin]

Research is fine and all, but advice coming from people I actually talk to lends a sense of assurance and personality to it. I need tips, TIPS... on how to exercise some self-control. Any advice?At the risk of sounding obvious, if you only cook a small amount of food at a time, there's no way to eat a huge serving.

[Matt Algren]

At the risk of sounding obvious, if you only cook a small amount of food at a time, there's no way to eat a huge serving.
Drink more water. A lot of people are slightly dehydrated, and their body interprets the thirst as hunger. If you're hungry at an odd time, drink a glass of water and wait fifteen minutes before proceeding.

Eat more slowly. That way your stomach has time to figure out that you've had enough and send the message northward.

[Generic Eric]

Portion control is often just combatting boredom. Find somthing to occupy your time like a hobby, visit friends, go someplace. Having healthy options that don't take much time prepare is good too. Fresh fruit and vedgetables is always a good thing to have around the house.

[Joe Grendel]

Joan Collins -- the younger folks can go look her up :p -- says her diet secret is to order whatever she wants, but only to eat half of it, whatever it is. If it's good enough for a former sex symbol (albeit a sex symbol from a period that didn't really have great sex symbols), it's good enough for you!

[Joe Grendel]

On a more serious note, this story from NPR (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9521105) addresses your question and, I thought, was a pretty interesting listen a week or so ago.

[Paul McEnery]

Stab your brother in the hand with a fork. That'll stop him from stealing your cookies.

Oh, not that kind of portion control?

[ragnarok_2012]

I've taken a lot of bodyfat off through calorie counting and exercise. I imagine that's similar to portion control.

[HomerJay]

Instead of the whole pizza, only eat half, tubby.

[thespianphryne]

I find keeping properly hydrated through the day is a big help. And then of course I eat a lot of spicy food. Whenever I cook at home and am eating spicy I feel more satisfied even though the actual portions are less. That's what works for me. Regular meal times, and no skipping meals is also useful.

-Das

[SOGG]

Nothing made me shed weight and girth faster than taking up gymnastics.

After always waking up sore from training the day before, you start to wish that you had less weight to lug around.

Then it all becomes pavlovian.

[Mac Danny]

Here are some simple thing I found that help.

1. About 20 Min before you eat, eat a handful of Raw Almonds or any raw nut. It will start your body on the "I'm Eating Food" thing so when you do eat you are not waiting 20 min for your bod to realize it's eating and that you are full.

2. Cut your food into small bites. This takes time and makes the meal last longer.

3. Put your fork down between bites and have a sip from your drink. Again, the trick is to slow down. Your body takes on average 20 min to decide if it is full. You can gorge yourself in less time if you eat too fast. there is also no need to have the fork at the ready between bites. No one is going to take your food away.

4. Get smaller plates. Most of our plates are 12" a 9" plate makes your meal look bigger and more filling.

5. Make smaller meals. If you only make one portion you can only eat one portion.

6. Have a salad with your meal. Use olive oil and vinegar for the dressing. If you put a lot lettuce and vegetables in you it's better than another slice of bread or another roll.

7. Use Whole Grains. You would be surprised how switching to an organic wheat pasta can fill you up faster by the serving than a box of Ronzoni. Whole foods, especially whole fiber foods, dill your body faster and more completely. You will not feel hungry.

8. Last but not least. get used to the sensation of hungry. Until your body gets used to the new portion regimen you will feel hungry. It could take 2 weeks for your stomach to contract it's new size, so get used to the sensation. Drink water to help a little. If you feel hungry later, realize that this is a sign that your body is processing your food. Don't eat. this is when the body starts to consume some fat.

Oh and also, try not to eat past 7pm. If you eat before bed, whatever you ate can turn straight to ass and gut overnight.

[Merey]

So, yes. I'm cutting back on high-fructose corn syrup and my sugar consumption, as well as sodium. I'm also starting a jogging and cardio regimen, as well as just a bit of weightlifting. But even the best laid diets are useless without some sort of portion control.


Buy those TV dinner trays. Allow yourself one helping of anything. If still hungry, fill up on veggies.

I mentioned this in Rita's earlier today, but be careful with the TV dinner trays. They often have a huge amount of sodium in them. A nutritionist told me that when looking at a nutrition label, as a guideline, you should aim for a 1:1 ratio between calories and sodium (with in mind that the recommended maximum allowance of salt/day is 2,300 mg or 1 tsp of salt). Most TV dinners I looked at recently were at the very least two times that. And most canned soups, per serving, is ten times that. Most soups are around 100 calories per serving but have almost 1,000 mg of sodium.

So, in conclusion, most canned soups are EVIL! And tv dinners can be slightly evil.

[Matt Algren]

I mentioned this in Rita's earlier today, but be careful with the TV dinner trays. They often have a huge amount of sodium in them. A nutritionist told me that when looking at a nutrition label, as a guideline, you should aim for a 1:1 ratio between calories and sodium (with in mind that the recommended maximum allowance of salt/day is 2,300 mg or 1 tsp of salt). Most TV dinners I looked at recently were at the very least two times that. And most canned soups, per serving, is ten times that. Most soups are around 100 calories per serving but have almost 1,000 mg of sodium.

So, in conclusion, most canned soups are EVIL! And tv dinners can be slightly evil.
You could not possibly convince me that Campbell's Chunky Sirloin Burger With Country Vegetables Soup is evil.

[Cyke]

At the risk of sounding obvious, if you only cook a small amount of food at a time, there's no way to eat a huge serving.

The thing is, sometimes the most obvious is the most overlooked. So I can appreciate even the most mundane of tips.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Don't eat in the shower.

[Cyke]

Don't eat in the shower.

Says the one named chocolate. Do you swim in Willy Wonka's pool?! Huh? HUH?!?








(please say yes)

[i_mmmchocolate]

(please say yes)
Yes.

Everyone has given great advice. I'll also add one thing: only eat when you're hungry. My sister has a problem with her weight because she just eats because 'the food is there'. Later on, she ends up regretting it.

Build up an appetite.

[Typo Lad]

I mentioned this in Rita's earlier today, but be careful with the TV dinner trays. They often have a huge amount of sodium in them.

I meant the actual TRAYS, not the dinners. Cook your own food, serve them in the portioned trays.

[howyadoin]

there is also no need to have the fork at the ready between bites. No one is going to take your food away.Evidently you've never eaten with my family.

[Cyke]

I meant the actual TRAYS, not the dinners. Cook your own food, serve them in the portioned trays.

Oh, NOW it all makes sense... :)

[K'Nort]

I've know people who had great success (and I'm quite serious) with taking their shirt off before they eat. Or better yet, just cranking up the heat and going shirtless all the time. Provided you live alone, of course.

[Paul McEnery]

http://davebudge.com/wp-images/47513555.NeverEatAnythingBiggerThanYourHead.jpg

[Sabrina_Fried]

I think I may have mentioned this in other threads, but the main way I practice portion control is to stick to my activity routine (Tai Chi, Kung Fu, etc). I find that when I am doing that kind of vigorous activity I literally am incapable of eating big meals either before or after because I will feel sick.

I also do things like buy my meat, fish, poultry, etc, from a butcher who will cut the meat to my specifications. Therefore when I DO buy one of those huge steaks for example, I can ask him to cut it into portions and wrap them seperately. So one steak becomes part of two or even three meals. And I only cook the portions as I need them.

Sabrina

[Merey]

I meant the actual TRAYS, not the dinners. Cook your own food, serve them in the portioned trays.

Ah yes, that makes sense. Good suggestion. There are a lot of people, those who don't like cooking I presume, who control their proportions by just eating tv dinners. It worked for a friend of mine, but yeah...not the healthiest solution out there.

[Kirby]

Two whoppers instead of a whopper and fries.

[Chris N]

Two whoppers instead of a whopper and fries.

Or you can get all the whoppers and fries you want if you just get diet coke with it

[howyadoin]

Or you can get all the whoppers and fries you want if you just get diet coke with itSimilarly, a veggie burger is fine with bacon and cheddar.

[stealthwise]

Count how much you chew to slow yourself down. Give yourself about 20-30 chews per bite.

Damn, this topic is making me hungry...

[Typo Lad]

It worked for a friend of mine, but yeah...not the healthiest solution out there.

Remember Mer, you can't say "sodium" without saying "yum".

[TinMan]

Yes.

Everyone has given great advice. I'll also add one thing: only eat when you're hungry. My sister has a problem with her weight because she just eats because 'the food is there'. Later on, she ends up regretting it.

Build up an appetite.This is an extremely bad idea. All diatritions (I know thats spelled wrong) will tell you to eat when you aren't hungry and to eat 6 small meals a day rather than the 3 we typically do. The reason for this is by the time our bodies get "hungry", they've started using muscle, as well as fat, for energy. Plus, eating 6 small meals keeps your metabolism boosted up higher because you're in a constant state of digestion and absorbtion of nutrients, so you end up losing more weight and having more energy throughout the day without feeling gorged.

I'mma throw out an idea here that may be a little kooky, possibly a little wacky: read the portion information on the side of the package! They aren't there to spruce up the box. :p The advice to eat slower is a good one as well, but if you actually measure out your portions based upon the package portion sizes and weighing that out with your necessary calorie, carb, protein and fat intake, you can gage how much you can afford to eat.

I bought a book published by Men's Health magazine, called "The Hard Body Plan". It's a workout and diet regimine designed by multiple sports trainers (one of the main contributers is the trainer/dietrition for the Chicago Blackhawks, Bears and Bulls I belive it was), the system is created both to lose weight (for us fatties) and gain weight (for the girlie men). They have a table in there explaining how many calories and grams of Protein, fat and carbs you want to take in per day in order to gain or lose weight while still developing muscle. I've gone by this and the portion sizes on the packaging to lose probably about 8-10 lbs in the last 3 weeks and put on about 6 lbs of muscle. I highly recommend the book, it's only $20 and it's an investment well worth it if you're going to be hitting the weights in an attempt to gain some muscle and lose weight.

[MaxofSteel]

I eat like a pig when I'm alone. And fast too.

But when I eat with others (specifically non-familiars/strangers), I find that I force myself to eat slower so that I don't finish so early (since most people I've come to meet eat much slower than I do).

[cactusmaac]

Do weights in the morning and avoid anything with sugar in it. Don't eat sandwiches, have salad with fish\chicken etc.

[Mac Danny]

Evidently you've never eaten with my family.

No I have also never been to prison. I imagine they are similar experiences.

[Mac Danny]

One more thing..

I want all the Italian boys and girls in the crowd to hear me.

IT IS NOT A SIN TO THROW AWAY FOOD

[DarkBlade]

One more thing..

I want all the Italian boys and girls in the crowd to hear me.

IT IS NOT A SIN TO THROW AWAY FOOD
Thats also a Depression Era throwback.

[DarkBlade]

Smaller dishes.

Seriously. I got some smaller bowls to have cereal in, and juice-sized cups. I end up drinking 5-8oz of soda at a time instead of 12-20oz. And now I'm having a smaller bowl of cereal, and snag an apple or a banana on the way out the door in the mornings.

Bento boxes are also great for portion control.

[Mac Danny]

Thats also a Depression Era throwback.

Like Licorice, Ribbon Candy, and keeping "MAD" money in a coffee can. Lets stop all of them shall we?

[Typo Lad]

IT IS NOT A SIN TO THROW AWAY FOOD

Fun fact - it is if you're Jewish.

So we freeze it.

Then it sits in the freezer so long that it becomes crystalized.

Then we can throw it out. Hey, it's not food anymore, right?

...

YES WE KNOW WE'RE MISSING THE POINT.

[JDogindy]

I have a really bad habit. I tend to gorge on snacks. I cut back a lot, but then I fall off the wagon and start woofing down many of those Ding Dongs.

Not a healthy habit.

[borateen]

I fall off the wagon and start woofing down many of those Ding Dongs.

J Dog loves him some ding dongs.

[Mac Danny]

Fun fact - it is if you're Jewish.

So we freeze it.

Then it sits in the freezer so long that it becomes crystalized.

Then we can throw it out. Hey, it's not food anymore, right?

...

YES WE KNOW WE'RE MISSING THE POINT.


True Story..

One Thanksgiving my wife and I wanted to make Pumpkin Bread. We got my Mom's recipe and set out to get the ingredients. The recipe called for 20 oz of Pumpkin. The can's we found came in 15 Oz. What did we do? We bought enough cans to make the lowest common denominator of batches. By the end of this, we had 12 or so loves of pumpkin bread. Who needs that much Pumpkin Bread?

Sure, we could have bought 2 cans and thrown away 10 oz.. but NO!! that would be wasteful..

What is Not wasteful?? spending hard earned dollars on extra pumpkin mix and having to throw away moldy old uneaten bread.

Anyone want a 2 year old pumpkin loaf?

[Typo Lad]

You could give it to neighbors. We've done that.

[SOGG]

One more thing..

I want all the Italian boys and girls in the crowd to hear me.

IT IS NOT A SIN TO THROW AWAY FOOD

But it is very, very wasteful. Considering the amount of people who can't eat.

Besides, keeping leftovers and eating them not too long afterwards together with some other dish is a good way to add variety to your next meal.

[The Batman]

Or you can reuse leftovers as ingredients in a new dish. For example, I have some left over risotto from tuesday that I'm going to make stuffed peppers with for tonight.

[Mac Danny]

You could give it to neighbors. We've done that.

We brought them to every party and dinner we went to until new years. With everyone usually bringing dessert, they still went barley eaten..

I have gained enough weight in the name of not wasting food. So while I may have not sinned, I'll find out when I die earlier due to heart disease from eating everything and being a fat ass.

[Mac Danny]

But it is very, very wasteful. Considering the amount of people who can't eat.


Funny this is the same reason I drink. I drink for all the Sober children in Africa who can't drink.

[SOGG]

Funny this is the same reason I drink. I drink for all the Sober children in Africa who can't drink.

Well done then.

[i_mmmchocolate]

This is an extremely bad idea. All diatritions (I know thats spelled wrong) will tell you to eat when you aren't hungry and to eat 6 small meals a day rather than the 3 we typically do. The reason for this is by the time our bodies get "hungry", they've started using muscle, as well as fat, for energy. Plus, eating 6 small meals keeps your metabolism boosted up higher because you're in a constant state of digestion and absorbtion of nutrients, so you end up losing more weight and having more energy throughout the day without feeling gorged.
Oops!

runs away

[Sabrina_Fried]

I completely agree with the smaller dish size idea. I used to have a terrible time controlling my portions with things like ice cream when I first moved out because all I had to serve it in was the standard-sized soup bowls that came with my Corell dish set. Then one day I happened to be in Chinatown and found a very nice ceramic miso soup bowl that holds precisely one ladel full of soup, or one scoop of ice cream.

I also find that not buying food in large amounts helps too. I noticed that when I used to do my grocery shopping once a week and bulk up on all these frozen dinners and such, I actually used to eat more of them, and faster, simply because I would get bored of them and I wanted to clean out my freezer for the next round of stuff.

When I started cutting back on all the processed food, keeping myself in fresh meat and veggies necessitated me going to the grocery store every few days, and because I knew I would be in the store every few days, I planned my meals out better so that I would know exactly what I needed to get at the store (which is on my walking route on my way home from work anyway), because food levels in my fridge and freezer are more or less constant now, but I have alot more variety in what I eat, I don't feel quite the urge to clean out the freezer like I used to, so I only eat amounts of food that will sate me.

I also find that I am saving money this way too. Yes I pay more because I am buying in smaller quantities more often, but because the food doesn't stick around long enough to spoil, I eat almost all of what I buy.

Sabrina