Portion control and weight loss
Sep 19, 2024
At times it may be hard to understand why you’re not seeing the weight loss you are after, particularly if you are eating healthily and moving regularly.
It may come down to portions.
Even when we eat well and make healthy choices, you could potentially be eating too much and this may lead to weight gain or a weight plateau.
Here are some simple strategies to assist in checking whether portion control may be holding you back from achieving your goals:
Are you eating 3 main meals a day, as well as regular snacks?
If you are finding yourself skipping meals and instead snacking and grazing at irregular times, you may be consuming more calories than you are aware of. Sticking to scheduled meals and snacks makes it easier to control your daily intake and avoid feelings of excess hunger which may lead to excess calorie intake.
What are you serving your meals on and in?
If you are serving your meals on a large plate, bowl or container you are most likely consuming larger portion sizes. Using a smaller plate, such as a side plate or small container allows you to easily reduce your portion size and minimise your intake.
Are you consuming liquid calories?
Liquid calories are often not considered, however if your morning coffee has slowly increased from a small flat white to a large or your one regular latte a day has turned into three, then you have increased your calories. Watch for hidden liquid calories in coffees, juices, flavoured milk, soft drinks, energy drinks and alcohol. All of these are fine in very small amounts but may be holding you back if you are consuming larger quantities.
What about condiments and sauces?
Who doesn’t love a lump free gravy on their roast! Pouring gravy over your whole plate rather than just having a small amount on the meat alone will be adding extra unwanted calories to your day. The same is true for salad dressings, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, sour cream, cheese sauces etc. They are all a great way to add some extra flavour to your meal however moderation is key, or alternatively find a lower calorie substitute.
We encourage everyone to eat a varied and wholefood diet, however remember that moderation and portion control plays a crucial role in both weight loss and weight maintenance.