These days, nutrition experts advise that eating in moderation is an important part of improving your overall health and obtaining your weight goals. Below are several tips to help you begin.
Control Your Portions
- Divide Your Plate: The idea of controlling your portions may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need to do is use your plate as your guide. That’s because a balanced meal is made up of one-half a plate of vegetables and one-fourth a plate each of lean protein and healthy carbohydrates. So all you have to do is divide your plate with that formula in mind.
- Measure Your Food: When one particular food makes you want to go overboard, consider measuring it out. A good example is spaghetti. To make sure you just eat what you need, use a measuring cup or an equivalent. For instance, your balled-up fist is equal to about a cup. Also, the hand portion of your open palm is equivalent to a protein portion.
- Split Your Dessert: Another way to control your portions without feeling like you’re missing out is to share your dessert with your companion. That way, you’ll enjoy your after-dinner treat without overdoing it.
- Put Away Your Extra Food: When you’re eating a meal, make sure the pots of food are out of sight. You can do this by going ahead and storing the extra food after you’ve served the appropriate portions of the meal. It helps to go ahead a put storage containers on the counter while you’re preparing the meal.
- Eliminate Distractions While Eating: It’s easy to overeat when you’re distracted. One minute you’re automatically going through your meal while working at your desk, sitting in front of the television or driving in the car. Then you suddenly reach for your next bite and realize there’s nothing left. You didn’t get to enjoy it and barely tasted it. Thus, you feel like you didn’t eat and are tempted to refill your plate. That’s why it’s best to sit at a table, be aware of what you’re eating and savor the experience. Doing so will help ensure that you eat just the right amount.
- Take Your Time When Eating: When you take your time to enjoy your meal, instead of hurrying to finish, your mind and stomach have the chance to process the fact that you’ve eaten all you need. It also helps when you pace yourself with smaller bites and put down your utensils while you chew.
- Adjust Your Snacking: Eating in moderation doesn’t mean you have to cut out your snacks. You just need to be more mindful about it. As with your dinner, it’s about portion management. All you need to do is portion out your snacks and put them into containers or plastic bags. That way, you’ll still be satisfied in between meals.
Hold Back When Eating Out
- Try Eating a Healthy Snack Beforehand: Before you head out to a party or dinner at a restaurant, try eating yogurt or fruit. If you’re not ravenous when eating out, you’ll be less likely to overindulge.
- Take Some of Your Meal Home: Because a lot of restaurants give you portions that are twice as much as you need, you can easily save the rest for a second meal at home. Just ask for a to-go container before you leave the restaurant. Then when you plan to eat the leftovers at home, put them on a plate so you can keep track of your portions.
- Plan Ahead: Before you make that weekly trip to the grocery store, add a little extra planning into your routine. When you’re writing your grocery list, go ahead and plan your meals for the upcoming week. This will help you buy just what you need, avoiding extra. Plus, planning your meals will help you reinforce your efforts to eat in moderation.
Eating in moderation is a major key to helping you feel better and achieving a healthy lifestyle. With these tips in mind, balancing your diet will become second nature.
