Reducing serving sizes will help you to reach your weight loss goals faster. Eating more slowly, using smaller plates and silverware, asking for a takeout box in restaurants, and making sure to eat regularly are all ways that you can cut back on how much you eat in one sitting.
Reducing Serving Sizes by Eating Slowly
Sometimes people eat too much in one sitting because they sincerely enjoy the taste of the food. One of the ways to still enjoy your food but consume less is to consciously eat more slowly. Really taking the time to chew your food and savor the different flavors will help to cut down on your meal size. Your brain takes up to 20 minutes to register that you are full. When you eat slowly, you will feel full on less food. You will also avoid that feeling of suddenly realizing that you have overeaten, which happens to many people.
Serving Yourself Less Food
One strategy for eating less food in one sitting is serving your meal on smaller plates and in smaller bowls. Also use smaller utensils. For example, it takes much longer to eat a bowl of soup with a smaller spoon. Using a smaller plate means you are naturally avoiding eating an excessively large portion.
If you're eating in restaurants much of the time, it is difficult to have control over serving sizes. If your meal arrives and it is clearly too large a portion for you to eat in one sitting, make a decision at the outset how much you will eat. Separate your food by pushing the excess portion to one side. If it feels appropriate, ask for a takeout box in the beginning of the meal and pack away the extra portion to take home with you. You will enjoy the extra food much more when you are truly hungry.
Eating Regularly to Avoid Extreme Hunger
If you find that you eat extra large lunches, examine your morning eating routine. Do you eat breakfast? If not, consider making breakfast a regular part of your day. It will make it easier to eat a normal size lunch because you will not be as hungry. If you do eat breakfast but still find yourself ordering large serving sizes at lunch, consider eating a larger breakfast. It may be that you are not consuming enough calories in the morning.
It may be that you are overeating at dinner. This sometimes happens when people skip meals throughout the day. In this case, eating breakfast and lunch on a daily basis will help you to limit your serving size at dinner. If eating large dinners is a way for you to relax each night, think of other activities besides food that will help you to unwind. Reading a good book, going for a run, chatting on the phone with a good friend or watching your favorite shows might be good ways to avoid using food as a way to relax.
