One of the key elements to losing weight and keeping it off is practicing portion control. You can eat the best food for your body, but if you are intaking too many calories daily, you will not be able to lose weight. Here are some easy tips for keeping your portions in check to effectively lose weight.

Portion Control Tip #1: Don't Leave Food in Sight

Eating meals family style (where the dishes of food are in your sight) can make it much easier to reach for seconds. If they are not in the same room, you are much less likely to want more. Leave the pots and dishes in the kitchen, and fix yourself one serving. Let it settle for at least 20 minutes so that you acquire the feeling of being full.

Portion Control Tip #2: Use Meat as a Side Dish

Don't make meat the main course of your meal. Load up on healthy grains and vegetables instead, and have meat or a meat-based side dish. This way you will feel full faster and pack your diet with more vitamins and fiber, which is better for you in the long run.

Portion Control Tip #3: Split a Serving

When eating out, try splitting a meal with a friend or taking half of your meal home. Most restaurants provide more than one serving in a typical meal. By splitting it up, you can save money and save on the extra calories.

Portion Control Tip #4: Learn Serving Sizes

By learning to visually identify some simple serving sizes, you can better control your portions. When eating a typical serving size of meat, it should be about 3 ounces or the size of a deck of cards. A standard serving of grains or raw vegetables is about the size of a tennis ball or your fist.

Portion Control Tip #5: Eat Small Meals

Keep your blood sugar even throughout the day by eating small meals. You can keep your energy up and eat less overall because you do not get ravenous and overeat. People who eat 5 to 6 small meals a day are much more likely to maintain portion control because they never become too hungry.

Portion Control Tip #6: Portion out Food

When you are having a snack, be sure to divvy up your portions before you begin eating. It is quite difficult to eat just one portion of any snack food when eating straight out of the bag. By separating out one portion, it is much easier to stick to it, and not eat too much without even thinking about it.

Portion Control Tip #7: Break Down Leftovers

Instead of storing leftovers in a big container, separate them out into single servings. Then you can easily reach in the fridge and pull out one single serving to reheat. This will help you limit how much you are eating with very little effort.

By practicing these tips on a regular basis, you can help to regulate your portion control and maintain a healthy diet long term.