How can I re-learn portion control?
Asked by stellaluna78 on Oct 05, 2008
in Weight Maintenance
My food portions have gotten out of hand since I moved in with my boyfriend. We cook a lot at home. How can I re-learn what a reasonable portion is for a meal, and for healthy snacks?
Answer
First, design a diet with the daily servings you need from the foods groups at your required calorie level. Then, divide the servings among your meals and snacks, and practice eating that amount to develop a reference point. After several days, switch to a mindful eating style, which is less exact but more natural. Before you eat, note your level of hunger, and then begin to eat slowly, paying attention to how your stomach feels. Stop eating when you are 75% full, and if the food tastes great, have another bite, but stop there. In between meals, eat only when you feel legitimately hungry. Practice until you get it right.
So you can log your weight -- which allows you to do the following:
- Plot your weight curve
- Analyze the trend of your weight (see under Recent in the figure above)
- Determine the projected target date (see under Overall in the figure above)
