Tips for Portion Control

This does what it says on the tin!  Often people that want to reduce their body fat know what to eat and it is portion sizes that thwart our best efforts.  Thankfully here are some simple hacks to help with that.

1. Drink a big glass of water before you eat
2. Bulk up your meals with more veggies, swap in mushrooms for half the minced meat in most recipes and use a whole-wheat pitta in place of bread
3. Select plates that have a colour-contrast to the food you're eating for dinner, you are more likely to serve yourself less! Or if you want to eat more healthy foods, like a bigger salad, eat greens from a large green plate or bowl!
4. Make carbs the topper instead of the base, fill your dish with yogurt and then sprinkle just a tiny amount of granola on top. Fancy stir fry? Fill the plate with lots of lean protein and veg and add a small cup of rice. Roast dinner? Again, fill the plate with veg and lean protein and leave little room for potatoes.
5. Dim lights and listen to relaxing music to set the tone for a more leisurely meal, chew slowly, put down your fork between bites, and sip water to make your meal last longer.
6. Another way to slow down your eating: munch on foods that require shelling or peeling or eat with chop sticks.
7. Don't buy large bags of crisps, tortillas etc. research suggests you eat 50% more!
8. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to add more to your meal, research shows that starting a meal with a broth style soup may help you reduce your overall calorie intake. In a 2007 study, people who ate soup before their lunch entrée reduced their total calorie intake by 20%.
9. Take a lap around the buffet before selecting; more than 75% of diners put the first food they see on their plates; the first three foods they encountered in the buffet made up two-thirds of all the foods they added to their plate.
10. If you really fancy an alcoholic beverage, serve it in a tall thin glass with plenty of ice and drink it slowly to trick yourself into thinking you are drinking more.
11. People who watched television or played on computers or smart devices during meals tended to consume more than those who ate without any distractions.
12. Dish up your own food with a small utensil onto a small bowl or plate, and chances are you'll eat less.
13. Swap your after dinner sweet treat for a fruit, peppermint or cinnamon tea.