6 Portion Management Suggestions for Weight Loss

In terms of shedding pounds, it isn’t about simply what you eat … it’s additionally about how a lot you eat.

In fact, sure meals and vitamins might help you are feeling happy and management your urge for food: wholesome fat from nuts; fiber from fruits, greens and complete grains; protein from eggs, beans and meat. That’s why many Nutrisystem meals and snacks are loaded with each fiber and protein.

However even “good” decisions can sabotage your weight reduction progress for those who eat an excessive amount of. For instance, two tablespoons of almonds gives filling, wholesome fat and about 70 energy. On Nutrisystem, that quantity counts as one PowerFuel. However for those who snack mindlessly on them, the energy in almonds add up: One full cup of complete almonds is 828 energy.

This may be the distinction between consuming an quantity that helps you keep full, energized and on monitor along with your weight reduction versus an quantity that causes your “wholesome” snack to result in weight achieve.

The issue: We’re actually unhealthy at estimating portion sizes, so we’ve bother controlling them. Research present that once we don’t measure, Individuals accurately guess the scale of a portion solely about half the time. And we’re particularly unhealthy at estimating portion sizes in terms of snacks and sweets.

That’s why portion management is the cornerstone of Nutrisystem: The meals and snacks we ship you’re completely portioned so you realize precisely how a lot you’re consuming, and realize it’s an quantity that’s serving to you progress in the direction of your weight reduction objectives.

However in terms of your grocery add-ins and Flex meals, portion management is crucial. Use these six tricks to maintain all of your different parts beneath management and keep on monitor.

1. Measure and retailer meals in wholesome parts—earlier than you’re hungry.

While you’ve acquired an urge for food, chances are you’ll need to seize one thing and eat it—quick. Measuring out parts upfront might help you make sure that these two tablespoons of almonds don’t balloon right into a half-cup or extra: You’ll be able to merely seize the bag or container the place you’ve pre-measured the snack you need, and also you’ll understand how a lot you’re consuming.

This may be particularly helpful for meals that you realize you are inclined to binge on: For those who purchase a block of cheese and know you are inclined to eat a bunch of it once you’re feeling snacky, flip it over and have a look at the vitamin label once you get residence. If it’s acquired 16 servings, lower the block into 16 servings immediately, then put these in containers or baggage. Or for those who are inclined to seize a bunch of sandwich cookies, think about pre-portioning the whole bundle into servings as quickly as you get residence. That approach, once you do snack, you’ll be able to seize a serving that you realize matches your plan.

The Nutrisystem Grocery Information might help you identify what these wholesome parts must be, so you’ll be able to load your cupboards and fridge with pre-portioned snacks and elements that suit your plan. You can even chop up some non-starchy greens that are limitless meals—like cucumbers, carrots and bell pepper slices—so that you’ll have tasty, pre-prepared snacks you can eat in huge parts.

All this snack prep has a bonus: Analysis reveals that extra time spent prepping meals within the kitchen is very correlated with consuming a higher-quality, nutritious food plan—and with higher well being outcomes!

2. Purchase pre-measured parts.

Don’t have time to pre-measure the whole lot? Reap the benefits of pre-portioned choices. Smaller baggage of chips and crackers, 100-calorie packs, or different pre-portioned meals might help you retain monitor of how a lot you’re consuming.

Nutrisystem IS an enormous assist right here: Our snacks, just like the Chocolate Chip Cookies and White Cheddar Popcorn, are already pre-portioned, so you’ll be able to eat the whole bundle and really feel happy whereas staying on plan. No measuring wanted.

3. Use your palms to assist.

Generally the serving measurement on a label—and even the quantity listed within the Grocery Information—might be complicated: How a lot salmon is in three ounces? How a lot tuna is in a half-cup?

For those who don’t have a meals scale or measuring cups/spoons helpful, you should utilize your palms or frequent family objects that will help you estimate the correct portion measurement. Try the infographic beneath for some frequent examples:

1 oz. = 1 thumb or 3 cube
Examples:
PowerFuels: diminished fats cheese

2 oz. = about ²/₃ palm of hand or deck of playing cards
3 oz. = 1 palm of hand or deck of playing cards
Examples:
PowerFuels: 2 oz. meat, poultry or fatty fish, or 3 oz. white fish

1 tsp. = 1 fingertip or 1 cube
Examples:
Extras: honey, jelly, maple syrup, mayonnaise, oil and seeds

1 Tbsp. = 1 thumb or 1 poker chip
Examples:
PowerFuels: 1 Tbsp. oil and nut butter, or 2 Tbsp. nuts and seeds
Extras: avocado, ketchup, low-fat espresso creamer, mild salad dressing and reduced-fat mayonnaise

 

¼ cup = ½ cupped hand or 1 egg
Examples:
PowerFuels: avocado, ricotta cheese, and shredded, grated or crumbled cheese.
SmartCarbs: dried fruit and hummus

½ cup = 1 cupped hand or laptop mouse
Examples:
PowerFuels: 1% cottage cheese, canned tuna, edamame and lean floor turkey
SmartCarbs: brown rice, quinoa, complete grain pasta, beans and starchy veggies (corn, potatoes and peas)

1 cup = 1 clenched fist or baseball
Examples:
PowerFuels: low-fat milk
SmartCarbs: recent fruit and berries
Extras: unsweetened almond milk and air-popped popcorn

4. Don’t eat immediately out of a full-sized bag or field. Use a plate or bowl.

For those who can’t eat from a bundle the place the entire contents is the same as one serving, don’t eat out of the bag or field. It’s robust to understand how a lot you’re consuming, and simple to be carried away … as anybody who’s lounged with a bag of chips can inform you.

As an alternative, measure the portion onto a plate or right into a bowl earlier than you sit right down to eat. That approach, you received’t must depend on your willpower to cease—you’ll be able to clear your plate and know you’ve eaten a wholesome portion that matches your plan. 

5. Pair a salty snack or candy deal with with a vast meals.

For those who love consuming in massive portions, attempt pairing a wholesome portion of a salty, candy or fatty meals you crave with one other limitless meals, similar to carrot sticks, slices of cucumber, inexperienced pepper slices or broccoli florets. These meals are limitless as a result of they’re crammed with vitamins your physique wants with out many energy. By combining these two varieties of meals on a single plate, you’ll get to eat a few of the meals you like, and eat the quantity that may fill you up.

6. Work out what you’re actually craving. Eat a portion of that.

If there’s a meals you’re actually craving—like a favourite ice cream, or a chocolate chip cookie, or a cheese-flavored snack that all the time hits the spot—Nutrisystem dietitians say you’ll be able to really go overboard consuming different meals making an attempt to keep away from your meals craving all collectively. You recognize the sensation. You actually need a cookie, however you find yourself choosing at different stuff—a pretzel right here, a cracker there—and by no means actually really feel happy … however you’ve piled up a bunch of additional energy.

The answer, our consultants say, is to offer into that craving … with a managed portion. For those who’re actually craving a selected meals, measure out a portion that matches the Grocery Information pointers, and actually take pleasure in it. That’s the fantastic thing about Nutrisystem’s program: No meals is off limits when eaten in the correct portion. So savor that wholesome portion, log it within the Nutrisystem app, and keep on monitor to your objectives!