5 Ways to Portion Control Yourself for Weight Loss Success
Yes, I know we all eat healthy. We all know the right kinds of foods we must eat (leafy greens, lean meats, whole grains, colorful veggies, yada, yada, yada). We know that if we limit the junk, we’ll soon reap the wide array of benefits that come from clean, wholesome eating. The clear skin, the boundless energy, the anti-inflamed body, the weight lost, the list goes on and on.
So where’s the disconnect?
Because it’s there, somewhere lurking behind the scenes, seeping into our unconscious despite our consciously good intentions. Our “healthy” isn’t cutting it. There is something more going on. And it could be as simple as… dun dun dun duuuuuun… your plate size!! It could be that in one day you actually fill up more than your fair share of plates without you even realizing. It’s the bite, hand grabs, finishing off your kids meals, all these small traps that leave you wondering one thing: How the eff am I still this weight when I eat so healthy???
I understand that it can be super duper frustrating, but that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless! I have 5 strategies you can implement immediately that can help you become more aware so that you can begin to lose the weight.
1. Consciously control your portions. Notice I didn’t say “auto-pilot” your portions. Auto-pilot is the death of sane, reason, and control. You will drive yourself insane, unreasonably so with no feelings of control if you go “auto-pilot”. Do NOT open that box of crackers, or your blue corn, low-sodium tortilla chips, or your low-fat weight watchers chocolate dream cookies and leave them sitting on the counter expecting your conscious self to reign supreme here. It won’t happen. Auto-pilot kicks in and you’re screwed. Next thing you realize, you’re wallowing in guilt because you’ve binged like Netflix on those snacks.
2. Don’t sabotage yourself by buying “treats”. Don’t be all high and mighty right now and say you don’t do that. C’mon, we all do it. It’s the “I deserve this effin treat after the day I had dealing with __________” fill in the blank. (Mine is “Tasmanian devils” as I lovingly refer to my children). The days are long my friend. Long. But we can’t let that derail us. Don’t give into the treat monger. Those small, harmless handfulls always turn into something more. (Refer back to №1 for a refresher. Hint: Auto-pilot.)
3. Eat with your eyes. We all like pretty things, so why shouldn’t our food be pretty as well? When you take the time to prepare your food, you’re going through a conscious process and visually you’re understanding and seeing every ingredient that goes into your meal or snack. When sitting down and enjoying the food you’ve prepared, placing it on a smaller, prettier plate can actually increase your enjoyment. It’s more visually appealing and satisfying. You’re eating joy. Pure unadulterated joy. Go buy yourself some new dinner plates of the small sort and use those instead of the bigger, horse plates. You’ll feel like you’re feasting when you’ve filled up your plate with delicious food. It’s a mental trick that works like a charm. And if you’re still a little hungry afterwards, fill up on more veggies because no matter which ones you choose, you can always overindulge on those.
4. Be ready. Be set. Be prepared. Do you start your day off at work without an action plan? If you run your own business, do you go about it without setting goals and markers so you can gauge success? When your little kids are home from school, do you wing it and hope they can find something to entertain themselves with throughout the day? Most likely you don’t. So why aren’t you planning out your meals and snacks for the day? Getting healthy doesn’t just happen. Losing weight doesn’t just happen. Auto-pilot just happens, and we know how messy that can get. Beginning of the week, or at the start or end of your day, take stock of what you’ve got going on in the kitchen and make a plan. 10 minutes is all it should take. Open up one of the many cookbooks you have and pick out two recipes. Make a list and make it happen. Plan your portions. How much will you make, who will eat what and can you make leftovers work for lunch the next day? Yes, yes you can!
5. Understand that you eat more than you think. Yes you do. Yes. You. Do. Empty calories are always sneaking in and there is only one way to combat them. You must live by this mantra: If you bite it, write it. Start logging down what you eat. Not for an hour, not for a day, not from Monday to Friday. One month, every single day, every single bite. Weight loss takes work and this is part of the work.
It’s time to pull up your sleeves and get down to it. Understand your current portions, how big (or small) they may be and adjust accordingly. Weight loss doesn’t just happen, but it doesn’t have to be impossible to happen. It’s work, it’s time, it’s effort, it’s planning, and being conscious when it comes to food. Get off auto-pilot when it comes to eating right and controlling your portions. Small successes lead to even bigger successes. Guaranteed!
I’d love to hear from you about what you discover when you begin to get yourself off auto-pilot and into conscious eating. Leave a comment below and let’s get the conversation started. We grow when we share and I would LOVE to grow my little community with your help!
So answer me this: When you begin to pay attention to what you’re eating, and how many times you grab a bite here and there without really wanting it, how does it make you feel? Has a lightbulb gone off and you realize that you do in fact eat more than you thought?
Thanks for reading! And if you like what you see, please clap away, it would mean the WORLD to me!
To learn more about me, and get some more useful, and real tips on how to increase your healthy and your happy, jump on over to www.amcostanzo.com and get your fill!
