Eating less, or eating better, isn’t always as straightforward as “simply eat less.”
Because what and how much we eat is impacted by a variety of circumstances, including the setting in which we eat, the amount of food offered, and how hungry we are — the list goes on.
The good news is that you have power over many of these elements; it simply takes bringing them to the forefront of your mind until they become habits.
Here are nine tried-and-true techniques to help you eat less and burn more calories. They’ll become second nature with time, and your weight reduction will be second to none!
1. TAKE TIME TO ENJOY YOUR MEAL
The advantage of slowing down and appreciating the environment around you, including eating, is true.
Focusing on each mouthful can assist you in practicing mindful eating, which has been found to reduce calorie consumption.
Slowing down between bites enables you to identify your sensations of hunger and satiety, allowing you to know when you’ve eaten enough and stop before you clear your plate and later regret it.
Eating at a slower pace also means you’ll chew your food more completely, which means you’ll have fewer digestive difficulties and intestinal irritation.
It may take some practice to get this right.
The rush and bustle of everyday life frequently catch up with us, and it often requires a conscious effort to slow down and allow your brain to appreciate the meal and notify you when you’re full.
Aim to spend around 20 minutes on each measurement.
2. USE SMALLER PLATES, CUPS, AND BOWLS
Your eyes can truly be larger than your stomach.
According to studies, when individuals use large bowls, plates, and serving utensils, they serve themselves more and eat more food. For daily use, use smaller salad plates and bowls.
You’ll serve and consume less without even realizing it. I
If your tableware is excessively large, it may be time to replace it with plates that will not dwarf your properly portioned meals.
3. PRE-PORTION YOUR FOODS
Take out your measuring cups and a small dish to keep track of your calories.
Why? Because it’s simple to overeat when you have an endless supply of food at your disposal. Rather than reaching for a chip bag or a large bowl of chips at a party, divide your snacks into smaller containers (or plates) so you know precisely how much you’re consuming.
Then, place the large bag aside (or walk away from the chip bowl).
You are far less likely to overeat if you offer yourself a smaller quantity. So serve it up, set the remainder aside, and savor every bite.
4. KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES
We all have dietary aversions. That meal you can’t get enough of.
Once you start eating it, you can’t stop. Even if you’re not hungry, you can’t say no to this meal.
The meal you fantasize about even when it’s not in your immediate neighborhood. Maybe you’ll never be able to break free from the grip this food has on you but acknowledging it is the first step.
Consider your dietary weaknesses for a moment.
Once you know what they are, you may take extra precautions to avoid overeating these specific meals, such as avoiding repeated exposure to this food or arranging the remainder of your day’s diet to include a small amount of this favorite food.
5. KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL
The best weight-loss tool is a food diary. According to one recent research, dieters who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who did not.
Writing down what you eat can inspire you to think about your food choices throughout the day, taking into account what you’ve previously eaten and what you plan to consume later.
This means you’ll make more informed decisions and, as a consequence, reduce your calorie consumption.
6. EAT THE RIGHT PORTIONS
Most meals we consume at home or at restaurants are proportioned backward, with large quantities of meat and carbohydrates and little (if any) vegetables.
If you serve vegetables as a side dish, you’re definitely ingesting too many calories and jeopardizing your weight-loss attempts. Using a correctly portioned dish might be beneficial!
Fill half your plate with disease-fighting veggies, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with healthy carbohydrates.
7. PACK IN THE PROTEIN
Studies suggest that protein plays an important function in controlling food intake and appetite; persons who consume protein on a regular basis also recover less weight after a major weight reduction.
Because protein takes longer to digest, it contributes to feelings of fullness. When you don’t include protein in your meals and snacks, those annoying hunger pains may lead to overeating!
So, make it a habit to eat protein at every meal and snack. Stick to lean protein sources: Beans, hummus, egg whites, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products (cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, and milk) may all provide muscle-building protein without the addition of fat.
8. TAKE HALF YOUR MEALS TO GO
Most restaurant portions are designed to encourage overeating. At some restaurants, a typical meal might contain more than 1,200 calories, and that’s before dessert.
Even if you have the greatest intentions to eat just half of your meal when it arrives, it may be difficult to stop or recognize when you’ve reached the halfway mark, especially if you’re distracted by friends and family.
Request that your waitress wraps up half of your food before it arrives at the table.
You’ll be able to quit when you’re halfway through and still have leftovers for tomorrow.
It works because it serves as a clear “stop sign” in your meal, and most people aren’t going to dive into their doggie bag or take-out box before leaving the restaurant.
9. EAT BREAKFAST
Breakfast is regarded as the most essential meal of the day for good reason.
According to studies, persons who eat breakfast have a lower BMI (body mass index) and consume fewer total calories per day than those who skip breakfast entirely.
One popular theory is that having breakfast makes you feel less hungry during the day. Another issue is that people who miss breakfast allow for “additional calories” later in the day since they skipped a meal, but in actuality wind up exceeding their energy target.
Whatever the reason, having breakfast IS a component of a healthy lifestyle and a vital aspect in maintaining a healthy weight.