Restrictive diets often focus on cutting out entire food groups, but portion size can be a more practical, sustainable way to manage what you eat.
Restrictive diets won’t sustain
Cutting out major food groups like fats and carbohydrates can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Our body needs everything in moderation, including carbohydrates, proteins and fats, as they provide essential nutrients and energy.
Also, when you eliminate things you love from your diet, it can lead to stress and the resulting psychological fatigue.
Studies have shown that strict food bans can lead to intense cravings and overconsumption of food.
Why Portion Control Works Better
Portion control allows you to eat all kinds of food you like. For instance, if you love ice cream, instead of having a whole cup, have a few tablespoons to satisfy your cravings. Similarly, if you are presented with a cake in front of you, have a small bite. That way, you are not denying your body anything. This flexibility allows you to fit favourite treats or cultural foods into your daily intake without breaking a healthy eating pattern.
Simple Ways to Manage Portions
Using smaller plates to eat can give your brain the feeling that you are eating more. On the contrary, if you use a big plate and small portions of food, your brain signals to the stomach that there is very little food.
Another practice is plate division. In this way, you can make sure that the meals you eat are balanced. For example, half your plate should be vegetables, a quarter should be quality protein and a quarter should be complex carbohydrates. You can also use a fist as a rough guide for vegetables or a palm for protein.
Use Visual Cues for Portion Control
Research has shown that people tend to eat more food when they are offered larger portions. So, portion control is important when you are trying to lose weight and maintain it.
A portion is the amount of food you put on your plate, while a serving is an exact amount of food. To better manage what you are eating, you could carry measuring cups and spoons. Or instead, you can use everyday objects as reminders, also called visual cues, of appropriate serving sizes.
Many foods can be matched to everyday objects. For example, a medium pepper is about the size of a baseball and equals one vegetable serving. While not all foods match visual cues, this method can help you become better at gauging serving sizes and practising portion control.
Dividing up your plate is like having a built-in, simplified portion-control tool. If you visualise your plate, there won’t be room for a few extra potatoes or an oversized steak. It is also a useful way of making healthier choices and staying in control when eating out.
Research suggests that people with more food in front of them tend to eat more, whether it is served to them on a plate or they serve themselves from a container. In one study, researchers gave men and women different-sized submarine sandwiches—6, 8, 10 or 12 inches—once a week for four weeks. On days when they were served 12-inch subs, participants ended up eating more calories than on days when they were served smaller ones.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
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