Size Matters: How To Be Mindful Of Your Portions

Before we begin, let’s make one thing clear.

Serving sizes and portion sizes are two entirely different things. So, if you’ve ever been confused between the two, here’s your small guide to understanding:

Serving Size:

Serving size refers to the amount of recommended food that’s estimated according to the energy it provides.

Portion Size:

Portion size refers to the amount of food the person should eat and depends on the person and their daily energy requirements. It could be more or less than what the recommended serving size is.

Putting that out of the way, let’s focus on portion sizes, and the problems involved.

 What’s So Important About Portion Sizes?

For most who are interested in portion sizing because of the weight loss aspect involved, one thing you should know about it is this: the portion you decide on for your daily meals may seem fine considering your weight loss goals.

However, if you want to go for healthy weight loss, it pays to be mindful of exactly how you should determine your portion size.

An Example

A research conducted by Penn State University gave us some impressive results. Subjects in the study were given meals that varied by portion size. The subjects were then divided into two groups, one was a control group, and the other was taught to control their portions and make healthier eating decisions.

After that, they were provided with more meals in different portions. Once both groups were allowed to make their own decisions, it was seen that the group that was given training started eating more food, as much as those in the control group. But, their training triggered their instincts to eat more considerable portions of healthier food.

As a result, even though they consumed more food, their calorie consumption ended up being a lot less than those in the control group.

How To Be Mindful Of Your Portion Sizes

It might seem unrealistic to determine every bite and how much you should eat—but the truth is that the process is relatively easy.

According to Rena Greenberg, a renowned hypnotherapist in Bradenton at Easy Willpower, and founder of Wellness Seminars, INC. Anyone can get the right portion sizes by being mindful of what they eat. Here’s a simple process you can follow.

Get In Tune With Your Hunger

Exactly how hungry are you? Are you feeling starved enough or just so hungry that you could have a bowl of cereal to eat? Or are you bored? Before eating as much as you want, take a few deep breaths and observe your hunger.

Focus On Your Food

While there’s nothing wrong with reading a book while you’re eating, don’t let it absorb your focus. Instead, take a few moments after taking each bite to savor the flavors, smells, textures. React to the food and think about how you feel about it. In other words, enjoy it, and try other healthy recipes for weight loss for a change of pace.

Eat Slowly

The five minutes you’ll gain from eating fast will not make a world of difference. Pay close attention to what you’re eating and where you are and look around. Do some people watching, and let your body react to the food.