Portion control is essential to weight loss and weight management. Perhaps you have noticed how portion sizes have gotten out of control in our society, particularly within the American diet and food industry. We live in a world of super-sized fast food meals, Big Macs, Big Gulps and jumbo-sized movie theater popcorn. The expansion of our food portions has occurred parallel to the expansion of our waistlines. Could this really be a mere coincidence? The magnitude of this "portion distortion" is so great that it is forcing the marketplace to respond with downsized products.
The good news? There are very simple techniques you can use to trick your brain (and belly) into exercising portion control and becoming satisfied with far less. Mind control really does equal portion control because it is all regulated by what's going on in your head.
One very simple idea is to make a fist before eating anything. How could something as simple as making a fist possibly help you control your portions and thus help you control your weight? The act of making a fist serves as a reminder - a visual cue - to your brain as to how big of a portion of food you should eat. As you look at your balled-up fist, you are instantly reminded to keep your portion of a particular food choice to that appropriate size. Don't let the simplicity of this idea fool you into thinking it can't work.
This next technique for portion control is quite powerful because it makes use of the most powerful form of human thought - namely, visualization. Before eating (or drinking) anything, take a few moments to visualize or imagine cutting the food in half, eating only fifty percent of it and saving the rest for later. Practice this visualization technique even if you don't think you have the willpower to only consume half of your food. That doesn't matter.
All you have to do is imagine cutting your food in half. That's it. Our brains cannot tell the difference between a real experience and one which is vividly imagined. If you visualize it enough, you will eventually find yourself physically doing it.
I know this idea works because I have experimented with it and experienced its amazing effect. If you mess up and neglect to do it before you eat, you can think about what you've already eaten and imagine what if you had cut it in half and only eaten fifty percent of it. If you give this idea a chance, I think you will be amazed at the results. I know I have been.
A third technique for portion control is to simply downsize the plates, bowls, cups and eating utensils you use for your meals and snacks. Use smaller versions of the kitchenware you are using now.
Research has shown that, if you have a large portion of food before you, then you will eat accordingly. The solution is to have smaller portions before you. You can do this by simply eating and drinking from smaller plates, bowls, glasses, etc. It is a very simple method for tricking your brain into consuming less, and that is the essence of portion control.
© Matt Decker
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