Portion control when eating out –

Take control of the amount of food that ends up on your plate by splitting a lunch with a friend or ask the wait person for a ‘to’go’ box and wrap up half your meal as soon as it’s brought to the table.

Portion control when eating in –

To minimize the temptation of a second and third helping when eating at home, serve the food on individual plates, instead of putting the serving dishes on the table. Keeping the excess food out of reach may discourage overeating.

Portion control infront of TV –

When eating or snacking infront of the TV, put the amount that you plan to eat into a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package.It is easy to overeat when your attention is focussed on something else.

Go Ahead, spoil your Dinner-

We learned as children not to snack, before a meal for fear of spoiling your dinner. Well its time to forget that old rule . If you feel hungry between meals, eat a healthy snack, like a piece of fruit or small salad, to avoid overeating during your next meal.

Be aware of large packages-

Divide up the contents of one large package into several smaller containers to help avoid over consumption. Don’t eat straight from the package. Instead serve the food in a small bowl or container.

Out of Sight, out of Mind-

People tend to consume more when they have easy access to food. Make your home a ‘portion friendly zone’. Store tempting foods like cookies, chips or ice-cream out of immediate eyesight like on a high shelf or at the back of the freezer. Move the healthier food to the front at eye level.

Pay attention to the feeling of hunger –

Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full. If there is still food on your plate, put it away. Repeat the phrase – ‘ a moment on the lips, a year on the hips’.A simple trick to help you eat less is to use a smaller plate, bowl or glass. One cup of food on a small plate looks like more than the same cup of food on a large plate.