Portion Control: Is This the Magic Key to Losing Weight?

Obesity is becoming an uncontrolled rampant problem in India affecting people of all ages around the world. Overeating, sedentary lifestyle, and physical inactivity may lead to the storage of surplus energy in the body as fat.

In the past few decades, the prevalence of obesity and overweight has increased, causing various health problems such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancers. Research studies have also reported that people who are overweight are associated with certain psychosocial problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders.

In tandem with the higher incidences of obesity and overweight, it has been found that an increase in food portion sizes could be one possible reason behind it.

What is Portion Control?

Portion control is a key method to help you shed that extra fat easily. If you control your portion size then you can easily control your weight. The portion size of food is defined as the amount of food you choose to eat at one time whether in a restaurant, canned/packaged form, or food that you prepare in your kitchen.

Understanding the right portion size for you and abiding by it can prove to be a successful weight loss program. Portion control is the magic key to losing weight and helps maintain a healthy weight.

How Portion Control Can Help You Lose Weight?

Caption: serving small portion of food on a plate

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Alt tags: food on plate

Research studies have shown that people when offered with larger food portions tend to eat more and become overweight. Irrespective of the type of food or diet you are taking, it is important for you to identify the correct portion size. A correct portion size of food on your plate allows you to know exactly how many calories, carbs, sodium, or fats you’re eating. This can not only help build good eating habits but will also set up healthy goals helping you overcome your excessive weight. Let’s see how portion control can help you lose weight:

1. Keeping control of your portion size sets a daily norm and guides you to consume the right amount of food. It controls your hunger or satiety center, and provides a degree of fullness. So, the next time, if you feel like eating a larger portion of your meal your brain can alarm you not to!

1. Consuming small portion sizes throughout the day rather than eating one larger unit can boost your metabolism rate and help you lose weight. It is also found that people eat less when food is divided into smaller units.

1. Portion size may seem small if served on a large plate and the degree of ‘plate emptiness’ may cause meal termination by an individual. However, if small portion sizes are served on a small plate it looks more appealing and steers individuals to judge portions differently. So, it’s recommended to eat your portion of food on a small plate.

1. Portion control helps people change their behaviors of consuming food mindlessly which initiates a greater desire to eat. For example: Watching television, chatting on your mobile phone, listening to the radio are some of the factors that typically lead to mindlessly eating larger amounts of food than intended. In such a case, portion control may help you eat only the desired amount of food.

1. Portion size helps make healthier choices available to people and sets the options as a default. It also helps regulate, restrict, or eliminate certain food choices.