have on your perception of food, but even the size of your plates can help you control your portions a bit better.
This works because you automatically think you are sitting down to a bigger meal when your plate is full. Even if it’s the same amount that barely covered a larger plate. So bring out the appetizer plate for dinner to cut back when you might be tempted to overindulge.
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4. Read Labels and Follow Them
Another way to learn about actual serving sizes is to read the nutrition facts on your food. The real serving sizes are likely smaller than what you think, meaning you could be eating 2-3 times more calories than you know. It’s important to read food labels closely to make sure you’re not consuming much more than you planned.
For instance, bottled sodas and alcoholic beverages often have a single serving size that actually equates to two servings in one can or bottle. So either switch drinks or pour half in a glass and save the rest for another day.
Similarly, almonds are ultra-healthy, but they are very high in fat. Thus, a true serving is just 6 almonds, even though most people eat far more in one sitting. This means your healthy snack could be costing hundreds of extra calories from fat.
5. Drink Water Before Meals
Another way to prevent overindulging is to drink water before your meals. If your stomach is already full of water, you will be less tempted to eat until you’re stuffed past the point of no return. Typically, we eat more than we need because we’re eating too fast. Drinking 16 oz of water before meals can give you a helpful reminder to stop before you go too far.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.