Cutting down your food intake will not necessarily cause you to lose weight as there are many factors that will influence your eating rate. Such as your environment, for example, are you in loud restaurant and you’re with friends, then there’ a possibility of you eating more, in a party? More, relaxed at home? Between less and more, depends on what you are doing whilst eating. Is the T.V on, are you doing multiple things at the same time as you eat? If yes, more. Another factor is how hungry you are, are, if famished, you could eat more. It is always advised to eat when you’re supposed to eat not when you are hungry. The issue is not about eating less or eating healthy, but where and how you eat can affect your food choices. Here are these few ways to cut down your calorie intake;
Enjoy every bite
Take your time to enjoy your meals by spending more time on your food instead of rushing through your meals, there is a tendency you won’t be filled and you will tend to eat more. Eating in a cool, calm state, free from distraction will cause you to pay attention to your body and yourself and to prevent overeating. You will be able to know when you are full and avoid eating more. For a test run, set an alarm for 20 minutes instead of 5 or 10 minutes so as to not rush through your meal.
Use smaller plates, cups and bowls
Eat with sizable bowls or smaller plates. As you can eat a decent proportion that your body needs. Most times, you will realize that you are not so hungry after all and all you wanted was a taste of the food. Eating in large bowls will prompt you to eat bigger and might even cause you to go for second helpings as you would not be filled due to the fact that you would have already seen the big bowl as an already sizeable bowl, so therefore it is normal for you to eat twice. Ask another adult to weigh in on your bowl choice is the bowl you have in your hand is small in your eyes.
Pre-portion your foods
In order for you to eat less, always calculate your food intake. Eating meals from paper bags or packets are mostly meals meant for more than 1 serving. Eating from bag packs will cause one to eat more than normal. It is best to always eat in measures. Put away bags or packets and pour out food, measure each calorie intake and know that when you eat so and so amount, you get to lose so and so. Be very cautious of what you eat in general.
Know your pitfalls
It is very important to identify your weakness when it comes to all the different types of food you eat on a regular basis. We all have food weaknesses, most especially food that you can’t resist when it is presented before you. In identifying your weak spot, make a note about them and find ways to avoid eat them, except they are very healthy. If they are fattening, avoid going to place you will see them, tell friends and families about them and let them help you by not preparing it or adding it to the menu as you have a goal to meet. Even if you have to consume these food types, be sure to eat a little amount. You don’t just decide to stop eating unhealthy, why the decision can be sudden, the effect is gradual, you will have to grow your way in to it by starting little by little, avoid the basics in meals, like, adding cheese or excess cheese to your meals, then go on to use olive oil for your cooking instead of vegetable oil or butter. This should be done for all foods. When you make a list of all your weakness, then you can be able to cut down certain ingredients and opt for healthier choices.
Image Courtesy by: wordpress.com, bowlanedental.com