If you're like millions of other people in this country, you wouldn't mind if you lost a couple of pounds here and there. But doesn't the thought of dieting alone make you want to dive into a piece of chocolate cake? Fortunately for all of us, we can safely shed our excess weight without subjecting ourselves to fad diets and extreme exercise regimens. How, you ask? Simple, through portion control. Read on and learn how you can start losing weight immediately with some key tips and tricks that will teach you how to control your meal portions.
In our society today, portions are as big as they ever have been. Other countries often make fun of Americans and how much they eat. They find the size of our meals ridiculous as well as gluttonous. The fact of the matter is, they are right. We eat far more than we need to, and as a result, we weigh much more than we should. The first thing that needs to be established is how many calories our bodies need in order to maintain a healthy weight. The widely accepted number is approximately 2000 calories each day. This means that if we are eating 3 square meals every day, they should average to about 650-700 calories per meal. This seems straight forward enough, but you'd be surprised how quickly those calories can add up. A typical fast food meal is well over 1000 calories, and that is just one serving.
As a general rule, you want to cut fast food out altogether. Making your own meals is by far the best way to make sure that you not only are getting the right amount of calories but that those calories are coming from the right foods. Each of your meals should consist of equal parts protein and carbohydrates and minimal fat. What fat you do consume should generally be healthy fat that is mono and polyunsaturated fats. Before you go counting calories and read food labels, understand that it isn't too difficult to just eyeball these amounts. Strive to have a first sized protein source, such as a lean meat, with each meal and about a palm sized portion or carbohydrates. This simple formula will be enough to make sure that your calories are coming from the right place.
You are also going to want to stay away from empty calories. These are foods that are packed with calories but add little nutritional value. This is typically your junk foods, candies and the like. Now, this doesn't mean you don't ever get to indulge, but you shouldn't make them a part of your everyday diet. Rather use this as a treat every once in a while. A popular method is to use the 80-20 method. That is, about 80 percent of the foods you eat should be healthy and work towards your weight loss, while the remaining 20 can be used for cheat meals and other food cravings you may get.
Losing weight doesn't have to be hard. All it takes is a little preparation and willpower, and before you know it, you'll be fitting into clothes you haven't worn since college. Just make sure to implement the advice given into your everyday routine, and you are sure to be dropping pounds before you know it.
