9 Easy Tips for Portion Control - Part II

This is Part II of 9 Easy Tips for Portion Control. Click here to read Part I. Other keep reading for the remaining tips.

Tip #6 - No TV or Computer [caption id="attachment_3997" align="alignleft" width="300"] Don't eat at the TV or computer

Eating alone usually goes hand in hand with watching TV or surfing the internet. As we associate the two activities we can continue eating, or grazing, to match the duration of TV program or as long as we have an internet signal.

Plus as we are distracted with the entertainment on the screen we are less likely to perceive the message from our brain telling us we are full.

Tip #7 - Share When Eating Out Nowadays everyone is all about getting optimal value.

'Check out the features on my new vehicle'

'Look what is included with my all-inclusive vacation'

'I got upgraded to first on my flight'

***can you tell I love travelling?***

If we are so conditioned to want and almost expect the highest of value with any commercial transaction it stands to reason that when we eat out we expect to leave with a full and satisfied belly. Unfortunately even if the food wasn't that  good we are ok with it as long as there was lots of it.

When you eat out combine a few of the tips above by drinking water with your meal. You'll probably have a glass or two before your food arrives. Eat the healthiest stuff first by ordering a salad or some other veggie appetizer. And because you won't eat alone you can share a main with your dining partner. This allows you to adhere to many of the rules above and not wreck your portion control when you eat out.

Tip #8 - Slow Down Recently when I was in Hawaii I was driving from the airport heading to the condo we would be staying at. As we got closer to our destination I slowed down to read the road signs more carefully. Soon as saw the sign that had our turn and we found our place.

Had I been speeding along this sign would have been a lot harder to notice. I may have driven right past it continuing to seek out where to go. This would have resulted in wasted time and money not to mention the aggravation after a long day of travelling.

Eating is somewhat similar. It takes about 20 minutes for our brain to register that our stomach is full we need to slow down and pay attention to this signal. Just as it sometimes makes sense to pull the car over and re-check our map or GPS it can also help to set the fork down and relax for a moment. Give yourself a chance to determine if you are full or not.

Tip #9 - Get More Sleep It's interesting that the tip related to controlling portion size is addressed when not only are you not eating but not even when you are awake. Here's why.

There are a couple of hormones related to appetite and sleep. Leptin, which tells us we are full, and ghrelin, which tells us we are hungry. The problem is that when we are sleep deprived the message from leptin becomes impaired and so we eat past the point of fullness. Ghrelin, on the other hand, is amplified with sleep deprivation, and therefore we have an appetite that appears insatiable.

The easiest way to get control over your portion control without even thinking about your nutrition is to make sure you are getting close to 8 hours of sleep per night. Short change yourself with your rest and know that it will be that much harder to control when and how much you eat.

Print these tips out and post them on the inside of your pantry at home. The more familiar you become with them the easier they will be to follow and the easier to it will be to lose weight.

Chris [fb-like]