Simple Tricks To Make Yourself Eat Less

     There's a powerful truth about one of our human weaknesses, the more food that's put in front of us, the more we will eat. Even for those of us that are weight conscious or those who just feel better when we eat less, this is generally true.
The problem is we are eating more than ever before, some say over 60% of us are overweight or obese. And we all know by now that being overweight increases are risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems and some types of cancer. Our childhood cautionary advice to clean our plate, the inclinations to get what you pay for, the time lapse between eating and feeling full are some factors that make most of us eat whatever food is placed in front of us.
Portion sizes have increased over the years, some examples are a typical bag of movie popcorn was once 5-6 cups now a bucket size popcorn can be up to 20 cups with well over 1500 calories and certain entree at restaurants are double what they use to be. Even our standard plates and bowls at home are larger too, making us fill them up with even more food. So, how much are you eating? The guidelines suggest eating a set number of servings of vegetables, meat and other food groups, but a serving, defined in ounces, cups or tablespoons are not the same as a portion, which is the actual amount served, and that can be at a restaurant or at home.
We must develop portion awareness. The difficulty with the dietary guidelines is that the measurements in cups, ounces and tablespoons are that easy to eyeball. To help us better understand our awareness, measure out the portion you would ordinarily take, then measure out a standard serving of whatever it is your eating and make a comparison. Now it's important to know that if your usual portion of pasta is actually 2 servings, you may not necessarily have to cut back during the meal, but just keep in mind that you have consumed nearly a day's share of pasta and just adjust the rest of the day's intake. Knowing restaurant smarts. I think we can agree that portion inflation at restaurants is out of control and today we tend to eat out more. To fend yourself against supersize restaurant menus there are a few tricks to be well aware of.
Before going out to eat, have a snack at home, like a yogurt, or some fruit, so you won't arrive at the restaurant ravenous. Many of us will skip the appetizer to cut down on the size of our meal, which is a mistake as along as you have the right appetizer, like salad or soup but skip the bread basket. An example is starting your lunch with a low calorie salad cuts your total caloric intake of the meal by as much as 10%. If available, order half size portions or share a full size with your companion. In most cases this will be enough, considering you added a salad or side order of vegetables. Eat only half of your meal and have the waiter wrap up the rest, but don't rely on your willpower alone, when your meal arrives, first thing to do is to divide your meal in half and have the waiter wrap up the rest.
Eating at a leisurely pace will give your body more time to catch up with your appetite and stop before your full. If your tempted to eat the rest off your plate or go back for seconds, wait 20 minutes before deciding, this is usually how long it takes to feel satisfied.
And at home use smaller dinnerware, we are all conditioned to think a meal sized portion fills the plate and one way to help you through that is to change your table to 10 ounce glasses instead of 20, or a 10 inch plate instead of a 12 inch, also bowls that hold 2 cups instead of 4. Doing these little things will make your way to losing weight a lot easier.

1. Prev:How to Get Up in the Morning to Exercise
2. Next:Chubby Tummy - 3 Magical Ways to Lose Belly Fat