how to portion control my plate - portion control plate

Portion Control Plate For Weight Loss

When you choose to portion control your plate, you are sure to achieve great weight loss results. There are many reasons why we lost our way to portion control our food but it is all possible when we are willing to take a few simple steps to train our eye on proper portions of food at mealtime. 

Over the years society has been built around too much food and we have been programmed to eat way too much. Especially when we go to a restaurant we are expecting to get what we pay for right? So that usually means a ton of food will satisfy our pocket and our belly. Our mind is always telling us more is better but the end result feels like a trap doesn’t it? After we eat we feel stuffed, sluggish and we just want to lay down and take a nap. Then when we look in the mirror we feel depressed and sometimes even angry.

So now we need to reprogram our mind and our belly to eat less food, by having a clearer vision of using portion control on our plate and that will make all the difference. It just takes a little commitment to jump start our weight loss. 

Do you ever find yourself craving food so much that you feel like you're going crazy? Well something is triggering that crave and it can be both physical and emotional. That’s where addiction comes in. What I’m referring to is called a “trigger” food. Trigger foods are foods we think about all the time, like chocolate for example. They make us eat too much and so we have to not only be careful of our portions but also what foods we have a tendency to crave.

When we eat trigger foods we can’t get them off of our mind, we end up with big portions and overeating and then we feel sluggish and tired. I know this too well. Even while I was a fitness trainer and wellness was my passion I found myself binge eating every day. My eating habits were way out of balance and so were my emotions. I started by praying to God and you can too. Ask God to reveal the foods that have power over you and how to portion control your plate.  Let’s take a moment to include God in making a decision to eat smaller portions. 

What Paul is saying here that we must allow nothing to enslave us in sinful habits. If you struggle with gluttony, then you need to ask yourself, "which foods or drinks have control over me"? If you find yourself eating in a way that is not helpful for your life then it is wrong to continue to allow yourself to keep moving in the direction of destruction. Remember God is a God of healing and restoration but when it comes to making decisions we need to do our part and that begins by watching our food portions.

Well I can tell you that I had no self-control with my food and I didn’t think about what a bad habit I had developed over the years. The only thing that I can tell you is that every time I fell into this crazy eating pattern especially during social time, my cravings made me an emotional wreck. I wasn’t aware that I was obsessed with food. For myself I finally made a decision  to remove many foods that I craved, especially the ones I would think about after I ate dinner. I still deal with cravings but for the most part I know what to do to do my best to overcome them and I give God the glory for helping me see the caution signs because I lose control. 

You are not alone in your weakness! Jesus was tempted by Satan because he is out to destroy us. So through our efforts there will be up’s and downs but God will bless us with his will to get up more quickly each time we fall off track and continue to strive to do better without guilt and shame. This is the exact method we learn to develop healthy habits with Christ at the center. Take a look at Elly below, who learned how to portion control her plate while eating in a way that is very satisfying and lost over 40 lbs and kept it off for the last 3 years.

Oh and by the way, I have a FREE RESOURCE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE to help you jump start your weight loss

How To Portion Control Your Plate For Weight Loss

So if you have been on a plateau for a month or two this free resource will help you to jump start your efforts as long as you take action and make a commitment to the Lord. 

Here are some of my top tips! Consider eating slowly, stopping, putting your fork down and chewing your food with your hands in front of you. Give thanks to the Lord during mealtime. See if eating less is actually enough to meet your needs and try drinking a nice cup or 2 of herbal tea to fill the gap if you're still feeling hungry. 

Portion Control Plate

Portion Control Plate & Tips

It’s important to train your eye and your tummy by practicing portion control for 5-7 days at each meal. 

Challenge yourself to measure everything for one week to learn what proper food portions look like. 

• Start by praying and singing to worship the Lord and talk to God about being mindful of the amount of food you’re eating, and remember—small changes in your portion sizes equal big results over time. 

 

• Next, to eat less, find smaller plates and bowls or keep the food in the center of your plate. 

 

• If you want a treat for dinner (after your main meal) eat it in the same time frame with your meal, not 2 hours later. Serve yourself a portion on a plate and then put the rest away. 

 

• Refrain from eating out of containers, bags, boxes, or pans. “Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.” (Proverbs 30:8 NLT)

Once you are comfortable in knowing what a half a cup and a cup of food looks like you can simply us the plate method to keep your healthy habits in perspective and commit your ways unto the Lord to help your health get strong and joyful. 

How To Portion Control and NEVER Go Hungry

Here is a quick glance of what your plate portions should consist of. I love the plate method. Use these guidelines to fix your plate at meals as a simple way to control portions and HUNGER without weighing or measuring food:

1. Fill half the plate with vegetables, whether they are cooked or tossed in a salad. (TRY BOTH)
   
2. Fill a quarter of the plate with lean protein such as meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu.
3. Try less carbs. Fix a quarter of your plate with carbs. Choose one carb. Don’t have bread with potatoes for example. If you want something sweet, end with fruit and a cup of tea. 
4. If you want to learn more from the bible about self-control here is a great article I wrote to help you learn and grow 

Here is a great promise in the bible! 

Call on the Lord and he will lift you up and pull you out of the pit of being a slave to food! Remember when dining at a restaurant to remember what influences your habits to eat bigger portions when they serve you that big plate of food. More doesn't always means better. God bless your journey!       DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE GUIDE