As with all weight control strategies, determining proper serving size can be one of the most helpful tools it your pursuit of quick weight loss, but with muscle gain this strategy works best in the opposite extreme. People are normally appalled when they grasp the simple concept of serving size. If you look at the servings listed on nutritional information you will usually see that you are routinely consuming many more than a single serving.
Over-consumption can be good if you are looking to pack on the muscle but if you are looking to get lean it will not help one bit. Determine what a proper portion is and do not feel obligated to finish everything on your plate, it won’t make a bit of difference to starving children in Africa and you grandma probably won’t know.
A couple good strategies for determining proper serving size are as follows:
Weigh your food. This is possibly the best method because it always gets you spot on. It may seem a little obsessive compulsive but it is also a great teaching and learning tool and once you have measured food for a couple of weeks you will have a much better feel for how much you should be eating.
Use conceptual examples. A lot of people like to imagine that a their food is the size of a deck of cards or their fist. Find objects that you can remember and relate them to portion size. Trying to visualize 6 ounces of broccoli is challenging but when you remember that 6 ounces is a little less than the size of your fist that will be very helpful. This is also aided by the measurement exercises.
Eat until you are 75% full. Don’t like being so rigid about what you eat. Slow down and just eat at a reasonable pace. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and stop eating before you are full. This is one of the most powerful weight control strategies out there, it is also one of the most simple.
To sum up. Don’t just eat what is in front of you. If you really want to control your body weight learn to eat reasonable portions and realize what a significant influence what you put into your body has on your body’s appearance. If you are going after quick weight loss, then eat less by ensuring proper serving size.