Whether you\’re trying to lose weight or you are working to maintain your current weight, portion control is going to be essential. Unfortunately, many foods today are a lot larger than a serving size, which makes it easier than ever to eat several servings at a time without realizing it. If you\’re going to control your portions, you first need to learn what the right serving sizes are. While it may seem difficult to practice portion control, it doesn\’t have to be that difficult. Here are a few easy portion control tips you can use to help maintain or lose weight.

Tip #1 – Learn to Estimate

One of the easiest portion control tips you can use is to learn to estimate portion sizes accurately. You can come up with \”ballpark\” portion sizes by comparing serving sizes to known objects. One easy example is that a serving sized of cooked meat is estimated to be the same size as a deck of cards. A cup of food is usually about the same size as a tennis ball. For an ounce of cheese, a piece about the size of a domino is about an ounce. Learning to estimate portion sizes can definitely be beneficial as you work to control your portions.

Tip #2 – Use Dishware for Portion Control

Another great portion control tip is to use dishware that helps with portion control. You can actually purchase dishes that have compartments for specific serving sizes. If you don\’t have specific dishes, you can opt to go with smaller bowls, plates, and cups within the kitchen. Measure out what your dishes hold so you know how much you are really getting when you use the dish. You may find that the soup bowl holds two servings of soup instead of just one.

Tip #3 – Dish Out Servings

To keep from overeating, it\’s better to dish out servings before you sit down at the table. Serve food right onto plates from the stove instead of putting all the food on the table. It\’s easier to eat seconds without thinking about it if the food is right in front of you. You\’ll be less likely to go back for seconds when you leave food on the stove.

Tip #4 – Carefully Control Portions at Restaurants

Many restaurants today serve huge amounts of food, which can often include multiple servings. However, you can still work to get the proper portions even when you decide to eat out. To control your portions, consider sharing a meal with a friend at the restaurant. You can also immediately ask to have half of the meal put in a to-go container, so you\’re aren\’t tempted to eat more than you should. Other ways to cut portions are to ask to have dressing on the side of your salad or to split a dessert between several people.

Tip #5 – Make Up Single Serving Snacks

Yet another great tip you can use to help keep track of portion sizes is to make up single serving snacks. When you eat snacks out of a large bag, it\’s easy to eat several servings. To make sure you don\’t overeat, make up single serving bags when you first get the snack. This way you can easily grab a bag, knowing that you are only getting one serving.

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