Plant-based proteins are also good choices, and may include beans, bean dips, tofu and nut butters. Protein helps your body feel more full than carbs or fat do.

Include protein with each meal and snack to boost its power. Nevertheless, replacing high-calorie drinks with water can save you total calories at your meal 9. Drink water or other zero-calorie beverages with your meal to quench your thirst without increasing your calorie intake. Drinking water with your meal saves you extra calories.

It might seem counterintuitive to eat more courses in order to eat less food, but starting your meal with a soup or salad can help you do just that. In one study, participants ate lunch in a lab once a week for five weeks. That same researcher found similar results when she gave people salad before an entrée of pasta Light vegetable soups and salads have something in common: they have a high water content, are full of fiber-rich veggies and are generally low in calories.

This high-fiber, high-water combo seems to be a great way to curb subsequent calorie intake Starting off with a low-calorie soup or salad takes the edge off your hunger, priming you to eat less of the main course. It might sound strange, but the size of your plates and eating utensils affects how much you eat.

In other studies, people have served themselves more ice cream when using a bigger spoon and have eaten less food when using a small fork 15 , So harness the power of illusion and use a smaller plate and utensils.

Between your smart phone, the television and a hectic lifestyle, it can be all too easy to eat while distracted. Distracted eating tends to lead you to eat more, not just at that meal, but for the rest of the day Mindfulness can also help you distinguish between physical hunger and emotional hunger And instead of multitasking at mealtime, try setting aside at least 20 minutes to tune into your food, taking time to smell it, taste it and feel its effect on your body.

A compound in hot peppers called capsaicin can actually help reduce appetite and hunger In one study, participants who consumed spicy red pepper as part of an appetizer ate fewer calories during a subsequent lunch and snack than those who skipped the spice A study in 10 overweight men found that participants felt less hungry when they drank ginger tea during breakfast than when they skipped the ginger tea In general, fiber-rich foods can help you feel full.

And foods with soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, pears and beans, are particularly filling. In the digestive tract, soluble fiber produces a thick gel that helps slow digestion, keeping hunger at bay 22 , Recently, researchers found that adding soluble-fiber-rich flax or chia seeds to meals increases feelings of fullness As a side note, those same researchers found that using chia seeds reduced the hunger hormone ghrelin by the end of the six-month period, compared to starting levels Soluble fiber helps keep hunger at bay.

Find it in oatmeal, chia seeds, squash, beans, apples and pears. Try bulking up your portions with veggies, eating more protein or tricking your mind by using smaller plates. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts. Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument. This article contains scientific references.

The numbers in the parentheses 1, 2, 3 are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers. The average person gains one to two pounds 0. Here are 20 little things that are making you gain fat. In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. Here are 35 simple but highly effective ways to cut lots of calories.

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Here's why. New research finds that bariatric surgery is an effective long-term treatment to help control high blood pressure. One line presented the foods from healthiest to least healthy, while the other line had the order reversed.

You can portion the kinds of foods you eat more carefully if you know what is available. Take a stroll around the buffet or dinner table before you serve yourself, Young suggested.

You can have alcohol or a soft drink with your meal, but keep it to one glass and enjoy it slowly, Young suggested. According to a Scientific Reports article, people drank slower and less from glasses that were straight-edged, compared to outward-sloped.

The American Heart Association AHA recommends that you limit your consumption of sugary beverages and just one ounce can of regular soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar—a full four teaspoons more than what's recommended for women per day, or one extra teaspoon for men.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , adult women should limit themselves to one drink and adult men two drinks 12 ounces of beer; 5 ounces of wine or less in a day.

Turn off the TV, stop working, and put your smartphone away while you eat. Per a Frontiers in Psychology article, people ate more calories if they used their phones during their meals. Also, consider avoiding using your lunch break to work if you can—a Nutrients article also found that people felt less sated if they ate while working at a computer.

One tip nutritionist Cynthia Sass, MPH , likes to use is easy, memorable visual cues for healthy awareness of how much of a food you should be eating. A thumb, from where it bends to the tip, is a typical-sized portion for olive oil. A deck of cards in thickness and width is a typical-sized portion of fish, and a tennis ball is a typical-sized portion of fresh fruit," Sass told Health.

Many people have expect to eat some type of dessert at the end of a meal, Blatner said. Blatner recommended brewing a flavorful decaf tea like peppermint, cinnamon, chocolate, or a fruity variety to satisfy that expectation.

Or, reach for a bowl of fruit or small sweet potato topped with cinnamon and peanut butter. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

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Her work has appeared in publications like Shape, Parents, Real Simple, Prevention, Men's Health, Reader's Digest, Health, and many more. health's editorial guidelines. Medically reviewed by Jonathan Purtell, RDN. Jonathan Purtell, MS, RDN, CDN, is a registered dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital.

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One study from looked at the effects of eating high-protein meals on feelings of fullness. The researchers found that individuals who ate the protein-rich meals felt fuller in both the short and long term, compared to when their meals contained half that amount of protein 5.

Focus on lean sources of protein, such as eggs, skinless poultry, dairy, seafood and fish. Plant-based proteins are also good choices, and may include beans, bean dips, tofu and nut butters. Protein helps your body feel more full than carbs or fat do. Include protein with each meal and snack to boost its power.

Nevertheless, replacing high-calorie drinks with water can save you total calories at your meal 9. Drink water or other zero-calorie beverages with your meal to quench your thirst without increasing your calorie intake.

Drinking water with your meal saves you extra calories. It might seem counterintuitive to eat more courses in order to eat less food, but starting your meal with a soup or salad can help you do just that.

In one study, participants ate lunch in a lab once a week for five weeks. That same researcher found similar results when she gave people salad before an entrée of pasta Light vegetable soups and salads have something in common: they have a high water content, are full of fiber-rich veggies and are generally low in calories.

This high-fiber, high-water combo seems to be a great way to curb subsequent calorie intake Starting off with a low-calorie soup or salad takes the edge off your hunger, priming you to eat less of the main course.

It might sound strange, but the size of your plates and eating utensils affects how much you eat. In other studies, people have served themselves more ice cream when using a bigger spoon and have eaten less food when using a small fork 15 , So harness the power of illusion and use a smaller plate and utensils.

Between your smart phone, the television and a hectic lifestyle, it can be all too easy to eat while distracted. Distracted eating tends to lead you to eat more, not just at that meal, but for the rest of the day Mindfulness can also help you distinguish between physical hunger and emotional hunger And instead of multitasking at mealtime, try setting aside at least 20 minutes to tune into your food, taking time to smell it, taste it and feel its effect on your body.

A compound in hot peppers called capsaicin can actually help reduce appetite and hunger In one study, participants who consumed spicy red pepper as part of an appetizer ate fewer calories during a subsequent lunch and snack than those who skipped the spice A study in 10 overweight men found that participants felt less hungry when they drank ginger tea during breakfast than when they skipped the ginger tea In general, fiber-rich foods can help you feel full.

And foods with soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, pears and beans, are particularly filling. In the digestive tract, soluble fiber produces a thick gel that helps slow digestion, keeping hunger at bay 22 , Recently, researchers found that adding soluble-fiber-rich flax or chia seeds to meals increases feelings of fullness As a side note, those same researchers found that using chia seeds reduced the hunger hormone ghrelin by the end of the six-month period, compared to starting levels It sounds counterintuitive, but eating less can actually help you enjoy your food more.

And focusing on your food, rather than noshing away in front of the TV or computer screen, can also help you savor your meals more. In the end, it's about eating mindfully, says Largeman-Roth. Her advice: Stop multi-tasking, and slow down. Savor it. Use all of your senses to enjoy it.

Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance.

Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Special Diets Weight Loss. By Laurie Herr has more than 20 years of experience in writing, editing, and developing content for leading food and health and wellness publications.

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These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Summary Jotting down your total calorie intake can increase awareness of what you consume.

This can motivate you to make healthier choices and reduce your chances of overeating. Unwanted weight gain may start with large portion sizes. However, there are many practical steps you can take to control portions. These simple changes have proven successful in reducing portions without compromising on taste or feelings of fullness.

For example, measuring your food, using smaller dishes, drinking water prior to meals and eating slowly can all reduce your risk of overeating. At the end of the day, portion control is a quick fix that improves your quality of life and may prevent binging. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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Nutrition Evidence Based 9 Tips to Measure and Control Portion Sizes. By Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD UK on November 19, Share on Pinterest. Use Smaller Dinnerware. Use Your Plate as a Portion Guide. Use Your Hands as a Serving Guide.

Ask for a Half Portion When Eating Out. Start All Meals With a Glass of Water. Take It Slowly. Be Aware of Suitable Serving Size.