Hello! I’ve been getting a lot of questions about weight loss and intuitive eating. I know it’s probably a combination of the new year and post-holiday pounds – time to diet, right? Well, my #1 weight loss tip is to read Intuitive Eating.
Learning your body, your hunger signals and finding that balance is very challenging – especially if you’ve been dieting and/or over or under eating for a long time. So, here are some tools you can use in your weak areas to give you confidence that you are keeping a balanced diet and not gaining weight on the journey.
The Best Weight Loss Tools:
Breakfast
I am a cereal killer all the way. I will eat a whole box of cereal in one day easily (and happily). But, I shouldn’t (Boo. I hate moderation).
These portion control bowls are great to keep an eye on how much cereal you’re eating.
Or just use measuring cups to actually measure out a serving and use your favorite bowl every day. Then, fill it up to that spot in your bowl every day.
Lunch
Want to pack a healthy lunch?
Try this Portion Control Lunch Box or a Portable Salad Bowl – I have one of these and used to use it when I went to school and into work before I started blogging full time where I work 10 feet from the kitchen and now have no control over what I stuff into my mouth at noon every day.
Snacks
Snack time is one of my worst obstacles. Once I start I cannot stop snacking!! These portable containers are good for snacks like cut up fruit, cereal, trail mix or mini-snickers.
Pack your own ‘snack packs’ in baggies with trail mix or nuts or your favorite snack. But first weigh out a good serving size with a food scale.
Dinner
The easiest way to balance dinner is to divide your plate in half. Put vegetables on one half and 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs on the other side.
Use this portion control plate if that sounds like rocket science to you.
Serving spoons that tell you how much a serving is of vegetables, pasta and more.
Drinks and Dessert
Wine glasses with calorie count on them. This is the most genius thing in the world! I ordered these before Christmas as a lil gift to myself. I don’t plan on quitting drinking any time soon – but I don’t want to gain weight. So, this will help me keep it in check.
Calorie Curvee Wine Glasses are the ones I have.
Wine Trax measures out 4, 6 and 8oz if you’d prefer to keep track that way without a calorie count.
And if I’m not drinking, I’m eating ice cream. Okay, sometimes both.
At least I eat out of a bowl and not directly from the container thanks to my handy dandy ice cream scoop. I like these ones with a thick handle so I can get a real good scoop. It’s the kind my mom had growing up and I still love it.
Question: Which of these items do you use?
Which are you going to get?
Hi,
You used small boxes and bowls to control food each meal. This method is great to lose weight. But I can know how much the volume of those boxes and bowls?
Hey! I have never come across those portion control bowls before, what a fab idea!
3 tools that helped me are:
1. Interval training as I can fit this into any day (Just do 15 mins) and it seems to really work for me.
2. Drinking lemon in water and/or green tea and/or cinammon with honey and warm water.
3. A 9 day aloe cleanse called clean 9 (http://www.ninedayslim.com) seemed to sort out my system and get the weight coming off.
I also found quitting sugar (except for 1 square of dark choccie a day!) made a big difference.
Anyway, off to buy those bowls as Xmas pressies, haha!!
The portion control plate and the wine glasses look like so much fun – I’ve been fine so far weighing my food, using a food scale I got for my birthday. Before that, I had to use the tiny jewelry scale I use to make my cosmetic products, but it was hard finding containers that were big enough to actually hold anything in, but narrow enough so they wouldn’t fall off the scale. I finally came across these disposable containers I got when I ordered sushi one time, and they work great – they’re light and small, but you can easily fit 200 something grams in them. Too bad they stain easily (like when I weigh beets or some sort of curry-covered food). But your post gave me some great ideas, thanks!
OMG I love this blog!! I have problems to lose weight more when I am doing physical activity than when I am sedentary and I don’t know why 🙁
Portion Control Plate like a slightly better tool. Although I know that portion control is an important diet trick. I find it’s always hard to control it…@-@
I tried and very successful 🙂 I lose my weight and I’m happy! I bought a Green Coffee here:http://www.chlorogen800.com/ct/314376
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I measure out the contents of my porridge as well, because it is so easy to go overboard when I’m starving after the gym. A quarter cup of oats and quinoa, and half tablespoons of linseed and chia seeds. I sprinkle on whatever dried fruits and nuts I have around, and then go heavy with the cinnamon. Done!
working from home made me the WORST at controlling portions! Having all day access to food is not a good thing, ha!
I’m both a wine and craft beer drinker so I could really get into trouble if I don’t watch my portions! I started using tasting glasses that I get from wine/beer festivals whenever I want a drink. They’re between 2 to 4 oz, much better than the full size pint or wine glasses for me.
Great tools to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. I need the wine glass. My one huge, honking goblet is like three glasses in one. This way I cant justify to myself and say I only had one glass.
Those portion control lunch boxes are really need- and the bowls! Great suggestions here and I TOTALLY think portion control is the main issues with me when it comes down to it- don’t hand me the whole box of cereal because I will eat it all too. I measure it out in my bowl before eating that way I KNOW I have the right amount 🙂
I love those ideas!!! $25 is too steep for me for one glass, but that wine glass is super cute. I love the plate idea, it’s a great way to remind yourself to eat more veggies than starches and meeats. Although you do need a certain amount of protein in a day…
PS-your doggie in the breakfast photo is a cutie! Oh, and I’ll eat a whole box of cereal as well (or granola bars!)
I like those plates with serving sizes on them! I had never seen them before. I stopped drinking some years ago due to the whole being an addict thing, but those wine glasses also seem totally legit.
I just want to say I love your blog!! I get so excited when I see a new post from you in my inbox!! Thanks for always keeping it real!!!
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Thank you for reading Jodi!
Portion control plates are a great idea!
I always try to eat from a “salad” plate rather than a “dinner” plate and use dessert bowls if I want some cereal. I’m glad that I’m not a wine drinker (or much of a drink at all) because that most certainly could be a downfall for me. However, if I’m on vacation…I’m getting more than one frozen cocktail!
Hi Monica! Using the same bowls and plates for portions has definitely helped me reign in the amount of food I’m eating. Also, planning your meals a bit in advance so you aren’t starving as you stand in front of the fridge helps too.
I’m so bad about snacking! If I portion out snacks instead of just grabbing them out of the box/bag/container, then I find that I just eat one serving (not 10).
Pricey, but a fun toy – http://dailyburn.com/life/tech/vessyl-smart-cup-calorie-count/
Mine is supposed to show up soon. Should be fun… for science! 🙂
Portion control bowls for the win! I so, so, so need that.
I love snacks so much but I had to discipline myself so better not to start eating. Well the tools are helpful too you will enjoy yourself having food in the right amount. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t use any of these tools, but I did re ad intuitive eating and loved it! I would definitely recommend that book to anyone and everyone whether you are trying to lose weight or not!
Totally getting those serving-size wine glasses- what a smart idea!!
I got the portion pro oil dispenser and find it invaluable for cooking and for adding oil to salads. Much better than estimating or cleaning your spoons every day!
http://www.amazon.com/Portion-Dispenser-With-Measuring-Tube/dp/B0000VLZIA
Here’s a portion control tip: you can actually use the cork to stop the wine bottle back up! I used to drink the whole bottle to keep it from spoiling (okay, okay… I still do that sometimes…)
That’s a great idea, if you like spoiled wine…
I use the portion control lunch boxes every day at work, if not I would bring way too little or too much food.
I am a snacking machine – I don’t worry to much about how I eat at meal times, it’s generally pretty reasonable. But once I start snacking it’s game over. I want ALL the snacks! 🙂
Me too!
I LOVE intuitive eating. I recommend that book to every single person I ever meet practically. I don’t have any portion control devices but I think they are a great idea especially if moderation is hard. I measure some foods and after a while I get used to how a serving looks in my bowl so I start to eyeball it.
I use measuring cups and spoons for things I want to count (like cereal and salad dressing). I’m going to make one of those wine glasses b/c I have a glass of wine every night and I”m not going to lie – sometimes the pours are bigger than others 🙂
I also got a Fitbit for Christmas and am now obsessed. I work from home and now that Christmas break is over (I was off for a week) I see how FEW steps I take during the work day. I mean I come downstairs and sit at my desk…… I am starting to take my dog for a walk every day around lunch time to help compensate for so much sitting.
I love the cereal portion control bowl…but I can see myself just getting 2 and eating them both at once. Does that count?
I always make sure to weigh the majority of my portions on a food scale. I tend to be a big overeater so this helps me with eating the right portions.
I also just ordered the Fitbit Charge HR. I currently have the Fitbit Flex which motivates me to walk more and hit my steps bit I’m really excited for one with a heart rate monitor!!
Ooh!Do they make that book in an audio version? I can’t read books. I am too scattered these days to concentrate. ( not a good thing but I have just accepted it) Also I wanted to do something other than music for this marathon training cycle to keep me company on my long runs.
Yes they do!
I just added that book to my Amazon cart! “Clean eating” is at the top of my list this month. One thing that works for me is not having any large serving food in the house… such as crackers, chips, granola bars, etc. If I want something, it has to be individual-sized so I don’t go overboard 🙂 Totally agree with you on the cereal issue too, I love it!
Yeah weight loss isn’t that hard when you have portion control down! That’s why I’m trying to reduce my snacking – it’s so much harder to watch how much I’m eating when I graze.
I’m actually going to make one of those wine glasses. I found a cute idea on pinterest. It has 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, and then a line at the top that says who gives a f*. It’s a good way to have a glass to portion without looking like you really care. 😉
I love the idea of making one! I made my sister hand painted wine glasses for Christmas so still have glass paint. I’m going to copy you if you don’t mind 🙂
Mine says “Who cares” on the top line 🙂 Love this idea!!