A Food Database Is a Great Tool for Cutting Portion Sizes

Aug 8
17:01

2012

Ryan Newhouse

Ryan Newhouse

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

You can control weight and portion sizes by keeping track of them.

mediaimage

One of the biggest benefits of using a mobile calorie tracker is instant access to an extensive database of foods. This is especially helpful when you are trying to lose weight because it can help you find foods that will fit into your daily calorie budget quickly and easily. You will probably find that when you are trying to stick within a limited calorie goal for the day,A Food Database Is a Great Tool for Cutting Portion Sizes Articles that you will have to find different tips or tricks to keep from feeling hungry and overeating. Portion control is one of those “tricks” that many people find very helpful because it allows them to eat the same foods as their friends and family without feeling left out.

Your mobile calorie counter will allow you to set goals for your daily calorie intake using your BMI and activity level as guides. Once you have a set goal you can use different methods of portion control to stay within the set calorie budget. One way to help you control your portion sizes is to invest in a set of measuring cups and spoons as well as a good quality food scale. By having these tools around you are ensuring that you can always dish out a precise serving size. Your tools don’t have to be expensive, but they do need to be precise.

Once you have started measuring your food for exact serving size and calorie count for your mobile food diary, another thing that could be helpful is to use smaller dishes. Since portion sizes will likely end up being smaller than you are used to, eating from a normal sized dinner plate may make you feel as if you aren’t getting enough. Instead, put your food on a salad or smaller lunch plate. This way the plate ends up appearing full even though you are eating the same amount of food. This trick works for many people, even though they know that the portions are smaller, seeing a full plate makes them feel better.

Portion control using a mobile food journal doesn’t have to be a difficult undertaking. It may, however, involve a little bit of creativity. By combining precisely measured servings of your foods with smaller dishware and even smaller silverware, you can reduce the calorie load of your day without reducing your satisfaction with the amount of food that you eat. The journey to weight loss can become a lot easier when you don’t feel as if you are being deprived of food.