Relating to reducing weight, it isn’t about simply what you eat … it’s additionally about how a lot you eat.
After all, sure meals and vitamins can assist you are feeling happy and management your urge for food: wholesome fat from nuts; fiber from fruits, greens and entire grains; protein from eggs, beans and meat. That’s why many Nutrisystem meals and snacks are loaded with each fiber and protein.
However even “good” selections can sabotage your weight reduction progress should you eat an excessive amount of. For instance, two tablespoons of almonds offers filling, wholesome fat and about 70 energy. On Nutrisystem, that quantity counts as one PowerFuel. However should you snack mindlessly on them, the energy in almonds add up: One full cup of entire almonds is 828 energy.
This may be the distinction between consuming an quantity that helps you keep full, energized and on observe together with your weight reduction versus an quantity that causes your “wholesome” snack to result in weight achieve.
The issue: We’re actually dangerous at estimating portion sizes, so now we have bother controlling them. Research present that after we don’t measure, Individuals accurately guess the scale of a portion solely about half the time. And we’re particularly dangerous at estimating portion sizes in terms of snacks and sweets.
That’s why portion management is the cornerstone of Nutrisystem: The meals and snacks we ship you might be completely portioned so you already know precisely how a lot you’re consuming, and understand it’s an quantity that’s serving to you progress in direction of your weight reduction targets.
However in terms of your grocery add-ins and Flex meals, portion management is important. Use these six tricks to maintain all of your different parts beneath management and keep on observe.
1. Measure and retailer meals in wholesome parts—earlier than you’re hungry.
If you’ve obtained an urge for food, it’s possible you’ll need to seize one thing and eat it—quick. Measuring out parts upfront can assist you make certain that these two tablespoons of almonds don’t balloon right into a half-cup or extra: You may merely seize the bag or container the place you’ve pre-measured the snack you need, and also you’ll know the way a lot you’re consuming.
This may be particularly helpful for meals that you already know you are likely to binge on: Should you purchase a block of cheese and know you are likely to eat a bunch of it once you’re feeling snacky, flip it over and have a look at the diet label once you get house. If it’s obtained 16 servings, lower the block into 16 servings instantly, then put these in containers or baggage. Or should you are likely to seize a bunch of sandwich cookies, contemplate pre-portioning your complete package deal into servings as quickly as you get house. That method, once you do snack, you’ll be able to seize a serving that you already know matches your plan.
The Nutrisystem Grocery Information can assist you identify what these wholesome parts ought to be, so you’ll be able to load your cupboards and fridge with pre-portioned snacks and components that suit your plan. You may also chop up some non-starchy greens that are limitless meals—like cucumbers, carrots and bell pepper slices—so that you’ll have tasty, pre-prepared snacks which you can eat in huge parts.
All this snack prep has a bonus: Analysis reveals that extra time spent prepping meals within the kitchen is very correlated with consuming a higher-quality, nutritious weight loss program—and with higher well being outcomes!
2. Purchase pre-measured parts.
Don’t have time to pre-measure every thing? Reap the benefits of pre-portioned choices. Smaller baggage of chips and crackers, 100-calorie packs, or different pre-portioned meals can assist you retain observe of how a lot you’re consuming.
Nutrisystem IS an enormous assist right here: Our snacks, just like the Chocolate Chip Cookies and White Cheddar Popcorn, are already pre-portioned, so you’ll be able to eat your complete package deal and really feel happy whereas staying on plan. No measuring wanted.
3. Use your arms to assist.
Generally the serving dimension on a label—and even the quantity listed within the Grocery Information—could be complicated: How a lot salmon is in three ounces? How a lot tuna is in a half-cup?
Should you don’t have a meals scale or measuring cups/spoons helpful, you should use your arms or frequent family objects that can assist you estimate the correct portion dimension. Try the infographic beneath for some frequent examples:
1 oz. = 1 thumb or 3 cube
Examples:
PowerFuels: decreased fats cheese
2 oz. = about ²/₃ palm of hand or deck of playing cards
3 oz. = 1 palm of hand or deck of playing cards
Examples:
PowerFuels: 2 oz. meat, poultry or fatty fish, or 3 oz. white fish
1 tsp. = 1 fingertip or 1 cube
Examples:
Extras: honey, jelly, maple syrup, mayonnaise, oil and seeds
1 Tbsp. = 1 thumb or 1 poker chip
Examples:
PowerFuels: 1 Tbsp. oil and nut butter, or 2 Tbsp. nuts and seeds
Extras: avocado, ketchup, low-fat espresso creamer, mild salad dressing and reduced-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup = ½ cupped hand or 1 egg
Examples:
PowerFuels: avocado, ricotta cheese, and shredded, grated or crumbled cheese.
SmartCarbs: dried fruit and hummus
½ cup = 1 cupped hand or laptop mouse
Examples:
PowerFuels: 1% cottage cheese, canned tuna, edamame and lean floor turkey
SmartCarbs: brown rice, quinoa, entire grain pasta, beans and starchy veggies (corn, potatoes and peas)
1 cup = 1 clenched fist or baseball
Examples:
PowerFuels: low-fat milk
SmartCarbs: contemporary fruit and berries
Extras: unsweetened almond milk and air-popped popcorn
4. Don’t eat straight out of a full-sized bag or field. Use a plate or bowl.
Should you can’t eat from a package deal the place the entire contents is the same as one serving, don’t eat out of the bag or field. It’s powerful to know the way a lot you’re consuming, and straightforward to be carried away … as anybody who’s lounged with a bag of chips can inform you.
As an alternative, measure the portion onto a plate or right into a bowl earlier than you sit right down to eat. That method, you received’t need to depend on your willpower to cease—you’ll be able to clear your plate and know you’ve eaten a wholesome portion that matches your plan.
5. Pair a salty snack or candy deal with with a limiteless meals.
Should you love consuming in massive portions, strive pairing a wholesome portion of a salty, candy or fatty meals you crave with one other limitless meals, akin to carrot sticks, slices of cucumber, inexperienced pepper slices or broccoli florets. These meals are limitless as a result of they’re stuffed with vitamins your physique wants with out many energy. By combining these two forms of meals on a single plate, you’ll get to eat a number of the meals you like, and eat the amount that may fill you up.
6. Determine what you’re actually craving. Eat a portion of that.
If there’s a meals you’re actually craving—like a favourite ice cream, or a chocolate chip cookie, or a cheese-flavored snack that at all times hits the spot—Nutrisystem dietitians say you’ll be able to really go overboard consuming different meals attempting to keep away from your meals craving all collectively. You realize the sensation. You actually need a cookie, however you find yourself selecting at different stuff—a pretzel right here, a cracker there—and by no means actually really feel happy … however you’ve piled up a bunch of additional energy.
The answer, our specialists say, is to present into that craving … with a managed portion. Should you’re actually craving a selected meals, measure out a portion that matches the Grocery Information tips, and actually take pleasure in it. That’s the great thing about Nutrisystem’s program: No meals is off limits when eaten in the suitable portion. So savor that wholesome portion, log it within the NuMi app, and keep on observe to your targets!
