7 Portion Control Tips & Mistakes To Avoid

• To maintain a balanced diet, it's important to pay attention to how much you eat. Overeating or undereating may increase the risk of developing chronic conditions, which can affect energy levels and normal bodily functions.
• Many food labels state serving size, but abiding by serving size alone does not stave off weight gain - knowing the impact of your daily activity level, age, and gender, can help you determine how much to eat so you get enough calories to function but avoid weight gain from eating too much.
• Portion control tips, such as tracking what you eat and practicing mindful eating, can help you get the right amount of food on your plate.

While it's important to eat plenty of fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grain carbs, and healthy sources of dairy, how much you eat matters too. Portion control plays a role in successful weight management and an overall healthy diet . If portions are too small, you may feel fatigued but if portions are too large it may increase the risk for conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, underscoring the importance of balance.

Continue reading to learn more about how food portions can lead to weight gain or weight loss, why serving size matters when it comes to healthy eating, and how to determine appropriate portions based on individual needs.

A food portion is the amount of food you choose to eat, regardless of the amount on your plate, and it plays a role in maintaining a healthy weight. Eating larger portions, especially of processed foods or nutrient-poor snacks, may contribute to weight gain, whereas smaller portions may lead to fatigue and other adverse health effects. Meanwhile, eating appropriate portion sizes, especially of healthy foods like brown rice, vegetables, and lean protein, may increase your energy intake, help you maintain a healthy weight, and contribute to feeling better emotionally and physically.

Why Portions Matter

How many calories you eat directly influences your energy levels. If you eat too few calories, you may experience:

• Fatigue
• Negative impacts on mental health
• Difficulty focusing at work
• Difficulty maintaining a social life
• Trouble maintaining body temperature
• Inability to walk long distances or complete physically demanding tasks
• A slowed metabolism and increased cortisol production, both of which can actually lead to weight gain

If you eat too many calories (especially in combination with not enough physical activity to burn them off), you may experience:

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many medical conditions, including but not limited to:

How To Find Portion Sizes on Food Labels

A ​"serving size" is a set amount of food that someone should eat in one sitting. Eating more or less than the recommended serving size may mean you get more or fewer nutrients than necessary.

Packaged food often lists the serving size on the food label . These labels contain four important details, often in this order:

1. Serving information: This usually states how many servings there are per container and the size of a serving. Whole grain pasta, for example, may state a serving size is half a cup and there are four servings in the package, meaning the package includes two cups of pasta.
2. Calories: The amount of energy you get from each serving (not the entire package) is typically listed below the serving size. Most adults need between 1,600-3,200 calories per day, though the specific amount depends on gender, age, and activity level.
3. Nutrients: The nutrition facts label lists the specific amount of nutrients in a food or product. Beneficial nutrients include iron, fiber, potassium, and vitamins. Dietary guidelines suggest minimizing the amount of sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat that you eat, though less processed fats or sugars aren't always bad in moderation.
4. Daily Value: This column tells you what percentage of the daily recommended intake for each nutrient is in each serving. For example, one serving of cereal may list that it provides 14% of daily dietary fiber .

Not all foods come with a food label. If you buy unpackaged peppers at the grocery store, it can be difficult to know how much to consume. This also gets tricky when we think about recipes that combine multiple ingredients, even if some have a food label.

The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends thinking of all the food you eat as a plate that should contain:

• Half fruits and vegetables: Another common guideline is to eat five or more servings a day.
• A quarter of your plate should be grains: Of the grains you consume, at least half should be whole grains . Grains like oatmeal, quinoa, popcorn, and whole wheat pasta and whole grain bread fall into this category while bagels, couscous, pizza crust, ramen noodles, and more fall into the refined grain category.
• A quarter of your plate should be protein: Depending on age and gender, adults should eat anywhere between five to seven ounces of protein a day, ideally focusing on lean protein sources like grilled chicken, beans, chickpeas, almonds, tuna, and salmon.

Additional Foods for a Healthy Diet:

• Adults should consume three cups of dairy each day: Ideally, the majority should be fat-free or low-fat dairy sources, like fat-free milk or low-fat Greek yogurt.
• Healthy fats are also part of a balanced diet. Nuts, tuna, salmon, avocados, and vegetable oils are calorie-dense foods that are also good sources of fat . When possible, avoid or eat foods high in saturated fats in moderation. These include processed meats, butter, ice cream, and many pastries.

These are relative guidelines, meaning the exact amount you need of each specific food depends on your age, gender, and activity level. The MyPlate Plan calculator can help you determine how much you need for each group of food listed above and overall calories per day.

After you figure out the exact amount of calories you need and what percentage should ideally come from each of the above food groups, it's time to incorporate that knowledge into your eating habits. These seven tips can make it easier to measure how much food you need so you can avoid under- or overeating.

1 | Track What You Eat

Many people find it useful to track what they eat, at least for a few weeks so they can get a better idea of their true eating habits. If keeping a food tracker , make sure to note:

• What you ate
• How much you ate
• When you ate
• Where you ate
• Your reason for eating

Together, this information can help you understand what motivates you to eat, how much you're getting from certain food groups, and if you need to eat more or less overall or of certain food groups. It's also a good way to keep yourself accountable to the diet or eating regimen that's healthiest for you.

2 | Don't Eat From the Package

A common but effective tip to control portions is to avoid eating directly from the package. If you want to have a few pieces of candy as a treat, for example, take two or three out instead of eating directly from the bag.

3 | Use Smaller Dishes

If you're trying to eat smaller portions, consider using a smaller plate. Some evidence suggests people tend to eat less when using portion-controlled plates, though they work best in tandem with other healthy eating tips.

4 | Plan Ahead

To avoid extra calories or skipping meals, consider planning out what you will eat. Depending on your lifestyle and preferences, this could look like:

• Writing down meal ideas at the beginning of the week
• Meal prepping on Sundays or Mondays
• Reflecting on what to eat tomorrow each evening
• Investing in a meal delivery kit if it's within your budget
• Making sure you have healthy snacks ready to go, such as bags of nuts or apples

5 | Have a Half Portion of Favorite Treats

While it's important to eat enough of certain food groups like lean protein and fiber, reducing portions of your favorite treats can help with portion control. This could look like splitting a dessert with a loved one or only eating half the recommended serving size of a favorite salty or sweet snack.

6 | Choose Energy-Dense Snacks

Energy-dense snacks, like almonds or a low-fat yogurt, and side dishes provide you with the necessary nutrients for daily activities and exercise. They are often better options than snacks with empty calories, such as processed foods like cake or French fries.

7 | Practice Mindful Eating

Too often, we eat while watching TV or doing something else, not fully paying attention to our food. A healthier option is mindful eating , which is when you focus completely on each bite, savoring the taste. Common mindful eating practices include:

• Eating slowly
• Paying attention to the smell, texture, and taste of food
• Noticing when you feel hungry or full
• Decentering cravings, viewing them as feelings that will pass

These common portion control mistakes can make it easier to eat too few or too many calories:

• Choosing drinks that are high in sugar, such as processed juices and sodas
• Buying larger packages of unhealthy foods. Downsizing packages may help normalize eating fewer treats with little nutritional value.
• Skipping or delaying meals may cause you to overeat. Instead, try to eat at regular times.
• Estimating how much food is in a portion. Alternatively, use measuring cups and other tools to determine the right amount.
• Focusing only on calorie intake. The nutritional value of what you eat matters as much as if you eat fewer or more calories than necessary.

Eating out also presents challenges to maintaining a healthy diet, such as not being able to control the ingredients and portion sizes of a dish. When eating at a restaurant, keep in mind:

• Restaurant portions are often bigger than necessary. Consider sharing a meal with a friend or taking a portion of the meal home.
• Eating at all-you-can-eat buffets and restaurants known for bigger portions or a lack of healthy foods may make it more difficult to eat the right portion size while getting enough nutrients.
• If there's a basket of bread or chips on the table, take one portion and set it on a plate, instead of eating directly from the basket.
• When possible, choose the small or lunchtime portion size instead of the larger one.
• If the main dishes are quite large, consider ordering a few healthy appetizers and side dishes instead of a main.
• Stop eating and drinking when full and instead focus on enjoying the company and setting.

It's important to note that these are all recommendations for portion control; they are not a one-size-fits-all approach to eating. Everybody has different needs and varying levels of hunger depending on the day. If you're hungry, eat .

Portion control is just one piece of the healthy living puzzle. Other habits that support overall health and can help with weight management include:

• Focusing on your plate: Pay attention to the variety of foods on your plate as well as the size of the food on your plate. Ideally, you want equal portions of fruits, veggies, protein, and low-fat dairy. Following healthy eating guidelines is just as important as paying attention to portion sizes.
• Drinking water: Hydration helps with cognitive function, digestion , and prevents dehydration. It also helps manage hunger levels, with one study demonstrating that those with type 1 diabetes who drank a cup of water before a meal reported better blood sugar control, a lower BMI, and greater weight loss. The amount of water someone needs depends on their age, gender, where they live, and activity level.
• Exercising: Exercise is one of the best ways to burn calories and support an overall healthy lifestyle. The CDC recommends all adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity (walking, biking, swimming, etc.) and two strength training sessions each week. Exercising can also increase appetite or alter what you're craving (e.g., when strengthening muscles, it's normal to crave protein more than usual). Listen to your body and be sure you're consuming enough calories to balance the effort you're exerting daily.
• Managing stress: Feeling stressed may affect metabolism and cortisol levels, leading to greater accumulation of fat, especially around the abdomen. It may also lead to emotional eating or difficulty regulating how much you eat. Managing stress and anxiety , therefore, can help your body better process calories and may curb emotional cravings for more food or unhealthy options.
• Getting enough sleep: Rest, especially deep sleep , plays a role in metabolism and other functions essential to overall health and weight management. Adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every 24 hours.
• Non-exercise activity time (NEAT): NEAT , the time you spend moving that isn't a workout, also impacts weight and overall health. To boost NEAT, consider small ways to be more active throughout the day, like parking further out at the store so you walk further, or getting up every hour to stretch.

How do I get better at portion control?

To get better at portion control, consider logging what you eat and how much you eat for a few weeks. This should provide a clear snapshot of any pitfalls and help you better plan meals and snacks that are nutritious and provide the right amount of calories.

Is portion control better than fasting?

Both portion control and intermittent fasting can be effective strategies to maintain or lose weight, though some studies suggest fasting is better for immediate weight loss, while portion control may facilitate more consistent healthy eating practices.

How to stop eating large portions?

There are many strategies that help limit overeating and support portion control. Particularly effective strategies include keeping a food tracker, measuring portion sizes before eating, and practicing mindful eating (also known as 'intuitive eating'), where you savor each bite and pay attention to when you feel full or hungry.