When you’re trying to lose weight, you might start by eating less.
But how do you scale back your portions without going hungry? Thankfully, there are several strategies you can use to cut calories while keeping hunger at bay.
This article contains 8 great tips to reduce food portions without making you hungrier.
Make at Least Half Your Plate Veggies
Vegetables have lots of filling water and fiber, but not a lot of calories
By replacing half the starch or protein of your meal with non-starchy vegetables, you can eat the same volume of food and still slash overall calories
And research has shown that the amount of food you eat is a factor in feeling full
In one study, participants were each given the same amount of pasta, but with differing amounts of vegetables.
Participants ate similar amounts of food regardless of how much veggies they got, meaning those who had the highest proportion of vegetables ate the least calories without even knowing it
Try scaling down the portions of other foods and fill the rest of your plate with non-starchy vegetables.
You can apply this same concept when making mixed dishes. Just add more vegetables to your favorite recipes to make them lower in calories and more nutrient-dense.