In terms of dropping pounds, it isn’t about simply what you eat … it’s additionally about how a lot you eat.

In fact, sure meals and vitamins may help you are feeling glad 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 if you happen to eat an excessive amount of. For instance, two tablespoons of almonds supplies filling, wholesome fat and about 70 energy. On Nutrisystem, that quantity counts as one PowerFuel. However if you happen to 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 along with your weight reduction versus an quantity that causes your “wholesome” snack to result in weight acquire.

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 with regards to 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 recognize precisely how a lot you’re consuming, and comprehend it’s an quantity that’s serving to you progress in the direction of your weight reduction targets.

However with regards to your grocery add-ins and Flex meals, portion management is crucial. Use these six tricks to hold all of your different parts below 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, you might wish to seize one thing and eat it—quick. Measuring out parts upfront may help you make certain that these two tablespoons of almonds don’t balloon right into a half-cup or extra: You’ll be able to merely seize the bag or container the place you’ve pre-measured the snack you need, and also you’ll understand how a lot you’re consuming.

This may be particularly helpful for meals that you recognize you are inclined to binge on: In the event you purchase a block of cheese and know you are inclined to eat a bunch of it while you’re feeling snacky, flip it over and take a look at the vitamin label while you get dwelling. If it’s obtained 16 servings, reduce the block into 16 servings straight away, then put these in containers or luggage. Or if you happen to are inclined to seize a bunch of sandwich cookies, contemplate pre-portioning your complete bundle into servings as quickly as you get dwelling. That approach, while you do snack, you may seize a serving that you recognize suits your plan.

The Nutrisystem Grocery Information may help you establish what these wholesome parts ought to be, so you may load your cupboards and fridge with pre-portioned snacks and elements 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 that you would be able to eat in large 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 food plan—and with higher well being outcomes!

2. Purchase pre-measured parts.

Don’t have time to pre-measure all the pieces? Benefit from pre-portioned choices. Smaller luggage of chips and crackers, 100-calorie packs, or different pre-portioned meals may help 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 may eat your complete bundle and really feel glad 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—might be complicated: How a lot salmon is in three ounces? How a lot tuna is in a half-cup?

In the event you don’t have a meals scale or measuring cups/spoons useful, you need to use your arms or widespread family objects that will help you estimate the right portion dimension. Take a look at the infographic under for some widespread examples:

1 oz. = 1 thumb or 3 cube
Examples:
PowerFuels: lowered 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, gentle 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: recent 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.

In the event you can’t eat from a bundle the place the entire contents is the same as one serving, don’t eat out of the bag or field. It’s powerful to understand how a lot you’re consuming, and simple to be carried away … as anybody who’s lounged with a bag of chips can let you know.

As an alternative, measure the portion onto a plate or right into a bowl earlier than you sit all the way down to eat. That approach, you received’t must depend on your willpower to cease—you may 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 an infinite meals.

In the event you love consuming in giant portions, strive pairing a wholesome portion of a salty, candy or fatty meals you crave with one other limitless meals, comparable to carrot sticks, slices of cucumber, inexperienced pepper slices or broccoli florets. These meals are limitless as a result of they’re crammed with vitamins your physique wants with out many energy. By combining these two sorts of meals on a single plate, you’ll get to eat among the meals you like, and eat the quantity 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 all the time hits the spot—Nutrisystem dietitians say you may truly go overboard consuming different meals making an attempt to keep away from your meals craving all collectively. the sensation. You actually need a cookie, however you find yourself choosing at different stuff—a pretzel right here, a cracker there—and by no means actually really feel glad … 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. In the event you’re actually craving a selected meals, measure out a portion that matches the Grocery Information pointers, and actually get pleasure from it. That’s the great thing about Nutrisystem’s program: No meals is off limits when eaten in the correct portion. So savor that wholesome portion, log it within the NuMi app, and keep on observe to your targets!