An Appetizer of Soup
Start your lunch and dinner with a cup of high-fiber, low-sodium soup such as cabbage or lentil. This is a healthy way to curb your appetite before eating the main course. A 2007 study co-authored by Penn State University nutrition professor Barbara Rolls and doctoral student Julie Flood found that eating soup before meals helped people cut their caloric take by 20 percent.
A Second Helping of Vegetables
Build your lunch and dinner around the vegetables. Add at least a second vegetable to the meal. This will increase your fiber, making you feel full, while cutting calories and adding nutrients.
Measure Portions
A healthy portion size should be no larger than your fist. A portion of meat is 2 to 3 oz. and a cup of potatoes or noodles is considered to be a full portion. Use food scales and a measuring cup until you are used to the smaller serving sizes.
Serve on Smaller Plates
Your visual perception is closely related to your appetite. By using a smaller serving plate, it gives the appearance of having more food on your plate. It will satisfy your appetite more than having the same serving size in the middle of a large plate.
Drink Water
Drinking 8 oz. of water before eating your meal will help curb the amount of food you crave. It helps to give you the feeling of being full without added calories.
Plan Snacks
Plan a late-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack into your menu plan. Measure out single serving-sized portion of almonds, raisins, dried fruit or an apple and put it into a little bag. Grab for this bag when it is time for a snack instead of grabbing for the original larger bag full of the treat. You are less likely to overeat.
