Please can I have advice in relation to portion control?

[Isla2021]

I am trying to lose weight, I am currently 9stone 2 and want to aim for 8st 7!

I am very petite, small bones, currently with a small over hang on my belly!

I haven't been successful with diets in the past and aim to find a long-term solution that is not too difficult! I would like to continue eating healthy food without having to limit the type of foods I eat considerably. I currently don't snack and its rare I eat chocolate, crisps etc! I would like to try portion control and reducing the calories I consume by cutting down my portion sizes. Does anyone have any advice on how to determine an appropriate portion size?

I had a strange dinner today (mish mash of leftovers!) 3 table Spoons of vegetable cous-cous with 3 tablespoons of Tuna, Tomato Wholemeal Pasta and 4 large King prawns. To finish, I had 'half' of a caramel snack a jack (approx 25 cals).

I left the table feeling okay, not hungry but not full. I could quite happily eat more food now, but I am not starving! I will probably get an apple or a low fat yoghurt in an hour or so!

How does this sound?

Last night I had a large full chicken kiev, 2 table spoons of cabbage mash and 2 table spoons of peas!

Any advice appreciated :)

How tall are you?

It’s difficult to know what to say based on some pretty odd eating. The thing that’s made the biggest difference to me is meal planning so I’m eating good food that keeps me full. I weigh pasta, rice and cous cous so I’m not eating too much abd I think about being sensible with bread and potatoes.

I’d start off by weighing everything so you know what a portion looks like, then you get used to it (or find things in your house that are the right size). Portion control is effectively calorie control so MFP might help you start off.

@PurpleDaisies Thank you, I am 5ft 3!

I have used MFP but find it difficult to maintain completion it seems so time consuming! I also find it difficult with home cooked meals and determining the best ingredients/weights etc!

Do you have any tips for weighing foods? What weight do you look for?

I'm similar in height and about a stone lighter than you but eat far more food than that!

What would a typical day look like? How active are you?

If I am dieting I aim for 1500 calories a day (2000 if maintaining) focus on plenty of protein to fill you up but carbs are great for energy too.

You don’t seem to eat a lot, maybe just up your exercise?

I've just started using MFP as portion control is a big thing for me. I have digital scales and put my plate on and zero as I've fished out each pet of the mela. I scribble it in a note book and then when I'm sat with a cuppa and my phone later I upload everything then. Or when I'm preparing lunch for the next day I click on a day and add it as I prepare using the same weighing process if it's a salad for eg. Smaller bowls and plates can be helpful too.
The Paul McKenna/mindful eating approach is to never be too full or too hungry, more neutral. I struggle with that as I see that nice bit of chicken on my plate and I feel I just eat it but I have to stop myself

You need to get a set of digital kitchen scales and weigh everything you are eating so you know how much you need. If making recipes I use nutracheck and you put all the ingredients into a meal and it works out the calories per portion.

A very simplistic view but buy smaller plates!

You’ll feel more full if you don’t feel like you’ve only had half a plate of food and that’ll make it easier not to over eat because of portion size.