How to Practice Portion Control to Manage Your Weight and Health
Here at PRO CHEER LIFE, we provide you with various lifestyle choices to be fit and healthy for pro cheerleading. That includes diet plans, healthy alternative foods, and recipes. But even if you eat healthily, eating too much or less healthy food still has undesirable effects on your body.
That’s why you should control the portions of your meals while making sure that your body gets the nutrients it needs. Here’s what portion control is about, why it’s important for you as an aspiring or current pro cheerleader, and how to do it right.
What is Portion Control?
Portion control is the practice of mindfully choosing how much healthy food you put on your plate for eating. It’s important that you know that portion size is different from a serving size because serving size is a standardized food measurement that has a corresponding Nutritional Facts label.
For example, portion control is dividing your plate into 3 segments where two segments are quarters of your plate and the last segment is half of your plate. You can then use that portion control style to serve yourself ¼ protein, ¼ starchy carbs or fruits, and ½ vegetables every meal. Serving size is more about precise measurements such as 400 calories per 25g of ice cream.
Why Is It Important?
Portion control is essential for aspiring and current pro cheerleaders or those living a healthy lifestyle in general. It helps us manage the calories we consume. Through portion control, you’ll be able to eat enough based on how much your body needs to perform daily activities.
Eating without portion control such as using a large plate or mindless serving your meals will cause you to eat less or more calories than you need. This will result in you being underweight or gaining unnecessary weight.
8 Portion Control Tips for Pro Cheerleaders
1. Eat with a smaller plate
One reason why we end up eating more than we actually need is that large plate sizes make us feel that the properly-portioned food we serve isn’t enough.
2. Use measuring cups
When starting to portion your meals, you might find it hard to determine how much you should eat out of every macronutrient. Use measuring cups so you can serve your portions accurately. It isn’t necessary to buy measuring cups. You can use food containers, mugs, or teacups.
3. Don’t double your starchy carbs
If you eat rice every meal, there’s no need to eat bread after and vice versa. Set your meal to only have 1 type of starchy carbohydrate.
4. Use your plate as a portion guide
You can divide your plate into segments to help yourself portion your meals better. You can follow the thirds portion where every macronutrient is served ⅓ of your plate or the hybrid portion that was made as an example above.
5. Ask for a half portion when eating out
Except for Michelin star restaurants, you and your friends’ favorite place is very likely to serve more than what your bodies need per order. You don’t know how the food is prepared and which ingredients are used. It’s best to kindly ask the waiter to serve you half the serving size of your order.
6. Start your meals with a glass of water
Drinking a glass of water before eating can partially satisfy your hunger. Hydration is also important because it helps you decide if you’re really hungry or just thirsty. That way, you’ll avoid eating a lot.
7. Avoid eating from a container
Eating from a bag or jar makes you mindlessly finish the entire container. That’s why you catch yourself surprised after downing a bag of food during your cheat meals. Instead of eating out of a container, serve the food in a small bowl or saucer.
8. Focus on eating
Avoid watching TV, using your computer, or using your phone while eating. Even if you practice portion control, you’re still prone to going for seconds the more time you spend sitting on the dining table.
A fit body is not only achieved through rigorous physical training and healthy food choices. Portion control is also important in living a pro cheer life. So be mindful of the way you eat.
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