Many people think that losing weight means giving up all their favorite foods, but that’s unrealistic and often stressful. In fact, you can still enjoy food without slowing down your weight loss if you know how to control your portions, make smart choices, and eat wisely. The key is to learn to eat mindfully, feel your body, and adjust your habits, rather than resorting to strict diets.
Healthy eating strategies for sustainable weight loss
Here are 4 top strategies:
1. Pay attention to portion size
A large part of weight loss comes from your diet. Instead of filling your plate and eating it all, pay attention to portion recommendations and nutritional information on packaging. You don’t have to cut food out of your diet completely, but try to eat only one portion at a time.
Stick to these nutritional recommendations:
- Lean meat: about a deck of cards
- Fruit: about a tennis ball
- Vegetables: about a baseball
- Carbohydrate: about a hockey puck
- Fat: about two dice
After a meal, wait about 10–20 minutes for your body to signal that it’s full, so you don’t overeat. This helps you control your calories without feeling restricted.
2. Combine fiber and protein with your favorite foods
Fiber and protein both help keep you fuller longer. Some good sources of fiber include whole-wheat bread and pasta, broccoli, carrots, apples, and bananas.
You can also add chia seeds or salted cashews to smoothies or sauces to add 7–11 grams of fiber per serving. For protein, lean meats, nuts, beans, and legumes are the healthiest foods. Aim for 21–38 grams of fiber and 46–56 grams of protein per day.
Add some red pepper or spices to your meals to help curb your cravings even more.
Try to include foods that have more than 3 grams of fiber per serving and no added sugar.
3. Eat slowly and savor your food
Slow down so you can feel when you’re full. When eating, take small bites and put your fork down between bites so you don’t feel like adding more. Check to see if you’ve had enough between bites, and stop eating if you’re not hungry.
Try these tips:
- Take small bites, put your fork down between bites
- Take about 20 minutes to eat
- Focus on the flavors and textures of your food
- Avoid watching TV or your phone while you eat
If you have leftovers, save them for later instead of forcing yourself to finish them. Eating slowly helps you feel satisfied and naturally eat less.
4. Avoid eating when you’re bored
Sometimes we eat out of emotion rather than hunger: boredom, stress or fatigue. Before eating, ask yourself: “Am I really hungry or just want to eat to feel good?”
Some ways to help control emotional eating:
- Go for a walk, call a friend or exercise to distract yourself
- Chew sugar-free gum to reduce cravings
- Write down what you crave and how you feel at the time to identify the cause
- Recognizing when you’re really hungry will help you gradually control your eating behavior and avoid mindless overeating.
In short, you can absolutely eat everything you love and still lose weight, as long as you do it right. The key is portion control, adding fiber and protein, eating slowly and only eating when you’re really hungry. These small changes will help you maintain your weight naturally, sustainably and without feeling restricted.
