FAQ Portal
Eating out·4 questions

Dining out: how to control portions in a restaurant?

Answer

Controlling portion sizes when visiting restaurants and cafes is one of the main difficulties for people monitoring their health and nutrition. Restaurant portions traditionally exceed human physiological needs, and the abundance of oils and enticing aromas stimulate eating much more food than the body requires for satiety. In order to successfully cope with this task without stress and rigid restrictions, it is recommended to apply pre-thought-out behavioral strategies at the table.

To effectively manage the amount of food eaten in a public catering establishment, it is useful to follow a simple algorithm of actions:

•Study the menu online in advance before visiting the restaurant to calmly choose balanced meals without haste and the influence of severe hunger.
•Ask the waiter to pack half the portion to go or immediately set aside a part of the dish onto a separate plate if the portion visually looks too large.
•Start the meal with a vegetable salad or a glass of water, which will help dull the feeling of acute hunger and eat fewer high-calorie main dishes.
•Put down your cutlery between bites and pause while eating, giving the body time to send a signal of satiety to the brain.

In addition, to maintain stable nutrition without unnecessary stress, it is useful to plan two to three basic meals a week in advance and prepare homemade meal prep ahead of time. This reduces the overall frequency of impulsive trips to establishments in a state of severe fatigue, when it is hardest to control portion sizes. When you eat consciously and regularly, rare restaurant outings become a pleasant addition to your lifestyle rather than a test for your digestive system.

Was this answer helpful?

More questions in this topic

Related questions from other topics

Back to topic