Portion control could be the trick to finally evening out your efforts to feel better. It’s true, portion control matters even when you’re eating healthy.

I know the road of eating healthy is a winding and confusing one, with contradiction after contradiction floating around on the internet. It can really leave you frozen and feeling like, “what’s the point?” I genuinely do understand that frustration, but I want to assure you that it’s quite simple.

Eat as many whole foods as possible. Drastically lessen or completely nix processed foods. Drink enough water. Get enough sleep. Move your body. And do all of this with balance.

One way we can assure our plate is filled with what our body needs is to practice portioning your plate.

These five tricks will help you sort it out.

1. Balance your plate

Focus on putting whole foods on your plate that consist of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This combination helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, sustains energy, and makes you feel satisfied. Plus, it’s less likely to let you give into cravings. As an example, your plate should look a little something like this:

  • Fiber – Asparagus, leafy greens, quinoa, lentils, sweet potatoes, butternut squash or wild rice
  • Protein – Eggs, chicken, wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, tofu, or tempeh
  • Protein – Fat – Avocado, nut butter, seeds, nuts, olive oil, or ghee

2. Tune into your tummy

Since we often eat with our eyes first before we dig in, we usually miss the signals our tummy is sending to the brain, telling it that it’s full. If you often feel too full after eating, you’re missing the signs. Be mindful when you eat, chewing slowly and savoring each bite. When you start doing this, you’ll soon catch on when to put your fork down.

3. Give pause

Let’s say you do portion out your nutritious meal. And you eat it slowly. But you’re now staring at an empty plate of food, wishing you had more. Grab a glass of water and drink it. Check back in with yourself after about 15 minutes and see if you indeed are still hungry. If so, go back for a healthy snack.

4. Be diligent when ordering out

When you order from your favorite restaurants, the portions you receive are usually double what you need in one sitting. You don’t have to stop patronizing your local restaurants, though. There are a few ways to approach this:

  • Order something smaller, like an appetizer and a soup or salad
  • Share it with someone
  • Split it into two separate portions before digging in and save the rest for tomorrow

5. Make your dentist proud

In times of stress, it’s easy to want to head back into the kitchen after a meal. An easy way to stop it is to brush your teeth. When your mouth feels all minty-fresh, it overrules those temptation signals and keeps you above those cravings.

Start these tricks today with every meal you eat, and you’ll find that your healthy eating efforts will truly pay off!