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By Kevin Dietmeyer, Recent Arizona State University Nutrition Student

Do you know how many calories you consumed today?  What about yesterday?  Can you tell me how many calories you consume in an average week?  Even if you can pull all of your food out of the ground and directly from the pond, it’s possible to overeat.  Too much of anything can be harmful and it’s entirely realistic to have too much of a good thing.

Perhaps you overeat because it’s been one of those packed days and you haven’t had a chance to slow down for a snack or a meal.  Maybe you overeat because you feel the need to finish everything on your plate before leaving the table.  You may overeat simply because the person across from you at the table has been matching you bite for bite and you’re in an unconscious pacing war at dinner.

Plenty of well-intentioned weight loss warriors fall victim to portion control and you don’t have to be defeated anymore.  The main thing is to make moderation the main thing and here are three ways you can start taking control of your weight loss today.

Wait until your hunger level is 70% before you start eating 

Don’t wait until the end of the day or until you’ve reached the level of “hangry,” to search out your next meal.  Train yourself to eat when you’re about 70% hungry and you’ll learn to eat intentionally instead of eating reactively.

Stop eating when you’re 70% full

Portion control is all about setting boundaries and if you start eating when you’re 70% hungry, you need to train yourself to set a boundary at 70% when you stop eating.

Pace yourself with the slowest eater at the table

This one is simple but very effective.  Slow down and give your body a chance to tell you when you’ve had enough.  Pacing yourself with the slowest eater is easier than counting how often you chew and it can be fun to do at a restaurant if you look around.

For healthy, portion controlled recipes, visit the recipe section of Fill Your Plate.