my plate rule Archives

June 11, 2025 By Luke Coutinho 2 Comments

Portion Control: The Right Method To Lose Weight

The principles of weight gain and loss remain consistent, regardless of emerging theories on molecular science, blood group diets, fad exercise programmes, or restrictive eating plans. Fundamentally, your body utilises only the amount of food it requires for its functions. Any surplus is stored, potentially leading to fat accumulation.

If you’re extremely hungry and your only option is a slice of pizza, it’s acceptable to eat it. Your body will convert it into the energy it needs. However, consuming multiple slices of pizza, accompanied by a portion of pasta and a dessert, may exceed your body’s immediate energy requirements. This brings us to the importance of controlling our food portions. How much food does our body truly need?

Are We Eating More Than Our Bodies Require?

Awareness is key. Consuming two to three large portions of bread, rice, or any staple carbohydrate at lunch or dinner might simply be out of habit. This pattern may have been established during your younger, more active years with a faster metabolism.

However, as time progresses, our bodies and their metabolic processes evolve. What if your body now requires just one portion of carbohydrates instead of three? What if a small scoop of ice cream suffices instead of a large serving? What if six small meals a day aren’t necessary? Perhaps you can still enjoy your favourite dessert by sharing it, avoiding feelings of deprivation.

Many individuals consume more than their bodies need, especially given the vast array of culinary delights available. Visually appealing dishes and desserts can stimulate our cravings. And that’s perfectly natural—we all appreciate good food.

The challenge arises when we overindulge, leading our bodies to store the excess energy. An expanding waistline is your body’s way of signalling that you’re consuming more than necessary or not engaging in sufficient physical activity to utilise the surplus energy.

While it may take months or even years for abdominal fat to accumulate, we often seek rapid solutions. This desire for instant results can lead to extreme measures that might harm our bodies. Intense workouts can strain our knees and backs, and drastic diets might result in nutrient deficiencies.

Portion control is a challenging yet effective method to lose weight and maintain it. It’s a sustainable lifestyle change that can combat the obesity epidemic. We all face challenges with food, but portion control offers a balanced approach to enjoying our favourite dishes while being kind to our bodies.

Why Do We Need Portion Control?

The UK market offers various portion control plates designed to guide individuals in serving appropriate food quantities without feeling deprived. These tools can educate both adults and children about suitable portion sizes, fostering a culture of balanced eating.

For instance, the Healthy Portion Plate by Diabetes UK provides a visual guide to balanced eating and is available for purchase online.

By using such plates, families can instil healthy eating habits, ensuring meals are balanced with the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vegetables.

Personally, I experimented with a portion control plate for a month. Initially, the servings seemed small, but I soon realised I had been overeating. Starting with a one-cup portion and eventually reducing to half a cup at dinner, I adapted to the change. Now, I consume less and don’t feel hungry afterward.

This approach surpasses the efficacy of weight loss pills, which often prove ineffective. It teaches you to eat appropriately, promoting a sustainable lifestyle shift. Once accustomed to portion control, you’ll naturally apply the same principles when dining out.

Embracing this simple yet effective tool can transform your eating habits and assist in weight management. Moreover, it ensures a balanced intake of essential nutrients.

We hope this article on portion control proves beneficial! To delve deeper into portion control, explore our Healthy Reads or consult a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

June 18, 2023 By Neha Kapoor 5 Comments

Rise From Calorie Counting To Be Your Own Dietitian

Do you know the long kept “Secret of Diet”? Have you heard about it? In this article I would like to share it with you. It is a mantra to facilitate weight loss, regulate diabetes, hypertension and many such diseases taking good care of your immune system as well as vital organs. I am sure you must be familiar with these idioms i.e. “Food Pyramid” and “My plate”. If you are, I will be representing it from a different perspective. These are our main tools to plan a daily diet.

The Importance of Food Pyramid & My plate

The main idea behind the design of the food pyramid is to make our healthy eating experience much easier. When starting a new healthy diet, people need to know if they are consuming the right amount of the basic nutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrate, which is where the importance of the food pyramid and my plate comes in.

The food pyramid contains several sections of foods which are usually grouped according to their nutrient’s similarity. This actually helps you with a larger option to choose from. This way, you are not stuck to one particular food when there’s a whole world of options out there.

How To Use It?

Keeping this picture in front of you can help in making healthier choices with the number of servings you should ideally take in a day.
Now next step is to understand My Plate which makes things pretty clear.

My Plate

The beauty of My Plate is in using a plate icon to “measure” the relative portion sizes of what you’re eating.

My Plate is a food icon that serves as a powerful reminder to make healthy food choices and to build a healthy plate at mealtimes.
It is a visual cue that identifies the five basic food groups that are: Fruits-20%, Vegetables-30%, Protein group-20%, and grains 30% and a bowl of dairy products.

What to Put on Your Plate?

Eating the My Plate way means filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits, adding slightly more veggies than fruits (Due to sugar content).
Go for a colourful mix. You’ll get plenty of nutrients that way.
You should fill the other half of your plate with lean protein and grains, using slightly more grain than protein. For instance, lean cuts of chicken and other meat, fish, beans and peas, tofu, eggs, nuts and seeds (use sparingly).
Whole grains should make up at least half of your grains. That means choosing brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat flour or multigrain or millets instead refined flours for instance. If weight loss is a goal make grains 20%.
The My Plate icon also shows a glass of milk/ buttermilk near your “plate.” It’s a reminder to include dairy (mostly fat-free or low-fat) in your diet. A2 or organic milk is essentially chemical-free and healthier as the cows are fed grass or organically cultivated fodder. Calcium-fortified soy milk also counts.

Dietary Guidelines of My Plate

Making food choices for a healthy lifestyle can be as simple as using these tips. Use the ideas in this list to balance your calories (energy coming from food), to choose foods to eat more often, and to cut back on foods to eat less often.

Enjoy your food, but eat less: Take the time to fully enjoy your food as you eat it. Eating too fast or when your attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories (overeating). Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues before, during, and after meals. Use them to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough.
Avoid oversized portions: Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. Portion out foods before you eat. When eating out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish, or take a part of your meal home.
Foods to eat more often: Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or 1% milk and dairy products. These foods have the nutrients you need for health – including potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. Make them the basis for meals and snacks.
Make half your plate salad and vegetables: Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add salad to meals.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk: They have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
Make half your grains whole grains: To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product-such as eating whole wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat flour or millets instead refined ones.
Foods to eat less often: Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt. They include cakes, cookies, ice cream, candies, sweetened drinks, pizza, and fatty meats like ribs, sausages, bacon, and hot dogs. Use these foods as occasional treats, not everyday foods. Natural sugars like jaggery, honey, pure maple syrup are better choices.
Compare sodium in foods: Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labelled “low sodium,” ”reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
Drink water instead of sugary drinks: Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar, and calories, in American diets.

Do give it a try and share your experience in the comments below. After getting familiar with this tool, we really don’t need any diet charts. Stick the pictures in your kitchen and plan any day meal without any hassle.

You can find more useful information on nutrition here. You can also get this information directly from an expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.