Can I Eat Rice and Lose Weight?
These Photos Show Why Measuring Your Portions Is So Important For Weight Loss
Be honest: how many times have you skipped measuring out your portions for a meal in favor of just eyeballing it? It's an easy step to skip; measuring your food takes time and patience, and sometimes you are just so damn hungry, you want to scoop food on your plate and eat ASAP.
But as registered dietitian Rachel Paul (@collegenutritionist) showed on Instagram, just eyeing your serving sizes can lead to hundreds of extra calories, which could impede your weight-loss goals. Plus, one serving size is typically enough to keep you satiated and satisfied; you may not even want any extra food.
Rachel's post showed a meal on the left with one full cup of rice, which clocks in at 220 calories. On the right, she showed what an actual serving of rice looks like: half a cup at 110 calories. Each meal also contained a sunny-side-up egg, a small salad, and a dollop of guacamole. Even with just a half cup of rice, the plate is still full and the meal looks complete and satisfying.
"I get a lot of emails & questions about portion control," Rachel wrote in the photo caption. "It's SO easy to fill up our plates too much with starchy carbs that (typically) don't keep us full for very long! As you can see here, sticking with 1/2 cup of brown rice, which still takes up a lot of the plate (!) can still make a complete, filling meal."
When it comes to your carbs, starches, proteins, and fats, it's best to measure out each portion so you can have a full and complete meal while still staying within your daily calorie target. It only takes a few extra seconds before eating — grab those measuring cups and spoons, and make sure you don't go overboard.
