Dieting is a complex process designed to work side-by-side with exercise in an attempt to decrease the amount of fat present on a person’s body.

Portion control represents one of the most important parts of this process, as it dictates everything from the amount of calories that go in your body to the nutrients that your body can successfully absorb. Let’s explore why portion control is such an indelible part of successfully dieting.

1. Portions Control Calories

Calories are both your best and worst friend when it comes to losing weight. Too many calories represent weight gain, but too few calories can hinder your ability to lose weight through exercise.

Portion control seeks to balance your caloric intake, which in turn ensures that your body has enough fuel to get where it needs to go.

2. Keeping Track of Your Caloric Intake

Portion control has another long-term effect: it helps you keep track of your caloric intake over a duration of weeks to months, which can help you accurately determine how close you are to your dieting goals.

Failure to control your portions can lead to odd variations in your caloric intake. You may eat perfectly most days, but one or two episodes of monthly binge eating could result in severely diminished weight loss results. This failure is one of the biggest reasons dieters fail to reliably lose weight.

3. Tasting Food Rather than Just Consuming It

Savoring the taste of food is another essential ingredient required for successful dieting. Higher quality foods tend to have a greater focus on taste and nutrition, which in turn means that their portions tend to be smaller.

4. Teaching Your Body What to Expect

Eating disorders, particularly those responsible for cases of weight gain, cause a type of chemical dependency similar to drug addiction. Portion control is one of the few ways to successfully teach your body to under how less is more.

By keeping your portions controlled, you can break free from the mental and physical dependencies upon food that may restrict you from acquiring dieting success.

Portion Control is the Key to Dieting Success

Food is a necessity to continue living, but portion control is a necessary ingredient to ensure that you can live in a way that makes you happy and fulfilled.

By paying attention to both what you eat and the amount of what you eat, you will help yourself achieve your ideal body composition, weight and other fitness goals.