Weight loss through portion control: Tips to lose pounds and live healthy

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - Jacob Bustos, author of When Food Is Your Frenemy, lost 160 pounds and joined us on Good Day LA to offer some of his best tips for others looking to lose weight.

Tip #1: Portion Control

Portion control is crucial to living a healthy lifestyle, and this means understanding how much a serving size of food is and how many calories are contained in a single serving of food.

Americans ate an average of 2,000 calories per day 20 years ago. Now, the average American consumes more than 2,600 calories per day.

Bustos uses a bagel to show the difference. Two decades ago, a bagel was about three inches in diameter and had about 140 calories. Today, bagels have doubled in size and more than doubled in calories to 350 calories total.

Tips #2: Beverage Consumption

Soda is another prime example of how portion sizes have increased over the years, especially with "supersizing."

Bustos says drinking soda shouldn't be option and shouldn't even be considered a treat or as a "cheat day" item.

The best way to not drink calories is to drink water.

Tip #3: Eat Breakfast

Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day. One way to prevent your body from going into starvation mode is by making sure that you eat a small breakfast or a protein drink within thirty minutes of waking up to kick-start your metabolism.

This is an important thing that we can do to protect our weight.

A few perfectly portioned breakfasts include, farm fresh eggs, oatmeal, omelets

Bustos also advises eating small meals throughout the day.

Tip #4: Meal prepping

Meal prepping for the week is a great idea. It will not only save you money, it will allow for you to control what you are putting in your body, and you can do all your meal prep on Sunday for the work week.

Tip #5: Use Caution When Dining Out

When dining out, ask for a takeout container before you begin your meal. Put aside at least half the meal and then eat the rest another time.

Using small plates when enjoying a meal makes a huge difference. It visually makes you feel like you have more food than you think.

Plates should be no larger than six inches in diameter. That being said, you may want to pack up your large plates and put them in the attic.