When it comes to losing excess body fat or maintaining your current weight, regularly performing an exercise routine is only one part of the battle. In order to slim down and keep the weight off on a long-term basis, you will need to make some important lifestyle changes to your dietary regimen. In the end, by doing so, you will be in a position to live an overall healthier lifestyle where you are free from being caught in a continual “need to lose weight” condition.

The good news is that you won’t have to give up sweets or salty snacks entirely, and you can continue to indulge in most all of your favorite foods even while you’re trying to lose weight. The key, of course, is moderation. By following the portion control tips listed below, you can achieve moderation without constantly feeling like you’re cheating yourself of the foods you enjoy.

Learning to Control Portions and Eat Less Without Feeling Deprived

1. Fix a Plate in the Kitchen

With a big, family-style meal such as chili, pasta or mashed potatoes and gravy, it can be all too tempting to reach for a second serving even when you don’t really need it. The temptation is even greater when the pot or casserole dish containing the main course is placed on the center of the table between you and your family or guests.

Put a roadblock between you and that unnecessary second helping by keeping main courses, rich side dishes and other high-fat foods on the stove and the kitchen countertop instead of bringing them into the dining room. To accommodate mid-meal hunger, place items such as salads, fruits and veggies on the table. This way, you’ll be more likely to supplement the plate you prepared in the kitchen with leaner, healthier foods that will still fill you up. According to Brian Wansink, PhD, a food psychologist and researcher, this practice could cut up to 20% of the calories from each meal you eat.

2. Use Skinny Glasses and Small Plates

Instead of serving up your supper on a massive dinner plate that could double as a serving platter, use a smaller plate. Research indicates that many people will simply eat everything on their plate (no matter its size) before declaring themselves full, regardless of the hunger satiation signals sent from their stomach to their brain. In this way, you may find yourself feeling full simply by seeing an empty plate in front of you, even if that plate didn’t contain as much food as you normally consume during a meal.

If you’re enjoying a beverage that calls for portion moderation, such as if it contains a high quantity of calories, fat or sugar, try using a taller, skinnier glass than normal. Studies show that you’re likely to pour less and ultimately consume less than if you’d used a stouter, wider glass. If you’re drinking water, pour the biggest glass you can. Water helps to contribute to a sense of fullness, and makes up for some of the hydration that you might have missed during the workday.

3. Divide Your Food in a Restaurant

Some dietitians recommend asking for a to-go container along with your meal in a restaurant, and packing up half your meal before you even take your first bite. This can be impractical and look a little strange on a date or an outing with new friends, as it makes it seem like you’re in a rush to get out of the restaurant. Fortunately, you can achieve the same result without committing an awkward faux pas.

When your meal arrives, immediately assess the portion size and decide how much you should eat now and how much to take home later. Divide the portion accordingly using your fork and knife. For example, you might cut a palm-sized portion from a giant steak and declare your meal finished when that portion is gone.

The same concept can be applied to sides such as mashed potatoes or rice. Healthier meal components such as vegetable side dishes and salads can be consumed entirely in the restaurant, as their flavor and texture may be compromised when eaten as leftovers.

4. Have Wine with Dessert

Studies indicate that those who consume alcohol along with their meal are often more likely to eat additional calories beyond what their body truly needs. Couple this with the fact that many alcoholic beverages are high in calories by themselves, and it’s easy to see why food and alcohol aren’t the best combination for those looking to slim down or maintain their current weight.

Of course, many individuals refuse to break the tradition of enjoying a glass of wine with their meal, and the good news is that it’s possible do so while watching your caloric intake, so long as you’re willing to save it for dessert. Try pairing strawberries with sparkling white wine, peaches or plums with chardonnay, or mixed berries with Merlot for a sweet dessert that’s far healthier than an ice cream cone or slice of cake.

5. Slow Down Your Dinner

Dinner time doesn’t have to be a race to see who can finish first, although it often seems to end up this way given the hectic and busy lifestyles that many of us lead. If your schedule allows for it, try thinking of dinner as a conversation with your spouse or family that just so happens to include food. Make a point of engaging in a lively dialogue in between bites, and actively place your fork on the table throughout your meal.

Although you might think that the longer the meal, the more food you’ll consume, the opposite is actually true. This is because it takes approximately 20 minutes for your stomach to signal to your brain that you’re actually feeling full. By slowing down your eating, you’ll be more likely to spend less time overeating instead of more.

6. Brush Your Teeth After Eating a Meal

This is a piece of advice that you’ll commonly hear from your dentist, and it just so happens to apply to eating less as well. When you brush your teeth, it not only freshens your breath and clears your mouth of harmful bacteria and food particles that can lead to gum disease and other illnesses, but it signals your brain that it’s time to stop eating as well.

You can use the same concept to stave off a craving for a mid-afternoon snack, or if you find yourself climbing out of bed for a midnight snack.

7. Hide the Snacks

It’s acceptable to eat virtually any type of food, so long as you do so in moderation. Of course, you won’t be able to eat anything unless you actually keep it in your house. If you like to reward yourself with occasional indulgences such as chips, cookies and other snacks with limited nutritional value and abundances of calories, fats and sugar, it’s crucial to keep them in places that are out of sight during your regular trips through and to the kitchen.

Instead of leaving snacks on the counter, put them in cabinets (preferably difficult-to-reach ones), the freezer and the refrigerator. According to the results of one study, individuals ate approximately 25% less candy when it was contained in an opaque jar instead of a transparent one.

Portion Control Tips: The Bottom Line

As you can see, it’s possible to cut down on your portions and eat only when you need to simply by making a few small changes to the ways in which you approach food. Start by plating your food in the kitchen instead of at the dinner table, and use a smaller plate and a skinnier glass than you might normally.

As you eat, slow down and enjoy conversation with your friends or family to give your stomach additional time to feel full. Saving wine for dessert can curb calorie consumption at every stage of the meal, as well. After you’re finished with dinner, brush your teeth immediately to stave off further cravings.

If you’re eating out, assess your meal as soon as the server delivers it to determine what you’ll eat and what you’ll take home. When you arrive home from the grocery store, hide the snacks in hard-to-reach areas. You’ll be less tempted to eat them when they aren’t constantly catching your eye.