Article: Serve yourself the amount you'd normally eat and measure it.  This will give you a definitive amount that you're consuming.  Are you eating 5 oz of chicken, 1 cup of salad and 1 cup of rice?  Understanding how big or small your normal portion sizes are can help you figure out how you're going to decrease their size.  Purchase a food scale or a set of measuring cups so you can accurately determine how much you're eating.  These are also great tools to keep you on track long term with your smaller portions. Really analyze how much you're consuming at each meal.  Then, think about which parts you could reduce without diminishing your enjoyment of it. Many studies have shown that the larger sized dishes and serving utensils you use, the more food you consume.  Avoid this slip up by purchasing smaller plates and bowls and using a soup spoon instead of larger serving spoons.  Use an appetizer or salad sized plate for your entrees.  These are a great size for small portions. Try using the salad fork or a toddler fork to help decrease the amount of food per bite.  This will slow you down and force you to take your time with your meals. Keep using a large water glass to help you consume a good quantity of water throughout your meal.  This can also help keep your portions smaller. Keeping a food journal can give you a lot of insight into your eating habits.  You can keep track of the types of foods you eat, the portions and your progress over time.  Journaling can also give you insight to when and what times you're hungry.  Knowing this information can help you plan ahead for a snack. You may also be able to notice eating and mood patterns.  Maybe most of the time you eat an appropriate portion, but when you're stressed portion sizes increase.  This is good information to help plan for portion control. Buy a journal that's pretty and you will get excited about using.  Having something you enjoy writing in can help make sure that you stay consistent. Check in with yourself throughout the day and rate your hunger level.  Allowing yourself to get too hungry may lead to overeating at your next meal.  It's much harder to stick to smaller portions if you're feeling completely famished.  If you notice yourself getting hungry in the afternoon and you know dinner isn't until later in the evening, have a snack.  A small snack can help tide you over until your next eating time and may prevent overeating later. Try to choose a snack that has lean protein and produce (fruit or vegetable).  This healthy combination will keep you satisfied longer compared to a carbohydrate based snack.  Examples include: a low-fat cheese stick and a small apple, 2 tbsp of peanut butter and celery sticks or 1/4 cup of hummus and carrots. Start your day off with a good breakfast.  Eating breakfast has been shown to help you control your appetite throughout the day which may make it easier for you to stick to small portions.  Ideally, include some lean protein and a fruit or vegetable for a more complete meal.  For example, you might have scrambled eggs with vegetables, whole grain oatmeal with fruit or greek yogurt with fruit. Breakfast can be any time of day.  However, try to eat within an hour or so from when you first wake up.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Measure how much you eat. Buy smaller silverware and utensils. Start journaling. Rate your hunger level. Eat breakfast every day.