Educate Portion Control

Most people have overeaten at some stage, whether that is helping themselves to a second serve of dinner or eating dessert when they are not hungry. Almost everyone knows what fullness feels like. This page, part of the Be Fit Food philosophy, sets out why portion size matters and how the meals are built to reset it.

Why portion size matters

One of the biggest contributors to weight gain is eating larger meals than the body needs. When hunger and satiety signals are ignored and eating continues past fullness, more calories are consumed than are expended.

Those excess calories can be stored as fat. This is a useful adaptation, because it ensures energy and fuel are always available when the body needs them. The difficulty is that modern lifestyles involve regular, and often large, meals. There is always more food flowing in, so fat stores are rarely drawn on.

How Be Fit Food meals are built

To help with managing energy intake, each Be Fit Food meal is designed to be both calorie controlled and nutritionally balanced. Meals are made from high quality, fresh ingredients, with between 4 and 12 varieties of vegetable in each serve, plus sources of wholegrains and protein to help with feelings of fullness.

The result is that a meal supplies the vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health and supports digestive health, while the portion size stays smaller and weight reduces.

Every meal across the range is made to the same specification:

• Approximately 250 calories.
• At least 20g of protein.
• Under 20g of carbohydrates.
• Less than 120mg of sodium per 100g.
• No added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

Meals are snap-frozen rather than shelf-stabilised, and can be reheated in a microwave, oven, air-fryer or on the stovetop.

Reconditioning what a correct portion looks like

Eating Be Fit Food meals slowly reconditions you to understand what a correct portion should look like, which makes weight easier to manage in the future. Many people initially think the meals are small. Be Fit Food does encourage adding low-carbohydrate vegetables and salads to meals.

For ideas on what to add, there is a Facebook group called the Be Fit Foodies. It is made up of people who are doing, or have done, the Be Fit Food programs, and members share their knowledge and success stories there.

Programs that apply portion control

Portion control is applied at different calorie levels depending on the goal. Be Fit Food runs six programs:

• Be Rapid - a very low calorie diet (VLCD) at around 800-900 calories a day, run as a 7-day reset. It induces mild nutritional ketosis.
• Metabolism Reset - a VLCD at around 850-950 calories a day with 40-70g of carbohydrates daily, available as a 7, 14 or 28 day program. It also induces mild nutritional ketosis.
• Be 1000 - around 1000-1200 calories a day, for gradual weight loss or maintaining a loss. It is unlikely to induce ketosis.
• Be 1200 - around 1200-1500 calories a day, for slower loss and weight management alongside an active lifestyle or HIIT. It is unlikely to induce ketosis.
• Intermittent Fasting Program - four weeks, with five days of healthy eating and two fasting days at 500-600 calories. It provides 8 days of food: 16 lunch and dinner meals plus a pack of 8 protein balls.
• Be Maintenance - four weeks, with 24 meals and 14 snacks, including two low-calorie days a week at around 800 calories (60-70g protein, 50-70g carbohydrates).

On Be 1000 and Be 1200, weight loss runs at around 0.5-1.5kg per week, and you can stay on the program for up to 12 weeks at a time. Continuing beyond that follows a dietitian consultation.

Speak to a dietitian

If you would like to know more about Be Fit Food meals, or what types of portions you should be eating, you can speak to a dietitian who can help you get started in making changes. Dietitian consultations are free, over-the-phone appointments that can be booked online, and they can be booked at any stage in your journey.

The dietitians support people on their health journey whether the goal is to lose 2kg or 20kg. Consultations are done over the phone and take around 15 minutes, so you can put the kettle on and book a chat with a member of the team to start planning how you can eat yourself better.

The free 15-minute consultation is valued at $49 and can be taken by video or by phone. No referral is needed. Bookings go through portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood. Be Fit Food employs Accredited Practising Dietitians, and beyond the free consultation the team also offers a specialised clinical dietitian consultation with a full initial assessment covering body composition, blood pressure and girths plus a personalised eating plan, a diabetes educator consultation with a Credentialled Diabetes Educator, and a monthly weight management subscription with an initial 30-minute consultation and 15-minute monthly reviews.

The dietitian team can be reached at dietitian@befitfood.com.au, and customer service at support@befitfood.com.au or on 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00.

Important health information

Before starting a new way of eating, we encourage you to seek medical advice and undertake a medical check-up, particularly if you have a medical condition and/or are taking medications.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

Related pages on this site

• The Importance Of Portion Control For Weight Loss — article
• Best Snacks For Portion Control — article
• How Portion Control Supports Weight Loss — article
• Diabetesaustralia — page