At 71kg, I often felt sluggish and very uncomfortable in my own body. The strange part is that I was not someone who avoided exercise. For the past five years, I had been fairly consistent with movement. Four of those years were spent practising Hatha yoga. The last year involved regular gym sessions with a personal trainer, and somehow, the change was never visible The scale barely moved, and I would occasionally lose an inch or two, feel encouraged for a few weeks, and then the bloating would return. The cycle kept repeating. And the frustration with my own body led to a lot of attempts at crash dieting and failing.
My meals looked structured on paper. Three proper meals a day, mostly home-cooked. But the real issue sat quietly in the background. What I had been severely ignoring was portion sizes and proportions. Then, a very simple idea came up during a late-night conversation with “Chat GPT” about my food habits. Portion control using a section plate.
The funny part is that these plates were already in my kitchen. My kids used them every day because they were easier than juggling a plate and several bowls.
Four months later, I am at 63kg. The biggest shift came from one simple realisation that the transformation does not come from eating less food. It comes from eating the right proportions.
The problem with eyeballing portions on your plate
For years, I trusted my instincts when serving food. If the meal was homemade and reasonably balanced, I assumed the quantity would sort itself out. But reality works differently.
Large plates and open bowls make it very easy to keep adding just a little more. A scoop of rice becomes two. Pasta quietly multiplies in the bowl. I even tried calorie-tracking apps for a while. They worked for a few days, and then the constant logging in and snapping photos before very meal became tiring. A section plate removed that entire mental load. The boundaries were already there in front of me. No counting. No measuring. Just a clear visual reminder at every meal. This has made my daily lunch a very easy meal. Effortless portion control, thanks to the section plate, has just made it a no-brainer and ensured I eat smarter.
Breaking down the plate
My section plate system did not begin perfectly. In the early days, the largest section was still filled with rice. Old habits take time to adjust. Gradually, after far too many late-night doom scrolling through portion control content, I started shifting the proportions. Today, the plate looks very different.
• Half the plate for fibrous vegetables
This is now the largest section. Think sautéed beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cucumber salads or any vegetable that adds volume and fibre.
• The second largest section for carbohydrates
Rice still appears on my plate regularly. I never removed it. The difference is that it now sits in a defined space instead of quietly taking over the entire meal.
• Smaller sections for dal, protein and extras
These sections usually hold dal, condiments and sometimes protein such as paneer, chicken, eggs or lentils.
• An unexpected side effect
My cook noticed the shift before anyone else. She joked that our household rice consumption dropped by half once I stopped serving it generously.
Without any complicated calculations, the plate has naturally created a better balance between fibre, protein and carbs.
Practical tips that helped me stay consistent
Respect the plate boundaries
A section plate works only if you avoid piling food vertically. The sections exist for a reason.
Start with vegetables
Many meals begin with the vegetable portion. That fibre signals fullness earlier and slows down the rest of the meal.
Apply the idea outside the home
Restaurants obviously do not serve section plates, so I follow a simple routine. I start with a large plate of salad. That part is non-negotiable. After that, I pick either a starter or a main course instead of both and focus on protein options like paneer or chicken.
Stay hydrated
Water plays a quiet but important role. Proper hydration makes meals more satisfying, and random snacking drops.
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