Did you know - food portion sizes have doubled over the last 20 - 30 years and it's estimated we're eating about 600 calories more daily than we did in 1970. So my Mom's favorite words as I was growing up, "Clean your plate or there won't be any dessert for you", probably isn't a good idea today.
The Challenge
Portion control is one of the biggest challenges many people face as they look to gain control of their health and their weight. 'Bargain sized' food packages in supermarkets have increased 10-fold; our dinner plates are larger holding about 36% more food than they did 30 years ago and restaurant portions are about 2 1/2 times larger than the recommended government serving size.
"Your eyes are bigger than your stomach" applies when you're filling your plate. You rely on what you see to determine your portion, and with plates so much larger today, that makes the portion you take to fill your plate more than you need. Believe it or not, we are programmed to finish whatever is put in front of us; so you believe you have finished eating when the 'empty' plate tells you, "I'm done".
Dishing Up
Since the amount of food you eat is usually determined by how much food is actually on your plate; take a step back and look at how your food is served. When you serve yourself anything from a large container, you will automatically give yourself more than if you took out your portion from a smaller pan or bowl. The difference is quite large - we actually serve ourselves up to 45% more food when the package or pan we're serving from doubles in size. Dish up your plate in the kitchen vs. the dining table. Having the serving bowls right in front of you as you eat, makes it way more tempting to have those 'seconds'. Think about your plate color too! Sounds kind of silly, but when there's a large contrast between the color of the food and the color of the plate, it's easier to visualize the portion, which in turn, makes it easier to control how much you're eating. Also think about the foods you eat first! When you're really hungry it's likely you'll serve yourself more of the high calorie foods and you'll also eat them first off your plate. Instead, look at the foods available and eat your salad and veggies first, allowing you to fill up with the lowest calorie items first and leaving less room for the heavy foods. One of the great reasons that dessert is commonly served last!
What About Breakfast?
One of the best ways to take charge of your portions is starting the day with a healthy breakfast! Breakfast is 'The Most Important Meal of the Day!" Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day. It also gives you the energy you need to get things done and helps you focus at work or at school. This much is clear: Skipping the morning meal can throw off your body’s rhythm of fasting and eating. When you wake up, the blood sugar your body needs to make your muscles and brain work their best is usually low. Breakfast helps replenish it. If your body doesn’t get that fuel from food, you may feel zapped of energy, and you'll be more likely to overeat later in the day. Many people skip the morning meal because they’re rushing to get out the door. That’s a mistake. You need food in your system long before lunchtime. If you skip the morning meal, you'll get so hungry later on causing you to snack on high-fat, high sugar foods.
"Disgust and resolve are two of the great emotions that lead to change." - Jim Rohn
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