Increased Portions Sabotage Weight Loss
Partially Blame Obesity Rates on Large Serving Sizes
Oct 3, 2009
Everyone should be aware by now that restaurant meals are double or triple what one should be eating. Your first thought may be that they do this so they can charge more. Although this may be partially true, the fact is you would feel cheated if the serving was normal-sized. The U.S. has become so used to giant portions that they are expected.
Stomachs have been stretched to accommodate huge servings so you don’t feel full until you have overeaten. Begin gradually reducing the amount of food by measuring. It is particularly important to do this with such items as cheese, meat, salad dressings and nuts.
Comparable Counts Then and Now
In Super Foods Health Style (HarperCollins, 2006), Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews point out that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, daily calories for Americans increased from 1,996 to 2,247 in the past 20 years. The authors also indicate that the weight of a large order of fries today is 6 ounces whereas, in 1960, only a 2 ½ ounce order was on the menu.
Controlling Portion Sizes
- Be aware of what a serving size is, particularly for grains and fats. These can be found in many books and on the Internet, i.e. on the MyPyramid government website. Simply click on the individual food galleries after the second paragraph.
- Most everyone knows the basics, i.e. a fist is about a cup and a tablespoon is the thumb tip to the first joint. You will also become better at eye-balling portions if you mark your often-used bowls and glasses at home with the correct serving sizes. The government website above shows portion sizes in bowls and glasses.
- Bake in individual portions, i.e. individual meat loaves. These not only help control the amount, but cook quicker as well. It also works with breads, i.e. cornbread muffins rather than a big pan.
- Buying individual portions (“cheese singles” or individual frozen dessert bars), although a good idea, may be more expensive. If buying in larger packages, simply portion into individual servings at home, especially with treats such as chips.
Shrink Your Stomach to Stay at a Healthy Weight
Become more knowledgeable about standard portion sizes and what they look like. By marking your dishes at home, you will not have to measure every time while still gaining experience in judging portion sizes.
Once your stomach gradually becomes accustomed to less food, you will find you are satisfied with a rational serving. Of course, that still means you must stop when you are full. Although this will help you lose weight if you need to, most importantly, you will feel better and be healthier.
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