How Much Is Too Much?

4/30/2019

Just the other day I saw a comparison of portion sizes from today, to 30 years ago. There's a huge difference!

We eat a LOT more than we used to. Our serving sizes have ballooned!

This looks like a healthy meal, and it is ... but I bet it would still be enough food for most people even if they ate half of the salmon, rice, and apples on the plate. In fact, you could probably get away with just eating the veggies and salmon!

Portion sizes have more than doubled in many cases, for example:

An average turkey sandwich in the 1980's contained about 320 calories, whereas now it's 820.
An average order of spaghetti and meatballs (a cup of pasta, sauce, and 3 small meatballs) was about 500 calories, now it's two cups of pasta, sauce, and 3 large meatballs, coming in at 1025 calories.
Even healthy food, such as a chicken Caesar salad had gone from a 1 1/2 cup salad (390 calories) to a 3 1/2 cup salad (790 calories).

These are examples of food served in restaurants. For a guide on how to make smart food choices when you go out to eat, click below.

The thing is that studies also show that for other foods, so called market place portion sizes-- the size you see on nutrition labels, in restaurants, etc. are often 6 or more times larger than the portion sizes recommended by the USDA!

It adds up to a lot of extra food, food and calories that your body doesn't need. Especially if it's fast food or junk food.

The worst part is that we get used to the larger portions and think they're normal. That's not how your body sees it, though.

What Happens When You Overeat?

According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, this is what happens:

Your stomach extends, pushing against your other organs, leading to discomfort and your clothes might feel tight.
You might feel fatiqued and lethargic.
Your organs have to work harder, secreting extra hormones and enzymes to break down the food.
Your stomach has to produce more hydrochloric acid, which can back up into your esophagus and cause heartburn, especially if you've eaten fatty foods. If you've had a baby, you know that feeling of less room in your abdomen which increases the likelyhood of heartburn. Not fun!
Your stomach can also produce gas, making you feel even more full and uncomfortable.
As your metabolism speeds up to try to burn those extra calories, you might feel hot and sweaty.
Over time, you can gain excess body fat, upping your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
Your body's digestive enzymes -- which are required to break down food -- can run in short supply, slowing your digestive system.
Your body's clock can get turned around, messing with your sleep and hunger cycles.

I'm sure you've experienced at least some of these physical symptoms.

When I eat at my favorite restaurant, I tend to overeat even though I usually bring half of my main course home with me. The truth is that I could probably be satiated just with the salad course!

Then, when I get home, even though it's a good restaurant as far as serving mostly local and/or organic foods. I'm really thirsty because it's saltier and oilier than the food I make at home. I also don't tend to sleep well, even if I don't have a glass of wine. Then when I wake up, I'm hungrier than usual. Even though I ate more for dinner than I do at home!

It's one thing to overeat every once in awhile, but it's another to get into a habit of it, especially if you eat out frequently.

How Do Your Portion Sizes Measure Up?

If you've lost touch with proper portion sizes, the good news is you have a built-in portion guide -- it's your hand.

Portion Size Guide:

Fruits and Veggies - One cup or the size of your fist is one serving.
Salads - Two cups or the twice the size of your fist.
Protein - Three ounces or fits into the size of your palm.
Fats - One teaspoon or the size of your thumb.
Starchy carbohydrates or grains - A half cup or a handful.

Portion Control Tips

When you were a kid, you were probably encouraged to be a member of the clean plate club. They might even have told you to eat everything on your plate because there are starving children in....fill in the blank. Like finishing your plate would actually help someone not getting enough to eat somewhere else.

How much we eat if often dependent upon how much we're served. The more on our plate the more we eat. Bigger portions can cause people to eat 30% to 50% more than they usually would.

Give these tips a try:

Have a small salad or a glass of water before your meal. It will curb your appetite and give you a sense of satiety.
When cooking at home, fill half your plate with vegetables. This will help control your grain and protein portions.
Also at home, fill your plate once with the recommended serving sizes and don't go back for seconds. One plate of food (not heaping) is plenty.
Keep the seconds out of sight. Leave the food in the kitchen sot that you're not tempted.
Eat slowly and consciously! I remember hearing this one on TV when I was twelve or so. Put your eating utensil down between bites. It takes time for the body's hunger signals to shut down after eating, so wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds.
Also, stop eating when you're two-thirds full. You'll be surprised that you fill up while waiting.
Separate leftovers into smaller containers, so that you aren't tempted to eat them all in one sitting.
When eating out, either split an entrée or set aside half the plate to be packaged up for leftovers.
Lastly, if you're going to snack between meals, separate the food into individual portions. Snacking from a large container can be deadly!

You CAN Do It!

If you've been eating big portions for awhile it can take a little bit to get used to normal portion sizes. It's worth it, though, because of how much better you'll feel!

Many people report they have more energy, sleep better, and even have stronger workouts when they adjust their portion sizes.

For More Tips and Tricks on Making Smart Food Choices When You Go Out to Eat (Anywhere), Click the Button Below.

Do you your own tips for portion control? Please share in the comments below!

And if you've enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend and click the like button!

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