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:
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:
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:
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:
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!
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Women's Wellness Circle: Create Your Extraordinary Life AuthorHi, I’m Crystal! If you'd like to access my Farmer's Market Friday posts from 2018, click here!
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