07/12/21

#97 Portion Sizes

Portion Sizes

Portions are specific to you. (don't eat the same portion as your husband!)

They are dependant on gender, age, activity level, height, weight, muscle mass.

Have you noticed that plates, glasses, cups, mugs, and bowls have all got bigger?

Just like takeout portions, popcorn, and soft drinks and even take out coffees.

Many packets of snack foods are bigger too and though they may suggest 6 portions it is very easy to eat the whole packet in one hit.

 Restaurants and cafes often offer huge value for money portions, which are way more than we need. We often eat more than we need when a big portion is put in front of us regardless of how full we are.

Your stomach is only the size of your fist when it is empty.

We are wired to think that we need to eat more than is necessary to fuel our bodies. It is human nature. Survival = eat plenty when there is an abundance of food to store as body fat for times when less food is available.

We also continue eating way past our bodies needs because emotionally it feels nice.

Try eating off a smaller plate. Serve smaller portions.

Eat slowly and stop at 80% full.

It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you have eaten enough!

If you are overweight you are eating more than your body needs for fuel, it is as simple as that. 

It isn't bad, there doesn't need to be any stigma or emotional chatter involved, you just need to reprogram yourself to eat smaller portions and less processed food and more whole foods.