Eating Exponentially
Food consumption is a necessary part of life, but norms today have people eating more than double the necessary amount. Portion Size started to increase in the early 1980's, and has increased exponentially ever since. Foods, as a result, are now being produced bigger to accomodate this trend and norms on eating are being skewed. Overeating, accompanied with our now sedentary lifestyles, is the number one reason for the obesity epidemic in our nation and it is resulting in all-time highs in Hypertension, Type II Diabetes, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Disease.
Food consumption is a necessary part of life, but norms today have people eating more than double the necessary amount. Portion Size started to increase in the early 1980's, and has increased exponentially ever since. Foods, as a result, are now being produced bigger to accomodate this trend and norms on eating are being skewed. Overeating, accompanied with our now sedentary lifestyles, is the number one reason for the obesity epidemic in our nation and it is resulting in all-time highs in Hypertension, Type II Diabetes, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Disease.
The Solution The average person should eat about 2000 calories per day. Of course this is a rough assumption and is highly dependent on your level of activity and lifestyle. Fortunately, the image to the right can help us in not only reverting back to the real portion sizes of the past, but also maintaining a healthy amount of calories that will help prevent obesity. You might notice that these size references are a lot smaller than your own perceived norms and thats ok. By adhering to these sizing principles you can reduce your calorie load and lose some weight while meeting your nutritional needs. | (http://diettogo.com/blog/portion-control) |
It's Not Easy
Yes, you may feel hungry the first 2-3 weeks, but that is because your body and metabolism are used to the high caloric loads you have been eating each day. After the appropriate time has passed, these will become your normal meal sizes and your body will respond better. Here are some tips to help control portion sizes:
-Use smaller dishes at meals
-Never eat out of a bag or carton
-Don't eat "family style" with platters of food on the table
-Beware of "mini snacks"
The Food and Drug Administration recommends you compare these serving sizes to everyday objects that you will remember. This way it is easier for you to recall the proper serving size no matter where you are. Western Michigan University has put together a list of proper serving sizes and comparable objects for you to view. Here is the link:
http://www.wmich.edu/dining/pdf/WMU_StandardServingSizes.pdf
Best of luck and happy eating.
Yes, you may feel hungry the first 2-3 weeks, but that is because your body and metabolism are used to the high caloric loads you have been eating each day. After the appropriate time has passed, these will become your normal meal sizes and your body will respond better. Here are some tips to help control portion sizes:
-Use smaller dishes at meals
-Never eat out of a bag or carton
-Don't eat "family style" with platters of food on the table
-Beware of "mini snacks"
The Food and Drug Administration recommends you compare these serving sizes to everyday objects that you will remember. This way it is easier for you to recall the proper serving size no matter where you are. Western Michigan University has put together a list of proper serving sizes and comparable objects for you to view. Here is the link:
http://www.wmich.edu/dining/pdf/WMU_StandardServingSizes.pdf
Best of luck and happy eating.