How many of us still overeat because they hear the voices of moms and grandmas in their heads every time they sit down to a meal? “Clean your plate or you can’t leave the table.” “There are starving kids in Africa, finish your food.” We are taught from a very early age to finish whatever food is put in front of us, but what does that do to us in the long term? When overeating is engrained in you from birth, it makes the choice of whether to finish that sandwich or plate full of pasta very difficult. I needed to relearn that if I didn’t waste my food, it would go straight to my waist.
All around the world, restaurant portions are getting larger and larger. People want their money’s worth when they sit down for a meal so restaurants pack in more cheap food per plate instead of charging less for less food. The portion sizes of a regular meal is ridiculous.
Portion Perception
What are you supposed to do in this case to stay healthy and not overeat? Well, I have several tips on this.
- Ask for a box or dog bag when you first order your meal at a restaurant. Box up 1/2 of your food before you start eating.
- When eating at home, use small plates and bowls. Dinnerware has become larger over the years and so have waist lines.
- Drink a glass of water before your meal. This helps keep you hydrated and fills you up a bit before you eat.
- Try not to eat while you are starving. If you know you are having a later meal than usual, have a healthy snack (fruit, nuts, granola). If you sit down at a table and are completely ravenous, you tend to chomp down your food at record pace, not giving your body enough time to realize you are full.
- Eat slowly. Make time to sit down and enjoy your food. Food can be much more satisfying if you sit down and savor and give your body enough time to feel full.
You can let your food go to waste or you can let your food go to your waist. Either way, overeating is not healthy. If you are overeating you are wasting your food anyway. The extra calories are not doing anyone any good and they are just going to make you unhealthy. You cleaning your plate as mom demanded is not going to help a starving child anywhere. Box up those leftovers and let’s get healthy together.
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