All the talk about portion control and the tips as to what proper portions really are, has brought up a question. My family is full of big eaters. Many of our old bad habits are changing since my husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. But here's the thing, how do you teach them (and me) how to be full on smaller portions?
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I exercise and daily walk on a motorized treadmill twice a day at 30 minute intervals. So I walk 60 minutes for 6 days a week. I usually walk in the morning and in the afternoon.
I've noticed that I eat less when I exercise. Also I've set my mind not to overeat because I work too hard exercising, and I'm not exercising for nothing.
Too many of us women think that we can keep up with men by eating as much as they do. Well, we can't because our overeating will lead to OBESITY, and numerous MEDICAL PROBLEMS.
I also cut out sugar loaded desserts and I've noticed a considerable change since I'm starting to look thinner.
It takes about 20 mins for your brain to say FULL after you have eaten ... so with that in mind do like the French and have more than ONE course. Serve them separately (this slows the meal down), even if you end up using the same plate.
DO NOT HAVE A TV ON: The TV tends to numb us to what we are doing, and we shove food into our mouths and don't notice.
Slowing down the meal is hard, because we tend to want to eat fast and watch TV etc. Turn on music, really try to come up with ideas to talk about, this may mean checking out the weather, news, jokes etc before dinner. Talking slows the meal down, this gives the tummy time to say "I'm full"
Serve from the kitchen, this gives you better control of portions.
Put away extras in plastic containers for lunches etc - don't leave on stovetop etc or they will get noshed on.
When plating the meal, leave space between the items, it tends to make each part of the meal look nicer too.
If you have sauce, gravy put it on the dish in the kitchen, this way if they really want more THEY have to get up and get it.
PLATES: having a smaller plate gives the impression that you have more.
Put a pitcher of ice water to the table, I noticed when I did this everyone drank more water.
Start with soup at every meal (during the winter this is great because it also helps you keep warm). Try to keep the cream of X soups out of the menu. The crockpot is very handy and it will use up odds and ends of meals.
AVOID store bought soups - tons of salt
Then salad - add a little water to salad dressing to thin it down, then pour it down the sides of the salad bowl, mix the salad well - you shouldn't need to add more (saves calories)
For main meal make at least 2 veggies:
Watch out for the butter, sourcream etc those are extra calories. Use garlic, onions and spices to flavor veggies. If you put a little olive oil in pan add the spices, onions, garlic it pops the flavors, then add a little butter and the veggies.
If you serve bread of any kind, put it on a plate not bringing the whole loaf or pan (I know its more dishes).
Butter or margarine whip is done by adding water and beating the heck out of it .. Soft butter spreads thinner.
Ria
Drink a glass of water before eating meals. Also eat slowly as it takes time for your brain to register that you feel full. If you gobble your food down it's gone before your brain has time to catch up...lol. Good luck.
I see a lot of good advise here for you but another one is when your fixing a meal at home fix just the amount that each person needs and control the portions before putting it on the table. Make sure that you don't have any left overs or put them in the freezer to start with..
If you stick to the nutritional guidelines that are outlined in the food pyramid, you should get enough food every day to keep you satisfied.
For instance, a woman should eat 6 servings of bread, cereal, rice, pasta or grains each day. A serving is: 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta.
She should eat 3 servings of vegetables each day. A serving is: 1 cup raw leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup other vegetables or 3/4 cup vegetable juice.
A woman should eat 2 servings of fruit each day. A serving size is: 1 medium apple, orange, banana or pear. 1/2 cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit or 3/4 cups fruit juice.
She should eat 2 servings of milk, yogurt or cheese each day. One serving size is: 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1-1/2oz. natural cheese (such as cheddar) or 2oz. processed cheese (such as American).
Finally, she should eat 2 servings of meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs or nuts each day for a total of 5 ounces. One serving size is: 2/3oz. lean meat, fish or poultry, 1/2 cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1/3 cups of nuts. Instead of weighing your meat, you just need to choose a piece that is the same size as the palm of your hand.
At the very top of the food pyramid is oils, butter and margarine. These should be used sparingly.
A real eye opener is on the label of the food item that you wish to eat. Read the amount per serving. That would be a great start for portion control. They can quickly see how many calories and such they are consuming. I agree with the drinking of water. I also agree with putting your fork down for each bite of food.
We have this thing in Ayurvedic medicine in India. To get rid of one habit start another habit. Whenever you feel like binging do something else that equally interests you. Like some craft or gardening or anything else that you can do instead of eating. Also limit yourself. Try to calculate the amount of fat in each helping of each food item. Your body can do with 50 gm of fat per day and 60 gm of protein and about 200gm of carbs. So keep reminding yourself that a particular food item is high in carbs. Eat more protein. This helps you feel fuller and eat less.
I think people just have to change the way they look at food. I LOVE food, always have. I was overweight for a big part of my life until I had enough of the struggles and I never seemed to have enough energy. It took a few years but I changed the way I looked at food. I NEVER reward myself with food now, I use it to fuel my body, just like you would put gas in your car to make it run. I see it as survival and preventative healthcare too.
The problem is, we don't eat foods that fuel our bodies, we give it stuff it doesn't need and leaves us feeling empty. Our bodies are begging us for more because we're not feeding it what it requires to function properly. When I eat lots of protein, veggies and all the nutrients I need, I don't overeat. My body just says thanks and it's done. If I eat garbage like donuts and heavy foods full of fat, salt and sugar, my body tells me it's not full yet and asks me to give it more food.
I started out my measuring my food, reading food labels and not eating processed foods (I now make everything homemade and have reduced sugar and completely eliminated animal products). I am now a size 5 and before I was a 12-14 and have kept it off for about 10 years. I am almost 40 but most people think I am in my late twenties. Food can really be a poison or a healer, so think about it this way: When you're hungry, just overeat on things like fresh veggies and fruits.
Eat AS MUCH as you want. You'll be surprised that you'll stop eating much faster than if you were to eat junk food. :) Hope this helps!
I found your body gets used to the portions you eat, I noticed that I would be really hungry when first cutting down but after a while I felt full after a smaller portion.
I know that a lot of people & dr's say that Dr. Atkins is not good for you, but if your husband has type 2 diabetes, that's from too many carbs & your body not taking care of the excess blood glucose. Atkins is the best & he has had yrs of success. One hint though, is try eating some cheese be 4 eating. It's a great snack & it's satisfying. Fat & protein is the thing your body needs to be satisfied. Carbs only cause you to become hungry sooner. It's how farm folk fatten stock, low fat carbs & little or no protein. Once you get used 2 eating his way, u will b satisfied with out over eating & last longer between meals.
When eating at home, I find getting up from the table right away when done eating a reasonable amount of food helps to curb the "just one more bite" problem. Two other things. If you are having a dessert, have a small portion right after the meal. It satisfies that craving for something sweet and I don't eat as much because I'm full from dinner. Also brushing my teeth after I'm done eating helps give me that sign that I'm done. And I'm less likely to eat again later if it means brushing my teeth again.
We've stopped going to the buffets. It's just too darn tempting and I think we all eat too much because A) We want to get our moneys worth B) WE CAN EAT ALL WE WANT!
I'm 58 and I've had problems with weight all my life. As a result, I have the basic knowledge of calories and nutrition that everyone needs before they even think about losing weight. Building on that, every person needs to find some motivational "mantras" that work for them. My most important one is "I CAN control what I put in my mouth." (It's really easy to lie to yourself and think that you can't, but when you think about it, that's preposterous!)
I also depend on something I learned in Weight Watchers--"If you bite it, write it." I measure and record everything I eat, so I know I'm not taking in more calories than I've decided on. There are many web sites that even have extensive information on restaurant foods, and with practice you can get pretty good estimating if you have to.Is this a big hassle? Yes, but I have to admit to myself that I don't have a healthy attitude about food and that I have to make an extra effort some other people don't.
The third big motivator is something along the lines of "Next Christmas (or other significant date) will come whether I lose weight or not." This relates to having a measurable time frame and goal of the number of pounds I want to lose. I'm trying to get weight off right now at a rate of about a pound and a half a week, so when Thanksgiving comes I'll be some 60 pounds lighter. That'll be well within the range of what I'd like to lose.
Last but not least, give yourself a meal that's a break from the regimen once in a while. It's not the occasional special occasion that piles on the pounds, it's your habits day in and day out.
Try using a smaller sized plate for meals. I understand that helps. It will take a little while before your stomach shrinks, but eventually you will feel full even with the small plate's serving.
I hope this helps. I recently got some larger sized plates and now I notice my son fills it up to overflowing. He looks like he is eating from a platter. rofl.
With a family of nine to feed, I always felt like all I did was cook. If I was not cooking a meal, then someone needed a snack, and it was a constant battle to keep everyone full and happy with 9 different schedules to work around. But, we have never had a weight problems for any of us.
Then my husband stopped being a U.S.Marine and he gained 40 pounds in a few months. He was not running 10 miles a day anymore and he was still consuming the same amount of calories. He decided to take the EAS challenge to lose the weight.
Basically you eat every three hours. You eat a portion of meat, carbs, veggie the same size as your fist. He lost the weight in 6 weeks. Yes, all forty pounds in 6 weeks and he ate all the time. It keeps your metabolism up and burning calories at all times. He ate a protein bar or drank a shake if he could not sit down and eat when at work.
So, I decided to cut out all snacks at our house and we all eat every three hours. I cook tons of meals up in advance and preportion them for all the kids. All they have to do is pop their plate in the microwave and they are good to go. I put their names on their plates, so they do not eat someone elses. They each eat five meals a day. I replace the carbs with fruit on the kids plates on two of their meals. So, my children are always getting five veggiees a day and fruit. That is something few moms get done each day.
It is also great when everyone has a different schedule on any given day. We do sit down together for dinner each evening and talk about our days as a family.
I will tell you at first I was shocked at how high our food bill was. I had to buy alot of vegtables and fruit. But, then I quickly learned it was cheaper to buy all the veggies, than the snacks we had in the house.
Plus, you do not buy pre packaged items anymore. No more mac and cheese, hamburger helper, etc.
All nine of us are in great shape and at our ideal weight. We do not eat suger now at all. No more cheese on all the veggies and I rarely use butter or even need to have bread in the house. It does take time to get into the new habit. But, it has been worth it for us. I know all my kids are healthy.
Hopes this helps. Good Luck.
Crystal
Momandmurray@aol.com
Here's a trick I'm sure we were all told as children, "chew your food properly". What that means is to actually count the # of times you chew before swallowing. I do it 20 times, also put down your knife and fork between mouthfuls. I found that I get full faster doing this.
you could try eating a snack BEFORE you eat...an apple, a banana, some mixed fruit....and a glass of water....about 15 to 20 minutes before your meal...then drink water, tea, or black coffee during your meal....works for me...
Eventually after eating smaller meals the size of your stomach will shrink and you will be full on less food. I know, the hard part is getting there! But it will happen if you stick with it!
Try brushing your teeth immediately after a sensibly sized meal. Nothing like the flavor of toothpaste to ruin your next bite!
Hi! Eat within 2 hours of waking up. Eat every 3 hours (even if only an apple) and take Saffron Extract or Raspberry Keytones (1 or 2) 2 or 3 times a day after your meals. Those keep the hunger away. Avoid at all costs anything with Sucralose (Splenda) in it. Not only does Splenda kill all the good bacteria in your gut, it makes you really hungry.
Tomato or vegetable juice slightly diluted with water then heated makes an excellent - and very filling - "cup a soup" which I find remarkably effective between meals or in the evening, in place of snack foods.
I got this great tip from a magazine. It said to tell yourself that this will not be the only opportunity to eat the item of food in front of you.
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