Why Portion Control Doesn't Work

lpgafford

The previous posts are correct. The fad diets did not work, ergo eating a reasonable amount of food and counting calories does not work.

Nothing but a snake oil salesman.

Yep!!!:happy:

geekette411

It also seems to start with the assumption that everyone is an emotional eater (false) and that bingeing is inevitable.

Then it tries to sell you something.

Moving on.

Agreed. Ditto.

shellma00

I had to stop reading after this paragraph.....

"using portion control to deal with overeating is like putting a band-aid on a deep knife wound. Maybe it’ll stop a bit of the bleeding or seem to be taking care of the problem for a while, but eventually you’ll realize that the band-aid isn’t helping. Plus, you may find that just putting a band-aid on it causes more problems than it solves."

Really?? I dont know what to even say to this. Overeating one day does not always mean we will start binging on a regular basis.

k8blujay2

She's just not doing it right.

kevinjb1

The article talks about emotional eating. If someone has an issue of overeating because of their emotions then they need to work on that before any diet plan will be effective.

I found that trying to use any kind of specific diet plan that restricts a certain type of food (think Atkins) simply didn't work for me because I love food and I do not want to put myself into a box of things I can and cannot eat in order to lose weight. That's simply not realistic for everyday life. Sure I will lose weight, but when the diet is over I would (and have) gain it right back because now they want to eat all of those things again and they haven't learn how to eat proper portions to maintain their weight.

Learning how to eat healthier food and in proper porportions will not only help you lose weight, but also fuel your body properly so that you don't feel like you are restricting your intake, which will almost always lead to overeating. If you are emotional about your eating habits then that could lead to a since of failure and giving up on your goals completely.

And don't forget that exercise is an important way to not only burn calories, but make you feel stronger better about yourself. Gotta love those endorphins!

Bottom line is I still eat chips, cake, cookies, chocolate, pizza, etc when I want, but I eat WAY less than I used to eat when I eat those things and my other meals are balanced so that I am stil at a deficit at the end of the day. That way I can live my life and still lose the weight.

SherryR1971

I think there is a difference between portion control and restriction.

this was my first thought. Portion control is very important, and it is different from restriction. We have gotten so far off from what an actual portion size is, no one knows anymore.

bumblebums

This person doesn't seem to be in a good position to help others.

maryv83

I stopped reading about half way down once I realized that she was trying to sell you on her "program", but was hesitant from the beginning when I saw the blogger's picture. Don't beat yourself up over a "bad" day. You fall off the horse and get right back on. That's all there is to it!

Maddalen101

For many of us, bottom line to success at weight loss is being CONSCIOUS of what you eat.
Portion control is an EFFECT of the consciousness. When you know what you're eating, and its metrics, you are more inclined to take control and work with what you eat in order to maximize nutrition and taste while minimizing calories and fat. That's it in a nutshell. Doesn't mean restriction ... just intelligent deployment of what's at hand.
Just sayin' ...

lithezebra

It's a money making headline, nothing more, and I'm not impressed.

MelsAuntie

30 years of portion control made my body. Yeah, I think I'll stick with that.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

And a great body it is, if I may say so.

Heather032190

Bump for a later read.

ObtainingBalance

Right or wrong, the first thing I noticed is the author is overweight?? Then I noticed she wants you to buy something at the end. IMO it's a scare tactic to get people to buy into her program. Portion control absolutely works for me. I'm not saying I don't have bad moments but for the most part with out portion control, I wouldn't have lost 107 lbs.

^totally this

wtref

You've lost 32 lbs doing what you're doing. It is working for you. Don't let some article on the web change your program. Keep it up!

Jusjerzy

"is a certified holistic health counselor and founder of a program designed for plus-sized women who are fed up with dieting and want support to stop obsessing about food and weight".

Translation........"I'm Lazy"

Samiamy2k

Personally I thought it was a load of crap. I'd have been far more open to the information if she had simply said, "If portioning isn't working for you, try this". Why can't they both be successful strategies you can pick based on your personal profile? She sealed the deal when she says, "As I wrote in my book". She's selling books. The only way your success matters is if you encourage someone else to buy her book. Weight loss and a healthy lifestyle are not for *kitten*. It's hard work with life or death outcomes in enough cases one can't call it rare. Now, if her method works, fine. Aside from her intuition however, good, solid empirical research coupled with extensive anecdotal evidence shows that both keeping an accurate food journal and consistent portion control DO work. This lady isn't as concerned about being healthy as she is being "reasonable" and as such will continue to make excuses, mostly to herself, as to why she's not losing weight. One either commits to this type of program and succeeds in becoming healthier, or doesn't fully commit and continues to refuse owning her issues. This is why I hate self-help gurus.
Samiamy2k

I read the following article, "Why Portion Control Doesn't Work and What to Do Instead," and it left me with mixed feelings. Was wondering what the MFP world would have to say about it...

http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2012/08/13/why-portion-control-doesnt-work-and-what-to-do-instead/

jadams1650

Tens of millions of people are overweight and unwilling to do anything about it. She writes books and gives speeches dedicated to the concept that this is a valid life decision. Not sure I agree with her conclusion but she sure has targeted a big audience for her products.

lithezebra

"is a certified holistic health counselor and founder of a program designed for plus-sized women who are fed up with dieting and want support to stop obsessing about food and weight".

Translation........"I'm Lazy"

Not necessarily. People can be understandably frustrated. But it's a cheesy blog that is selling a point of view that hasn't helped the author lose weight. You guys are all here. Whether you consider yourself fat or fit, you aren't ready to give up on your goals.

bulbadoof

Any article trying to sell me something immediately loses all credibility.

Timshel_

Right or wrong, the first thing I noticed is the author is overweight?? Then I noticed she wants you to buy something at the end.

Welcome to most "research" anymore.

That articles is marketing and nothing more.

cwolfman13

Portion control works when one understands what portion control actually is...this author does not appear to understand the meaning of portion control.

TeachTheGirl

So, I think her methods might work for a small percentage of overweight people and/or many people who are at/near goal and have been controlling their portions for a long time, know what/how much to eat to maintain their weight and health, and are ready to move forward with that knowledge and give up tracking every bite, or for people who haven't historically had a problem with overeating and are just looking to drop a couple of pounds and improve their body composition. But, it's not going to work for a large number of people who need to lose a significant amount of weight.

^This response resonates with me, but even being close to my goal I was able to let binging take control of me and 'just another bite' or 'I haven't had this to eat for AGES' took me over and I gained 5lbs within the past month.

I read the occasional Body Love Wellness post, but ones that are more specifically geared toward LOVING YOURSELF. There's nothing wrong with being whatever body size/shape you want to be as long as you are prepared to deal with the ramifications of your choice. Whether that be to lose weight and log consistently or stay the same and have to tackle the mental and physical side of that too. I am kind of sad to see it was all a plug for her program, though.

lithezebra

I don't see myself ever giving up portion control. That's how people who succeed in losing weight start gaining it again. Call me obsessed, but no one can say that I can't manage my weight and get a healthy amount of exercise.

The_Enginerd

Portion control works so poorly. I mean, just look at how badly I've been doing! :noway: V

jwdieter

Hilarious link, 2 thumbs up. Couldn't even read the text because of the pictures and "intuitive eating" coach. Laughing too hard for work.

Unknown

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Mr_Bad_Example

This right here is my favorite part of the "article"...

This week only, I’m offering my Heal From Emotional Eating Home Study Program for only $47.

RobynMWilson

Portion control has worked for me since 1987... back then we didn't have the info we have now and that was before the world of low fat and low carb, so that's all I knew to do. Portion control and MOVE. The old fashioned way! lol

sigsby

Practice portion control as best you can. It gets easier as you go. Keep looking for healthy recipes and snacks to replace the old bad ones. Eventually you will find a lot of ways to eat healthy and they will overcome those old bad habits. Build new habits by changing gradually over time.

bearsfan67

Portion control and serving size is really making a difference for me!! Exercise thrown into the mix is another thing that is making a difference!!!!!