Has anyone else suddenly become aware of how large most portion sizes are?

MrSJWinship

CarvedTones wrote: »

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

I became aware after getting my food scale. If you don't have one, get one. 100% worth the money.

Another "Me too" though I had heard it said often I didn't realize how much. I look at the side of cereal boxes, even sweet kids' cereals, and think "how can that be so bad?" and then pour some in a bowl on a scale and realize exactly how it can be so bad.

whats funny is how little a cereal portion should be compared to what ive been eating for years. the Average family Bowl people have in their cupboards was what i thought they meant by a Bowl of Cereal and commercials showed as much but then i realize just how many calories that was was insane! lol. I dont buy cereal as i realize Oatmeal is just easier and already portioned.

MadisonMolly2017

Cbean08 wrote: »

ladyhusker39 wrote: »

vingogly wrote: »

Use a bread plate then. Think that the plate that the restaurant served to you is the family portion that you'd pass around a dinner table. Take your part off that plate and put it onto a smaller bread plate. That is your portion. The rest is to go.

Wow, thank you! I will do this if I ever eat out again...I don’t as that’s my addiction AND I limit my sodium to 1500 mg a day... I use a salad plate at home all the time so it feels like a regular plate now!

MadisonMolly2017

JaydedMiss wrote: »

I dont eat out really ever and this is why, I eat every bit of food i have. I was born without the ability to feel full (seriously) Mixed with a moderation issue ... So when i get around hyperpalatable foods i eat it all. And then likely other things lol. Its quite sad though now that im aware from weighing my food to see just how huge restaurant meals are. And sadly things like yummy fries vs yummy broccoli, You get WAY more fries.

This. Me too. We are not alone.

seltzermint555

mutantspicy wrote: »

It goes both ways. Once I started weighing and measuring food. I surprised by how many vegetables you can eat at minimal calories. It was like, How can I possibly fit all of that in my stomach. I was surprised similarly by lentils and couscous.

I agree with this. While generally portion sizes are a bit smaller than I expect, there are plenty of exceptions too. Pasta is the biggest surprise for me. Growing up I always heard how pasta was so terrible for you and so fattening, I guess I figured a serving of pasta was going to be tiny. It seems like a lot when I am eating an exact portion of rotini, spaghetti, etc.

kelly_c_77

JaydedMiss wrote: »

I dont eat out really ever and this is why, I eat every bit of food i have. I was born without the ability to feel full (seriously) Mixed with a moderation issue ... So when i get around hyperpalatable foods i eat it all. And then likely other things lol. Its quite sad though now that im aware from weighing my food to see just how huge restaurant meals are. And sadly things like yummy fries vs yummy broccoli, You get WAY more fries.

I'm the same way.
I don't eat out often because I. Will. Eat. It. All. And then come home and want more food. I have no "off" button. I can really pack away some seriously large amounts of food..it can be quite horrifying to others.

ladyhusker39

Cbean08 wrote: »

ladyhusker39 wrote: »

vingogly wrote: »

The Olive Garden ads on TV seem to be based on the belief that Italians (or at least those living in Olive Garden Land) eat huge portions of food including obscene amounts of meat and cheese. It's a twisted American view of what the Mediterranean diet is about, and what we need to be satisfied.

Restaurants used to refer to 6 oz steaks as "Ladies' portions" or "petite" steaks. This creates the impression that Manly Men should go for the big stuff - because there is such a thing as Man Food as recent Nutrisystem ads for men suggest.

There's nothing wrong with getting an appetizer and a cup of soup or salad and leaving it at that. You have to filter out all this consume consume consume messaging flying at you and do what you know is good for you. And also forget any programming you have from childhood about the Empty Plate Club, and learn how to read your bodily cues for hunger and satiety.

It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you've eaten enough. That's why eating slowly or eating half then waiting for a while are important strategies. As one book I've read pointed out (I think it was Intuitive Eating), you can always go back and have some more if you really want it.

This is one of my biggest challenges. I get extremely stressed if I don't eat every bite on my plate regardless of how much I started with.

I've been thinking about focusing on this one habit for a while and see if I can break it over the next few months.

Use a bread plate then. Think that the plate that the restaurant served to you is the family portion that you'd pass around a dinner table. Take your part off that plate and put it onto a smaller bread plate. That is your portion. The rest is to go.

Thanks for the idea. I've actually been doing that lately because the kids already use that size anyway. I don't seem to have a much trouble eating out because I decided those are not single person portions, like you suggest. It really is a nasty mind game.

mutantspicy

Francl27 wrote: »

Maybe it's not so much portion sizes as the fact that overall, we just don't move enough. My sedentary calories are pathetic and nowhere enough to satisfy me, for example. I'd still be obese if I wasn't so active.

There's something to this for sure. Once per year I go to Denver Co for the GABF . Great American Beer Festival and that city has more breweries per square mile than I've seen anywhere. Which they all do special event for the festival. Meanwhile we'll basically drink from breakfast til dinner but walk at least 8 miles a day at elevation. Go to a pub have an appetizer and a beer sampler walk to the next one. Rinse wash and repeat, somehow come out of it feeling pretty great.

lucerorojo

Go to a French restaurant! Unless it is the country French type (usually cheaper), the portion will be small!