Family Chow Hall

America, Let’s Downsize our Portions

March 28th, 2006

Overeating is a major problem of mine, and I’m guessing I’m not alone in this.

I think the more a person eats at restaurants, the more likely he or she is to be confused about what a normal portion should look like. Everything, from the “value” meals at fast food joints, to a nice dinner at an upscale eatery, is over-sized. I can rarely finish what I am served when we eat out. Once, my hubby and I shared an appetizer platter (that was it, we had nothing else) and left completely satisfied. If we’d each had a dinner as well, we probably would have consumed more calories than we needed for the entire day.

So, what should a portion look like? From what I have read and heard, there are some differing opinions, but most come close to this:

Meat should be lean and about the size of your fist or 1/4 of your plate.
Vegetables or fruit should cover 1/2 to 2/3 of your plate.
Whole-grain starch, such as brown rice, wheat pasta, or wheat bread should cover no more than 1/4 of your plate.
Oils should be of good quality and kept to a minimum.

In the category of portion sizes, I am most jealous of my five-year-old son. He eats when he’s hungry, not before. Jacob eats good foods, a good variety of fruits, meats, and whole grains. He never overeats, unless I make him - Jacob can happily walk away from the table the moment he has had enough. It’s not unusual for him to have an apple and a piece of cheese for lunch. He just seems to know just what and how much fuel he needs.

I’ve also noticed that it’s particularly easy to overdo it on those foods we shouldn’t be eating at all. For example, when I make Macaroni & Cheese casserole, I could happily sit at the table and keep consuming mac and cheese until the pan is empty. There’s this stupid tendency to store it up. The same is true with potato chips. How easy is it to sit down (in front of the TV) with an open bag of chips and munch all the way to the bottom? People, we’ve got to serve ourselves a reasonable amount and then stop.

However, if I make a nice grilled steak or salmon, I’m satisfied with a normal sized portion. I can eat a relatively small amount, feel good about it, and leave the table without stuffing myself. It seems as though my body wants to store up as many of those bad calories, starches, and fats as it is able — but when I’m eating high-quality, good-for-me foods, my body says, “Thanks, but that’s enough.” AAaaarrrgghhh!

I just watched a bit of the Oprah show yesterday (NOT a customary habit of mine) and am anxious to look at the book “You: The Owner’s Manual” by Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Shouldn’t we all have an owner’s manual? Carry it around in our pocket or purse? We practice preventative maintenance on our homes and automobiles, why not even more so for our bodies?

Eat Well to Live Better

Entry Filed under: Food As Medicine, Mixed bag