If you haven’t had a chance to see Morgan Spurlock’s documentary / experiment movie, “Supersize Me” — you should! It’s eye-opening. Since airing I believe that McDonald’s no longer allows their restaurants to “super size” – in the US anyways. In general we (North Americans) eat TOO much! Our portion sizes are WAY over what they should be! We need to re-learn how to eat and teach our children the same. First comes the understanding that our body is not our own; it belongs to God. It is a temple that should be taken care of.
I’ve always been somewhat health (food wise not exercise wise) conscious. It comes with the territory. You see I was raised in a post-hippy, granola loving, El Natural kinda family. We made weekly trips to the health food store where once in a while we even got to eat at their restaurant counter and take home a small bag of natural berry gummies. Lala… do you remember those chalky little white vitamins, what was it for? Calcium? I was the only teenager who took Acidophilus on a daily basis! (I can now down up to 10 vitamins in a single swig of water) For lunches at school we swapped anything we could for wagon wheels. Anything but rice cakes please!! (If you loaded on the butter they were bearable… this was before flavours people!) Let me tell you — I still hoard our chocolate and over-eat sweets frequently… (I have my Dad’s sweet tooth). Sugar is an addictive substance and aspartame is a deadly chemical!
In the midst of all this – I did learn a few things. Thank Mom, I really did. It’s not that I watch my calories but I do make sure we eat certain foods and try to stay away from the processed foods. I read the labels, looking for where the sugar falls in the order of things. I also try as hard as I can to adhere to the proper portion or serving size.
I also have lots of little factoids in my head that my friends find very interesting at parties!!
Here’s a freaky fact. Your stomach can stretch to hold a gallon worth of food, that’s 50 times its normal unstressed state when it is empty.
A large amount of those who suffer from weight problems over-eat. Can you say, “problem with portion control”?! It is easy to have a problem with it when you don’t know what the portions should be, right? (others starve themselves, miss a meal here – a meal there, tricking their body into storing the food immediately into fat – they’ve got their body screaming out, “I’ll never get fed again better hang onto it as long as I can!”)
Do you have any guesses on what a “portion” or “serving” of meat should be?
Some say 3 ounces (size of a deck of cards) but they all agree that it should be no more than 6 ounces which is the size of an average persons fist. When is the last time you ordered a 3 oz or even 6 oz steak? Do the restaurants even make them that small?
Did you know that a cup full serving is about the size of a tennis ball?
Here’s a recommendation for when you’re eating out. Eyeball the proper portion size, set it aside to eat – and take the rest home in a doggy bag for lunch the next day. (Don’t eat it right before bed – weight gain is at its best right before bed. Experts actually say you shouldn’t eat 3 or so hours before bed!)
Here’s another piece of information floating in my brain that drives my hubby nuts… Did you know that it takes up to 20 minutes for it to register in your brain that your stomach is full? Take a break between your first and your second helping!! A lot of unnecessary food can be consumed in that short amount of time!!
I’m not the queen bee on eating right, I like to binge on chips and pop every once in a while. While pregnant with Jake I craved Coke (and only Coke, it HAD to be Coke or else somebody would PAY!!) and drank way, way too much. Not only does it contribute to tooth decay but it puts a lot of empty calories in your body, steals the calcium from your bones and helps plump up the belly and the butt!
More than all this I know that I need to take care of my body better, God has told me that I must! Plus… call me selfish… I don’t want anybody else raising my children or spoiling my grandchildren!!
yes I remember the chalk I mean the vitamins, they were calcium magnesium, do you remember the plain yogurt with germ bran or whatever that crap she sprinkled on top?
I have the sweet tooth too, and love for all things chocolate not to be tricked again thinking carab is chocolate!! and I have always struggled with my weight, my prob is not eating for too long then scarfing down bread cuz I am so hungry I feel sick to my stomache, my body doesn’t know what to do…so it stock piles! I agree with being healthy not dieting cuz it is the thing to do, cuz in this day and age it feels like if you are not on a diet of some kind….you are not in the norm!
oh and I had betta-caratine squirted up my nose by mother dear to help “shrink” the touncils….I have to say that I was put thru more torture then you were when it came to all that fun stuff!!!
I forgot about that sudo-chocolate stuff!!! YUCK, the after taste was bad!!
Do you remember loving it when we were spoiled with “Life” cereal instead of the usual… 😉
Thanks for making me laugh La. What cool memories!
Ha, you guys are funny! I have changed my eating habits and my family are reaping the benefits as well! I have lost 13lbs already, it is amazing that if you stick to eating healthy and keeping proper portion sizes, and exercising how much difference it makes!
I craved canned Pepsi when I was pregnant with my first. It have to be in a can. I was told by my dietician friend to also watch the sodium in food that is hidden in alot of food and is not good for people with high blood pressure or diabetes.
LOL, no wonder I like you. I’ve read a lot about natural foods, and much of it makes sense to me. We try to eat as healthfully as possible.
As for the portion control, yesterday I was looking at my (deceased) mother’s collection of crystal glasses–fruit juice, wine, etc… they are much smaller than the glasses we drink from. In the past, people ate and drank less, because their plates and glasses were smaller! It was a revelation. :~)