I've written a lot about the importance of portion control in weight loss. But I could write volumes more. Here are 5 crucial issues to remember about food intake.
1) Big portions make big people. If I overeat, and don't burn it off I'm going to gain weight. Very few people use enough energy to balance extra intake with body size. You might be surprised to learn how few calories are actually burned by exercise. That's why exercise alone does not lose weight.
2) Majority metabolism rules. Sure there are some people like my husband who eat whatever they want and don't gain weight. Some have a higher metabolism or actually burn a lot more calories than they realize. Some would like to gain weight but can't. But for the majority more food in means more weight on.
3) It's about habits. I'm not talking the occasional overeating. I'm talking habitually eating enough to feed two to three people. I'm talking cooking far too much and having too many leftovers around. I have been laid up with shoulder surgery and been blessed with meals from friends. I appreciate them all but esp those that bring two brownies for dessert not a whole pan. Stuck on the couch, the extra goodies call out to me to eat them. And I don't need the extra 15 lbs when I'm already having trouble moving 😳
4) Stomach stretching is real. Remember the old saying about stretching your stomach if you overeat? It's true. If I continually accustom my stomach to larger portions it will expand to accommodate. And I will feel hungry even though I have eaten a reasonable amount.
5) Get back to the good old days. In 1950, a McDonald's meal was one small single hamburger, small fries and a 7 oz Coke. In 2021, those portion sizes have tripled to quintupled. And don't even get me started on the buffets. If there's one positive take away from the Covid-19 pandemic, it's that we can get ourselves out of a habit of eating those monstrous restaurant portions and back to smaller healthier intake. But it has to start at home. Here's how.
6) I said five tips this is a bonus lol. Read labels, count calories and do the math. Food manufacturers put RDA (recommended daily allowances) on their labels. Take advantage of the research and use the data to plan meals and portions of reasonable sizes. Track how many calories you are eating. (11 x your goal weight daily is a good target). Be sure to get all the nutrients. This is how I lost 100 lbs.
Love y'all! Be well --mar
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