Well...lets take a look at portion sizes first and you can compare, lets start with why do you eat? Sounds like a silly question doesn't it.....why do you eat? But this very important question has 4 possible answers and it's important for you to look deep into yourself and get a handle on why you eat. As you answer the question don't feel bad, we're all here for the same reason and we all got here the same way...including me! Don't think for one second that I don't have to go back periodically and review my eating habits, I do it all the time. I'm forever conscious as I want you to be as to why and how much I eat. So here's your test;
Do you eat for;
Pleasure, Fuel, Boredom or a combination?
The ONLY correct answer in this list is Fuel. Our bodies need food for only one reason, to fuel the machine. AND with that said the amount of fuel each of us needs differs between people based on their activity level. You judge how much fuel you need by listening to your body once you've taken some fuel in. You should only eat enough food to satisfy the need. The best way to "see where your at" is to simply eat a small amount and wait 15 minutes....see how you feel. You'll know if you've eaten enough if you listen to your body. Use the FAT TO SKINNY portion size list as a guide to get you started.
Now with all that said I want to let you in on a little secret. Umpa and I have one rule in our home. Because we know we eat for Fuel we made a ruling that "every bite must be spectacular" That way we add pleasure to our food intake.
If your
weight loss has stalled go back and take a look at eating motivations and portion sizes. Of course you should always be aware of sugar intake and stick to the < 20 carb per day rule. As you shrink you'll need less and less food so it's important to always "be in review"
and aware of WHY you eat.
FAT TO SKINNY Portion Sizes At a glance
Common Equivilents
Fruits and Veggies
1 cup of chopped fruit= A baseball
1 cup of chopped salad = A baseball
½ cup of cooked veggies= A tennis ball
Meat and Poultry
3 oz= A deck of cards
8oz= A small paperback book
Fish, Cheese and Nuts
3oz of fish= A checkbook
1 oz of cheese = 4 dice
1 oz of nuts = 2 ping pong balls
