PORTION CONTROL: We Eat Too Much
Portion control is one of the reasons that people become overweight and obese. You do not have to eat until every last bite is cleaned off of your plate. We live in a society that sells the notion bigger is better, most restaurants serve a meal size large enough for two or three adults. When you are eating out, consider the meal that you order is two meals. Eat half at the time you order and wrap up the other half to eat two or three hours later. Your stomach is made up of smooth muscle and when you overeat, it will stretch out and your appetite will increase. You only want to eat until you’re satisfied, not until you are full. If you already have a large appetite, then it’s going to take a little bit more control at the beginning, but it is imperative that you decrease your portion sizes. Don’t eat as if the food in front of you is the last meal you’ll ever have! You can eat again in a couple of hours. Whatever you didn’t finish on your plate will still be there in two hours. Eating 6 or 7 small meals and snacks a day will decrease the number of calories you eat, and increase your metabolism which will help you burn more calories throughout the day.
