The Importance of Portion Control

Those of you who know me, know that I have a problem with skipping meals. I have to be very diligent and stay on top of things to make sure I eat enough calories throughout the day. But, the real problem I have is this: after I’ve realized I skipped a meal, I’m so hungry that I end up eating way more than I should at one sitting. I’ve learned that this isn’t healthy either. It can lead to elevated blood sugar, which can eventually lead to diabetes. So, it is important to eat every meal and to eat healthy portions. As it turns out, it’s not so much the feelings of hunger that determine how much you eat in one sitting, but the size of your plate.

A few studies have been done on this matter. In one study, researchers gave moviegoers free, but very stale, popcorn. Not only was the popcorn two weeks old, but all the participants had just eaten a full meal, so they weren’t hungry. Still, those who were given a large-sized tub ate about 50 percent more than those who were eating out of a medium-sized tub.

In another study, graduate students and renowned nutritional science professors were given different sized bowls and scoops to serve themselves ice cream. There were small-sized bowls and scoops, and there were large-sized bowls and scoops. Those who had the combination of a large bowl and a large scoop ate 53 percent more ice cream than those who had the small bowl and scoop combo.

These aren’t the only two studies done on the matter – not by a long shot. There are too many to mention here, but I’ll give you just one more that I found interesting. This one showed that restaurant-goers were likely to eat much more soup when they were unknowingly eating out of auto-refilling bowls. Yes, this was more of a high-tech study. There were devices hid under the table to refill the soup slowly into the bowl, so the person eating wouldn’t notice.

All of these studies point to the same fact: We need to be cognizant of what we eat with. If you’re plates are larger than the standard plate, you’re very likely to be overeating at each meal. These studies also ruled out gender, age and financial status, as they found that you’re likely to eat more regardless of any of these factors. Whether you’re a vet tech or a brain surgeon, you’ll probably overeat if you’re given an oversized plate. 

Learning to Love Vegetables

If you’re anything like me, you grew up on TV dinners and frozen pizzas. There weren’t too many vegetables around in my house. It’s not that my mom didn’t care about our health, but she was a single parent struggling to make ends meet and those were quick meals that we would eat and she could afford. She went straight from her second job as an administrative assistant to her night classes at the community college, so she didn’t really have the time force us to sit there until we ate our peas. But, as a result, I really didn’t have much of a taste for vegetables. Most veggies are like a fine wine or a stout beer: you need to develop a taste for them. Generally, people aren't just born loving spinach, but over time, it grows on them.

That’s one reason why it’s important to include vegetables with every meal. The other reason is because it’s essential for good health. Vegetables are extremely rich in all of the essential vitamins and minerals (except B12 and D), so if you aren’t getting enough veggies, you might be causing a deficiency in your body. When the body is starving for a nutrient, the starvation doesn’t always present itself as hunger. You could experience thinning or dull hair, nails that chip or poor circulation: symptoms that could also come as a result of a myriad of problems. So, many people suffer from vitamin deficiencies and don’t know it. They end up on one prescription drug or another that may or may not alleviate their worst symptoms. Trust me, getting to know and like vegetables is a lot easier than stressing out because you don’t know why you’re losing so much hair or getting acne.

Some vegetables, like spinach, Brussels sprouts and kale, are extra-specially good for you – but they can be a little bitter, especially for those who aren’t used to them. What I suggest in these cases is for you to work your way up to those vegetables. Start with a sweet potato. A sweet potato is so yummy that you won’t even realize you’re eating a vegetable. The next day, commit to eating a carrot. After that, try snacking on some edamame or celery. Once you get the hang of some sweet vegetables, add a salad to your daily food repertoire and load it up with carrots, celery and broccoli. After you top that salad with your favorite dressing, eating veggies won’t feel like such a chore. Have no fear; eventually, you’ll make your way to the spinach, Brussels sprouts and kale.