Learning to Listen

A recent 'buzzword/phrase' seems to be 'Portion Distortion'.  Most of us are eating far more than we should be.  There are several reasons behind this, but a lot of it is that we tend to assume that the portions we are provided with by restaurants, supermarkets, friends and family etc, are the right size for our needs but how can they be?  Let's say that you buy a microwave meal (not that I am suggesting you do! It's just an easy example) and the packaging tells you that the meal contained within is one serving.  Who is it a serving for?  Would it be a serving for a 4'10", 90lb female and also a serving for a 6'4", 190lb male?  Absolutely not!  Their respective body sizes obviously dictate that they both require different amounts of food.  And yet both of these individuals are likely to read the label on the packaging and accept that a 'serving' is a serving appropriate to them. 

When you order a meal in a restaurant you just accept that the portion size provided to you is correct, but the staff don't check out all the customers and serve up food in accordance with their body types.  Hamburgers and hot dogs are a very typical 'one size fits all' meal. 

What you need to do is start listening to your body.  Eat only when you are genuinely, physically hungry.  Stop eating before you become full up. Your body takes time to register satiety, up to twenty minutes usually.  Slow down your eating and pay attention to your body.  As long as you are eating natural, wholesome foods, your body will tell you everything you need to know about portion control.  If however you eats 'fake foods' such as sweets, popcorn, chocolate etc your body will work against you on this.  Your body is asking you for nourishment and goodness, so when you eat rubbish, it still keeps asking for more... because you have not provided it with the nutrients it requires, and hey Presto! You're overeating!

Eat good natural foods and slow down.  Your body will thank you for it!