Friday, September 3, 2010

Portions, Portions, Portions!

Cravings! Yes, we all get them. It is very possible to eat the foods you enjoy by simply keeping in mind portion control. For example last week I went to an ice cream shop with some friends. I was amazed to see how large the bowls and cones were. All I wanted was a little ice cream. How was I expected to eat ice cream in a bowl that was bigger than my fist? Ice Cream cones can easily have 200+ calories. Then once you add the ice cream and possible toppings you can end up eating over 500 or even 1,000 calories. Yikes!! I decided to order a kids cup of a ice cream even though the guy at the counter looked at me with dismay. I ended up enjoying that cup of ice cream because it was the perfect size. I was able to treat myself with some ice cream without having to feel so guilty afterwards.

Texas portions sizes are getting out of control! I was in California over the summer and stopped by one of LA's famous gelato parlors. They had perfectly portioned ice cream cups. But overall, America really needs to get a handle on portion sizes! Haven't you noticed that restaurants and fast food stores have enormously large cups for soft drinks. That large coke could set you back about 310 calories.

So here is some help...Portion Control! Its about how much you eat of it that makes a big difference. When you can, try to get children's sizes. It really does make a difference. At the movies once, my sister just wanted a couple of sips of coke so she kindly asked the attendant. Surprisingly, the lady pulled out this tiny cup about 2.5 in. tall and gave her some coke. She got her soda fix without all the extra calories. Don't be afraid to ask for your cup to be filled halfway. I once asked the attendant at the movies to fill my icee cup only halfway because that is all I wanted. You have to really be conscious about how much of something you are eating or drinking. Most of the times we get stuck with this large drink or massive plate of food that we overeat just because we feel we are obliged to finish it. Eat until you are satisfied and save the rest for later. There is no race to finish your plate in one sitting.

So let's all try to be inclined with our stomachs so that we can actually enjoy the food we are eating and skip the guilt factor.

2 comments:

  1. I like what you have to say about food! Check me out at www.RighteousYogini.com

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  2. Thank you Eryn! Very nice blog. I'm a fan of yoga as well.

    ReplyDelete