Law of Portion Size

[not2late]

I'm in the middle of reading Marion Nestle's book What to Eat. She goes through various food issues. BTW, she never tells you exactly what to eat, just gives you lot of info to help you make decisions on what you eat. (Have I completely lost you?)

Anyhow, she has something called the "Law of Portion Sizes": "the more food you have in front of you, the more you eat."

I can says that is true, especially for over-eaters (myself included). But I can't say that's always true. For example, there are times even now when I have to say "slow down" or "don't eat anymore" and there are times when I look at a greasy, glistening buffet or even a big bowl of "legal" food and think "I gonna be sick!"

Anyone else experience this?

[n0matter]

Re: Law of Portion Size

I've experienced that I tend to feel ill towards the end and after meal portions that I was otherwise fine with when I first started the diet. But to be honest, I'm not sure whether this has to do with the fact that it's more food than my body needs or that I'm just mentally and physically fed up with caesar salads, bunless burgers or the other stuff that the cafeteria downstairs has to offer. I mean, it's all healthy and well-prepared food, but I usually just pick one of four different meal selections. I'd like to think it's the former, though.

[changing]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Oh absolutely I've experienced this!! It's been a major focus of my learning-to-eat lately.

I started an eating strategy (with all-Atkins food, so still Atkins) I'm calling the Hunger Recognition Experiment.

I've been doing this for 2 weeks. Basically, I've been intentionally serving myself meals in portions that look too small to me, eating them slowly, and waiting 20 minutes to see if I'm still hungry.

I never am. Apparently, I've been overeating for years. I charted all my food in my Fitday. I know we don't base our diets upon calorie content, but as a snapshot, before the change, I was eating about 2000-2500 calories a day. The last 2 weeks I have averaged 1300 calories per day and have never once been hungry or dissatisfied.

Spooky. Says a lot about hunger though.

[not2late]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Wow, changing!

I've noticed that if I use smaller plates for my portions, I have a tendency to eat less. For example, if I use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate.....

[changing]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Wow, changing!

I've noticed that if I use smaller plates for my portions, I have a tendency to eat less. For example, if I use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate.....

Oh yes, definitely!! I'm totally with you on the salad/dinner plate thing! It really works.

All this discovery about portion size has been so illuminating. When I couple what I've learned through climbing the rungs with what I've learned about my natural hunger, I feel really optimistic about reaching my goal weight and being able to maintain!

It's been really amazing.

[not2late]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Heeee! My boss told me that once she had a dinner party and served cornish game hens. The hens were very small, so she served one hen per person. There were two people at the party who she knew had huge appetites so she had cooked extra hens for them. These big eaters were only able to eat 1 leg and 1 thigh of their tiny game hen because they "couldn't eat an entire bird by themselves".

Goes to show how much your mind can influence your appetite.

[staziaw]

Re: Law of Portion Size

I'm with y'all! I'm using smaller plates and realizing that a cup of something is no more than what I can put in my cupped hand. It's really changed my perspective on what is served to me in restaurants. I'm using lots more doggy bags!

Stacy

[fawn]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Megs
Marion Nestle is my hero. She is an awesome nutritionist taking on the marketing to children fight. Incredible woman. basically she advocates whole organic foods.

After 6 years of this woe, I have cut back on my fat intake so much. Replacing it with fresh fruit.
Now that I'm on maintenance, I follow a heavy fruit and veggie program. I actually only eat meat once a day. Sometimes twice but not very often.

anywhoooo yes I have felt that way.

Watch out though if I'm craving a Rib Eye!!

[loliloli]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Megs
Marion Nestle is my hero. She is an awesome nutritionist taking on the marketing to children fight. Incredible woman. basically she advocates whole organic foods.

After 6 years of this woe, I have cut back on my fat intake so much. Replacing it with fresh fruit.
Now that I'm on maintenance, I follow a heavy fruit and veggie program. I actually only eat meat once a day. Sometimes twice but not very often.

anywhoooo yes I have felt that way.

Watch out though if I'm craving a Rib Eye!!

Isn't fruit carby? Do you just have it occasionally ... I plan to go to that once I reach maintenance... any tips so I don't balloon?

[not2late]

Re: Law of Portion Size

loliloli, that's the beauty of this diet alot of people don't realize.....by the time you go through OWL and Pre-Maintenance, you learn about your body and yourself. You learn what foods are "good" for your metabolism/lifestyle, what foods are "okay" for your metabolism/lifestyle, and what foods are "okay, in small amounts on very special occasions" and what foods you should avoid completely. So by the time you reach maintenance, you have carved out a "diet" that's tailored to your individual needs. So you might not need as much added fat as you did during Induction phase or you might need more or you might need the same amount.

We all have individual carb levels too. Only very, very, very few of us need to eat below 20 net carbs daily in order to lose or maintain weight. The vast majority of us can eat above that level. In the time I've been here on ADBB, I can count about 3 people who absolutely needed to stay at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight.

Some of the Maintenance folks have learned that they can't go near any of their trigger carbs or it sets off an eating binge. Others have learned they don't have that problem. The same applies to the OWLers and Pre-Maintainers---they learn what foods are "good" and what foods are "bad". Take me for example, I can't eat cantaloupe because I get really, really bad cravings, like I can eat an entire house-- bricks, roof and pipes! So cantaloupe is on my "bad" list. Others don't have that problem and they can eat cantaloupe. That's why Atkins is very individual when it comes down to individual foods.

We all have individual carb levels too. Only very, very, very few of us need to eat below 20 net carbs daily in order to lose or maintain weight. The vast majority of us can eat above that level. In the time I've been here on ADBB, I can count about 3 people who absolutely needed to stay at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight.

The only phase of Atkins that is very restrictive and dogmatic is the Induction phase. The rest are pretty much open but you still have some guidelines to follow. so if you follow the phases, adding carbs won't be that trying.

Fawn, the one thing I don't agree with her is the doggy bag thing. I think the foods takes as good when I bring it home---so I'm a shameless doggy-bagger and if restaurants want to insist on serving me huge portion sizes, then they're also insisting on providing me the next day's lunch and dinner.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Law of Portion Size

yep portion sizeing is amazing when we listen to our bodies and only eat enough to satisfy our hunger. I went from a triple cheese burgerwith fries salad and drink to a single with a 1/2 a salad size and i will be full.

the trigger foods are the key. learn yours and you wil be home free doing maintnenance as long as you control your portions.

[fawn]

Re: Law of Portion Size

loliloli, that's the beauty of this diet alot of people don't realize.....by the time you go through OWL and Pre-Maintenance, you learn about your body and yourself. You learn what foods are "good" for your metabolism/lifestyle, what foods are "okay" for your metabolism/lifestyle, and what foods are "okay, in small amounts on very special occasions" and what foods you should avoid completely. So by the time you reach maintenance, you have carved out a "diet" that's tailored to your individual needs. So you might not need as much added fat as you did during Induction phase or you might need more or you might need the same amount.

We all have individual carb levels too. Only very, very, very few of us need to eat below 20 net carbs daily in order to lose or maintain weight. The vast majority of us can eat above that level. In the time I've been here on ADBB, I can count about 3 people who absolutely needed to stay at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight.

Some of the Maintenance folks have learned that they can't go near any of their trigger carbs or it sets off an eating binge. Others have learned they don't have that problem. The same applies to the OWLers and Pre-Maintainers---they learn what foods are "good" and what foods are "bad". Take me for example, I can't eat cantaloupe because I get really, really bad cravings, like I can eat an entire house-- bricks, roof and pipes! So cantaloupe is on my "bad" list. Others don't have that problem and they can eat cantaloupe. That's why Atkins is very individual when it comes down to individual foods.

We all have individual carb levels too. Only very, very, very few of us need to eat below 20 net carbs daily in order to lose or maintain weight. The vast majority of us can eat above that level. In the time I've been here on ADBB, I can count about 3 people who absolutely needed to stay at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight.

The only phase of Atkins that is very restrictive and dogmatic is the Induction phase. The rest are pretty much open but you still have some guidelines to follow. so if you follow the phases, adding carbs won't be that trying.

Fawn, the one thing I don't agree with her is the doggy bag thing. I think the foods takes as good when I bring it home---so I'm a shameless doggy-bagger and if restaurants want to insist on serving me huge portion sizes, then they're also insisting on providing me the next day's lunch and dinner.

I love leftovers! I think the herbs and spices have a chance to really infuse by the next day. So I agree with you with the doggy bags.

I eat fruit every day now that I'm on maintenance. I blend my fruit and veggies in the morning for a veggie/fruit/protein smoothie. Generally it has (for 2 of us...DH is on board) broccoli sprouts/kale/spinach which equals about 3 c veggies each. then I add 2 scoops hemp protein powder (this is real protein the highest nutritional value IMHO) 6 large strawberries 1/4 c blueberries 1 orange and 1 apple and 1 cup plain yogurt.

In the afternoon I blend (for 2) 1 whole apple, 6 strawberries and 2 cups of cabbage or spinach and kale

This does not preclude a veggie with lunch.

Figs are one of my favorite fruits so I will munch on those when in season....figs are the highest in phytoesterols. I love papayas and mangos and pineapple. I don't get cravings any longer. My joy in being able to wear anything I want including a bikini at 42 after 3 children far outweighs the cravings these fruits might cause. As well, I study the nutritional/medicinal benefit of different foods. I am my own guinnea pig. This is my anti degenerative disease experiment. I eat all the colors of the rainbow.
I am in control and I have finally arrived.

[changing]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Oh, definitely you can eat fruit (well, almost everyone can) on this WoE. I eat a peach, a plum, berries, or a kiwi often and I'm on Ongoing Weight Loss. Just as Atkins is not an all-meat no-veggie plan like many people claim (I've heard low-fat diet bloggers refer to it as "the anything with a face diet"), it's definitely not a no-fruit diet (after Induction, that is).

I love fruit!

[doeskin]

Re: Law of Portion Size

The Law of Portion Sizes is totally true! I forgot where I saw it, but I know there have been studies done that show if you are given more, you will almost definately eat more! Even though my appetite has gone way down on this WOE, I still try to give myself reasonably small portions, since I can always go back and get more later. My overeating habits were really hard for me to break at first.

[not2late]

Re: Law of Portion Size

Yeah over-eating is hard to overcome because we learn to overeat early in our lives.