To think we don’t need that much food

[Moonpiecake]

I feel portions in restaurants and takeaways are bigger than most of adults need and also majority of people buy and eat more food than is necessary for our bodies.

If you are over 30, fit, healthy and manage to remain within the healthy body weight for your age and height how much do to eat.

I want to save money on food but also loose a few kilos and look and feel good so looking for advice

Stop eating takeaways and in restaurants. It will save you pounds.

IMO for most people it’s not the volume of the food they are eating, it’s what they are eating.

We really should be eating a very balanced diet with lots of leafy greens etc.

But… how easy is it to end up eating just rubbish. Plus snacking too much on things that are small but calorie dense.

I could probably do with losing a few kg. I know the problem - I make poor food choices because I am busy and the ‘easy’ choice is often not very healthy / snacking as something to do when working (I work long hours in a sedentary job).

As with the plate sizes meaning people are inadvertently eating more, I also think the availability of pre-packaged and delivered food makes it very easy to eat foods that have far more calories in them, than if you made them at home.

I mean I almost bought a croissant for breakfast this morning until I realised it had 850 calories. Plus a milky coffee and that’s half your calories for the day.

Yes, most people do eat too much, which is why the majority of people are overweight.

Don’t worry about other people, though. If you have genuinely as little knowledge of what constitutes an healthy diet as you say - which seems unlikely with information everywhere - get yourself a good book by a qualified nutritionist, talk to your practice nurse and learn

One has a rim and one doesn't.

It's true that in the picture of the plates that a PP posted, one has a rim and one doesn't.

However, if I was cooking a roast or anything really, I would be tempted to plate up more...maybe even onto the rim section. Just because the plate looks fuller. If you don't have the rim, I suspect you cut down on the amount you cook because there is not part of the plate that looks 'bare' iyswim.

Even though the plates are different with and without rims surely most people don’t go up to the very edge of the rim or edge of plate on either as it would slop over.

In my local food serving pub which has a great (but short) menu, they serve children's (to kids only), medium and large portions, all priced differently. I think it's bloody brilliant since like others a plate piled high with various foods would genuinely put me off.

The medium portion is smallish, but enough to satisfy me fine, the large (penis portion lol) is quite big and is very popular though! The thing is I have a choice which is great. The medium portion is a fiver less than the large portion and is very popular at lunchtimes during the week amongst retired patrons (and I am one of them).

At home, I'm not religious about it, but try to avoid fried food, red meat, and use protein powder on my porridge and high protein foods, which we need as we get older for muscle mass. Nothing special just a bit watchful. I also use the 16/8 method 90% of the time, as it works brilliantly for me. I like rules!

Thank you everyone for the input. I am also concerned about the waste; however supermarkets and restaurants have so much on offer and sometimes when you see all that you think you need to eat it.

Agree, the internet says 1800 calories but a woman my age; but I think I can’t eat more than 1200 or start putting on weight

Make an appointment with your GP surgery

This for sure.

I am fat (losing right now tho) and when I started tracking what I was eating I realised this was the problem.

Having a milky coffee and a croissant for breakfast LOOKS like fuck all but the calorie content is astronomical.

I'd often find myself snacking because I was still hungry 30 minutes later and the snack was normally crap too.

I have changed to focusing on lean protein and veg. Yes it's more boring, but I don't fancy dieing in my early 60s if I can help it, thanks.

@Justkeepswimmingswimming beans, lentils, pulses are carbs. For heart health they should be included in our diets. We don't need white bread etc, but all carbs aren't bad.

@RazzleDazz1e you'd advocate eating 500 calories a day? The lowest recommended is 800, if very sedentary and you are obese.

OP eat as much veg as you can. Add veg to everything, Including omelette, if poaching eggs, do a side of spinach and mushrooms, oad outmeals with veg and pulses. Work out your TDEE and use my fitness pal.
https://tdeecalculator.net/

@MyLadyTheKingsMother if you like curries, Italian, mexican, just use spices. Lean protein and veg is no longer boring. Try the eat water rice and pasta.

It's hard, the NHS ploughs us with messages about obesity, portion sizes etc meanwhile there is junk food and fast food EVERYWHERE. Chocolate and sweets everywhere.
Of course it's gonna be hard to resist.
It's like someone is doing an experiment on human willpower
Obesity is gonna get far worse, there is no escaping it unless there's an apocalypse 😆

Everyone's different. My friend, who's never been above a size 8,has to eat three large meals a day and snacks. She has a fast metabolism.
I'm a size 12 and eat brunch and dinner and one snack a day. She eats a lot more than me but is two dress sizes smaller.
I think what's key is finding how much you need as an individual and finding sustainable ways to manage your weight. It wasn't until I was 40 that I found a sustainable way of eating that stopped me being overweight.

Im size 6-8 now. Use to be overweight in my 20's.

But i wouldn't know how much i eat. I just stopped worrying and aimed for health over weight.

I don't drink alcohol, think the weight started dropping off and levelling out when i quit that.

Else its just eat when i am hungry stop when full and what i fancy.

I bulk everything out with fruit/veg/salad. Like if i have pizza i have salad with it.
I generally cook everything myself. Fancy chicken nuggets? I make it. Fancy cake? I bake it.

Some days i don't each much, another day i eat more. All depends on what i need.

As i have got older i have become more of a veg fiend. But im not sure if it was the alcohol that made me eat more processed food. I use to crave fatty takeaways a lot and i don't at all now.

I started eating very low carb and I'm just not hungry anymore. I eat 2 meals now. Some Greek yogurt or fruit if I'm hungry in between. I don't count calories though.

I used to eat at least 4 slices of bread a day, always craving chocolate etc. Now my body just doesn't need it.

I cheat when I want to. Sometimes it's once a week. Sometimes once a month. I feel awful after it though so most of the time it's just not worth it.

A meal out or a takeaway is treat food so that’s why it’s probably more food than portions at home. Although it does depend on the place you are eating/ordering from.

Meh. I love a pig out of unhealthy (or healthy!) food when I go out to eat. I eat healthily for the most part when I'm at home, so it matters not from time to time.

As predicted, the competitive MN undereaters are out in force on this thread.

Oh look, here's my thimble of food I can't possibly finish because I'm soooo teeny tiny...helps me spend no more than 53p per year on food.

I agree that most portions are bigger now. I don’t clear my plate, having been forced to as a child. You can order a starter if not an appetite for a larger meal.

I’m reading a fascinating book about metabolism (mentioned in the latest podcast by the Van Tulleken twins (A thorough examination: exercise))

This article is about the book.

https://www.science.org/content/article/scientist-busts-myths-about-how-humans-burn-calories-and-why

Urgh, boring!

@Laughingfaceemoji £10 each per week? £1.42 each a day? I don't think you're eating as healthily as you think you are or you've grossly underestimated your spend.

I like large portions in restaurants because when I eat in one, it is my only meal of the day.

We went to Pizza Expess last week and I had a starter, pizza and dessert at around 1pm.

When I got home, I just had some nuts.

I didn't gave any breakfast.

Ugh, another Sunday morning, another "wah wah, how gluttonous and fat we all are" thread. 🙄

I hardly ever come across you weird orthorexic puritans in the wild. Are you all too weak with hunger to leave the house?