Portion sizes

[CharliesAngela]

Hello

I am a lurker coming out of the shadows , and am also a namechanger. I lost 1.5 stone 18 months ago, but then put it all back on. So, for the last 3 weeks, I am back to watching what I eat again and trying to exercise more.

I'm finding it hard to adjust to smaller 'normal' portion sizes. I came across a CD-ROM produced by the Caroline Walker Trust with photos of normal adult portion sizes. It's actually a training resource for people looking after adults with learning disabilities, but shows normal adult portions. As it's only a fiver, I ordered it, as I though it might help me. It has loads of useful ideas and reciped, but I have been looking through the photos and am finding it really depressing to see what amount of stuff I should be eating . I guess I have got so used to eating what I like that the reality of a normal healthy diet seems odd. The meals look delicious, just small. How on earth did I get such a warped view of things?

Has anyone else had this issue? Have you successfully re-programmed your thinking somehow?

Also, how do you cope if the things you can eat that look tasty are not things your kids will eat? I have 3 little ones and don't want to have to prepare 2 separate meals for both lunch and dinner.

re: portion sizes, after dieting for so long now, I have got used to normal sized portions....

re: kids, during the week I don't eat with them - they (aged 5 and 7) have lunch at school and the baby eats mush (not appealing!) ... also they eat their dinner/tea at 5.30pm and I don't want to eat then, I'd rather eat with DH after he comes home from work - also because they have meat at lunch its often a light meal.

At weekend though make things like roast chicken, veggies(separate) and rice. I eat the veggies and smallish portions of the chicken and rice. The DC and DH eat eat more chicken and rice etc. Or poached salmon, potatoes and veggies - ie keep protein, carbs and veggies separate and each person just takes the bit they want.

A handy trick is to think that your portions should be as follows:

protein/carbs - portion should be the size of your palm (unless low carbing)

Veggies - portion should be the size of your open hand or larger

fat - size of two thumbnails.

I've found this very helpful when judging how much to put on a plate, and it helps me to judge DS' portion too.

Also use a side plate to serve your meals on, they appear much bigger!

OP

One reason you may have lost sight of what is a 'normal' portion size is that when eating out, or having takeaways the amount of food served is enormous and is usually far too much for one person. If you eat all that is served this won't help you maintain a sense of normality or your weight. I've lost weight and maintained for 2/3 years now by the Paul Mckenna method where the most important rule is stop eating when you are full not when your plate is clear (there's loads of threads) so I now find that I can't eat a full meal in a restaurant (I will either just have a main and eat the meat/veg but leave most of the carbs - least nutritious/nice/value or I will just have one or two starters if I'm not particularly hungry) or if I have a takeaway such as fish and chips, curry and rice or chinese (main and rice) the amount of food served is plenty for two filling meals for me so I will save half for another meal (as long as I can keep the leftovers away from DP LOL!)

Thanks for the suggestions . I'm finding it tough, but am losing weight. 10lb so far in about 3 weeks, which is pretty good. I'm just finding it hard to stay motivated. Half term will be a killer .