photo credit: nozomiiqel
Over the last few years there has been a great emphasis on eating the right foods and eating them at the right time. In my experience, however, a lot of women fail to realize that one of the major reasons for being over weight is because your portion sizes are too big. In this post I am going to talk a little bit about this and what you can do to fix the issue.
Why portion sizes matter
When it comes to losing weight there is a simple mathematical equation that explains 95% of weight loss. That equation is:
Food in + Energy burned = Weight gain
Basically what this is telling us is that if you take in more calories than you burn with exercise and bodily functions then you are going to gain weight. And one of the major reasons for weight gain is having too much at any one sitting.
If you eat big meals it is very likely that your metabolism is going to be slowed down and very heavy. Eating smaller meals throughout the day keeps that metabolic system revving and as such it is likely that you will expend more energy.
Over five years those calories add up
Imagine that you eat 400 more calories per day than you are supposed to if you want to lose weight. That 400 might not seem like much over the span of a week but of the span of five years that adds up to a good couple of pounds of flab. And that is how you need to view extra calories; they add up.
The same is true, however, of negative calories. If you can cut your portion sizes in each meal and lose 200 calories per day then over five years that is going to be several pounds that you have not added to your waistline. It is that simple.
Some ways you can cut your portion sizes include:
- Buy a can of soda instead of a bottle
- Use small bowls so they look full
- Don’t go back for seconds
- Cut extras like rice and pasta and just have vegetable rich stews
- Just don’t make as much
Conclusion
Don’t think of this as a quick fix. Think of it as something you will do for the rest of your life. Cut your portion sizes at each meal by even just a small amount and you will lose weight over the long term.
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You are so right. I have been overeating for so long. Not because I eat too many meals but because my meals are too big. Thank you.
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