| The first step to loose weight and be | | | | the portion sizes are considerably |
| healthy is to control your eating | | | | smaller than in America. I recently had |
| habits. Loosing weight starts with | | | | dinner in a steakhouse and the smallest |
| eating moderately. | | | | portion available on the menu was a 10 |
| Did you know that your new automobile is | | | | oz filet mignon. That is about three |
| likely to have a larger cup-holder than | | | | times larger than the average size of a |
| your older model? That restaurants use | | | | portion of meat in Italy. |
| larger plates, bakers are selling larger | | | | I noticed myself many times that people |
| muffins, pizzerias have larger pans, and | | | | moving to the USA from other countries |
| fast food companies are using larger | | | | would gain weight in few months. There |
| French fries and drink containers than | | | | is no doubt in my mind that the large |
| 20 years ago? Did you know that | | | | amount of food we ingest today is one of |
| identical recipes for cookies and | | | | the main causes for the general growth |
| desserts in the old editions of "Joy of | | | | of overweight in America. This doesn't |
| Cooking" specify fewer servings? | | | | affect only people with a weight |
| It is evident to all of us that | | | | problem, but also those who are maybe |
| overweight and obesity have increased | | | | only a few pounds over and struggle to |
| sharply in the USA in adults and | | | | control the size of their waistline. In |
| children in the last few years. Since | | | | an environment where lifestyle and |
| studies show that activity of people has | | | | advertising pushes to eat out more and |
| not changed much in the last decades, | | | | in larger quantities it is imperative |
| the increase in body overweight must | | | | that we learn how to control ourselves. |
| come from a change in the food intake. | | | | One very good way to start I learned |
| Considering that about half the people | | | | from a trainer at the gym, and I |
| in the USA consume their meals outside | | | | encourage everyone to try. It is very |
| the home, the portion sizes become an | | | | simple: On a notepad write down everyday |
| important factor in the increase of body | | | | for a week everything that you ingest. |
| overweight. | | | | Take note of the quantities, not only |
| The American Journal of Public Health | | | | for the main meals, but even the |
| published a study about the current | | | | smallest things such as drinks, candies |
| sizes of portions in restaurants, fast | | | | and snacks. Then with the help of a |
| foods, and food manufacturers. The | | | | calorie chart add up the numbers. Many |
| authors compared the data with the sizes | | | | people say "I don't know how I gain |
| of the past 30 years, and they came up | | | | weight. I don't eat very much". I bet |
| with some amazing numbers. First they | | | | they are ready for a big surprise. It is |
| noted that all the portions offered in | | | | incredible how all those little things |
| every category exceed by far the | | | | we munch during the day add up to a |
| guidelines of the USDA and the FDA. | | | | large number of calories. |
| Cookies are seven times bigger than | | | | After the shock, the realization will |
| recommended, cooked pasta five times | | | | come that something needs to be done. |
| larger, muffins three times larger, and | | | | First it is important to understand what |
| so on. | | | | a regular portion looks like. 3 oz meat: |
| Then they discovered that portion sizes | | | | is approximately the size of a deck of |
| began to grow in the 1970s and have | | | | cards or a bar of soap (when was the |
| continued to grow at the same rate as | | | | last time you saw a steak of that |
| body overweight. Food and fast food | | | | size?); 3 oz fish: the size of a |
| companies today promote larger items and | | | | checkbook; 1 oz cheese: the size of |
| use larger sizes as selling points. | | | | matchbox; one medium potato: the size of |
| Widespread price competition has induced | | | | a computer mouse; 1 cup pasta: the size |
| manufacturers to introduce larger items | | | | of two eggs. |
| as a means to expand market share, since | | | | When eating out choose the small or |
| they discovered that profit rises when | | | | medium sizes instead of the large ones. |
| the product size is increased. In the | | | | Ask for half of the meal to be packed to |
| mid '50s Mc Donald offered only one size | | | | go. Share your portion with a friend. |
| of French fries: that size today is | | | | Don't eat the bread and butter before |
| called "small". The food industry | | | | the meal. For your home don't buy a lot |
| invests billions in making their | | | | of food, but buy single serving |
| products more attractive, sexier, | | | | packages. If you snack don't eat from |
| saltier, or sweeter and we are | | | | the bag, but place a few chips or |
| vulnerable to their promotions. This | | | | crackers on a dish. Cut in the amount of |
| happens at a moment when we became more | | | | sauces, mayonnaise and cream cheese, and |
| sedentary and kids spend longer hours in | | | | use low calories types. If you are a big |
| front of the TV or their computers. | | | | eater fill yourself with a large |
| Going to Europe or other countries we | | | | quantity of vegetables and eventually |
| see some striking differences in the | | | | fresh fruit. |
| food habits. First of all there is not | | | | In conclusion: Everyone that tries to |
| so much advertising about food. Most of | | | | keep weight under control knows how |
| the Italian TV ads are about basic | | | | difficult it is. The first step is to be |
| ingredients such as olive oil, wine, and | | | | inventive in ways to reduce the sizes of |
| pasta, and not so much about prepackaged | | | | the food portions. |
| food or fast food chains. In addition | | | | |