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