How much food is really enough?

by Darryn Aldridge

Ok, so you think you're doing all the right things, eating low fat foods, exercising regularly, thinking slim, but at the end of the day, you're still not breaking through those barriers and shedding weight like you'd like to. Well don't fret people, stand in the queue with all the others who, like you, are struggling to come to grips with this one.

Thankfully, there are some very simple steps we can take that will really help you to start making some gains in this area.

Did you know for instance, that it takes approximately 20 minutes before your body realizes that it has had sufficient to eat? One of our biggest problems then is what do we do in that 20 minute period to stop us overeating. Some easy solutions could be;

1. Weigh Your Food: Sounds so simple, yet many of us still pile our food on the plate until it looks "about right". I can almost guarantee that about right is probably no where near the amount you should be eating. I was hugely surprised at what a proper portion size really looked like. As time goes by you will find that you start to get a feel for what the portions will look like, so you won't need to weigh your food as often as you first needed to. It does however, pay to weigh your food from time to time, as it is very easy for portion sizes to creep up again without you noticing.

2. Eat Slower: Again, sounds very simplistic, but I'm sure we have all been guilty at some stage of rushing our food down. Simple things like putting your knife and fork down while you are chewing, and not putting more food into your mouth until you have swallowed what you've already got in your mouth, will help to slow down the eating process. The real bonus to this is that you will actually start to really taste the food you are eating and begin to feel and appreciate the different textures that each mouthful gives you. We live in a world where we do everything at a fast pace. Learn to slow down and enjoy it, you will be doing your digestive system a favor.

3. Don't serve at the table: I saved myself a lot of grief by taking action on this point. While it is very nice to have a table full of food served in nice dishes, for the people coming to terms with their weight, this is a huge no no. The temptation that a table full of food presents to you will tempt even the strongest of wills. Remove the temptation by making sure that all food is portioned at the time of serving in the kitchen. You will be more likely to have seconds if the food is sitting on the table staring at you, invitingly, than if you have to leave the table and go to the kitchen.

4. Cleaning up: So you've done all the right things so far and now it is time to clean up after your meal. We are now presented with another brilliant opportunity to overeat again. I love picking at food when I am putting it away. I could actually finish all the left overs at this point and not even realize what was happening! Try and get a member of your family to clear away any of the left over food before you tackle the dishes, or put leftovers straight in the fridge after serving to resist "dishes overeating".

Most of these issues surrounding weight gain are just bad habits that have formed over the years. Simple steps are often all that are needed to help break these bad habits and form better ones.

All it takes is some self control and desire to get the ball rolling towards a more fulfilling and healthier lifestyle.