You do all the right things. You eat the correct foods in the correct proportions and at the correct times only to see your weight going up. You’ve been eating a ‘clean’ diet’ and yet you just can’t lose those unwanted pounds. Well, it turns out the reason why you’re spinning your wheels is not so complicated after all. It’s simply because you are eating too much.
The average person in the Western world eats way more than they need to satisfy their hunger. Portion sizes have gotten out of control. Just think of the dimensions of the average dinner plate in the United States. Between 1950 and 2015 it has grown by a quarter, from 9 inches in diameter to 12 inches. It’s no coincidence, then, that the size of our waistlines has grown by a similar proportion.
People have a psychological need to fill their plates with food. If we don’t, we feel as if we are cheating ourselves. So to limit portion size, people need to actually purchase smaller plates! Then slow down when eating. Listen to your body and let it dictate how much you should be eating.
Reducing the size of your plate is a practical step that you can take immediately to control your weight. A recent study out of Cornel University revealed that adults eat, on average, 92% of what they put on their plate (1). Even when we are full, we still have a voice in our brain telling us to finish off the plate. So, the smaller the size of the plate, the less food we have to demolish before our brain tells us our job is done.
Using smaller plates allows us to use visual trickery to defeat obesity. When we look at our meal, the brain is taking in a whole lot of information, Because we never learn to actually eat when we are hungry in the western world, the brain uses the eyes to figure out how much we’ve eaten. When the plate is empty, the eyes tell us that our job is done. Using a smaller plate allows us to get the job done without consuming excess calories.
One reason that many people pile their (large) plates with food is that they mistake thirst for hunger. For that reason, you should also drink water when you feel hungry. Then check if the feeling of hunger goes away. If it returns, then you do need food. If not, you were just thirsty.
A few minutes into your meal, your brain will begin to take note of the rising insulin levels in your blood sugar. Nerve cells in your stomach will help you to begin to feel full. Once you feel even the slightest bit of pressure from your stomach you should stop eating.
Eating on a smaller plate will reduce your daily caloric intake by about 200 calories. That’s the equivalent of jogging for 30 minutes on a treadmill. The bottom line is that the quantity of what you are eating is more important than the quality of what you’re eating.
So, what are you waiting for? Start smashing those ridiculously oversized plates and go and buy yourself a set of 9-inch dinner plates – your body will love you for it!
Follow the Rock Life Community for updates on the best diet, workout and life tips and tricks, http://www.werockon.com/blog
People have a psychological need to fill their plates with food. If we don’t, we feel as if we are cheating ourselves. So to limit portion size, people need to actually purchase smaller plates! Then slow down when eating. Listen to your body and let it dictate how much you should be eating.
Reducing the size of your plate is a practical step that you can take immediately to control your weight. A recent study out of Cornel University revealed that adults eat, on average, 92% of what they put on their plate (1). Even when we are full, we still have a voice in our brain telling us to finish off the plate. So, the smaller the size of the plate, the less food we have to demolish before our brain tells us our job is done.
Using smaller plates allows us to use visual trickery to defeat obesity. When we look at our meal, the brain is taking in a whole lot of information, Because we never learn to actually eat when we are hungry in the western world, the brain uses the eyes to figure out how much we’ve eaten. When the plate is empty, the eyes tell us that our job is done. Using a smaller plate allows us to get the job done without consuming excess calories.
One reason that many people pile their (large) plates with food is that they mistake thirst for hunger. For that reason, you should also drink water when you feel hungry. Then check if the feeling of hunger goes away. If it returns, then you do need food. If not, you were just thirsty.
A few minutes into your meal, your brain will begin to take note of the rising insulin levels in your blood sugar. Nerve cells in your stomach will help you to begin to feel full. Once you feel even the slightest bit of pressure from your stomach you should stop eating.
Eating on a smaller plate will reduce your daily caloric intake by about 200 calories. That’s the equivalent of jogging for 30 minutes on a treadmill. The bottom line is that the quantity of what you are eating is more important than the quality of what you’re eating.
So, what are you waiting for? Start smashing those ridiculously oversized plates and go and buy yourself a set of 9-inch dinner plates – your body will love you for it!
Follow the Rock Life Community for updates on the best diet, workout and life tips and tricks, http://www.werockon.com/blog
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