I know why I am the weight that I am. It’s simple. I consumed more than I should. There are/were a myriad of reasons why this would happen. If Mom brought home snacks, it was like survival of the fittest to get that last pack of the Fruit Roll-Ups. We drank soda Kool-Aid like it was water, and when it came to dinner time, Mom cooked so well, that I always wanted seconds or gulp, even thirds!
When I was getting to be a little more independent, I would eat at fast food joints, because my job just didn’t give me the time to just sit down and enjoy a meal. I would scarf it down, get overly full and just think nothing of it. College was much worse. All you can eat cafeteria everyday with all you can eat ice cream and all you can drink soda. At least I walked 2-3 miles, so I was blinded at the calories that I was accustomed to consuming. Out of college, I gained weight so quickly and just didn’t think anything of it.
That diet is still habit to me today, and when I joined Weight Watchers two weeks ago, I was in for a shock. Our meeting leader talked about how portion control has changed over the years. No wonder why obesity is on the rise…we are stretching our stomachs year by year!
For example, today’s McDonald’s Happy Meal used to be the meal that adults would buy. Yep, that little hamburger and 8 oz. soda satisfied us at one point. Now, you drive to a fast food joint and there are QUADRUPLE patty burgers with 44 oz. gulper sodas. We’re eating/drinking 4x the amount that people 20-30 years ago would drink. :
Even the plates they sell at stores are 2 inches bigger in diameter than they were 2 years ago. I don’t want to eat on a 12 inch plate. I feel that it’s excessive, but at family gatherings, the big plates are ALWAYS brought out and we, of course, fill them.
Since joining Weight Watchers, I’m slowly learning and embracing that a deck of cards is the size of a proper serving of meat, a tennis ball = approximately one cup of rice/pasta, and your thumb = 1 oz. cheese. Looking that these portions make me panic a little, because they just don’t make me full yet. My stomach is probably stretched out like crazy from years of overeating, but I’m sure that my body will adjust eventually.
Can you believe how portion sizes have changed? Look at this article for some comparisons.
It is amazing how portions have changed! I’m looking into buying smaller plates and try to use our saucers as often as possible. I notice it the most when we eat at a restaurant, their serving sizes are unbelievable, and if they were normal portions, we would feel like we had been ripped off.
Good for you for consciously making the decision to change your lifestyle, not just lose weight.
Good point. That is a very good point. I’ve often myself made the comment about my portion being too small (for what you pay). Eesh..
It really is scary! We were driving home after going out of town for the weekend and could not find anything even remotely healthy to eat. Everything was McDonalds, Nathan Hotdogs, Starbucks – yuck! We finally came across a Panera and stopped for lunch. The salad I ordered had about a cup of dressing on it – I’m not even kidding. It was like soup 🙁
Oh my gosh. I always order dressing on the side in case, because they just overdo it in restaurants! Eww…
I really understood your post today. I joined weightwatchers 2 months ago and have had some sucess (although I still struggle with making healthy choices) but I have noticed a drastic difference in how quickly I feel full from eating proper portion size, and it feels good because it reminds me I’m on the right track. Sunday my husband and I stopped for fast food out of necessity and when I was part way through what I normally order I realized I was already full. Stick with it!
Glad to hear it gets better! 🙂
Totally on point post, A! While I have not had to deal with issues related to weight gain, I have learned in the past year about portion control. It’s really about not only eating well but eating to feel satisfied and not overly full. Anyway, good luck to you on Weight Watchers! I’ve heard that it can be life changing!
Thank you! I’m still struggling with portion control but meetings are motivating and helpful. 🙂