as growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white

Although many people may not be aware of it, there is a difference between ‘portion’ size and ‘serving’ size in relation to food. These terms can be somewhat confusing, but they are not synonymous.

Basically, a portion is whatever you choose to make it. It can be thought of as any amount of a specific food you as an individual choose to eat at a sitting. For instance, a portion of raw almonds for me is typically a handful, or more. For someone else it may be a specific number such as 10 to 15. Both are equally ‘portions.’

A serving is not quite so arbitrary. It is a specific unit of measure recommended by the manufacturer for a specific food product. Serving sizes are listed on the ‘Nutrition Facts’ label of packaged foods. A usual serving size of bread would be 1 slice; for rice it may be ? cup.

The serving size for the 1 pint container of Breyer’s All-Natural Ice Cream is ? cup. That container has 4 servings. If I choose to eat the entire container in one sitting it would be a portion. That portion consists of 4 servings.

Serving sizes have increased tremendously in the past 50 years. This has triggered an almost parallel increase in portion sizes. The average size of a cooked hamburger in 1957 was 1 ounce. That increased to 6 ounces in 1997. In 1957 1 large soda was 8 fluid ounces; in 1997 the consumer could buy up to 64 ounces! Theater popcorn in 1957 was 3 cups; in 1997 that increased to 16 cups!

McDonald’s fast food chains had one size french fries in the mid-1950s. Today that size is a 'small' and is part of a kiddie meal. The following table contains typical foods comparing their sizes circa 1950 with 2003:

Food 1950s 2003

french fries 2.4 oz. up to 7.1 oz. fountain soda 7 oz. 12 to 64 oz. hamburger patty 1.6 oz. up to 8 oz. hamburger, sandwich 3.9 oz. 4.4 to 12.6 oz. muffin 3 oz. 6.5 oz. pasta serving 1.5 cups 3 cups chocolate bar 1 oz. 2.6 to 8 oz.

(Source: www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Topics.)

Of course we know that the large increase in portions has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of overweight and obese Americans. They have become victims of ‘portion distortion.’

The average consumer would balk and complain if he didn’t get a platter overflowing with food when he went out to eat. We have grown accustomed to large portion sizes from restaurants and diners, and even in our own homes.

When I was growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white

c food product. Serving sizes are listed on the ‘Nutrition Facts’ label of packaged foods. A usual serving size of bread would be 1 slice; for rice it may be ? cup.

The serving size for the 1 pint container of Breyer’s All-Natural Ice Cream is ? cup. That container has 4 servings. If I choose to eat the entire container in one sitting it would be a portion. That portion consists of 4 servings.

Serving sizes have increased tremendously in the past 50 years. This has triggered an almost parallel increase in portion sizes. The average size of a cooked hamburger in 1957 was 1 ounce. That increased to 6 ounces in 1997. In 1957 1 large soda was 8 fluid ounces; in 1997 the consumer could buy up to 64 ounces! Theater popcorn in 1957 was 3 cups; in 1997 that increased to 16 cups!

McDonald’s fast food chains had one size french fries in the mid-1950s. Today that size is a 'small' and is part of a kiddie meal. The following table contains typical foods comparing their sizes circa 1950 with 2003:

Food 1950s 2003

french fries 2.4 oz. up to 7.1 oz. fountain soda 7 oz. 12 to 64 oz. hamburger patty 1.6 oz. up to 8 oz. hamburger, sandwich 3.9 oz. 4.4 to 12.6 oz. muffin 3 oz. 6.5 oz. pasta serving 1.5 cups 3 cups chocolate bar 1 oz. 2.6 to 8 oz.

(Source: www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Topics.)

Of course we know that the large increase in portions has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of overweight and obese Americans. They have become victims of ‘portion distortion.’

The average consumer would balk and complain if he didn’t get a platter overflowing with food when he went out to eat. We have grown accustomed to large portion sizes from restaurants and diners, and even in our own homes.

When I was growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white

was 8 fluid ounces; in 1997 the consumer could buy up to 64 ounces! Theater popcorn in 1957 was 3 cups; in 1997 that increased to 16 cups!

McDonald’s fast food chains had one size french fries in the mid-1950s. Today that size is a 'small' and is part of a kiddie meal. The following table contains typical foods comparing their sizes circa 1950 with 2003:

Food 1950s 2003

french fries 2.4 oz. up to 7.1 oz. fountain soda 7 oz. 12 to 64 oz. hamburger patty 1.6 oz. up to 8 oz. hamburger, sandwich 3.9 oz. 4.4 to 12.6 oz. muffin 3 oz. 6.5 oz. pasta serving 1.5 cups 3 cups chocolate bar 1 oz. 2.6 to 8 oz.

(Source: www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Topics.)

Of course we know that the large increase in portions has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of overweight and obese Americans. They have become victims of ‘portion distortion.’

The average consumer would balk and complain if he didn’t get a platter overflowing with food when he went out to eat. We have grown accustomed to large portion sizes from restaurants and diners, and even in our own homes.

When I was growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white

fin 3 oz. 6.5 oz. pasta serving 1.5 cups 3 cups chocolate bar 1 oz. 2.6 to 8 oz.

(Source: www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Topics.)

Of course we know that the large increase in portions has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of overweight and obese Americans. They have become victims of ‘portion distortion.’

The average consumer would balk and complain if he didn’t get a platter overflowing with food when he went out to eat. We have grown accustomed to large portion sizes from restaurants and diners, and even in our own homes.

When I was growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white

as growing up my mother had a saying when we wanted something and could not finish eating it. She would say that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Many people today in affluent America where food is so abundant are guilty of this complex. Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.

We are effectively overeating. This is evidenced by not only our bulging bellies, but the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.

How can we turn this around? We can begin with portion sizes. Make a conscious effort to eat less. This becomes easy if we replace refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, and white potatoes with whole grain brown rice, whole grain bread and sweet potatoes. Whole grains such as these are full of fiber. Fiber fills you up quickly. You can only eat so much.

Meat portions have soared off the charts in the last 30 years or so. The correct portion size for meats should be the size of your palm (minus the fingers of course.) The majority of the plate should be reserved for vegetables and whole grains (brown rice for instance.)

Just making this one change in your eating habits will remove the extra body fat you may be carrying. It will also dramatically improve your overall health.