Portion Size Problem?

Ever have jury duty?

I did last month, AND on the very first day, security took my lunch!!

(Apparently glass tupperware is a weapon.)

The next day I packed the same lunch in small, 1-cup plastic containers.

(You know, to appease security.)

6 little containers instead of 2 big ones, and curiously, I didn’t finish my lunch.

I packed the same lunch AGAIN the next day, and didn’t finish again.

Then jury duty was over and I had the last serving of Bang Bang Chickpea Pasta for lunch at home.

And I ate the whole thing no problem.

WHAATTT??

Why did I eat it all on day 1 and day 4, but not the other two?

Did jury duty make me that nervous?

Not exactly.

The small containers created boundaries.

I had to stop eating to open the next container, a pause that gave me a chance to assess my hunger and satisfaction.

Most of us rely on external clues to tell us when to stop eating… like an empty plate.

Or in my case, an empty container.

This is one reason why it’s not a good idea to eat straight out of a bag or directly from the pot of food.

You should always pre-portion or pre-plate, then step away from the food source when you eat.

(Not having food ON the dinner table has made a huge difference with my overeating tendencies!!)

Another reason I LOVE the meal plans: portions are already decided for me.

I don’t have to guess or eyeball… because as we learned earlier this month, humans are TERRIBLE at estimating calories and portions.

The meal plans are an educational tool for you.

The longer you stay on them and use them consistently, the more you’ll KNOW what a portion is.

You’ll know EXACTLY how much to eat or serve yourself.

You won’t be victim to external cues that force you to overeat (more on that tomorrow!)

For now, I want you to start learning true portion sizes.

Download your free handy guide to serving sizes (below)!