EATING TOO MUCH

SALLAM.Just a quick one.
A typical daily food plan tells you how much of each food you can eat. Many people, however, are not very clear on portion sizes. That’s why you may have to measure and weigh your foods until you can recognize a typical portion by sight.

For a couple of weeks, use measuring cups and a food scale to measure all the food you eat. In time, you’ll recognize what a half-cup of rice or 3 ounces of meat looks like and you can stop measuring.
Where and how you eat

If you eat while watching TV or talking on the phone, you may be consuming more than you realize. Or maybe you eat certain foods just because they’re there.

A lot of overeating has more to do with habit than hunger. If you’re an overeater, it’s important to figure out what triggers your eating. Then you can take steps to eliminate them.

Here are some steps you can take to start improving your eating behavior:

* Keep a food diary that includes the following:
o When you eat
o What you eat
o Where you eat
o Plan your meals.
* Eat slowly. Put your fork down between mouthfuls, or at least swallow what’s in your mouth before loading up the fork again.
* Have celery and carrots on hand to eat.
* Don’t buy “temptation” foods.
* At home, eat only in the kitchen or dining room. (This can help keep you from overeating while watching TV or doing other activities.)
* Say “no” to second helpings and to problem foods.

As a general rule, when you’re eating out and cannot measure your food, try not to eat anything that’s bigger than your fist.

BIL KHAIR