Cutting Back On Portion Sizes

Imogen Morley · Post by **Imogen Morley** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:28 pm

Though I'm pretty satisfied with my current weight, I've been thinking of reducing my portions a little.
One day I noticed I was eating exactly the same portions as my dad and two brothers, even though I'm short (a bit under 1,60 m) and by no means fat (57 kg). My weight has been fairly stable after the initial loss on No S (4 kilos in 3 months), but, as shallow as it sounds, I've always wanted to go all the way down to 55

I'm also aware of the fact that I'm genetically programmed to be on a chubbier side, as all women in my family. I guess I could learn some good habits of eating portions adusted to my overall size before I see the need to so do... fast

This "portion control" stuff is pretty confusing to me, and I rarely eat foods that can be clearly divided into grains, veggies, and protein, all separate. I prefer pulses and legumes, usually in stews, noodles with little meat and generous portion of veggies, bean tortillas, sandwiches for lunches at work etc. Would just switching to a smaller plate work? We use 25 cm dinner plates - about 11 inches. I'm wondering if 2 inches less would make any real difference.
Any ideas?

herbsgirl · Post by **herbsgirl** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:35 pm

My stomach is shrinking so it is becoming more painful to overeat, at least more uncomfortable at times.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:07 pm

Well, I'd say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:48 pm

I doubt that you look chubby, though I may not know how to convert the metric measurements. I just know that I think I would look pretty darn good at 5'6" and 155 lbs (age 57.9) . I know some here START at that, but it's been 20 years since I was below that and even on my red days, I don't overeat like I used to, so I can't see myself getting much smaller than that if I had perfect green weeks and only occasional S's.

However, some have gotten much smaller proportionally to me, so maybe you will too, without having to suffer unduly.

I have resisted the idea that my plate size would make that much of a difference because I usually use my hand to approximate my serving sizes of grain and protein. But Reinhard points out that research shows people are influenced to eat less on smaller plates even when they don't think they are. What could it hurt to try? I wish I didn't like the color of my bigger plates, but I do have some 9" plates. I'm going to start using them more. My smaller ones are a textured clear glass; I wonder if they would still work their magic if I used my colored plates as chargers for them? Maybe I'll ask on the big board.

By the way, the stomach does not shrink, though the chemicals that register the feelings of fullness do alter with consistent decreased calories so that less feels like more. â€œIf we eat less, we get used to eating less,â€ says David Levitsky, a professor of nutrition and psychology at Cornell University. â€œBut the change is behavioralâ€”itâ€™s not due to actual shrinkage.â€

NoelFigart · Post by **NoelFigart** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:52 pm

I'm with wosnes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Nicest of the Damned · Post by **Nicest of the Damned** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:37 pm

It might help. I added the Nine Inch Mod to No S, where I eat off of nine inch plates on N days, and they work fairly well together. It gives me an extra visual cue that this is an N day.

A 9 inch plate has about 66.9% of the area of an 11 inch plate (remembering 4*pi*r^2 as the area of a circle from geometry class). If you fill up the 9" plate about the same way you do now with the 11" plate, you'd only be eating 65 to 70 percent as much as you are now. Of course that would make a difference.

I think it works best if you're someone who tends to clean your plate, not someone who tends to stop when you're full. If you normally don't leave anything on your plate, no matter how large the portions, then that's you.

If you're OK with Corelle plates, Corelle outlets tend to have inexpensive 9" plates.

Who Me? · Post by **Who Me?** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:54 am

I think you should trust your instincts. If you think you're eating too much, you may be. You know your body better than anyone.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:34 am

I'm all for 9" plates. You can still get a LOT of food on them, but at least it looks like a lot of food, and for me, a normal depth layer of not too rich food on a 9" plate three times per day is about right for weight loss.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:05 am

Another thought: reducing portions and trying to lose 2 more kilos might just make this a "diet."