In Excess of Portion
by Sherri L Dodd
zone3
My husband and I recently visited a popular Chinese restaurant chain. I
must say that it is no wonder that this eatery is represented by a rotund
little bear. The rice alone equated to around four to five servings…in one
meal! This along with the other generous rations left us both with a few
thoughts on the lack of self-control versus the available meal sizes in
some of the fast-er food eateries.
We cannot just blame the
commercialized burger chains for promoting obesity in the states. I shake
my head in frustration when I see this perfect example of the carbohydrate
portion gone awry, followed by the whining of diet gurus that revel in a
major nutrient’s supposed betrayal.
Giving the American consumer the benefit of the doubt, I will bet that
many of us do not know the actual size of a single serving for the many
different foods. Subsequently, there is a high propensity to misjudge said
portions, especially when they are so abundantly given to you at no extra
cost. While it is not necessary to break out the measuring cups and spoons
at the counter of your favorite diner, there is a general rule of thumb
about accurate sizing of food. A couple examples are grains and veggies
ranging from ½ cup to 1 cup per serving or cheese usually measuring 1 to
1½ ounces. For those who have difficulty remembering these technical
measurements, McKinley Health Center has a website that features a clever
rendition of accurately sizing up the nourishment set before you at any
dinner table. Portions are described in the manner of the “size of 9-volt
battery” or the “size of a checkbook” instead of the textbook lingo you
may have learned in cooking class. You can enjoy more of these silly
comparisons at http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu, click on Health Information,
Nutrition and then Making Sense of Serving Sizes.
Even armed with the knowledge of accurate portions, it will always come
down to your own degree of self-discipline. I am definitely not a believer
in suing successful corporations simply because someone ate themselves
into a miserably obese physical condition or even an untimely heart
attack. While it would be nice if we were less enticed into over-eating,
just like a lot of other areas in life, we each have the power to choose,
especially when it comes down to just how much chow-mien to woof down
during a road trip’s meal-time interruption.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sherri Dodd is the creator and author of Mom Looks Great - The
Fitness Program for Moms. She is also an ACE-certified Personal Trainer
and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant with over fifteen years
of exercise experience. She has lectured to groups of 100+ people on her
fitness plan and is a freelance writer on the topics of fitness and
general nutrition as well as the humorous side of motherhood.
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In Excess of Portion
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