It’s All About Portions–Mostly

New research on obesity was presented earlier this month in Amsterdam at the 2009 European Congress on Obesity. It concluded that Americans keep getting fatter because of portion amounts, not lack of physical activity.

I can speak to this a bit after having lost almost 25 pounds on a lifestyle program that my wife and I are currently on.

We realized just how much we were eating before. Especially in my case. No wonder I wasn’t losing weight! I was eating probably TWICE the calories that I should have been on any given day.

So we cut our calories down…way down. And that meant cutting portion sizes way down.

And what do you know…the pounds came off. I have tried to maintain a 1,500 calorie a day routine ever since. I learned that the piece of lasagna I would eat before was more like FOUR pieces of lasagna. So when I ate ONE piece, the weight loss was easy.

But I disagree with the study’s findings about lack of exercise. Although we DID lose the weight with no increase in physical activities, you are not going to convince me that Americans are moving at the pace that they should be.

I see a lot of people just sitting there, not doing much, all the while complaining about how fat they are.

So cut your portions, count your calories, and get up and do something already!! Get yourself motivated!! Get ready for the brand new YOU!

It’s an exciting and rewarding process. And you CAN do it!

I don’t listen to the findings that conclude that it’s all so tempting because restaurants are so good at dishing out huge portions and it’s all too hard to resist.

You CAN and MUST resist! You resist food temptations the way you resist ANY temptation–you FIGHT it by being stronger than it! You can’t afford to lose your will power around food.

Once you battle the temptations and fight onward towards a new and healthier you, the rewards will more than outweigh the temporary pleasures you turned your back to.

As we all know, that slice of heaven is sooooo delicious. But it is long gone while the added inches to your hips tend to nag you long after!