Obesity is a huge problem in our country. 65% of our population is overweight, or obese. We have an abundance of food available to us, but much of it lacks in nutrients that are needed for optimal health. We are over fed, and undernourished.
Our portion sizes have doubled or quadrupled in the past twenty years. During the 1970's 47% of our population were overweight or obese. That percentage has now grown to 65%. People who are obese went from 15% to 30% in the same time frame.
A slice of pizza is twice the size that it was twenty years ago. A large movie popcorn average size was 5 cups and 270 calories back then, and now is more than twice the amount at 630 calories. A bagel was three inches in diameter at 140 calories, but today has grown to six inches and 350 calories.
Twenty years ago a cheeseburger was half the size of today's double or triple burgers offered at most fast food restaurants. The calorie count in today’s burgers has gone from 300 to 600 and beyond.
Sodas went from a typical eight ounce 97 calorie drink, to a whopping sixty-four ounce 775 calorie nightmare. Having a drink that gives you almost half of your daily allotment of calories, and is completely non-nutritious may not be a good choice if you are trying to be healthy and lean.
There is another thing that has been super sized in the past twenty years….our plates and dishes. A dinner plate used to be the size of what we now call our salad plates. Our cups were half the size that they are now, and our bowls went from about six inches in diameter to ten inches. This is a very important reason why Americans are having an obesity epidemic. We like to fill our plates up. If they were smaller like they used to be, we would tend to eat less.
Not only are we eating the majority of our diet from non-nutritious foods, we are eating two to three times as much as we did several decades ago.
To turn this health crisis around, we need to eat more of nature’s foods, i.e. fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins, and stay away from processed food, fast food, and junk foods. We also need to lower our portion size to a healthy amount. Use smaller plates, bowls, and cups, to control overeating.
It is never a good idea to “super size” any portion of your food intake. The more food you put into your stomach at one time, the more you will want to put in at the next meal. You will be healthier and leaner by eating smaller portions, that I can guarantee you.
Wishing You Health and Happiness,
Queenie
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