Are your meals too large for your own good?

Most people don’t realise that large food portions are a problem all over the world. We can end up eating too much for a single meal, and there are even situations where people can get used to wasting food. Cooking too much and then throwing the rest away seems to be the norm for some people, and it’s a problem that we need to stop.

Large portions can cause a number of problems, so here are a couple of signs that could indicate that your meal sizes are getting out of control.

You experience heartburn after the majority of your meals

If you’re experiencing heartburn symptoms after eating meals then there’s a good chance that your portions are just simply too big. Large meals take a long time to digest and they’re going to be sitting in your stomach for a long time. If you eat smaller portions spread across the day, then your body has a much easier time breaking down all of the food, leading to fewer issues like heartburn.

You’ve been slowly gaining weight over the past few years

If you’ve noticed that you’re gaining weight, then it can be helpful to cut down on your portions and eat smaller plates of food. There are loads of small reasons why you might end up eating more. For example, perhaps your plates have been getting bigger so you want to fill them with more food, or maybe you end up serving yourself a larger portion because someone else in your family eats less and you don’t want to waste it.

You always feel full after a meal

You should never really feel “full” after eating a meal. If you eat so much that you can barely move or to a point where you can physically feel your stomach being full, then you’re likely eating too much food and should cut down on your portions.

You’re putting more carbs on your plate than vegetables and proteins

If you want to cleanse your diet then it’s important to eat fewer carbs and switch them for vegetables or sources of protein. While wholemeal carbs are a part of a balanced diet, we often eat too many carbs because we’re so used to serving everything with rice, spaghetti, noodles, potatoes, and so on. However, they’re not exactly nutrient-rich and there are other foods that can be healthier for our bodies.  Many people fill their plates with half carbs, a quarter protein and a quarter veg; instead, fill your plate with half veg, a quarter wholemeal carbs and a quarter protein – your body will thank you.

Remember you can always just serve more later

Just remember that you can always serve yourself more food later. Eating a smaller portion has many benefits and it’s possible that you might still feel full and satisfied if you just ate a bit slower. If you really do feel hungry after eating a smaller portion, then you could supplement it with some snacks or some leftovers, or why not make a homemade smoothie with fresh veg and fruit for a nutrient boost? Remember that you can prep as much food as you like but you don’t need to eat all of it in a single sitting. You can save some in the fridge for later or even heat it up tomorrow for a quick and easy lunch.