I'm finding my "diet" remarkably tolerable. I'm still losing weight, albeit slowly, and enjoying what I eat. And aside from the weight loss, I'm eating better---lots of fruits and veggies, fewer simple carbohydrates. But I'm also noticing things that I hadn't before. I'm noticing just how much everyone eats. Sure, it's not like it isn't obvious, when you see commercials for restaurant chains the the huge fat and sugar laden meals they serve. But just watching people out to eat or in the hospital cafeteria, seeing how they may eat an appetizer, main dish, sides, desert---meals that add up very quickly to a couple of thousand calories.
I will never be one of those judgmental people who scowl at other people's food choices, but it is remarkable what you see when you open your eyes.
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Eating out has gotten much more enjoyable for us since we gave up on each having an individual serving and started splitting the huge portions that restaurants serve.
From a European perspective: people always come back from holidays in America with wide-eyed stories about the huge servings
The daughter of a friend of ours went to study in England last year. She complained that the food service people gave the American students huge servings whether they asked for them or not.
My own take on restaurant serving sizes is twofold:
1. you can eat half and ask for a take out box- lunch for tomorrow,
or
2. you can occasionally enjoy a good pig-out, so long as you don't do it too often.
(It amazes me how often some people eat in restaurants.)
Big portions are why doggie bags were invented. Every time I eat out (which isn't often, I enjoy cooking a lot) I always have lunch for at least the next day if not 2.
The hospital cafeteria may not be the best place to observe. Consider how many calories someone working 80 hours a week (or more?) burns.
If you can stand it, watch a thin person eat. They play with their food, mess it around on the plate, and wind up leaving a large part uneaten. Nerve-wracking!
It's amazing how thinking about what you're eating changes how you look at portion size. I thought my portion sizes were reasonable, and now I'm shocked by what OTHER people think is reasonable, because I see it and KNOW it's a good 1700 calories.
Doesn't stop me from eating it sometimes, though. :) Just keeps me mindful.