“Did you grow up with a lot of brothers and sisters?” I’m asked from time to time when people see how quickly I eat. The assumption is that with many mouths at the table, it would make sense if I developed a habit to eat as much as I could as quickly as I could. Um, nope. Just me, my brother and my parents. The answer leaves them flabbergasted because, well, they can’t wrap their head around my eating patterns. It’s not quite the status of eating habits of say the lead characters in the Gilmore Girls, but my dad and I can eat hearty quantities over short periods of time. I offer this not as a point of pride but as a matter of fact, of my relationship with food: I eat quickly. And I can eat a lot.
As I’ve shifted to create a healthier lifestyle for myself I’ve adopted some practices. I try to eat all my meals at a table rather than on the couch or at my desk in front of my computer. I try to avoid multitasking when eating, choosing, at best, to have the radio on. I step away from reading and work and phone conversations. And, I eat off the good china. By slowing down and being present, more mindful, when I eat I find I tend to eat less and enjoy it more.
My other tip for portion control: Stop saving the good china for “special” occasions.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eNLX6SmO9o]And check out Jenny Evans of Powerhouse Performance Coaching with her tips on portion control:
