How much is TOO MUCH?

5th December 2015

Very little is needed to make a happy life

I have not religion in me at all but Gluttony is one of the deadly sins I believe and I have to say it's one so many of us are guilty of - myself included.  I mean up until recently I've always thought when visiting KFC why have a box when you can have a bucket, of course I've subconsciously justified it as a 'price saving' thing but the truth is, it wasn't, it's greed!  Good old fashioned greed.

Yesterday we went for afternoon tea at the Toffee Nosed Cake Company https://www.facebook.com/The-Toffee-Nosed-Cake-Company-578036915587972/

And mom had a lovely time, when the food came out she told me I could have the sandwiches :) and actually she meant it!  Now I've done a few afternoon teas over the years, we did one earlier in the year at Gluttons in Tettenhall and of course we always compare.  Now back to this thing about greed, it's one of the reasons so many of us are overweight because we're greedy, we 'eat to excess' just in case you're sitting there thinking you're not greedy, the reason I add that is because I once got really offended by someone saying 'fat people are just gluttonous' then I realised I was offended because the truth hurts and I was greedy! 

One reason I think we are that way though, me particularly is because I want to try it all, I love food, I love flavours, I don't want to miss out, so if there's 4 different cakes I want to try all of them, now the difference between the two cafes was the Toffee Nosed Cake Company has realised we want to try different things but also that eating 3 or 4 full sized cakes EACH is too much in one sitting, so she's make hers smaller, we had a normal sized scone, a realistic sized cup cake, then a small apple slice and meringue thing, together with some sandwiches, it was perfect portions so there wasn't any left to take home, unlike when you go to some, and the point of going out for afternoon tea isn't so you have food to take home, it's a treat you go out and enjoy and in the correct portion sizes, it isn't going to spoil your weight loss success.  Oh and the ones with 'bigger portions' aren't better value because trust me you'll be paying more for them financially and of course physically!

Yeah portion sizes really are a problem both at home and when we're out.  Take the newly popular, 'little dessert shop' they have ridiculous portion sizes helping to fuel the obesity problem, and one of the reasons I won't be going there.

We're eating too much - it really is that simple.  Portion sizes have doubled over the last 20 years apparently, that's terrifying.  The lady on the table next to us yesterday ordered a slice of lemon cake and it was a slice not a slab like you're getting in some of these chain pubs!

“Clean your plate or there won’t be any dessert for you!” Who remembers that line from their childhood?  Unfortunately these days if you do that, you're likely to pile on the pounds! 

People think nothing of picking up a 200g slab of chocolate, that has 8 servings in it you know, how many people would make it last 8 occasions?  A bagel has gone from 3 inches in diameter to 6 inches, a medium bag of popcorn has grown from 5 cups to 11 cups and how many of us 'go large' because it's only 50p more?  Then what about pop, well the average drive through soda has gone from 6.5 ounces to 20 ounces, if our kids are drinking that, no wonder they're having all their teeth removed before their teens - terrifying!

I shall be buying a set of smaller plates the next time I go shopping and getting rid of my still too large plates (even though their smaller then they have been in the past), I'm going to make a conscious effort to cook 'smaller'. 

We've got to the point where portions the size of our fist seem much too small, but when you consider the size of your stomach, anything larger is too much.  If you're eating food as big as your head - maybe time for a rethink!

Here's to enjoying your weekend, downsized hopefully but with as much fun and love, healthy and happy BeYOUtiful - you know it makes sense.   Oh and the Toffee nosed cake companies apple slice, mmm, made me definitely want to return...