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Portion Control 101: The Hunger Games Mindhack

Portion control: one of life’s biggest diet challenges and one of life’s biggest misconceptions is that a PERFECT DIET exists… and in reality it NEVER has. Man’s diet has always depended on his day to day resources; and once upon a time (and still in many places) if you didn’t farm or hunt, you didn’t eat.

In fact, many people (including me) believe that adopting a farmer-hunter mindset is the first step in successful portion control. For some the thought of this seems impossible (and maybe even gruesome) but that’s exactly the point.

Imagine having to harvest and/or hunt

EVERYTHING you ate….

(you probably wouldn’t eat as much!)

Try the “Hunger Games” mindhack

Have you seen the movie “The Hunger Games” where the contestants have to hunt and forage for their own food? Well, this challenge is kind of like that (with the exception of other contestants trying to kill you) but hopefully you get my point…

Anywhoo, what are 3 foods that you LOVE? Anything from strawberries to sausage is ok, as long as it’s a whole food. Do a quick search on the process of how a day’s worth of your faves get to your plate, from start to finish. 

(Now if you’re vegan this game may not be as shocking, but some of the most unlikely “natural foods” can have odd additives, too. Check out this Livestrong article that I was quoted in: “7 Foods You Thought Were Vegan but Aren’t”)

The results may surprise, relieve, (or disgust) you!

1. Do your discoveries change the way you feel toward your favorites?

2. If you had to do EVERYTHING yourself would you eat the same?

3. If your favorites are expensive, does it’s process change the way that you feel about the price?

From plucking chicken feathers to braving the cold for Alaskan King Crab, if each one of us had to produce and prepare everything we ate, we’d likely eat less and definitely eat healthier since everything would be made to order.

And of course we would be more fit (after farming and hunting all day). 

The reality is that the mass production of our food tricks us into thinking we should eat more. Our bodies are working overtime to process it all which is one of the leading causes of chronic disease and obesity. This mindhack helps to put things into perspective.

Ready to eat (less)?

Check out the portion control charts below to put it into practice.

 

A Day of The Standard American Diet

Breakfast

eggs

pancakes

bacon

orange juice

(may include cheese, syrup, butter, etc)

Lunch

lettuce

chicken breast

caesar (anchovy) dressing

cheese

 croutons

Dinner

beef

mixed vegetables

pasta

 

More on Portion Control…