Day 18: Eat Reasonable Portions

Scripture to Memorize:
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:14-15
Scripture to Read:
My {daughter}, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
Proverbs 4:20-22
Prayer: (Donna's from the book)
Dear Heavenly Fatgher, I come before you as your daughter today. I'm
choosing to pay close attention to your words and have committed myself to
keep your Word before me through regular reading. Holy Spirit, strengthen
me with wisdom and diligence as I study and store the Word in mjy heart.
Thank you for the promise that your Word will bring life and health to
my whole body. I believe that I can experience wholeness in spirit, soul,
and body. As I keep my mind at peace, meditating on the Word, I'll be
enabling my body to do what you created it to do: heal and restore itself.
Thank you for the power of your Word. Not only does it renew my mind,
strengthen my will, and soothe my haywire emotions, it even brings health
to my body. You are such a wise and loving God! Thank you. Amen.
Personal:
Today Donna's focus was on portion size. "Americans are suffering from a severe case of portion distortion". She, as has many others in the arena of health and/or diets, stated that we no longer have a realistic sense of what a reasonable portion of food even looks like. She then give this suggestion for keep portion sizes in line with eating moderately. Take a standard sized plate and draw an imaginary line through the middle of the plate. One-half of your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits. Divide the other half into two equal parts: one section for protein and the other for whole grains. This is a very simple way instead of trying to remember other guide lines such as a correct portion of meat is the size of a deck of playing cards (and that is the only one I can ever remember).
She goes on to say that Moderation seems to be something that is considered anti-American. This is probably why we are among the unhealthiest people on the planet.
Another strategy she suggests is never clean your plate. Another one for eating out that I have read is to ask for a to-go box before your food arrives and then immediately place half of the food in the box before you begin eating.
Keeping portions is another one of the things I struggle with. This is something that I am working on. Also working on educating my husband to reduce the amount he cooks.
Practical:
Begin using eight- or nine-inch plates, rather than the typical eleven- or twelve-in dinner plate. Don't take seconds of anything other than vegetables. Consciously reduce your portion sizes and never, ever clean you plate! One helpful tool is The Portion Plate, available on-line at www.theportionplate.com, a nine-inch plate with visual aids to remind you, at every meal, exactly what a reasonable portion looks like?
Affirmation: I eat reasonable portions.