Portion Sizes and Light Weigh Eating

From the Light Weigh (spiritual growth and weight loss program) I learned that the perfect portion to eat is an amount that is the size of your clenched fist. This is also about the amount that will fit into a regular size coffee mug. This is the perfect amount to eat for a meal because your stomach (when normal size and not all stretched out from constant overeating) is about the size of your clenched fist.


So I put some Cheerios in my bento box and then put this into the cup (see photo above). I actually had filled the bento above the dividers and it was more than a cup full, so I had to put some back in the box.

Then I poured the cup full of Cheerios back into the bento box so now I can see exactly how much to fill the bento so it will be the same amount as would fit into a coffee mug. This will be very helpful for me when I fill my bento with various foods. The Cheerios fill all the spots, so if I have bigger chunks of things that leave "holes" then I'll be able to pile it a bit higher (like salad, for example).

The two main principles for eating in the Light Weigh are: 1) eat only when hungry (stomach is just starting to growl) and 2) eat only the right amount.

About 5 years ago I lost a bit more than 40 lbs. on the Light Weigh. I started out with a group for support and found the program worked very well for me. But, then as I was on my own and my life changed (job stress and increased eating at restaurants) I stopped following the Light Weigh eating principles and the weight slowly crept back. Now I'm starting over.

One thing that I didn't do before when I lost the weight is exercise. I didn't have the time. Now I've gotten rid of a lot of the job stress and I've joined a fitness center. I've been exercising for about 2 1/2 months now. Of course I'm feeling better and have more energy. I have a long way to go, though. It's been about 10 years since I've seriously exercised regularly. It feels good to be exercising again!

I am thinking that I should start eating with chopsticks, too, because that would cause me to eat more slowly, take smaller bites, and also enjoy my food more.