Serving Sizes - Misleading and Fail to Do This One Thing
"The serving sizes listed on the Nutrition Facts label are not recommended serving sizes. By law, serving sizes must be based on how much food people actually consume, and not on what they should eat.”
“In 1993, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration created the Nutrition Facts label, the standards used to determine serving sizes—called the Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACCs)—were based primarily on surveys of food consumption conducted in 1977-1978 and 1987-1988. The 1993 RACCs were used by manufacturers for over 20 years to calculate the serving sizes on their packages. The updated RACCs used to set the requirements for serving sizes on packages are now based on 2003 to 2008 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. In some cases, the reference amounts used to set serving sizes are smaller. Today’s individually packaged yogurts more often come in 6-ounce containers, versus the previous 8-ounce ones. The FDA is now using a 6-ounce reference amount for yogurt. But the serving size for ice cream is now a little larger. Instead of a half of a cup, it’s now two-thirds of a cup.”
FDA: Full Article Here
The biggest problem with serving sizes are that they’re NOT individual.
They don’t take into account a multitude of things:
Age
Gender
Weight
Activity Level
Genetics
What you did/did not eat that day
If you didn’t eat breakfast that day, you’ll need more calories in your next meal.
If you worked out that day, you’ll need more calories that day.
If you’re young and still growing, you’ll need more calories.
If you genetically have a higher metabolism, you’ll need more calories.
If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll need more calories.
If you weigh more, you’ll need more calories.
These are just a few reasons why your serving size might look different than someone else’s.
So, if you want to use it as a “general” guideline (like… take with a grain of salt) when you’re not sure how much to put in your plate, sure, go ahead - but that does NOT mean you need to finish your plate NOR does it mean you can’t have seconds.
How do I know what’s right for me? What can I do instead?
Your body knows you best. You know your body best. The problem is that diets shift the focus away from trusting and learning about your own body's cues and focus more on instructing you exactly what to eat and when. Without the rules, you're lost.
Here are some things you can try instead of freaking out about serving sizes…
Eat enough. As long as you skip meals and keep restricting, your body is going to signal to you MORE than it wants more food, which usually ends in a binge (that “out of control” feeling you get when you’re eating a certain type of food). It takes your mind, and your body, time to re-learn what hunger and fullness feels like.
Eat slowly. Focus on not inhaling your meals and eating slow (it takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness). Enjoy and savor the meal you’re eating. It’ll, dare I say it, even taste better bc you're more focused on it.
Aim to eat mostly whole foods (whole foods have nutritional qualities like protein and fiber that will fill you up and are so good for you). It’s easy to eat a ton of chips, but have you ever tried to eat a ton of apples?
Add, don't restrict. Instead of just having chocolate or chips as a snack, try adding some other elements to it: nuts, fruits, yogurt, deli meat, etc.
Instead of eating out of a container, pour how much you think you’ll want into a bowl. Decide whilst you’re eating (or when you’re done) if you’re full and need to stop, or still hungry and need seconds.
If you’re out, try sharing plates with a friend. You can get a variety of things and not be worried about having to eat it all “just because you paid for it.” Also, leftovers the next day? I love me a delicious meal, not just once, but TWICE.
Try Intuitive Eating :) I have a ton of articles on Intuitive Eating on my site. Also check out the book.
If you're not sure whether you're eating out of boredom, or hunger, enroll in my upcoming course: Heal Your Relationship With Emotional Eating - Stop Only Using Food Solutions for Emotional Problems.
Take a deep breath, and sigh it out.
You're worth more than the stress you're putting on yourself babe.
Remember, you're perfect the way you are.
If you’re looking for a safe space where you can learn how to let go of dieting for good, enjoy food without guilt, and turn exercise into something you love to do rather than something you “have” to do, submit a client application to get in contact with me! I work with clients virtually all over the world helping those who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food and themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
