Ok, so I've been doing a little research tonight on Portion sizes and such because I'm really trying to get a handle on things... and I came across this great site! Talk about an eye opener! They have 2 slide shows that view how portion sizes have changed over the years, and it is amazing!!! Definately worth checking out!

http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/index.htm

I never knew!

It's crazy isn't it!!! That's why I eat my meals on a salad plate and snacks out of
my son's little toddler bowls. America is out of control!

The first time I saw that website I was also totally AMAZED on how things have changed. Like VALROCK I also use the smallest dishes that my meal/snack will fit on. Normally I use a salad plate for my dinner, when I use a dinner plate it is normally filled with veggies. Also for snacks I often eat them out of tupperwear.

Thanks for the link, Amanda. That is completely crazy and horrible. I must admit I'm really bad when it comes to portioning out my food, but seeing how much of a calorie difference it makes is going to motivate me to do better.

By the way, all of those thingies (how long do you have to do blank to burn blank calories) were based on a 130 lb person. Do larger people burn more or less calories?

Generally speaking, they burn more. Overweight people have to work harder to do the same activity because they are hauling more weight around. And people who are larger in terms of muscle also burn more calories because muscle burns a lot of calories just to fuel itself. That's why men lose weight faster than women--they usually have more muscle tissue so they burn more calories.

Thanks for the answer, futuresurferchick!

its ridiculous isn't it.

the thing is that it is difficult to get the correct portion sizes of anything, anywhere. I could not tell you a restaurant that gave you a correct portion of pasta or meat - it is nearly always overflowing the plate.

at least at home we can control our portions to some extent. its amazing when you think that a happy meal could easily be a correct portion size for an adult.

Amazing isn't it? At least a Happy Meal comes with a toy! LOL! I think when you are used to seeing food the way it is presented... oversized everything...you don't realize just HOW MUCH oversized it really is to what you should be eating, and how much more exercise you need to burn it off! No wonder it takes forever!!!! LOL!