On Diets, Portions, and Bento

[neadods]

This is another one of those weekends where I'm totally behind on where I thought I'd be - let me put it this way, I'm only now checking mail and LJ, and by the time I've done so, all the Brits are going to be in squeeful meltdown.

I've been to Ikea for the first time in a year and a half (long-time readers will remember the Saga of The Wardrobe: the icing on the cake of how long, expensive, and angstful it was to get my hands on my version was seeing the discontinued floor model - intact and still in good shape - in the "As is" department for 1/4 of what I paid. *sigh*)

But what I want to talk about is food. The one time I really lost weight and kept it off, I did three things:

1) Walked 2 or 3 miles a day
2) Never denied myself the chance to eat anything but did eat by these rules:
- protein every meal, but meat once a day
- red meat once a week (ham didn't quite count)
- chocolate once a day and hopefully once every other day
3) Followed fairly strict portioning

The great thing about the bentos I bought (linked because I love them) is that they work naturally into portioning - without thinking about it. It's not "oh, I'm only allowed to eat x amount of stuff, so I'll measure it out;" I just fill the container. No trauma. No angst. No thought, really, just fill the container and you're done. And by the time you've eaten through all the containers, you're completely full... even if the largest ones were veg and fruit.

So why did I start talking about Ikea and segue into food? Because Ikea is selling a dish with a low bowl and wide brim - perfect for, say, spaghetti with a slice of garlic bread balanced on the edge - and it turns out that the dish holds 1.5 cups of material. Closer to 1.25 if you don't fill it right up to the brim. So now I'm seriously considering going back and getting more to replace some of the dishes in my cabinet. Because pairing those up with one of my 8 oz coffee cups is once again perfect portion control without thought. And by thinking in terms of "I'll fill x with this and y with that" I'm once again thinking in terms of a variety of food rather than "eh, I'm bored, I can make ham and cheese or chicken and rice. Again."

Dieting without effort. Now that's sweet!

Comments

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

What's the Ikea bowl called?

(I can't browse the Ikea website at home because I have an old browser--and I can't upgrade the browser until I upgrade the computer. But, I can Google specific items on the Ikea website if I know what I'm looking for.)

Thanks.

[signeh.livejournal.com]

I love very, very simple dishes like those. They always mke the table look elegant and make the food really "pop", so it's easy to do a fancy-looking presentation.

[maypanic.livejournal.com]

Plate size does really help with portion control. Seeing you enthuse over your bentos has made me rather jealous, I'm going to have to get some.
When I eat out, I always ask for a to-go box when they bring the food. That way I pack up half the food (or whatever is beyond a reasonable portion) right away. It's so much easier to eat proper portions if that's all that's on your plate. Especially when you were raised to "always clean your plate."
Plus, then I have another meal already packed and ready.

Never been to Ikea, there isn't one near me. But I have wasted rather a lot of time on their website.

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

A friend at work swears by her Mr. Bento. I keep telling her it looks like a radioactive or biohazard canister--all it needs is the big sticker on the front.