Portion Distortion! Have We Gone Too Far?

Portion Distortion! Have We Gone Too Far?


How and when did food portions become so abundantly out of control? We are enticed with magazine and TV ads that tell us about the terrific deal we are getting when opt for the “value” meal. We now have entire networks that are dedicated to cooking. I don’t know about you, but constantly being inundated with images of food certainly has an impact on my appetite. All of sudden—I’m hungry. It is no wonder that obesity and its comorbid diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension are escalating at an alarming rate. I have to ask, where is the balance between the failing global health economy versus the value in distorted portions?

According to financial guru Suze Orman, Americans are spending $147 million dollars in obesity related health care costs annually, and a staggering 4.4 billion dollars on gastric bypass surgery. Again, I ask where is the balance? I will be the first one to tell you that I am, and will remain a work-in-progress for the rest of my life. I honestly believe what has helped me in my quest in aspiring to attain a lean, healthy physique has been to study the trends of how food has affected society and myself. For many years I really didn’t have radar or proper programming regarding how much food to eat. Part of this stems from the environment I grew up in, and the other part is my genetics. That being said, the rest is up to me to take action to overcome my own genetics and environmental factors that propel me towards obesity. I feel a sense of responsibility and strong desire to assist people who want to change their lives and overcome obesity. In doing so, I’ve taken a retrospective view regarding the changing trends in the way our society consumes food.

When I was a young girl, oh so many years ago, my grandfather loved to tell his grandkids about “the way things used to be”. He was my father’s father and blessed with a lean, muscular physique. Many of his friends and colleagues considered him to be quite the historian. He would speak specifically about the changes that occurred in our country pre and post WWII.

It was the late 1940’s and America had paid it dues. We saw the advent of WWI in 1914-1918. A little more than a decade later came The Stock Market Crash followed by The Great Depression in the 1930’s. As if this weren’t enough, WWII started. By the end in 1945, Americans, for the first time in long time, had a sense of great hope that fostered the American spirit. Soldiers were returning from the war and Americans welcomed them back home with open arms. America was glowing was a tremendous sense of patriotism. Beginning in 1946, marked the birth of the Baby Boomer generation. America was beginning to prosper with new technology, industry and ever growing buying market. The focus became about owning material goods “now” rather than waiting for it. There was so much happening so quickly and expansion was ever present as we entered the 1950’s. President Truman gave the first televised transcontinental broadcast in 1951. To underscore our patriotism as we approached 1953, a five star general Dwight D. Eisenhower took office. We had truly become a powerful nation. Foods that were previously made available to the elite were now more accessible to the masses. Cars and appliances were being made available much easier than just a decade before. Families found themselves gathered around Philo Farnsworth’s invention, the television.

I can see why my grandfather was so amazed at what happened within a ten to twenty year timeframe. In the late 50’s, he built a thriving business, owned a car and was able to purchase appliances for the household, whereas prior to this, he found himself running to and from work twelve miles and laboring quite vigorously. He recalls walking to his Aunt Macey’s house after church on Sundays. With the accessibility to automobiles, came the beloved American tradition “The Sunday Drive”, at which point, he found himself doing more riding than walking.

In addition to American’s possessing these amenities, there was a strong sense of entitlement that came with it. After all, look at what America had experienced for nearly the first half of the 20th century. We deserved the good life.

Living the good life, brought with it increased waistlines and health concerns. There was a change in priorities, which accompanied the good life. Instead of needing to wash our clothes by hand, we had a machine to do it for us. The time and calories previously spent on walking to work, hand washing our clothes and spending long amounts of time preparing meals was now used for more enjoyable and entertainment time such watching TV and learning to bake with the readily abundant sugary substances that so many of us loved. Eating contests became popular in the 1960’s as America’s waistlines continued to increase. As the decades rolled on, we saw the advent of all-you-can-eat buffets, processed foods, and eventually super sized portions were all the rage. It seemed I couldn’t go anywhere without food being the central focus of the gathering. This included after church dinners, bake-sales, candy drives…they were everywhere. By the 1990’s, America’s diet had evolved into a quick and easy meal regimen. In my own family, I watched the traditional family mealtime change. We found ourselves working longer and longer hours. Eating more quickly and consuming more food seemed to sneak up on us. Before we knew it, a few pounds here and a few pounds there can add up quickly.

From a caloric standpoint, I think of all the additional calories my grandfather burned from running to work. I think of how disciplined he was about his portions. At some point in my life, I lost sight of his vision. I allowed my environment and my decisions to guide me without much thought. In doing so, I became obese. It took me years to admit this it to myself, let alone others. I had all the excuses, because I did work up to 16 hours per day and had a family. I had to learn that although I wasn’t in charge of my environment, I was in charge of my decisions. I work diligently to overcome regaining the weight I lost, because it can come back sooner than it left. There is a tremendous sense of discipline and pride in doing what I know is right for my body. It isn’t always easy either. I experience setbacks, but I am learning it’s all about how the setbacks are handled. Realizing from my grandfather’s generation that a good hard days work and portioned eating is the way I want to live, helps me strive towards maintaining and improving my life. I feel much better than I did a decade ago. My next endeavor is to become a participant in Trent’s upcoming class beginning on April 5th. I hope to see many of you all in class. (Trent Mitchell Fitness, Torrance Ca.)