4 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Portion Control and Eating in Moderation

I believe portion control and eating in moderation is a misunderstood concept.

When you join my Life Beyond Dieting facebook group, I ask:

"What is the biggest issue you have with food right now?"

...and portion control pops up again and again with the answer to that question.

Whatever the umbrella of food rules or diet camps you follow, it's an issue at every turn because a set of food restrictions and boundaries does not automatically heal the psychological pull that food has which leads to second helpings and serving sizes fit for 2 or 3 people.

I see 4 major reasons portion control and eating in moderation has eluded most women no matter what they try ~

1. No one likes to be controlled. 🚫

The very phrase "portion control" will get your inner rebel standing up to fight for freedom on your behalf. 

Control leads to fear of restriction, rules, confinement, tightness, & impossibility.

Because words are so powerful and backed with a long history of meaning that we attach with it, portion control will ALWAYS be an internal battle between your "rule follower" vs "rule breaker." 

If you value freedom in your life, then this will help you understand why telling yourself to control your food sends you off the deep end. "Fuck that! You can't control me!"

2. Eating in moderation is code for just another diet to follow. 😩

Moderation is a form of portion control because it's used as a way to eat smaller amounts of food at any given time as you attempt to put a cap on your serving sizes.

It's basically the same as portion control because both approaches are trying to manipulate food itself to solve for the emotional response to food as a coping mechanism. It simply does not work that way. It's backwards. 

Which leads me to...

3. Portion control and moderation is a SIDE EFFECT of giving yourself permission to eat what you want, when you want. 🍔🥗🍕🥙🌮

Does that thought scare the shit out of you? 

The women I work with have lost their ability to trust themselves, so I completely understand how giving yourself permission is a mind-blowing, nearly impossible thing to ask of yourself. 

Yet, as I shared in the first point - seeking to constantly CONTROL an emotional issue with a physical solution ain't gonna cut the cake I guess you could say.

So, giving yourself permission is the way to go AS YOU LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY LOVE YOURSELF. (that part is IMPORTANT)

4. Take your power back by eliminating the 2 phrases from your vocabulary entirely. ✊

I don't even THINK to use either of the phrases "portion control" or "eating in moderation" to describe my eating habits. 

...Not for years in fact since I have healed my relationship with food. It's just not a thing in my world. 

I eat what I want, when I want and when I'm done, I throw the rest out or put the peanut butter cups back in the container. 

I don't label this portion control nor do I say I eat in moderation, even though from the outside looking in, that's how my behavior may appear.

It's deeper than that - it's based on trust and permission that I give myself with food in the most loving, caring and compassionate way possible.

If giving yourself permission to eat all the food feels crazy-pants to you, YET there is a part of you that really yearns to have that TRUE control over food in this way, let's work together! 

I show my clients the nuances... the delicate ways you can start treating and talking to yourself from this point forward since beating yourself up has not worked out like you thought it would.

Here's what to do next:

Fill out this mindset questionnaire to learn more about yourself as you answer the questions with honesty and truthfulness so that when we jump on a zoom call to talk about whether or not the MindFit Mentorship is the support, guidance and framework you’ve been praying for, I have a greater context to effectively help you regardless of what we decide you can do from here.