change Quality or change Quantity

Do you think it works better to change the quantity of food (portion size) or change the quality (make with lower calorie ingredients)?  My boyfriend and I are discussing this.  He says that he knows that he overeats and that this is the reason for being and staying overweight.  So, he would rather reduce the amount of food he eats and get used to having smaller portions of really tasty stuff.  

I, on the other hand, hate being hungry.  I don't know how I could only eat one slice of pizza or half of a hamburger and be satisfied.  I would rather make a 'better' pizza that I could eat more of, but might not be as tasty as the one from my favorite restaurant.

His point- overeating healthy is virtually the same as overeating unhealthy when you're talking about habits.  He thinks we need to learn to eat less.  I think we need to learn to eat better.

What do you think?

If you cook your own food it can be just as tasty as fast food and much healthier.

You can have a whole burger made with lean mince. How does a 500 calorie 12" pizza sound? My recipe is here, I'll bet you'd find that just as tasty as one from your favourite restaurant, of course with the basics of base and sauce you can add any toppings you like. With a little planning and basic cookery skills you can enjoy plenty of healthy food with a balance of carbs, good fats and protein to fill you up so you won't go hungry.

If you eat healthier food, it's harder to overeat it.  

I don't know that there is a correct answer to your question.  He's right in that you are not teaching your body to be satisfied with smaller portions, and you are right in that he is not learning to eat a more healthy diet.  I think you have to recognize your strengths or weaknesses and work them to your advantage.  The calories should work about about the same

Personally, I am a volume eater -- I always have been since I was a kid and putting away 16" pizzas on my own (ok, the first time it was dare and no, I didn't keep it down for long...).  I eat fast and I eat a lot -- so, I still eat a lot... I just focus on eating more of the good things and less of the bad.  I tried to cut volume and wasn't successful, so I just went back.  But I recognize when I am over-eating now... so a little progress, I guess, but I never really get full.

ETA:  I was never overweight as a kid, wasn't actually overweight until I quit smoking and quit caring....

I think I agree with your boyfriend.  To me, overeating is a root cause of being overweight, so it does make sense that training yourself to have reasonable portions would help with longterm success.  I understand your viewpoint, too, though. I, too, do not like that feeling of hunger, although I would like to train myself to become more comfortable with mild hunger. I try to tell myself, "Hunger is not an emergency."

I think both are right!  My friend is really thin and she eats junk food, but what i've noticed with her is that as SOON as she's full (i.e. while eating) she'll stop - she knows when she's full!  I on the other hand have no idea when I'm full, I just keep eating until my plate is empty (and more if i'm still feeling a little hungry).

Someone else i know is similar (eats less, but doesnt stop while eating), but again eats junk food and is overweight.

So I think different people get fat for different reasons.

For me, it's a combination of both!  I LOVE certain foods so I dont want to cut them out, but learning to eat less of them... meanwhile making sure my meals are very filling (with healthy food as I'm a BIG eater) so I dont overeat on the unhealthy!

i also agree that you could both be right.  on the one hand if you learn to eat better, more nutritious food, more fruit and veg etc you can eat the same portion size and have it be lower in calories than the same size of portion of unhealthy food.  However, for the times you are eating junk food or even something that is healthy but higher in calories you need to reduce your intake.

I have many different opinions about this so I guess I will just start.

• If you drink enough water you should not be as hungry
• If you are making this a lifestyle change not just a "diet" I think making sure you are eating the healthy stuff would me more beneficial.
• If you are eating a balanced diet (all the proper nutrients) eventually you end up eating smaller portions.  There are some days I just cannot shovel one more carrot or celery stick or apple wedge in my mouth but if I ate junk all day I am sure I could have downed a least a giant cheeseburger and fries for both lunch and dinner plus the candy bar snack and whatever was around for breakfast.
• If you are going to try the smaller portion thing with out changing the types of foods you are eating you should try to order the kids meals.

well, Id rather eat better and have LOTS to eat, thats what I've been doing. Eating a huge breakfast of all different foods on my plate, that are relatively low calories. I try to do this with each meal. Having more variety of foods on your plate, you can make the portions smaller and it seems like you are getting more. Also, learn to eat slower.

I find they fall hand in hand, if you have more quality of food you end up eating a preferred quantity of that food and don't tend to over eat or over eat as often. But when you over eat it tends to be either overeating bad food on top of good foods or just over eating bad foods (the sort of can you really have only 1 potato chip theory). But if bad foods are available and you eat it, when you do fold to real temptation there is less forgiveness. But completely denying can have one fall off the wagon too. Basically, I believe there should be a balance with both (1 bowl of potato chips on your weekly movie night, if that is the treat you want).

I found it was easier to start with eating less bad food, than just switching to only good foods and eating less. After eating less bad food and noticed how much more 'good' foods I could eat, I felt more balanced already and eventually cut certain bad/junk/fast foods but not all (I still shamelessly do not deny certain junk once in while). The only thing to ruin a deficit day was having a fast food meal or over eating/over portions the fast food/junk food meal. But I find, you can still maintain deficits and have daily/weekly treats to keep you satisfied.

I mean the odd maintenance day is good too but topping off a day with a 1000+ cal meal/treat to turn a deficit to a maintain or a maintain to a over cal intake shouldn't happen more than once a week without really slowing down your progress. But still a treat or treat meal is something some people need initially or occasionally to keep going.

I guess it is a mattter of preference.   I do see his point also, in that if and when I eat something that is not so nutritionally sound, if I have learned to be satisified with less, I will not do as much damage. 

I like the point that if I am eating heathy stuff I will probably be less interested in eating more of it. The cravings are where I get in trouble.  Having eaten an entire healthy meal and still being hungry, but not for more of the healthy stuff. Now, that's where a girl really becomes aware of what physical hunger is and is not! 

Knowing that I have not found a way to conquer my desire to eat some junk often, I may need to consider this smaller portion method.

This also makes eating out easier.  I am the queen of the kids meal and/or box to go.  But, I am not so good at ordering a salad at the pizza joint.

Thanks all!

I would rather eat more healthy food than a small amount of bad food.

For one, healthy food makes you feel, well healthy!

Bad food is not feeling and leaves me feeling guilty.

Besides, once you get used to yummy healthy food, the bad food all of a sudden doesn't taste as good as you remembered.

Except for homemade cinnamon toast....