www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall A Perverse Chuckle

I remember my grandparents eating large quantities of high-fat food, but they were farmers who worked sunup to sundown most of the year. I understand about the restaurant portions. Even being the exercise junkie that I am, I couldn't burn all the calories in most restaurant meals. Besides, I don't want that much to eat to begin with. As a teacher, I see obesity hitting the kids which is especially sad. They are being set up for lifetimes of health problems. Yet physical education classes are often the target of the budget cutters. Something is wrong with this picture.

Charles,

The story about your aunts is hilarious!

Both my parents are extremely fit and in shape. However, my mom does nothing to watch her weight and even after having four kids is a 112 pounds.

My dad is also very in shape, but jogs in place for about 45 minutes every day (which absolutely kills my mother...his obsessive-compulsiveness "jumpiness"). He's 160 pounds and very active, but I'm sure if he weren't he'd probably have a little bit of a belly, or so he says.

When I start gaining any weight then I'll consider outside-of-the-sports-I-play exercising. Until then...chow time!

Logos Teen

Bob,

Thanks for the practical eating strategies!

FYI: Weight Watchers likewise recommends asking for a take out box at the beginning of a meal, then separating out a portion to eat at another time.

Peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

Paul

Paul:

I guess the last straw on the huge portions came one Sunday. We usually like to go out for dinner after Liturgy with family--when they're home--or friends.

We stopped at a local Italian restaurant for dinner and decided to order a pasta dish for each of us. Out came a bowl--they'd just changed the size of their dinnerware--with an inch and a half or two inch rim, approximately ten inch diamter, and a three inch deep set of measurements. the pasta was piled high enough that it was above the top of the bowl in a mini-mountain. I guessed we had at least a pound and a half of pasta each. I asked if there was a mistake and was told that they had just enlarged their portions. That's when we decided that this was way more than we could handle at one sitting, even splitting it.

I can't just leave it either. I've either got to eat it or take it home. My great-grandmother used to tell me when I was barely five that "waste is a sin--always"!

BOB

Dear Teen,

You have VERY good genes from the description of your parents. Be thankful!!!!

Dear Bob,

The ironic thing is that Italians in Italy don't eat like that! Italians in Europe are by and large very slim people these days!

My husband and I also share meals at restaurants.

Waiters, even in some big city restaurants don't seem as annoyed as they used to. :rolleyes:

Maybe if more people did this restaurants would get a hint that they are changing their portion sizes the wrong way! Then, again, on the other hand, it could simply be one more aspect of how polarized Americans are becoming in all sorts of ways...religion, politics, values, and even in weight and appetite control!

Alice

Dear Everyone,

I always felt that restaurants should have half portions, and if they felt it was not financially beneficial, they could charge us two thirds of what a full meal would cost.

There is also a problem with our food that is being kept hush-hush for the sake of our economy. Other than the 'salts' that are added, in order to increase our appetites by the fast food companies, the grains being fed to our cattle, etc., do not produce the same fats that grazing animals have. It is the lack of those specific fats from animals that graze, that are making us gain weight.

Hopefully, our government will start looking out for us and figure out what to do before it's too late.

In Rome, the Americans were quite chagrined at the small portions given in restaurants. Frankly, the food was delicious, and I loved the smaller portions.

I think the reason the Italians keep their portions small, is because food is costly. Wouldn't it be wonderful, if our food suppliers would give us purer foods with smaller portions instead of putting all that fake junk into everything. It leaves such a bad aftertaste.

Oh for the good old days.

Zenovia

OK - bit of Trivia coming up

I hope that Filipe will back me up on this too

In smaller restaurants in Portugal - the sort of ones attached to a bar and family run , where the locals eat and the place shuts about 9pm the menu options are often for Meia Dos and - oops can't remember the name . Being translated that means half portion and full portion.

My favourite place is in the small town of Lamego and Artur's idea of a half portion is about 4 large slices of roast veal [ fabulous ] a huge portion of rice or Chips [ umm translates as 'fries' for you folk] and salad. I well remember the omelette he made for me 1 year when we were there for Easter - everyone else had veal and wine and he made me a plain omelette that must have had 6 eggs - I've never seen anything that size before. That year on Easter Day we ate with his family at night

As you will imagine his Restaurant is normally well attended - the food is simple and freshly cooked and his main clientele is the soldiers from the barracks just round the corner

Oh such memories

Anhelyna