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Greetings, Star McDougallers! Thanks for being here. During your weightloss, did you restrict portions?

From my heaviest to my becoming a Star McDougaller, I did not do any portion control. In fact, I am a volume eater and ate very large quantities of food. However, I emphasized whole plant food of relatively low calorie density.

Recently, I have been trying to become less of a volume eater, and my experiments could be called volume control, although I would disagree. I don't think that there is any question for somebody obviously very overweight that no portion control is necessary or advisable.

The stats on relapse for portion control diets are very bad. By changing to a healthy lifestyle as recommended by Dr. McDougall, you won't have to think about portion control.

Because I am extremely analytical by nature (I'm a chemist) I have run experiments from time to time where I have tracked my calorie intake. This, of course, has required measuring food. The last such experiment was to see if I could feed myself on $3 a day and still get enough calories and nutrients to maintain my weight. But I do these sort of things strictly for my own edification, not because of any requirement in the plan.
The easiest way to alter the program if you fail to lose weight is to shift to less calorie dense foods. For example, eat a large salad, followed by some steamed veggies, followed by a starch-based entree. By 'top loading' with veggies you naturally eat less of the calorie dense foods without restricting.
Kate

The purpose of my diet was to solve a range of inflammation problems ... http://anti-itisdiet.blogspot.com/2007/ ... ation.html

I was not trying to lose weight. I did not want to lose weight. Still, within a year or so I lost 30 lbs. My Body Mass Index dropped below 17 at one point and I have struggled to raise it.

I never used portion reduction. I stuffed myself at every meal. However, I was very limited in which kinds of food I could eat to avoid aggravating the inflammation problems: http://anti-itisdiet.blogspot.com/2007/ ... ution.html

and now this: http://anti-itisdiet.blogspot.com/2010/ ... i-eat.html

I am a "volume eater." I eat three huge meals -- 5 am, 11 am, and 6 pm -- with absolutely nothing between meals. Measured by sight, I eat about 60% starch, 10% vegetables, 30% fruit. I would prefer to eat one meal per day, but I can't get enough calories that way. So, I need three meals.

My conclusion is that if you are eating the right kind of foods and in the right ratios, you don't need to waste time measuring portions. Eat until you are full, and eat as often as you want for your lifestyle.

No. Portion control doesn’t work for me. I spent years trying. When I started McDing it wasn’t easy for me to give up that control. As a matter of fact, it was hard! I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a “diet” but a lifestyle change.

What I came to understand was that foods had control built into them and that I no longer had to try and do that myself. All I had to do was pick the right foods.

If you haven’t seen Jeff N’s posts on calorie density, please read them. Understanding this was very important to me. Calorie counting/portion control doesn’t work. Calorie density does.

When I went to Costa Rica, the very first day Dr. McDougall had lunch with my group. There was a gentlemen who was talking about losing weight. Dr. McDougall looked around the room at the tables and tables full of food and said, “stay away from the avocado and the desert table and you will.” I looked around and thought, “can’t get much simpler than that.” That's when I finally truly let go of my old habits which never worked for me to begin with.

So I choose my foods carefully and then just eat. When you’re eating MWL you have a ton of foods to pick from. Doing so, I have come to peace with food and experience a freedom that I never thought possible.

Donna

I could hardly believe when Dr. McDougall said that we do not have to do any portion control. I eat (and ate while I was actively losing weight) as much as I wanted of MWL plan foods. I have even eaten beyond feeling full, which I don't recommend because it is uncomfortable and can interfere with sleep, and so on, but I still made my way to a healthy weight.

I do have an idea of the volume I eat, because I know what size bowls and plates I am using and I am aware of how many helpings I am having, but I don't limit it. If I am still hungry after breakfast, lunch or dinner, I just have some more or something else of on-plan food.

I do exercise control if I have flour products like bread, and high-fat things like avocado, but those are occasional bites of food, because I follow MWL.

Donna (dlb) had a great insight, that the foods have the portion control built right into them. And I want to reiterate her suggestion to read Jeff's posts on calorie density. It is an eye-opener, and a rule of thumb you can use for the rest of your life.

Thanks very much, I appreciate all the great answers. I've been finding it hard to trust in the concept (as I'm sure many lifetime dieters do) and it helps to hear everyone's experiences.

Portion control, smortion control. I eat like a pig. The great thing about MWL is that I can do that and lose (in the past)/maintain (now) weight. WHOO HOO!! That's why this is such an awesome WOE!