Too Much On Your Plate? Maybe the Problem Is The Size of Your Plate

March 2, 2011 - PRLog -- Too Much On Your Plate?  Maybe the Problem Is The Size of Your Plate. That’s what South Jersey moms Danuta Highet and Roberta Cahn were thinking when they created The Dish Diet - a program that tackles  ongoing issues with diet and portion control. The Dish Diet Program is unique, it focuses on how you eat, not what you eat.

Highet and Cahn, mechanical and bio-chemical engineers, respectively, have long-pondered the impact of growing portions and the effect of excess weight gain on children and adults.  

It’s no secret that dieting is one of the all-American pastimes and yet obesity is fast-becoming the norm, not the exception.  With all the food choices available today, ever-growing serving sizes are the biggest stumbling blocks to healthy eating.

Portion control is key to maintaining a sustainable eating plan. The Dish Diet, a set of specially-designed, patent-pending dishware, takes the guessing out of portion-control and excess calories out of your daily food intake.

“Many diet programs have been in place for decades,” said Cahn, “yet we are getting heavier than ever.  These diets force us to change what we eat.  They make us think about food constantly throughout our day and,  although we may be able make that kind of commitment for a short time and lose some weight quickly, as soon as we go back to our regular routine, we gain all the weight  back - and more.”

The Dish Diet dishware is different than other portion control devices on the market.  Most of those are simply individual portion plates divided into sections for different food groups.  The Dish Diet approach is unique.   It is a program that includes numerically sized dishware that lets you “step down” your calorie intake and  gradually adjust  your portions to lose weight and keep it off.  You start with the largest size and work your way down at your own pace.

AND you can eat your own food.  

Many diet plans make you eliminate some categories of foods. One of the problems with these restrictive food diets is feeling “deprived” because you’re munching on celery while the rest of the family eats a typical dinner.  With The Dish Diet Program, you eat the same food you normally would.   No matter what foods you eat, you just train your body to eat less, gradually.  

“The Dish Diet Program is designed to help you change your eating habits without depriving you of the foods you love,” says  Highet.  “Any eating plan that makes you feel like you’re missing something won’t be sustainable in the long term.  The Dish Diet is not a quick fix weight loss gimmick.  It’s a tool to help you establish healthy eating habits for life.  Weight loss is a result of learning to eat portions that are right for you and banishing the “supersized” mindset.”

According to the American Dietetic Association, eating smarter does not mean you have to immediately go sugar-free and fat-free. You can make a big difference in your calorie intake by just eating and drinking smaller portions. The key is to moderate, not eliminate. Automatic portion size control is a simple way to cut back without cutting out.

In a recent article, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agrees that changing the way you eat can make it easier to eat less without feeling deprived, i.e. use smaller plates so that moderate portions do not appear too small.

Even the USDA concurs that implementing a dietary regimen that can transition an individual into a healthful eating pattern after the “diet” ends is very important. Lifestyle practices that help people maintain a healthy body weight, incorporate the right balance of foods and appropriate portion sizes.

“I’ve tried a number of diets in the past,” says  Highet “and spent hours and hours every week counting calories and points, stressing over every mouthful.  Now with our Dish Diet Program, those days are gone.  No special meal-planning and altered shopping trips.  Even my daughter, who’s been on the program, has lost 25 pounds and has maintained her weight effortlessly for over 2 years”

The Dish Diet Program is for everyone, regardless of age.   One reason that some diet programs fail, is that they are designed exclusively for adults. It is a well-known fact that our children are becoming more and more overweight with each generation.  Poor eating habits are ingrained from a young age - and establishing sound eating habits during youth is critical to maintaining a healthy weight over a lifetime.  Once bad eating habits are established, they become more difficult to break.  The Dish Diet Program can be used to help children develop good portion-control habits from the start and carry that tool throughout their life.

Another bonus of the Dish Diet Program is saving money.  It’s a one-time purchase - period. There are no meetings to attend and no expensive, pre-packaged food to buy.  When it comes to taste and nutrition, nothing can compare to a fresh, home-made meal.  With the Dish Diet Program, you eat your own food  and lose weight.

“You can pay a small fortune for meetings or frozen/rationed meals,” says Cahn, “and chances are that you’ll gain back the weight you lose and have to start over from square one.  With The Dish Diet, if you “fall off the wagon”, maybe while you’re on vacation or around the holiday, you can restart WITHOUT having to spend another dime.  In fact, the whole Dish Diet Program costs less than a month of some other diet plans.”

“All around it just makes sense,” says  Highet.  “We have been trained from a young age to eat what’s put in front of us and “clean our plates.”  Over the years, acceptable serving sizes AND plate sizes have grown bigger as everyone wants more for their money (even if it leads to more inches around their waistlines!)  The Dish Diet Program is a simple, effective plan that helps train your brain and eliminate “portion distortion” leading to a healthier eating routine that lasts.”  

According to the American Medical Association, when creating an action plan for healthy eating you have to remember you’re not “on a diet” – you’re building healthier habits for a lifetime.

“We’re not looking to be the next  fad diet,” says Cahn.  “Our aim is to make a contribution that leads to a healthier world.  Just think, when you need to put a nail in a wall, you use the right tool to accomplish the task.  The Dish Diet program is just that – the right tool to finally get your weight under control.”

For more information about the Dish Diet Program, go to www.DishDiet.com/info.