Aaharmatra....How much should I eat?

We are always confused about how much should we eat? People browse different websites, run behind dietecians, follow someone or other's diet plan and sometimes end up with fad diets, monodiets , keto diet etc. Having certain limited calories is okay but it has more negative effect on your mental health, as  you don't feel satisfied . 
    
    Actually no one can tell you the exact portion of food that you need because it is only you who can wisely decide it. We should not eat too much or too less than our body needs as both the situations are not good for health.

Our digestive power is not same, according to that you have to adjust the amount of food intake. 

Factors affecting digestive power include:

• Seasonal variation - in rainy season(Varsha ritu) Agni(digestive power) is poor whereas in winter(Hemant ritu) agni is Tikshna or strong.
• Age wise variation- in kids and elderly people digestive power is less.
• Character of food you are eating - Some foods are easy to digest and some are difficult and heavy to digest. 
• When you are upset you don't feel like eating (mental state)
• Any disease state
• Active or sedintery lifestyle

So , the amount of food intake is a subjective thing. It is not possible to daily have same amount of food.

If we divide our stomach into 3 parts, solid food should be 1 part, water and other liquids 1 part and leave 1 part empty (for vata,pitta, kapha doshas)

How to decide the right amount of food?

• After meal you should not feel any heaviness or pain in abdomen and chest.
• You should not feel any difficulty in breathing, speaking, laughing, walking, sitting and sleeping.
• The food you had in morning should digest by evening and which you had in evening should digest by morning.
• Healthy growth and healthy appearance should be maintained.

In case of sweet and carbohydrate rich food i.e. pishtanna , have it only if you are hungry and that too in  less quantity and have double amount of water, so that it can digest properly. 

What happens when we eat too less?

1. Loss of strength
2. Stunted growth
3. Dissatisfaction
4. Bloating
5. Loss of health of skin, sense organs etc
6. Vatavyadhi  e.g. joint pain
7. Loss of potency 
8. Debility

What happens when we eat too much?

1. Vomitting, diarrhea
2. Pain in abdomen, loss of consciousness
3. Fever, thirst, intoxication
4. Indigestion, heavinessin body
5. Vata, Pitta and Kapha get vitiated

So be wise, think about your digestive power and then take your portion.