Buffet Dining and Portion Control

In America, our "more is more" culture has had a tremendously negative impact on our health. “All you can eat” is not "all you SHOULD eat"! Unfortunately, ridiculous portions have now become the norm, and decent portions would be considered puny or a "rip-off." Normal size plates have been replaced with buffet plates — and there’s a true correlation there with a healthy-size waist being replaced by a buffet-size waist!

Fortunately, the key to fighting this is simple — eat less. Reconsider living by “more is more,” and return to the original “less is more.” Take a cue from the French, who enjoy a wide variety of foods — a little salad, four ounces of protein, a small portion of rice or potato, beautiful vegetables, and a small sampling of cheese.

The key is to keep it small and light: Enjoy a square or two of chocolate rather than a whole king-sized bar. If you’re eating out, consider having the waiter wrap up half of your (generally absurdly colossal) dinner before it’s even brought to the table.

Need a little help figuring out the right portion sizes at home? Here’s what you should be eating from various food groups at a given meal.

• Protein. Six ounces of protein (about the size of two decks of cards) is the recommended portion size.
• Carbs. Usually the most overeaten of all the food groups! Rather than heaping spoonfuls of mashed potatoes or pasta, consider a half cup of whole-grain carbs .
• Vegetables. Remember to round out your meal with as many non-starchy vegetables as you care to eat. There’s absolutely no reason you should be walking away hungry.
• Fruit. Eat this insulin booster as a snack in between meals — not as part of the main course. The only exception is berries — you can eat a handful or two with a meal as “dessert” every once in a while.

We’ve been raised on huge portions. Therefore, you’ll have to pay close attention to the guide above every time you sit down to eat until you can automatically train yourself to know what a healthy serving size looks like. Then, once you get the concept of reasonable serving sizes under your belt, you’ll find that what’s under your belt is a happy thin body!

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