Portion Control
Come to grips with this now: one plate of food is your indulgence. Think “color”: more makes for a healthier plate. The goal is to enjoy lots of low-calorie, high-density foods, packed with nutrition — like leafy greens, beets, carrots, bell peppers, garden salads, figs and grapes. At least half of your plate should contain vegetables and fruit. One-quarter of the plate is for starch: the sweet potato dish, rice, one whole wheat roll, for example. Protein — turkey, ham — should comprise the final quarter of the plate. Maintain these ratios and you’ll not only maintain decent portion control but also not succumb to post-meal bloat. Dessert isn’t a complete no-no. Just be sure to shave those calories from the other quadrants on the plate and consider sticking with fruit pies. They tend to have fewer calories than the pecan, chocolate or Key lime pies.
