Importance of Proportions

April of last year! . . .

. . . I went to Olive Garden with my mother and sister for lunch on a nice, sunny, weekend afternoon. Desiring to keep my calorie intake in check, I ordered a lasagna with grilled chicken from the Lighter Italian Fare menu.

My plate of fancy lasagna was smaller than expected, but I enjoyed my last bite with a surprisingly full stomach. From this tiny experience, I absorbed the fact that proportions really do matter. 

In restaurants, calorie intake not only depends on what I order, but also on how much I eat. The bigger the plate, the more I eat. Conversely, The smaller the plate, the less I eat. It's a simple concept, but sometimes we forget and have to refer back to basics. Controlling how much I have on my plate can control my proportions as well as my body. 

I try to keep this helpful principle in mind, especially when eating out in group settings or eating at a buffet. However, I count these social times as exceptions, as long as my food consumption does not become close to gluttony.

As a rule of thumb, just remember the cliché saying: You are what you eat! (This includes amount of food).