Portion Control

Although my "boys" are big fans of those all-you-can-eat buffets, I find them challenging. Can you really just take one plate and be satisfied? How can you not sample just about everything -- including that soft serve ice cream (even though there is nothing special about it)?

I've learned through my various weight-loss endeavours that it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the signal from the tummy that it is full. That's why, when we don't "rest" after that first plate, we are painfully full later when it all catches up to the gray matter.

If we learned to slow down, take a breather and maybe even control our portions, we could avoid that pain. That feeling of being overwhelmingly full.

I get those feelings in real life, too.

I'm a "yes man." I don't say no to second helpings and before you know it, my plate is full and I am feeling overwhelmingly full. Or usually, just overwhelmed. And emotionally, it is painful. It's stressful.

After some gut-busting buffets, I have learned my lesson and am getting better. But once in awhile a request catches me off-guard and I find myself saying yes before my brain can acknowledge I am already "full."

Today, for example, I found myself driving up to a conference in Rhinelander because, at the last minute, they needed someone to go who has gone before and could escort two others who were unable to drive. Although I had several thoughts throughout the day of "I wish I were home with Jim and Carter," I realized I had a purpose for being there. And, despite the fact I was gone from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., I was glad I went. I saw some old friends and learned a few things.

The most valuable lesson I took away occurred in the lunch line -- for a buffet coincidentally. The man in front of me was talking about when we take on too much. When our plate is full. I said, yep, I know all about that. My plate gets too full and too heavy, eventually I can't hold onto it and I drop it and it crashes. He said that used to happen to him, too, but then he had a talk with his Higher Power.

He said, "God asked me, 'You like having your plate full don't you?' And I said, 'Yes, it fulfills me to help others. But I end up taking on too much' And God replied, 'Then get a smaller plate!'"

What a good message. I can say no and tell people my plate is already full. They don't need to know the size of my plate. Plus, I have to keep a little space open for that ice cream.