Nothing is more satisfying to see all the hardwork that you put into making that delicacy vanish in the blink of an eye. But only the last scoop of that “chicken bharta” is left in the bowl. You offer everyone but they refuse as they are already bursting to full. As Indians, we are culturally ingrained not to waste food. Thus you go ahead, even though your stomach is screaming in full protest and take in that last spoonful. Kind of a regular event, right?
But in your mind, you know it too well that every spoon of calorie counts. Let us consider that while trying to prevent waste, you take in that extra scoop. Let it be a 100 calories. If everyday it happens, it adds upto be 36500 calories a year. It takes 3500 extra calories to gain an extra pound of weight. Lo and behold, in a year you are 5kilos heavier. Woah!! Too much to take in that adds up in your waist. To let you deal with it we have the easiest method with the ‘WAIST’
1. WAIT
It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send a signal to your brain that you are full. To prevent over-eating, try to stop eating when that feeling of fullness starts.
2. ASSESS
Deal the problem like a pro. Don’t cook too much to begin with. Estimate the amount of food you need to prepare. It takes time and practice but soon you will be an expert at it.
3.IGNORE
Leave someone else’s food alone. If they have wasted it, it’s their problem not your. You are done with your meal.
4. SERVE
Serve small portions of food. Don’t pile up. You can always add up later if you require. It becomes harder and more tempting if you have piled on too much.
5. THINK
Leftovers can provide you with excellent foundations for your next meal. There are always creative ways to deal with it. Well, if you have run out of ideas, best way to use it is to feed it to a street child. That will also lighten you up.
Don’t worry. If nothing works, it is not the end of the world. You will get it right the next time both for the sake of food and your body.