When I was a growing up, my mom and grandma always said to me, “Boy, you’re not getting up from that table until you clean that plate!” 

As I’m sure you know, they didn’t literally mean clean the plate, but to eat everything that they put on it. If we tried to say we were full and we didn’t want anymore, then they would turn on the guilt trip by reminding us of all the hungry kids in the world that had nothing to eat. Well that was a long time ago, and I seriously doubt that there are many moms doing that today. Over the past several years, I have coached numerous patients who are overweight and/or diabetic. Most of these people struggle with trying to control their weight and their blood sugar. It never really occurred to me, until recently, that a contributing factor to this diabetes and obesity epidemic in our country could be because so many people might still be doing what their momma told them to as a child, and they might still be on that guilt trip that their mom or grandma put them on. That may or may not be true, but I do know this epidemic could be slowed down if we collectively, as a country, decreased our portion sizes in our everyday meals. A good place to start would be in restaurants, since we are eating at home less and less in this country. When we go out to eat as a family I am amazed at the portion size of the entrees. Click here to this article which highlights a study that found over 96% of restaurant entrees exceeded USDA limits on calories, sodium, and fat! When I was a kid growing up in the 60s we didn’t have that problem. We ate out very little, and what we did have to eat at home rarely filled a plate. So if we actually did do what Momma said and cleaned our plate, then we didn’t have to worry about becoming overweight or getting diabetes. The portion sizes were small, and on top of that, once we finished eating we ran outside as fast as we could to play, burning off all the calories we had just eaten. With the portion sizes that are being served in meals today along with the sedentary lifestyle, it is no mystery that we are seeing the amount of obesity and diabetes that we see. So I want to encourage you today! You can do everything else your momma told you to do, but stop trying to clean your plate, and stop living in guilt if you don’t. You can eat less and here are some recommendations  to help you do just that.

First if you’re eating a meal with someone else, share an entree! Most of the time when my wife and I eat out, we choose an entree that we both enjoy and split it, and we always leave the restaurant full! Second, if you don’t have someone to share a meal with, order off the appetizer menu and maybe a side salad to go with it. Third, if you want an entree to yourself or you and your dining partner can’t agree on one to share, ask for a takeout box, eat half then, and save the other half for lunch tomorrow! If you will follow these recommendations then I have no doubt that you will begin to feel better, lose a little weight, save a little money, and if you have diabetes, you will probably get better control of your blood sugar.

If you start looking better, feeling better, and living a more vibrant life, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about making momma mad about not cleaning your plate. I would imagine momma and everyone else in your family would be overjoyed with the new you! If you’re interested in starting your own fitness plan or having a health coach help you achieve a new level of wellness, then please fill out the contact form or click on the “Ask Dr. Phil” Microphone!  Also just below here is an email signup box to sign up for our monthly newsletter if you haven’t already! All you have to do is enter your email address and press enter. In our newsletter is a recap of selected blogs, a funny story, patient testimonials, product reviews and a money saving coupon code for products in our online store!

One last thing! There is an exciting product I recently discovered that you may be interested in. This product can provide a genetic nutrition and fitness assessment based upon your unique DNA and lifestyle. Click here for a short video detailing the assessment. If you’re interested in achieving a new level of wellness, then please contact me through the channels above! Also just below here is an email signup box to sign up for our monthly newsletter if you haven’t already! All you have to do is enter your email address and press enter. In our newsletter is a recap of selected blogs, a funny story, patient testimonials, product reviews and a money saving coupon code for products in our online store!

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