~ My favourite weight loss aid ~
By Claudienne Peterson
Looking to lose weight or at least fend off weight gain during the holiday season? There are sooo many little tips and tricks one can do; but here's one people find hard to deal with: the doggy bag! Oh how humiliating it is! But if you can get over it and past it, this simple, little act can help you shed pounds.
Dinner time is one of those times when the pounds really go on. (Just research it!) And now that we're in Holiday mode, many of us are in fear of "feasting mode." Here's the deal; if like myself you LOVE food and can't stand to ignore, neglect, let go, or reject that delicious pecan pie, juicy ham, gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni pie (with its creamy, garlicky, cheesy yumminess), Johnny cakes, etc., etc., well, here's what you can do – doggy bag it! Why? Don't sit there feeling full, tired and guilty as you undo your belt. This is unnecessary. All you have to do is doggy bag your food when you've reached the point of satiety. Get to know this feeling if you don't already; when you get to feeling full, which isn't the desired feeling, just STOP. Stop and throw away or put away what's left over on your plate or what's still lingering on your mind.
Why shouldn't you go ahead and just finish your plate off? Well, if you're full, you're already past the point to stretching your stomach. You've probably heard this before, but to keep your weight down, or to lose weight, it's best to eat portions as large as your fist. Right! Let's just start with lessening your portions; digesting better leads to better everything. Your body needs time and a lot of energy to digest food. At night, your body needs that rest to restore itself, why put it through the extra hard work of digesting food as well? Do you really feel rested after overeating at dinner? Probably not. Think, be aware, listen to your body after a heavy night of eating. How do you feel when you wake up the next morning?
I remember feelings of tiredness, heaviness, grogginess, not being alert, almost like a hangover, but this from food. Also when I did get hungry in the morning, it was a huge hunger, which didn't make sense to me. Wasn't my body supposed to be happy with ALL the food I had eaten the night before? From having stretched it past its limit, it now wants MORE – a habit/practice where weight-gain starts to happen, for sure. I am also aware of doggy bag etiquette; you don't HAVE to ask for a doggy bag, you can word it differently. And you can't always ask for one at every type of dinner (best at casual dinners with really close friends, it depends), especially at a stranger's home for many reasons, but restaurants are fine. Once you've figured it out, enjoy!
Going green!
Doggy bags can play a large part in going green as stated in one article I read from the BBC: "They are hoping it will help reduce the amount of waste in the UK – a typical restaurant annually throws away 21 tonnes of food, the weight of three double decker buses," according to the government's advisory body Wrap.
Hmmm, interesting! I understand it is not yet part of some cultures to ask for a doggy bag, but if it will help do the environment some good and...hmmm...can help save you money, why not change your mind a little bit for the sake of the greater good? The same article continues: "However, modern-day etiquette should involve a good dose of common sense. Common sense should tell them that food should not be wasted and that asking for a doggy bag makes sense." My thoughts exactly. Guess what will happen if I can't complete a large portion of my favourite meal tonight? I'll doggy bag it and enjoy the rest guilt-free tomorrow!
P.S. – Check out that article I mentioned; it inspired me to go ahead with this one: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15106212
