After a two-hour drive home, I walked into my house, and the smell of a home-cooked Passover meal immediately greeted me.
Classes are over, and I don’t have a final for another week, so I decided to come home to spend the holiday with my family.
I was anticipating this meal all week. The homemade matzo ball soup, baked chicken and salad occupied my mind when I didn’t feel like studying.
In my mom’s typical fashion, she made enough food to feed an army, but there were only eight people eating dinner. But just because there was so much food in front of me, didn’t mean I had to eat every last bite. Besides, I wanted to have leftovers to enjoy for the rest of the weekend.
Portion control is a huge part of being successful with weight loss. You have to know when to stop eating, even the healthy stuff. Too much of anything is not good for you.
I could have continued eating all night. My mom cooked all of my food favorites, and everything was delicious. However, I controlled myself and only ate one serving of everything.
On my ride home from Gainesville, I made rules for myself to control how much I was going to eat. I told myself I would not come back for seconds. I stuck to it. One portion was all I needed, and after sitting for a few minutes before jumping back to the buffet, I realized I was full.
After most family holiday dinners, I feel full my maximum capacity. But tonight I didn’t feel that way. I felt satisfied but not stuffed. By controlling my portions I didn’t deviate from my health and fitness goals.
And the best part will be eating the leftovers tomorrow.