Should You Clean Your Plate

Many of us were brought up with the concept that we are not allowed to leave the table until we finished all the food on our plate. While this was done with the best intentions, it is not the way that we should look at eating. You don’t need to eat everything that is on your plate.

If you’ve had enough to eat you should stop whether there is more food available or not. Stop eating and put that excess food into the refrigerator. If you are constantly finding there is additional food left on your plate, simply reduce your serving size, as long as you ensure that you are eating adequate protein, healthy fat and vegetables (as per Naked Nutrition or Precision Nutrition)

Also don’t feel obliged to eat all the food that is placed before you when you’re eating out. Even then you should only eat to feel comfortable and not feel full.

Where possible put the food on your plate that you intend to eat at any particular meal and then take that plate with the food to the table. This will encourage you to put limits on the amount of food that you will eat. Having additional food available at the table only encourages you to eat more. If it is not in sight you are less likely to feel the need to eat it.