Today we will continue an overview of my acronym for good nutrition – BLESS. We started last week with B for eat BETTER; L refers to eat LESS.

I have always enjoyed O’Henry’s short stories, but one of them makes me sick to my stomach. For the past nine years, a rich elderly man had been treating Pete (today we would call him homeless) to a Thanksgiving feast in the story, “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen.” As Pete made his way to their annual rendezvous, he is swept into the home of two wealthy matrons who had instructed their butler to seize the first wayfarer who passed by to join them for a bounteous dinner. Leaving their mansion a short time later – stuffed – Pete felt obliged to follow tradition. A few hours later, both men end up in the hospital – Pete from gross over consumption and the gentleman from a case of near starvation. True to the irony of O’Henry’s tales, the rich man had fallen on hard times and had not eaten for several days although he had managed to save a few coins (this was set in 1907) to provide Pete with the ritual meal.

Many of us have probably experienced both some degree of true hunger and over indulgence. Hunger is not usually self-inflicted as is gorging. The average volume of the human stomach (which varies widely) is about one liter or a little more than four cups. However, it is possible – though not recommended – to extend the stomach to a capacity of more than one gallon.

Worldwide, there has been an increase in the number of overweight and obese people by more than 145 percent since 1980. Many health professionals consider the obesity epidemic in America to be the greatest medical issue facing our country. We live in a culture of “all you can eat, free refills, endless appetizers, and supersize that!” Restaurant portions are often two (or even more) serving sizes according to nutritional guidelines.

We set up buffets and encourage our guests to “eat up” and partake of seconds and thirds.

Children are instructed to clean their plates, even if they lament that their tummies are full. We really need to debunk the idea that with food, more is better. Here are just a few ideas to help you develop a mindset to eat LESS.

• Learn recommended portion sizes (meat, fish, poultry – 3 ounces; cheese – 1 ounce; bread – one slice; pasta, rice or potato – ½ cup, etc.) and when cooking at home, prepare only one serving per person.
• Practice this response to use when your host encourages you to have another slice of pie (or any other tempting food): “It was delicious, but I just could not eat another bite.”
• If you still feel hungry after eating a meal of appropriate portion size, wait at least twenty minutes before reaching for seconds. It takes this long for the chemical messengers released by your stomach that make you feel full to react in your brain. So if you wait, you may refrain from refilling your plate.
• When eating out, plan to take one-half of your entrée home. Ask for a take-out box when you place your order, and “divide and hide” before you begin eating.
• Small is a lovely word. If you have a choice between “small or large” of anything on the menu, order small. It is an unfortunate fact that “large” is usually the better monetary value, so take into consideration the positive health effects of choosing the lesser amount.
• Memorize this Chinese proverb: “The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor.”

Next – eat EARLY.