Everyday Systems

Hi,

I'm very new to No S and was wondering how you manage eating out?

My husband and I often dine out for his work and will have multiple meal courses (not including dessert). The portions are usually very small (we currently live in Asia), but obviously they don't all come on the one plate.

How do you manage this? Do you just estimate the amount of food that would have fit in a plate and not eat beyond that?

Many thanks!

Welcome!
Reinhard calls this "virtual plating", and it works exactly as you describe - imagine the size of a reasonable plate and don't eat beyond that.

If you are very new to No S, I'd suggest not worrying too much about it for the first few months. Do your best to virtual plate when you go to these work events, but don't get hung up on it. If you're on habit for several months and not seeing any results, then you can consider work dinners as one area to tighten up.

I am very bad at virtual plating - most times when I try it I end up over eating. Also, human brains are funny things; seeing that empty plate can give my mind the "full and done" feeling, regardless of how much is in my stomach.

Thank you for the welcome and the quick reply. Much appreciated. I will give virtual plating a try, many thanks again!

There are two ways to address this:

The rule about one plate is the practical application of No Seconds. Technically, you aren't taking seconds but rather eating a single serving of each course. Since the small multiple courses is a culturally grounded way of eating that historically hasn't resulted in high rates of obesity in Asian cultures, I think you are safe.

The other suggestion involves getting a take out meal which would usually be served in courses and then plating it at home so you could actually see how much fits on a place and adjust your meal accordingly.

Blithe Morning wrote:There are two ways to address this:

The rule about one plate is the practical application of No Seconds. Technically, you aren't taking seconds but rather eating a single serving of each course. Since the small multiple courses is a culturally grounded way of eating that historically hasn't resulted in high rates of obesity in Asian cultures, I think you are safe.

The other suggestion involves getting a take out meal which would usually be served in courses and then plating it at home so you could actually see how much fits on a place and adjust your meal accordingly.

The third option is just not to worry about it. One plate is something that works well with American meals and not so well in other parts of the world. Do what works for you where you are.

weebly wrote:Hi,

I'm very new to No S and was wondering how you manage eating out?

My husband and I often dine out for his work and will have multiple meal courses (not including dessert). The portions are usually very small (we currently live in Asia), but obviously they don't all come on the one plate.

How do you manage this? Do you just estimate the amount of food that would have fit in a plate and not eat beyond that?

Many thanks!

The French virtual plate as part of their lifestyle (multiple courses, three times a day.) They're not fat or on diets.

Exactly so. For these precise cultural reasons, the concept "one plate" has no meaning for me, so I've "translated" it to : "a medium to small (according to appetite) portion of everything". It works quite well.