There’s something to be said for this new dietary plan that I’ve been on since the new HMO sent me their handbook. One thing that can be said is that I’m hungry a lot more of the time, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. If you’re full all the time, you’re probably eating too much. I didn’t need a handbook to tell me that.

The compensation (such as it is) is that I get to eat more often, because I’m eating smaller portions. That’s part of the gospel they preach. When you look at the food pyramid, at first you get the impression that you can eat a lot of good stuff, maybe all day every day. But no, that’s wrong. Regrettably, eleven portions of bread and cereal doesn’t mean six hero sandwiches and five bowls of Corn Pops (believe it or not).

So I’ve been conscious of the size of the portions I serve myself. One egg: one serving of protein. One chicken breast: way more than a single serving. And besides being a healthier way to eat, the system also saves on groceries. I can stretch leftovers over a much longer period of time if I don’t bolt them all down the next day.

I still have one big meal a day, but it’s not nearly as big as it was before I got the handbook. And now I have lots of little meals, all day long. Half a bagel with nothing on it, for example. An apple or a banana. I’ve managed to stay off the snack foods that I used to eat just to keep my hands busy more than to ease my hunger. No more cookies or chips, not even a granola bar these days. Less oil, not as much sauce, and hardly any butter at all. It’s a grand life, it is.

So far I haven’t felt much difference in my body, but it’s doing wonders for my attitude. It’s a good thing, too, because that’s the only way I’ll ever convince myself it’s worth it to keep this up.