There’s no need to counting calories or weighting food if your food selection is right.

When it comes to portion size, remember that less is more: our bodies are designed to feel better and live longer when we stop eating before we get full. Our stomach should be about 80% full.

Also, there’s a 15 minutes time delay until our stomach and brain get in sync. Which means, only after 15 minutes after we stop eating does our brain realize that our stomach is full. So eat slowly and in smaller plates and eventually refill after 15 minutes, to make sure you don’t get stuffed too quickly and feel discomfort.

How should your ideal plate look like?

• Have plenty of fruit and vegetables – 50%;
• Eat protein foods, ideally more vegetable protein while limiting the animal protein intake – 25%
• Choose whole grain foods – 25%
• Make water your drink of choice.

Note, since it is “ideal” it does not include the 20% of “the best of the rest”. But with the Diet of the Common Sense, you can replace up to 20% of the foods you like, although they are not necessary very healthy (the yellow and red food categories).

See also:

Principle 1: Start every day with breakfast;

Principle 2: The 80/20 principle;

Principle 3: Adjust portions size;

Principle 4: Remember 5 meals/day;

Principle 5: Sip water all day.