Sweet contentment

Jane Brody’s ‘controlled indulgence’

By Jessica Sherifdeen

November 1, 2007

"Controlled indulgence" is Jane Brody’s key to maintaining a healthy weight. The New York Times health columnist wrote this week that nixing sweets and other high-calorie foods can lead to binge eating; instead, portion control is the solution.

Don’t ban your favorite foods altogether, she says, but eat just one serving and indulge a little every day. Brody does not count calories or keep a food diary, but she checks her weight daily and adjusts her diet accordingly.

There’s hope for those who’d care to indulge — especially in the wake of Halloween — if they follow Brody’s lead of sticking with her philosophy of “limitation, not deprivation.”

“I don’t cut my treats,” she says.