Leftovers Are Known to Cause Weight Gain!!

johnnylakis

This is the single most detrimental thing to losing weight. Many of us were taught to clean our plates and not waste food. That somehow would benefit the starving children of the world. As a result, we feel obligated to finish meals, even if we are full. Something that worked for me was throwing away any food left after a meal. What did this accomplish?
1) I lost weight. Fact is, you eat less, you lose weight.
2) Taught me how to cook smaller meals and avoid unnecessary weight gain

Iron_Feline

Nope, eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain.

Either cook smaller meals as you have learnt or learn to fit leftovers in to your plan the next day.

I never waste food if I can help it, and it's not hard to work out how to turn it into another meal or fit it into your days plan.

Ridiculous statement is ridiculous. It is most certainly NOT the most detrimental thing to losing weight. :noway:

Sevendust912

I think the biggest factor of weight gain among Americans is that fact that so many people have zero idea about portion control and have zero idea about nutritional content of what they are eating, and many of them are clueless as to how to lose weight (half assing it for 20 minutes on the eliptical doesn't burn 1000 calories), cals in/out, etc. etc. etc.

The information is out there, people just choose not to research the topic, and that is why Americans are so fat.

Another huge factor is laziness and the ability of people to make excuses as to why they can't do something, but that's a whole different topic to discuss.

ItsJordanNicole

Leftovers do not cause weight gain. Measure the food that you put on your plate. Eat it, track it. Don't throw perfectly good food in the trash. Save it for later. Eat it, track it.

darrensurrey

ItsJordanNicole wrote: »

Leftovers do not cause weight gain. Measure the food that you put on your plate. Eat it, track it. Don't throw perfectly good food in the trash. Save it for later. Eat it, track it.

Agreed. Eat it later. Or cook less (in the first place).

MakePeasNotWar

That's not leftovers, it's just overeating.

Leftovers is having the remainder as another meal/snack, and there is nothing at all detrimental about that. I eat leftovers all the time, because i am too lazy to cook twice a day. Why throw it out if I can have it later and save myself the trouble/expense of preparing another meal?

I certainly agree that overeating is a one way ticket to weight problems, but leftovers are the only thing that keeps me from eating microwave dinners and take out 5x a week.

auddii

If you have leftovers, you didn't clean your plate, and you're eating fewer calories and portioning your food. How does that make you gain weight?!

Serah87

LOL......yep leftovers made me fat!!! They put a gun to my head and made me eat it. *rolling eyes*

RGv2

Leftovers are......... known.......to cause weight gain?



Possible we may have a different definition of leftovers.

jgnatca

IF there were a single detrimental thing the obesity epidemic would be resolved by now!

I cook for two, and most recipes are for four. So this is how we split it up. He has two portions, I have one. I package up the final portion (leftovers) for lunch the following day. No wastage, and no overeating!

Chinese proverb, "Eat only until you are seven parts full" (i.e. 70%)

I will say that with my smaller stomach, I eat slowly and I must push away the plate as soon as I am full. It is darned hard to push the plate away when there are two or three bites left. It seems like such a waste. But full is full.

lemurcat12

johnnylakis wrote: »

This is the single most detrimental thing to losing weight.

For me it's a very helpful thing. I make dinner intentionally to have leftovers, so there will be something to bring for lunch the next day. Also, if you think in terms of leftovers, it makes it easier to just cut a serving size in half when eating out (although I don't always bring those home). Some leftovers are more of an issue--I try to avoid them when I do pizza or Indian food, since one night in a week is fine, but I don't need three meals of it.

If someone has trouble not finishing everything on the plate, the trick is to put less food on it to start (if at home) or think of it as "for later/leftovers" even when on the plate.

JazzFischer1989

What a waste. Why not just take a reasonable portion that you know you'll be able to finish? I mean, we're all adults now, we can decide what does or doesn't go on our plates.

I like to cook in bulk but I always make sure the amount of food I prepare can be divided into portions that I can finish within a few days.

Sabine_Stroehm

Leftovers lead me to EAT LESS when I eat out. I eat what I need to eat. I eat the rest at another meal. Voila.
Leftovers lead me to EAT LESS and eat more healthfully when I eat at home. I cook enough for a few meals. I eat home cooked, nutritious meals for several days. Voila.

SideSteel

I'd say the opposite is more true than the claim you're making, OP.

For restaurant food, eating less than the serving size and taking some home (rather than wasting it which is silly) is likely to lead to better weight management.

Additionally, preparing food in bulk to intentionally create leftovers is a very smart move because it allows you greater convenience throughout the week. This is especially important for people who tend to make poor food choices when they are stressed out and pressed for time. Think about the times you get home from work, or you are on the way home from work and you think "crap I don't have time to make something "healthy" so I'll just hit the drive through" or order a pizza or whatever. Preparing food in bulk (or having leftovers) is a great thing in this circumstance.

ana3067

Womp womp.

malibu927

Throwing away leftovers is wasteful. You can use it as lunch or even dinner the following day if you don't feel like cooking again. And if you're logging it accurately, how would that make you fat unless you're going over your maintenance calories?

esjones12

I always cook extra to save time later! Throw on an extra fish fillet and some extra brown rice and a veggie. Bam - lunch the next day! If you are measuring your portions then leftovers will not be an issue with weight management.

hortensehildegarde

Agreed on the points made in the replies, but I will say that for me for a long time not letting things go to waste often lead to eating things I didn't want (and didn't need the calories from). I did need to change that habit.

Now I just freeze a crap ton of stuff. I think I have 2 loaves of bread in the freezer from months ago. I still hate throwing food away, I just learned I don't have to eat it and how to work around my preference to not waste food without turning myself into a trashcan.

And I just ate about 1000 calories of leftover yams from Thanksgiving (they were made with what must have been the guts of a pecan pie on top), but it fit within my daily calories!

cwolfman13

johnnylakis wrote: »

This is the single most detrimental thing to losing weight. Many of us were taught to clean our plates and not waste food. That somehow would benefit the starving children of the world. As a result, we feel obligated to finish meals, even if we are full. Something that worked for me was throwing away any food left after a meal. What did this accomplish?
1) I lost weight. Fact is, you eat less, you lose weight.
2) Taught me how to cook smaller meals and avoid unnecessary weight gain

How about making yourself a more reasonable plate of food that is consistent with appropriate serving sizes for you. How about instead of being wasteful with your money and your food you repack that food for later rather than throwing it out.

I always cook extra so that I can have leftovers for lunches and whatnot later in the week...somehow, magically, I lost 40 Lbs eating leftovers.

It would seem the issue is portion control, not leftovers. And yes...I always clean my plate..because my plate contains an appropriate amount of food on it.

Kalikel

Did you mean "seconds", like going back for a second plate during the same meal or within a short period of time?

Or did you really mean "leftovers", like "I cannot eat an entire potato, so I'll put the rest into Tupperware containers and have some for dinner tomorrow and the next day?

I eat a lot of leftovers. It hasn't hindered my weight loss in any noticeable way.

rbfdac

Perhaps our definitions of leftovers are different. I actually LOSE weight eating leftovers. Make a healthy meal, eat a portion, then eat the leftovers the next day.

WinoGelato

I just want to commend the OP for posting a topic that has garnered fairly consistent responses (dissenting with the OP) among a diverse group of individuals who rarely agree on anything...

I agree with those who questioned the term "leftovers" because again, I think many find that saving a portion of their food for later, whether by design or because they are too full to finish in the first sitting, can be quite an effective weight management technique.

I almost always cook at least one extra portion of protein, and try to get at least 3 servings out of a side dish that is meant for 2 (like rice or pasta) and then throw in a single serving bag of frozen vegetables - this is the perfect lunch for me for the next day. I don't bring the bread or wine to work obvously, but it can turn my 800 cal dinner into a 500 cal lunch the next day. Saves me from running out to lunch or hitting our less than stellar work cafeteria...

erickirb

Leftovers make for the best lunches the next day

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Actually, just make extra so that you have a full servings of left overs. Put in fridge in individual serving size container. Eat for lunch later and avoid going out to eat.

Butrovich

So, using this logic, if I drink one shot of vodka and have vodka left over in the bottle, this makes me more drunk?

SWEET!

summer8it

I think I eat less because I embrace the concept of leftovers. I'll often find myself looking at my plate and thinking, "I could stuff this all in, but if stop eating now this will be a good portion of food to have for a meal tomorrow."

If I do find myself with just a small amount of food left over, it's time to get creative. Soups are great for using up little bits of random leftovers.

SmartAlec03211988

But food is always better the next day... plus I practically live on leftovers and have lost like 80 lbs.

Sabine_Stroehm

Kruggeri wrote: »

I just want to commend the OP for posting a topic that has garnered fairly consistent responses (dissenting with the OP) among a diverse group of individuals who rarely agree on anything...

I agree with those who questioned the term "leftovers" because again, I think many find that saving a portion of their food for later, whether by design or because they are too full to finish in the first sitting, can be quite an effective weight management technique.

I almost always cook at least one extra portion of protein, and try to get at least 3 servings out of a side dish that is meant for 2 (like rice or pasta) and then throw in a single serving bag of frozen vegetables - this is the perfect lunch for me for the next day. I don't bring the bread or wine to work obvously, but it can turn my 800 cal dinner into a 500 cal lunch the next day. Saves me from running out to lunch or hitting our less than stellar work cafeteria...

LoL. It could be a first, however captain thread crap hasn't arrived. He will probably agree with the OP just to be contrary.

eganita

johnnylakis wrote: »

This is the single most detrimental thing to losing weight. Many of us were taught to clean our plates and not waste food. That somehow would benefit the starving children of the world. As a result, we feel obligated to finish meals, even if we are full. Something that worked for me was throwing away any food left after a meal. What did this accomplish?
1) I lost weight. Fact is, you eat less, you lose weight.
2) Taught me how to cook smaller meals and avoid unnecessary weight gain

I don't understand this. I cook for 2 people and typically make a meal for 4. We use the leftovers for lunch the next day. I don't understand throwing away food like that - why not save it to eat another day? It sounds wasteful.

WinoGelato

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Kruggeri wrote: »

I just want to commend the OP for posting a topic that has garnered fairly consistent responses (dissenting with the OP) among a diverse group of individuals who rarely agree on anything...

I agree with those who questioned the term "leftovers" because again, I think many find that saving a portion of their food for later, whether by design or because they are too full to finish in the first sitting, can be quite an effective weight management technique.

I almost always cook at least one extra portion of protein, and try to get at least 3 servings out of a side dish that is meant for 2 (like rice or pasta) and then throw in a single serving bag of frozen vegetables - this is the perfect lunch for me for the next day. I don't bring the bread or wine to work obvously, but it can turn my 800 cal dinner into a 500 cal lunch the next day. Saves me from running out to lunch or hitting our less than stellar work cafeteria...

LoL. It could be a first, however captain thread crap hasn't arrived. He will probably agree with the OP just to be contrary.

I know, I kind of figured by posting that I would jinx the thread, but who knows... it could be a Christmas Miracle!

concordancia

So, really, not having leftovers is what you are saying causes problems?