Slow eating/mindful eating

Jensenwellington

Hello community :-)

I wanted to know if anybody can tell me their experiences with eating slowly, combined with serving your food on a smaller plate.

How has that worked for you? I have so far lost 40 pounds by going vegetarian and I am loving it! But like many on here, I still need
to drop about 22 pounds to reach a goal weight at around 130 pounds (on a 5'7 frame). I am somewhat active on a normal day, walking around 5 miles a day 4 days a week (12,5 min a km).
The thing that stops me from losing more weight is the amounts I eat. I eat till the point where I cannot possibly eat more, and because I am a vegetarian I think it is "okay" to eat more of the other things. This way I eat way too much. I also have a problem with chocolate consumption but that's a problem for another day :-)

My question is:
Has it worked for you guys to serve on a smaller plate and then eating slowly?

Good luck to you all, it's worth the fight!

AnsiStar

My family's plates were MASSIVE so I started using the side plates (which are probably the size of a normal dinner plate - lol!) but I did find it made me eat less than my parents and I was still full and satisfied at the end of the meal I definitely recommend it

As for slower eating, it's better for your digestion to chew your food too mulch before swallowing. I try to do this and to enjoy every flavour - but I hate it when hot food has cooled a bit. Needs to always be piping for me!

phieaglefan

I struggle with the slow issue. I've always been one to eat til I was full. The problem is, I have decided that it takes me longer than the end of the meal until I'm full. I need to walk away feeling slightly deprived. Then 10 to 15 minutes later, I realize I'm full. Had I kept eating, I'd be stuffed. But when you're not actively thinking about that, or if something tastes particularly good, it's hard to do.

As for the plate issue, I admit I generally use a full sized plate. I probably shouldn't, and your post has reminded me that those smaller plates fit in the dishwasher better!

Jensenwellington

AnsiStar: Thanks for the advice, will definitely think about chewing a longer time. Maybe the two can be combined? Chewing more and also slower :-)
I will from today, serve my food on a smaller plate. I like the thought of eating less of the "real thing" to not feel deprived, I think that is a part of achieving a better relationship with food as well. Prevent the binging.

Phieaglefan: They really do! It does not take the same amount of time to clean the plates (I am a student, so no dishwasher here) :-D
I agree with you. It is definitely something physiological, because I think the body IS full even before those 15 minutes, but you have to feel it. Maybe even learn it and make it a habbit? Because I believe you are full and satisfied, you just have to tell yourself and I guess this is where the real struggle begins.

AnsiStar

I struggle with the slow issue. I've always been one to eat til I was full. The problem is, I have decided that it takes me longer than the end of the meal until I'm full. I need to walk away feeling slightly deprived. Then 10 to 15 minutes later, I realize I'm full. Had I kept eating, I'd be stuffed. But when you're not actively thinking about that, or if something tastes particularly good, it's hard to do.

Have you tried drinking plenty before and during your meal? It'll help you fill up a little more and feel less deprived.

AnsiStar: Thanks for the advice, will definitely think about chewing a longer time. Maybe the two can be combined? Chewing more and also slower :-)
I will from today, serve my food on a smaller plate. I like the thought of eating less of the "real thing" to not feel deprived, I think that is a part of achieving a better relationship with food as well. Prevent the binging.

Just pop on your plate your usual serving and let it pile there precariously. Really does look like a monster of a meal even though it's just the same as normal! Works especially well with pasta/noodle/rice dishes I think All that psychology!
Or it also works in the way you listed, in that your portions will decrease like the plate size has. Though if your portions are normal I wouldn't worry about that. Just go for the smaller plate to make the portion appear bigger rather than actually cutting what you eat

Jensenwellington

AnsiStar: Thank you again. I will give the smaller plate a shot hoping it will make a difference :-D

Hexahedra

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/health/23real.html

lizardcave

I try to actually slow down to enjoy what I'm eating, rather than scarf it down. I also forced my family to actually SIT at the table and eat food together, rather than us all vegging on the couch. When I'm distracted while I'm eating (reading a book, watching TV), I mindlessly eat and then all of a sudden I look at an empty plate and think, "when did I eat that?"

pwnderosa

I absolutely think this has been a huge aid to my weight loss! I eat most of my meals on a salad plate and I often try to make them look pretty as I serve my food, it just increases the enjoyment and I have read it can be helpful to increase your satisfaction with meals.

I also have some little tiny plates about 3" around that I serve my snacks on, it makes it a little more special.

I've never been a super fast eater but I have sort of trained myself to eat even slower, especially when it comes to desserts, and high calorie treats like cheese. Mostly I take really tiny bites and try to savor those foods, often sipping on water or tea between each bite to slow me down more. My coworkers laugh at me that it can take me an hour to eat a cookie but that is one tasty hour for me and it keeps me to just one cookie that I really enjoy rather than wolfing a bunch down fast.

Jensenwellington

Hexahedra:
Thanks! Been looking for relevant readings about the subject :-)

Elcmum:
Exactly! But have you ever noticed that it can have the opposite effect as well? The last couple of days I have been eating slooowly while watching tv or browsing the web and I have experienced that I then take longer to eat. I don't know if it works as much as when you sit down and actually eat while paying attention to your food like you do but it surely has an effect on me :-)

Pwnderosa:
I think that is so true. Did you also come from a family where the pans and containers were brought to the table instead of the food being served on a plate and then brought to the table? I think by serving it neatly on smaller plates (as you describe) the whole experience becomes much more enjoyable.
I would love to have that ability! To spend that amount of time on eating a cookie :-D Especially treats can throw me off the waggon so that would be awesome to learn.

benol1

Hello community :-)

I wanted to know if anybody can tell me their experiences with eating slowly, combined with serving your food on a smaller plate.

How has that worked for you? I have so far lost 40 pounds by going vegetarian and I am loving it! But like many on here, I still need
to drop about 22 pounds to reach a goal weight at around 130 pounds (on a 5'7 frame). I am somewhat active on a normal day, walking around 5 miles a day 4 days a week (12,5 min a km).
The thing that stops me from losing more weight is the amounts I eat. I eat till the point where I cannot possibly eat more, and because I am a vegetarian I think it is "okay" to eat more of the other things. This way I eat way too much. I also have a problem with chocolate consumption but that's a problem for another day :-)

My question is:
Has it worked for you guys to serve on a smaller plate and then eating slowly?

Good luck to you all, it's worth the fight!

Hi Jensen,

I think smaller portion sizes are the way to go. If you are used to large portion sizes then start to reduce portion size. You'll probably feel better, have more energy by not filling yourself up at every meal.

As for the mindful eating, I am much more in favour of being mindful of our impulse to eat. I know for myself that rarely it has to do with real hunger but some sort of emotional or mental trigger. Just by being aware of it rather than responding to it habitually by going to the kitchen will be helpful.
You might want to also check out the group "MFP Buddhists" which has a thread or two on mindful eating.
Wishing you all the best,

Ben

kbeech06

LOL...this reminds me of my family. Growing up, we would spend hours cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and within 20 minutes we would all be stuffed! I honestly think we used shovels instead of forks! I still have that bad habit. Hubby will ask me if I even tasted my food. I try very hard to slow myself down now. Dinner/tea time is time for us all to talk, and discuss our day so I find participating in the conversation really helps me to go slow. I try to stop between each bite, take a sip of water...you know enjoy my meal...not just scoff the lot on my plate like someone is going to take it from me before I'm done!:laugh:

Izzwoz

I have managed to learn to stick to portions - simply by measuring out portions when I cook. So instead of just grabbing a load of pasta and chucking it in the pot, I weigh up two portions (for myself and OH) and cook, same with sauce, same with everything. Once ready, it gets divided out onto plates (I find size does not matter for me ;-) ) and once it is gone, it is gone. There are no leftovers, no seconds (unless I portioned for that to put in the freezer when I divide out the portions).

I am still struggling with eating slow and focusing on what I eat, rather than just wolf it down, but I manage sometimes. Thing is, the simple fact that the single portion is all that is there to eat helps me to stick to it. I also found out that I must have dessert, something sweet after dinner, otherwise my meal does not feel complete (childhood habit I guess). So I now reserve a few cals for a biscuit, a yogurt or a piece of fruit to have - weirdly enough it doesn't even need to be the chocolate mousse as I had thought all those years! ;-)

I also found drinking plenty of water throughout the day (and if it helps, before a meal) useful to differentiate between hunger, thirst and cravings ... if I feel I haven't eaten enough, I drink a glass of water or ice tea (homemade, sugar free), that mostly seems to do the trick!

russellbrand69

I found a few things helpful for main meals:

1) Turn off the TV - but for me, I like music on
2) Set the table so it's really nice (napkins, proper place settings)
3) Put a nice big jug of iced water and drink lots of it, before and during the meal
4) Take time to eat and enjoy every bite

I find I enjoy what I am eating so much more now.
I never, ever eat standing in the kitchen anymore - I serve everything. Even if it's only a piece of dark chocolate and a cup of mint tea I will make sure it looks nice and has a little plate.

Jensenwellington

Benol1:
Thanks for the advice! Will look at that.

Kbeech06:
Exactly. I also grew up eating quickly, I would be told to finish my meal already! So that stopped me in eating slowly and listen to my stomach essentially giving me a bad relationship with food. But I am getting better at it :happy: Thanks

Jensenwellington

Russellbrand6:
I also like something going on while I eat, maybe the trick can also be to not have too much focus on the fact that you are eating? If stuff has been served on a plate and portioned correctly losing a bit of focus won't hurt too much, aye.

russellbrand69

Russellbrand6:
I also like something going on while I eat, maybe the trick can also be to not have too much focus on the fact that you are eating? If stuff has been served on a plate and portioned correctly losing a bit of focus won't hurt too much, aye.

It was strange turning the TV off at first - I always liked something going on while I ate too.
I grew up with the TV always on, plates in our laps as we ate. On the rare times we ate at the table I would read the paper or a book.
But I quickly got used to no TV on - so much so that I stopped turning it on at all, even outside of mealtimes. I cancelled my satellite TV subscription a couple of months ago.
Try music instead - we listen to BBC radio 6 in our house while we eat

IAteBethDitto

Hmmm. I don't know what to think about this because I've always eaten very slowly and still managed to pack on loads of weight!

We now practice rigid portion control in our house, and we use small plates (or Chinese rice bowls) anyway.

The whole eating slowly thing is, in my experience, most useful in restaurants. Normally everyone else has finished and are twiddling their thumbs while I'm still going. I usually give up out of politeness well before I'm full!

But to the OP: I can relate to your issue with fullness. To be completely honest, to lose weight I've had to let go of my desire to feel very full.