Reteaching yourself not to eat everything on your plate

irishgal44

Thanks, Yolanda - great ideas. I like your suggestion of having the to-go box taken away. So glad I created this thread because I really feel like I'm getting some good ideas.

:flowerforyou:

irishgal44

How do you do it? I'm not sure why I have it programmed in my mind, but I have that mindset. I am fine when I eat at home - since I just give myself smaller portions - so I can eat everything and it's fine since I'm eating far less than what I used to. HOWEVER, when we go out to eat, I cannot get past the mindset of leaving it. If there's something like a basket of buns, I can leave them alone...however, if there's something in front of me - a salad, fries or whatever, and it's on my plate, I have a really hard time just leaving it on my plate when I'm full. I know this is really one of the only obstacles I face when it comes to success...any tricks? I've heard of getting your "to go" box in advance (done this, and then I end up picking at the food inside the box!!)...any other ideas? I really, really could use advise here. And for those who have been in my shoes, how did you overcome it, learn from it, etc, etc.

I am seriously jealous of those who leave food on their plates when they get full. I know it's a learned behavior (something I learned from my parents)...and I want to teach my 3 kids in their growing years that leaving food on their plate is ok - don't want them to deal with this some day. I just need the tools it takes so that I can be a good role model to them.

Thanks in advance!!

love it when you said I end up picking at the food inside of the box. Thank you for your honesty. I do the same exact thing. What I do, and this may only work for me because I am a germ freak, I will eat half of my food, then I will stack another plate on top of my food, or a bowl, or whatever is on the table. And I always throw my napkin on top of my food. In my head, I now see the food as contaminated and I will not touch it. I know someone that will get a straw full of water and dump it on her left over food as well, that way she will not touch it. Maybe these tips will work for you?

I hate germs too - I think this is exactly what I will have to start doing. I'm not much of a leftover type person anyhow (unless it's pasta). I'm going to try this next time for sure - like the stacking a plate on top of it idea - cause the napkin might not work - LOL...A straw full of water is great too.

anulle2009

i use a smaller plate, and i have taken the advise from a lot of articles to never put the food at the table but leave it on the counter. you think harder about getting up for seconds. that has helped, also i had seen it mentioned if you are at a resturant when they bring your food ask for a to go box and put half in it and set it aside.

AdriGirl

I can get hung up on the flavor... "it will never taste this good again" and keep eating it. So, often times my husband and I share a plate. If my husband isn't in a sharing mood, I cut things in half and eat till the line. If I am still wanting to eat after the line I will take a break, drink water etc.. then come back to it, or I give it to my husband. If I catch my self picking at the food, I push it away, and I say I need to stop - sometimes out loud "I'm done". Once a week I have lunch with a coworker, and I make it a point to order small and I do the napkin over my plate trick once I get full.

There are also times at home where I will take half of what I want. If I decided I want the other half, I take a break - if its on my plate - if its in the kitchen I have to get up. Sometimes I will split the half thats left with my husband.

Marinaclare

I struggle with this big time! I used to eat food in order of what I liked, starting with what I liked least, and that meant I always finished my meal! Not a good idea! Now I do it the other way around!

Also, at the start of my meal, I try to get what I don't want to eat OFF my plate! I normally give it to my boyfriend and that way, both of us win! lol

RGPargy

If i'm eating something i'll think of how many calories i'll save if i dont eat it all. Then i will weigh what i've not eaten and work out how many calories i HAVEN'T eaten! Obviously i do this at home, not at a restaurant!

irishgal44

I can get hung up on the flavor... "it will never taste this good again" and keep eating it.

EXACTLY!! LOL...maybe my problem is because I don't like leftovers so I feel I should truely enjoy all I have in front of me. Because thinking back, when we do Italian (which I do like in leftovers) I somehow find the strength to leave half, knowing I can enjoy the rest the next day for a meal. But when it comes to a steak, or fish etc, I eat it all because i know I will not have something like that in front of me for a long time again. I think you nailed it on the head here...and something I have never thought of before at all...I thought it was maybe how I was raised- but maybe it's not that (or all of that) but more along the lines of "it will never taste this good again" or "It will be a loooong time until I get to do this again". However, the feeling of guilt afterwards far out weighs the feelings of satisfaction when it's all said and done. :sick:

kittyloo123

for me when eating out, i like to pre-plan the meal in my head. What exactly i can order, that won't bust up my diet for the day. Also it gives me something to look forward to. If you don't know where exactly you are going, you can think about say if i go for chinese, i can order this..if it's mexican, i can have that.. Maybe, i just like thinking about food.

irishgal44

for me when eating out, i like to pre-plan the meal in my head. What exactly i can order, that won't bust up my diet for the day. Also it gives me something to look forward to. If you don't know where exactly you are going, you can think about say if i go for chinese, i can order this..if it's mexican, i can have that.. Maybe, i just like thinking about food.

I have never been able to do this. Ever. I have tried, but when push comes to shove (really, there's no pushing or shoving...more like volunteering - LOL), I get that "I never do this/only live once" mentality and order what I want. I've learned to accept this flaw...so if I'm going to give into it, I need to take the next step of learning how to not eat all of it. :laugh: I'm going to put a dirty plate on my 1/2 eaten food next time we go out. It will work. I know it will.

Terrible confession #23,542: ever drive in your car and eat 1/2 of something and throw the other 1/2 out the window? I have done this with our local deli's cranberry muffins. I love them - however, they are not worth 650 calories for breakfast. So I will eat 1/2 and then unroll my window and throw the other 1/2 out (cause otherwise, I will eat it all). My husband is a police officer and so I make sure only to do this when he's not around. :devil: No worries people - I throw the wrapper in the garbage...just the muffin goes out the window. hehehehe

suzieqdiva

So, personally I have decreased eating out.. caz when I do.. I get into trouble with portion control or binge eating. Last time I was great by ordering salad & drinking tons of water before the food arrived... then ordered food to go of my favorite food:sad: which I binge ate after coming home.. was swimming in fat.. did not stop me none:(

So till my self control muscle gets stronger.. I need to stay away.

But I read in Tosca Reno's Clean Eating book.. that stuck with me... ask the waiter to plate half the portion & dogie bag the rest!

Good luck.