somebody must know what I mean...

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2

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  • richellecc
    richellecc Posts: 39
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    I am exactly the same way...I make great meals in my opinion, and just drink lots of water during the meal and after, and if there are leftovers I put them in the fridge for the next day. I try to make equal portions for the day I'm eating the meal and the next day, so that I don't over indulge. (I portion my plate full, then put the same amount in Tupperware right away)
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    We know what you mean!!

    If i find myself wanting an extra portion, i think am i still hungry or just want more food? If it's hunger i'll have more if it's just wanting it because it's so damn good i'll tell myself NO, that is being greedy, leave it, i've had enough!!
  • ncgingerich
    ncgingerich Posts: 46 Member
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    I try to fill my plate with what I had planned on my log and put the remainder of the food out of sight... this usually does the trick but this is difficult with "family meals" when I typically leave food out to fill the belly of my 16yr old son. I have also found that eating slowly helps as does making myself wait 20 or 30min before having more. It is that old adage that it takes 20 minutes or so for your brain to register that your stomach is full! Good luck!!
  • helenoftroy1
    helenoftroy1 Posts: 638 Member
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    thank you so much for your responses, they have actually helped a lot.
    I guess it's about reconditioning our brains towards our thought on food. I was brought up being told to eat everything on the plate, and I think I'm constantly battling this, so may be like someone said I should make myself leave two bites everytime and recondition myself.
    I have tried throwing stuff in the bin but I end up just sitting there thinking about it for ages (I know, it's disgusting but it is who I am)
    Sometimes I think it's like an illness this overweight business :mad:
  • madforplaid
    madforplaid Posts: 9 Member
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    I've been doing subtle tricks to help with this. I use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate ( 8 inches round versus 12 inches round) - only vegetables can be given an additional plate/bowl. I've had to give up (and get rid of) all bread/crackers/biscuits in my house and I've replaced them with sandwich rounds (are these available in the UK? high fiber and 100 calories for what is basically two slices - bread is my weakness). When I cook, I do make extra, but before I serve myself, I put the extra into tupperware/plasticware containers and put in the freezer (if it's out of site, it's out of mind). And finally, I have reintroduced to my diet the 16 ounces of water (two glasses) at least 10 minutes prior to every meal. I've found that having the two glasses PLUS waiting a bit makes me much fuller and also is having the strange effect of eating slower. Which is wonderful, yet bizarre, side effect.

    I also have been allowing myself one guilt-free, comfort food meal a week. I have been ensuring that I exercise enough that day to cover the calories, so even though I am being "bad," it still fits in with my daily calorie count. Granted, I haven't tried cake yet (the thought of how many miles I'll have to bike for that is a bit daunting). And, my guilt-free, comfort food meal pretty much consists of CHEESE - lovely, soft, French raw milk cheese - on a yummy yummy whole wheat baguette (that my local bakery will slice super thin for me!). And, I have the added luck of the cheese shop being a 6 mile bike from the house, so it's a result/reward scenario for me!
  • apapandrea
    apapandrea Posts: 30
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    I am completely on the same page as you! I find I do one of two things- if I'm out I pour ketchup on everything (I don't really like ketchup so it makes things unappetizing) and then I know I'm done. If it is a really good meal I made at home that I know I'll eat more of later I will wrap it and put it in the back of the fridge then walk away and do something completely unrelated to food. It takes my mind off of eatting. If I sit with food in front of my that I like I know I'll eat it. Don't worry, it gets easier to make those healthy decisions as you make more and more of them!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    Only put what you will eat on your plate, and the remainder away before you start eating (then you have to go through the process of getting everything back out). input all your meals for the day in the morning, when I put in my breakfast this morning I also put in my snacks and lunch. I did not under budget for the day, and if I am full part way through one of these meals and want to eat for pleasure I already am calorie budgeted. Besides, in my diet I need the calories so that extra couple of bites are not glutenous, they are necessary for me to eat enough calories for weightloss. Now, if you really only need the one piece of toast to meet your daily calorie intake, then don't put the second one on your plate to begin with.
  • helenoftroy1
    helenoftroy1 Posts: 638 Member
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    And, my guilt-free, comfort food meal pretty much consists of CHEESE - lovely, soft, French raw milk cheese - on a yummy yummy whole wheat baguette (that my local bakery will slice super thin for me!). And, I have the added luck of the cheese shop being a 6 mile bike from the house, so it's a result/reward scenario for me!
    Great now I want cheese!!!:cry:
  • webdiva1
    webdiva1 Posts: 326 Member
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    One thing that helps me is remembering that eating something I really, really want (but isn't really good for me), will make me happy for maybe 5 or 10 minutes.

    Eating something I like that's good for me will make me happy for the rest of my life. :)

    I think you're right: so much of this journey is literally in our heads, and old habits die hard. But they CAN change. Hang in there!
  • diverchic73
    diverchic73 Posts: 314 Member
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    I have that problem too... I grew up eating as much as I wanted and everyone used to joke around that I had hollow legs cos I could each so much and it wouldn't show... then I hit my late 20's and working more inside behind a desk... now I'm in my late 30's I've got to get rid of a decade of eating like I did when I was younger only without the young metabolism or amount of exercise. AND I was trained so that the more I like something the faster I'd eat it as the rule was that you got seconds when you finished your first helping and if you took too long there might not be any for you to have seconds.

    So, I've got to undo a lifetime of eating LARGE portions super fast and feeling really stuffed at the end of a meal.

    I now only put a proper portion size on my plate and try to eat it slowly and savour each mouthful. I also will drink a glass of water once I'm done to try and get rid of that 'still hungry' feeling as my brain hasn't got the message yet from my stomach.

    It's still a struggle thought!
  • Hernandezedw
    Hernandezedw Posts: 284
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    I was brought up being told to eat everything on the plate, and I think I'm constantly battling this, so may be like someone said I should make myself leave two bites everytime and recondition myself.

    A lot of people were brought up this way. It's so very wrong. Most of the people teaching their kids this don't even know proper portion sizes.
  • chridow
    chridow Posts: 178
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    I know how you feel! Here are some tips I've learned along the way:

    1. Mentally prepare yourself for how much you're going to eat BEFORE you eat a meal.
    2. Make sure you drink plenty of water, it really does help control hunger througout the day.
    3. Box up/put away extra food you prepare BEFORE you sit down to eat.
    4. Find something to do to keep you distracted and away from the food for at least an hour after eating.
    5. If you throw away food, make it inedible before doing so (e.g. a spray or two of windex). This last one is crazy, but my cousin swears by it. Cupcakes, donuts and other goodies have gotten a spray when she's made an impulse purchase. She'll eat 1 or 2 and then spray the rest before throwing it away.
    6. Don't keep tempting foods in the house. I LOVE cookies and sweets but I stopped keeping them in my house. If I really want it I have to go buy it and usually I'm just too lazy to run to the store. The same with juice, soda, etc. If given a choice between juice and water I'm drinkin the juice. But if there ISN'T any juice I HAVE to drink water.

    Hope this helps, and remember changing old habits is hard and takes time. Try not to beat yourself up when you slip up :-)
  • brocantrs
    brocantrs Posts: 273 Member
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    Willpower!
  • sarahjean0612
    sarahjean0612 Posts: 5
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    Many of us can relate to this conundrum. A trick I sometimes do is to pour whatever I'm drinking over the food on my plate that I dont want to eat, whether it be the remaining portion or something like fries or chips that came with my sandwhich at a restaurant. Trying to just cover the food, or not eat it, or just eating "a few" never ever works for me. Once I see it, or especially taste it, I will devour it. But, once anything's been soaked in a pool of diet coke, it suddenly looses ALL appeal. I learned this trick in college from a sorority sister, and it works great. You may get a few odd looks from people, but who cares? Its worth it if it means reaching your goal.
  • Hernandezedw
    Hernandezedw Posts: 284
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    I have that problem too... I grew up eating as much as I wanted and everyone used to joke around that I had hollow legs cos I could each so much and it wouldn't show... then I hit my late 20's and working more inside behind a desk... now I'm in my late 30's I've got to get rid of a decade of eating like I did when I was younger only without the young metabolism or amount of exercise.

    I just realized, yesterday, that I wasn't "lucky" when I was younger. I was the same way. Ate as much as I wanted and people would say I'm so lucky because I don't gain wait. "Just wait till you get older" they would say. Now I laugh. I wasn't lucky. I just worked my *kitten* off doing things I enjoyed. Basketball, Football on the streets for hours. Exercising several times a day. There was no luck involved. If I knew then, what I know now, I would like to have told them they were just lazy.
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
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    I don't leave food and I don't share food... I make really good, tasty food and damned if i'm giving it up!

    So, saying that, I buy most things that are easily divided in to portions and I only cook enough to fit in to my allowance, then I eat every single bite short of licking the plate! I've come to realise that i'll never be the type of person to have small portions or leave food, so I just cook what I can eat and then I don't feel guilty about eating it all because it fits in to my allowance. It's working for me!
  • mamaboobear
    mamaboobear Posts: 52
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    I second the shoving gum in your mouth and RUN away from the food!!! Portion control is my biggest downfall but this is the one trick that has helped me tremendously!
  • Jenalyn
    Jenalyn Posts: 17
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    Have you tried an appetite surpressant of some sort?
    I've found that drinking a cup of green tea (or taking a green tea capsule) half an hour before I eat helps with over-eating and its a natural surpressant.
  • ChezInProgress
    ChezInProgress Posts: 25
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    It might also be about the quality of food you're eating. Salads are always a great meal. They generally aren't calorie heavy so you can grab several servings. But the good thing is at least for me, is I'm less likely to grab for a second or third serving. Grilled chicken is also excellent for this.
  • helenoftroy1
    helenoftroy1 Posts: 638 Member
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    Have you tried an appetite surpressant of some sort?
    I've found that drinking a cup of green tea (or taking a green tea capsule) half an hour before I eat helps with over-eating and its a natural surpressant.

    omg, I've just realised! You are amazing! I stopped drinking green tea three days ago cos it was too hot, and this is the first time in a long time that I have wanted to eat although I'm full. I could hug you!!!!!!!!!!
    I'm boiling the kettle now!:flowerforyou:

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