Haunting Leftovers

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amdarosa619
amdarosa619 Posts: 98 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Firstly, I have to say the quality of what I eat is good, but I struggle with the quanitity (portion size).

For example, when dining out, I almost always pack half my meal in a to go box, but when I get home, although I am not hungry, those leftovers haunt me until they've been eaten! Why is that? Does anyone else have this bad habit?

Another example is when I prepare my meals for work. Sometimes I take a little extra to have for lunch, then for my afternoon mini-meal...but once I serve myself half the portion for lunch, I itch to return for seconds and clean the tupperware....I drink tons of water to distract me, and try to keep busy with other things, but the leftover cravings are the strongest cravings and temptation for me. Anyone?

Replies

  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    I do the same thing at times too. If it is dinner and late.. I'm good about putting it in the fridge. My advice is not very frugal..but i say leave it on the plate. Or just split with someone else.
  • Runhard13
    Runhard13 Posts: 138 Member
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    as long as it still fits in the grand scheme of things theres nothing wrong...some days your over your budget some days your under..and by exercising in between your "banking" calories anyways...either to be burned for weight loss or used for cheat days. its how you end up at the end of the week that matters
  • BarbraP44
    BarbraP44 Posts: 35 Member
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    Chew gum! I find that "IceBreakers" helps me to get over those cravings or the desire to finish it all.
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
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    It is ok to leave the uneaten food on the plate. It can't bother you, then.
  • amdarosa619
    amdarosa619 Posts: 98 Member
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    I understand your point about looking at the bigger picture, but I really would love to kick this mental habit! Anyone who was born and raised into a latino or european culture knows you are raised to feel guilty about any food left over on your plate, "you have to eat everything! There are starving children in this world!"
    Now that I'm an adult, I have a little more control with the mind over matter thing, but I still dont like being wasteful. What I need to do is control being able to save the 2nd have of my meal for when Im actually hungry, and not just because it's there.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Have you tried eating until you're satisfied and don't want to eat anymore? I think finding a way to eat that doesn't require will power and self control is a much easier way to go about this. If you need to clean your plate to be happy, clean your plate! Just make sure what you're eating will keep you full for hours so you don't overeat.

    Eating large meals 600 - 900 calories each a couple times of day works really well for me (it has to be low carb, real food -- I can eat massive amounts of starchy or processed foods and still be hungry). I'm completely full and satisfied and then don't eat again for another 5 - 7 hours. Good luck finding a way of eating that's easy for you to stick to. :)
  • vivianamiami
    vivianamiami Posts: 35 Member
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    I understand your point about looking at the bigger picture, but I really would love to kick this mental habit! Anyone who was born and raised into a latino or european culture knows you are raised to feel guilty about any food left over on your plate, "you have to eat everything! There are starving children in this world!"
    Now that I'm an adult, I have a little more control with the mind over matter thing, but I still dont like being wasteful. What I need to do is control being able to save the 2nd have of my meal for when Im actually hungry, and not just because it's there.

    Totally Understand. I was made to feel guilty about all the starving children in Africa, if I did not leave a empty plate. Maybe filling up before the meal with a couple of glasses of water or a nice salad? Just a suggestion.
  • shrinkingbrian
    shrinkingbrian Posts: 171 Member
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    When I go to restaurants, I don't take home leftovers. I guess I'm more of a food snob and a little wasteful but I just don't care for leftovers. I try to enjoy everything that I put into my body. When making meals at home, I also throw out leftovers because I don't think they taste very good the next day. I would rather spend a little more money on food that I like and not eating everything.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    I hear you. I grew up with american Jewish parents who had European families. My paternal grandparents, especially my grandfather, knew really hard times, poverty, hunger. Although they were successful in America, those old thoughts and habits stayed with them. I km new someone whose parents were both Holocaust survivors, this person, although he was wealthy and did not lack food, literally COULD NOT walk away from food.

    Being aware is step one, and an important step. Figuring out how to deals - you have to make some changes. Maybe don't take home the leftovers?
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
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    Sometimes I take a little extra to have for lunch, then for my afternoon mini-meal
    Can you just eat a full lunch and skip the afternoon mini meal?

    As for the restaurant leftovers, I don't know what to say except that I generally don't feel that way if I eat things that are filling. But then I make food to eat on for a week so there are usually leftovers in my fridge. Is it just specific things that you crave or everything?
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
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    This is one reason I prefer to eat out for lunch, so if I get the leftover munchies I can just eat them for dinner and it usually works out in the macros. I am not a grazer by nature, so I can't speak to that aspect of it. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a great book if you are looking to gain control over your habits.
  • amdarosa619
    amdarosa619 Posts: 98 Member
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    Sometimes I take a little extra to have for lunch, then for my afternoon mini-meal
    Can you just eat a full lunch and skip the afternoon mini meal?

    As for the restaurant leftovers, I don't know what to say except that I generally don't feel that way if I eat things that are filling. But then I make food to eat on for a week so there are usually leftovers in my fridge. Is it just specific things that you crave or everything?

    I try to eat 5 mini-meals throughout the day as opposed to a couple large ones because I am trying to train my painfully slow metabolism. It also helps me from over-eating when I get to munch every couple of hours...

    And, thats exactly it 'shanna'! Its not a craving, or that Im hungry. Its really just more of a mental fixation I have on the extra portion sitting in the tupperware in the fridge, or smal to-go box from a meal I just finished 30 minutes prior! That mental fixation doesnt go away until it's been cleaned...so annoying, right?
    Thank you for the book suggestion 'endoftheside'. Sounds like an interesting read!

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