How can I change my eating habits?

peacelovegore
peacelovegore Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Growing up, we always had to finish our plate, so now I have clean-plate syndrome and can never stop when I'm full. We also always had an open pantry full of snacks so I never had to wait when I was hungry, food was always there. We stopped eating regular family meals when I was around 12, so I began snacking all day, hungry or not. Now I feel like I always need food and I crave it all the time. How can I start only eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full?

Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Use a smaller plate, or do not fill your regular plate so full the first time. Measure out your food.
    Get healthy things to snack on, you can eat a whole lot of carrots or celery (or insert favorite raw veggie here)
    When you go out to eat, ask for a to-go box at the beginning of the meal and put half of the entree in it before you start eating.
  • shed50kg
    shed50kg Posts: 69 Member
    It sounds like you are eating very similar to what I was, just eating all the time especially snacks like potato chips, cakes and sandwiches which were my downfall.

    I started a lifestyle change on the 1st May 2013, so only around 11 weeks ago. And, in reality it has not been that difficult ; - ) and I have lost 4kg and already feel better. Mind you, I am 145kg ; - (.

    I think the key is, you MUST be motivated and determined to achieve your goal. No point in starting if you are not going to make the changes for good. I think it is important to make a lifestyle change rather than go on a diet if you want to maintain your goal weight. You can still eat things you like but just eat them as a treat rather regularly.

    Things to get you motivated are, you will feel much fitter, you will be healthier, you will have longer life span, you will have time to spend with your loved ones and you will get a buzz every time you lose a bit weight or you start to feel fitter.

    You will find lots of help on here at MFP and you get pretty fast responses to your posts which is good.

    Good luck
  • memecm
    memecm Posts: 5 Member
    I can understand that problem... But when I started on here at 1200 calories and for the first week or so . WOW what I shocker. When I realized the stuff I was eating and where it was heading . It was easy to start watching and not giving up what I liked but cutting back and now after 4 months, its easy to figure out what I can and how much it should be.. Yes I have cheat days and sometimes go over but the next day its back on track . If you are having something special (cheatday, cookouts etc) instead of heaping take a small amount of it and adjust it on here (ex instead of 1cup of potato salad have 1/4) saves calories. Good Luck
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
    Chew your food longer.... drink a glass of water before meals (1/2 hr prior). :smile:
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
    You could limit yourself to 3 meals a day. Plan them, portion them, eat them, and then stop.
  • Vansy
    Vansy Posts: 419 Member
    Put less food on your plate -- I noticed yesterday that if I eat a meal in front of the TV at home I tend to want to grab a snack afterwards. Needless to say I'll now be eating my dinner at the table with the TV turned off.

    It's all about recognizing your problems and fixing those -- if you snack because you're bored, get up and do something. If you eat too much because you eat in front of the TV, don't eat in front of the TV anymore. If you have to finish your whole plate, serve yourself less food and don't go back for seconds.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    If you plan appropriately sized meals to fit your calories, macro- and micro-nutrient goals then clearing your plate won't be a problem.

    Buy a scale. Learn what a portion size really is. Stick to it.

    It really doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.
  • rajathwalharris
    rajathwalharris Posts: 101
    totally agree with the post of pre-preparation of your foods.....that will decrease the need to binge or snack on things...
    I know how you feel though, as growing up....I was taught the same thing, finish every morsel of food on your plate.
    Also, a smaller plate as another post said. Good luck!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    If you're living on your own, change your shopping and cooking habits first. Can't eat what isn't there. :smile:

    Since you're young, and probably still live with your folks, don't think of it so much as changing your habits, as starting a NEW habit. And that habit is to plan your daily meals and snacks ahead of time, and sticking with it. That's how the food diary works best, when you use it to plan what you eat, instead of just recording what you eat.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    I say..start with the basics..and better habits seem to form naturally as you make your way. It is easier than trying to make a total about face change.

    So first, stick to your calorie goals and drink your water. that is doable. Then realize if you exercise.. you get to eat more. so maybe you'll want to do that. Then something natural and easy happens...you just make that connection that you can eat anything you want.. not just all you want...and if you go over your calories..you can exercise your mistakes away.

    I have done this... and since really committing myself in the span of a month.. I find I can eat smaller portions..leave food on my plate..or just split things with people. I also put snacks in my house that taste great and are not high in calories. it is a metamorphosis. .

    btw.. i don't weigh myself right now..but i can tell the fat is falling off. :)
  • RedwoodCoast
    RedwoodCoast Posts: 107 Member
    Weighing and measuring is essential, as mentioned already. For me, the key was to set my macronutrients (mine are 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat, but you can set yours differently) and then pre-log my meals and snacks for the day so that they're within calories and distributed across the macros the way I want them. The phone and iPad apps show you a nice little pie chart, so when I'm figuring a day from scratch, I enter the food on the computer and check the pie chart on the phone (quite an operation!). Then, of course, you have to weigh and measure when you actually fix and eat the food.

    Pre-logging creates a critical distance between the point of decision and the point of temptation... not that temptation doesn't win sometimes, but the strategy really increases the odds of being able to resist.

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