How to deal with "cleaning your plate" syndrome?

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LenaFlood
LenaFlood Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
I do pretty well when I make my own food but eating out is difficult because I was well-trained to clear my plate and, well, portions are just too big at almost every restaurant. Does anyone have any strategies for this?

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  • coaoalo
    coaoalo Posts: 104 Member
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    "Clean your plate" before you start eating. Look at the food when you get it and decide what is a suitable portion. Get all the extra food off your plate. Then you can eat all the food left, clean your plate and not feel guilty/ overeat. You might have to ask for an extra plate for the extra food but I've found that my SO doesn't complain if I just put it on his! :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    you all aren't allowed to take leftovers where you from?
  • honigbubble
    honigbubble Posts: 22 Member
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    Move to the UK, the portion sizes here when you eat out are pitiful!
  • AmigaMaria001
    AmigaMaria001 Posts: 489 Member
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    When I place my order, I ask for a "To-Go" box brought to me WITH my meal. I always stress WITH MY MEAL PLEASE. Then I leave the choices pieces of food on the plate and place the rest in the box to take home. I usually get two or three extra meals this way and never fear over eating
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    when ordering your meal ask the server to bring out a to go container with the meal or better yet ask them to put half of the meal into the container for you if you cant trust yourself to pack up before you eat. I make sure I order close to portion size as I can when going out and skip breads, potatoes and pastas at restaurants. Instead I request to have a double portion of vegies with my lean meat of chicken or steak and side salad with dressing on the side that I will dip my fork into instead of pouring it on the salad. I agree the portion sizes are way too big at most restaurants. Its a trend now unfortunately. Another suggestions is to ask if you can get a half order or if the cooks can weigh out and measure the cut of meats for you before cooking. I have done this. I am always asking for no oil or butter on my sauted vegies and fat trimmed off of my steaks/pork. It helps to know the menu and nutritional info for the foods you order before you go. What I do is go online and make a plan according to what will fit in my calories for the day. THis is why applebees is my favorite place now. cant beat two for twenty as far as price and good steak meal with broccoli. yum
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    Share meals, split whatever you have and put it in a to go box from the beginning, order off menu so you get the foods you know you need and avoid having the temptation sitting in front of you, and pre-plan what you're going to eat before you go into the restaurant.
  • yankeehen
    yankeehen Posts: 3
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    i also have a problem with wanting to eat what is on my plate, at least until I feel too full. Here is a suggestion from my diet group-if you can't get the food off your plate make it unpalatable. Empty the salt shaker on what you don't want to eat,, pour coffee or ketchup or whatever on it, cover it with a napkin. Sounds gross but may work.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    I am also this way. A lot of times I order smaller entrées or a la carte items so I "can" clear my plate.

    When I dine out, I'm usually headed somewhere else afterward and/or not close to home (on a trip for example) so I very rarely take home any part of my meal. I see a lot of comments on these forums about having the server box up half the food ahead of time, or asking for a box right at the start of the meal -- I don't think badly of others who do that, but I personally feel awkward doing so, like it's a bit of a hassle for the server. However I'd rather see someone box up food to take home than order a huge meal and eat two bites and waste the rest. I don't know why I care, honestly, it's just a thing with me.

    If I am with my husband, parents, or very close girlfriends I offer them whatever I don't want and a lot of the time it's stuff they do want (rice, noodles, an egg roll that comes with the meal) so that works out well. When dining with coworkers or people I am not close to, I just mentally set aside whatever item(s) I am not going to eat but kind of like other answers you've received, I find it important to do this mental "arranging" BEFORE I start eating.

    For some reason I also don't care for the idea of making things unpalatable by shaking salt onto them and other methods, but in more casual restaurants with paper napkins I've covered the rest of my food with the napkin when I was finished eating, and that helped me keep from "picking" while waiting for others to finish their meals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Yeah, eat half and box it up...plate clean.

    Also, my wife and I often split entrees when we're eating out.

    Eat out less and just enjoy those times you do go out.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
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    I used to have this problem, but I am over it now. :yawn:

    I like the suggestions about asking for a to go box with your meal. For me though I travel a lot so not an option. I have re-trained myself to not eat it if it doesn't fit. Usually though I modify my meals enough that by the time I get them they all fit my macro's. The only meal I cannot do this with is pizza so I just don't have it as often and when I do I know I will go over unless I can order accordingly, or make the pizza myself so it fits my macro's.
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member
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    Not sure if this is your hang-up, but mine was "waste." So I tell myself, it can go to waste in the trash, where it can't hurt me, or it can go to "waste" in my body, and turn into excess fat. The excess fat will make my clothes not fit, and cause all sorts of problems, so that "waste" is much worse.
  • astroophys
    astroophys Posts: 175 Member
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    Share meals or ask to keep the little bread and butter/appetizer plate. Share an adequate portion of your meal onto the small plate. Eat that. Put the rest in a doggy bag.

    *Also, like cwolfman wrote, you can just eat out less.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Yeah, eat half and box it up...plate clean.

    Also, my wife and I often split entrees when we're eating out.

    Eat out less and just enjoy those times you do go out.

    I tried this with my boyfriend. . . unfortunately he turns it into a competition and I go home hungry! LOL

    I don't eat out a lot, but I've decided that I'm going to just start boxing up 1/2 at the start of the meal. Besides eating less, and spending less, it also helps me feel better about eating at places where I don't know nutrition information.
  • krmsotherhalf68
    krmsotherhalf68 Posts: 122 Member
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    I ran into this situation this past weekend. Thankfully, we went to our usual Thai/Vietnamese restaurant, so I'm very familiar with the menu. I planned ahead of time what I would have to eat, figured it into my dinner calories and was very happy how it turned out. I was able to eat what I ordered without feeling any guilt about it AND I was completely happy with my meal. This is a new feeling for me! In the past, I've struggled with what my mind told me I wanted/needed to eat. This time was different. I got to pick and choose my dinner choices and feel good about them. What a feeling!

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