mindless eating

Sara2652
Sara2652 Posts: 158 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Wow, I just caught myself....

I was weighing out a piece of cheese and it was over 1oz so I cut a little piece off, popped it in my mouth and proceeded to put the rest on my plate for lunch at which point I realized what I had done :#:D .

I wonder how often I actually do this kind of thing. I'm guessing a lot actually. Anyone else?


Replies

  • displaced1
    displaced1 Posts: 73 Member
    At least you're weighing it. :) If you're losing weight and satisfied at the rate, I wouldn't change. If you're losing slower than you'd like or expect, maybe paying more attention will help.

    For me, I sometimes just track the whole package if I'm relatively sure I'll eat something in a week. I go off weekly averages, and that way I don't have to weigh something daily. Or I'll portion everything out all at once.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    I understand completely. That's why keeping a food diary is very revealing for people to realize just how quickly it all adds up.
    For some, it helps to set up a plan for three solid meals a day and *maybe* a snack or two in order to avoid mindless eating. Gum is also helpful.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Old habits are hard to break. I've found myself thinking, during power outages, how nice a hot cup of tea would be. I will stop myself as I get up to fill the electric kettle.

    Sometimes we have to rearrange a whole set of habits just to change one. Maybe you could just log whatever amount you do cut off, if it's close to an ounce.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Old habits are hard to break. I've found myself thinking, during power outages, how nice a hot cup of tea would be. I will stop myself as I get up to fill the electric kettle.

    Sometimes we have to rearrange a whole set of habits just to change one. Maybe you could just log whatever amount you do cut off, if it's close to an ounce.

    Thats where a saucepan and gas cook top comes in handy! :D

    When I'm tracking for a specific reason, I don't. Not one lick, overmeasure, sneaky extra. Not even a lick of a cake batter bowl! Mental willpower comes in to play
  • nyponbell
    nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
    Or licking the spoon that you used to portion out things! I now try to rinse it off right away. Even if it's not a lot of extra calories, I don't want to be doing things mindlessly when it comes to food or eating the extras "because it doesn't matter". It would be a slippery slope for me.

    Good for you on realising it!
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    nyponbell wrote: »
    Or licking the spoon that you used to portion out things! I now try to rinse it off right away. Even if it's not a lot of extra calories, I don't want to be doing things mindlessly when it comes to food or eating the extras "because it doesn't matter". It would be a slippery slope for me.

    Good for you on realising it!

    If you do things in reverse you can lick the spoon and still account for calories...

    Peanut butter for example. Put the jar on the scale, then tare it. Take out what you need - the negative number on the scale is how much you have removed, whether it's on the bread or still on the knife/spoon. Lick spoon to your hearts content!
  • nyponbell
    nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    nyponbell wrote: »
    Or licking the spoon that you used to portion out things! I now try to rinse it off right away. Even if it's not a lot of extra calories, I don't want to be doing things mindlessly when it comes to food or eating the extras "because it doesn't matter". It would be a slippery slope for me.

    Good for you on realising it!

    If you do things in reverse you can lick the spoon and still account for calories...

    Peanut butter for example. Put the jar on the scale, then tare it. Take out what you need - the negative number on the scale is how much you have removed, whether it's on the bread or still on the knife/spoon. Lick spoon to your hearts content!

    Luckily I only do things like this with "low-calorie food" like yoghurt. If I ate nutbutters (or nutella, which is yum but I am allergic to peanuts) I would probably do as you suggest. The same with honey and coconut oil etc. Things that are sticky and otherwise hard to track.
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
    Sara2652 wrote: »
    Wow, I just caught myself....

    I was weighing out a piece of cheese and it was over 1oz so I cut a little piece off, popped it in my mouth and proceeded to put the rest on my plate for lunch at which point I realized what I had done :#:D .

    I wonder how often I actually do this kind of thing. I'm guessing a lot actually. Anyone else?


    Yup, I've done that exact same thing before and not just with cheese! Whoops!

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