Empty Plate Syndrome.

Gillby
Gillby Posts: 22 Member
edited October 3 in Success Stories
I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels compelled to finish a meal. Empty your plate no matter what. It usually comes hand in hand with losing the ability to know when you're full.

Today for the first time in... I don't even know how long, I left my plate with food on it. To make sure I didn't go back to it a minute later, I tipped it into the bin. SUCCESS!!!!!

It's an NSV I hadn't even thought about but i feel triumphant.
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Replies

  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    the house i grew up in YOU CLEANED YOUR PLATE!! so now i serve myself half of what i normally would. usually clear the plate, but i'm hesitant to go for seconds, and if i do want seconds, well, i serve my self a little less then i did before.
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    Yup. I was always pushed to be in the 'Clean plate club' as my parents called it. Even now I really hate to throw food away, it really is a waste. I've just learned to use much smaller plates instead.
  • anjukins
    anjukins Posts: 103 Member
    I've got 1/3 a sandwich that I already "counted" on a plate next to the computer that's been there for about an hour... i keep thinking, guuh i have to finish this... but... maybe i wont. :)
  • glitterpiss
    glitterpiss Posts: 113
    Why don't you just put the amount of food on your plate that you feel comfortable eating, that way you can clear you plate and not waste food? win win!
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
    have you tried using a smaller plate?
  • anjukins
    anjukins Posts: 103 Member
    HAH, i don't think this was meant to be a joke, but it made me snort out loud. But it IS a clever idea. dessert plate v dinner plate = big difference
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I have calculated how much I should have...so I leave the rest for my husband....
  • kcputtytat
    kcputtytat Posts: 16 Member
    Good job! When you have been "programmed" to eat all the food on your plate leaving one bite is a great exercise. Congrats on your success!
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    I cancelled my membership to the Clean Your Plate club over a year ago... and I haven't felt guilty about it since. :) Good for you!!!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    It took me a good couple of years to break that horrible family - rule!!! I remember pissing off the waitress at this one restaurant. We had just been served our meals, and she says "Is there anything I can get for you?"... I said "yeah, if you could please bring me a take-out container, that would be great"... She actually got upset and said "but I just served you your dinner?".... I shared with her that I only plan on eating half of it, and would like to save the other half for tomorrow... She was still pissy about it!!!

    She came back, didnt even say "here you go" or anything like that.. just a dirty look... I looked back at her and asked her "did you break a nail bringing this to me?"... She piped back WHAT WAS THAT FOR? I brought it to her attention that she had no right getting mad over my asking for a take-out container considering SHE asked if there was anything else we needed once we were served our meals.... She walked away.

    Well, I had a nice conversation with the manager about her....

    I love my meal the next day now... I only eat enough just to satisfy the true hunger pangs and keep in line with my doctor's recommendations... I wont ever clean my plate again! Except maybe to put the leftovers in the container! lol
  • Tisha247
    Tisha247 Posts: 849 Member
    Way to go Gill. Little challenges everyday keep me motivated. I'm in control not my overeating.
  • irishredgirl70
    irishredgirl70 Posts: 56 Member
    That's awesome! I was raised the same way! I feel good when I leave a little on my plate too, I usually give my leftovers to my dogs! They love my new eating habits too! Lol
  • 1grammie
    1grammie Posts: 163
    I use a salad plate and child sized flatware. I think I eat about 25% less.
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
    I've just been making a LOT of use of my measuring cups. I plan my whole day, first thing in the morning, and then I dole out EXACTLY what I logged. So, I clean my plate, but I don't overeat, because I serve what I am allowed.
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    Woot! Woot! Woot! Woot! I know this was hard for you to do, but you did it. I had to learn how to do this, and it wasn't easy.
  • wannalose25
    wannalose25 Posts: 69 Member
    I am a total finisher.... :embarassed:
  • wannalose25
    wannalose25 Posts: 69 Member
    Michedarnd, now that takes dicipline and planning! WTG
  • anjukins
    anjukins Posts: 103 Member
    I love planning my day in advance, too! usually I plan breakfast and lunch the night before, enter it all, and then know how many calories I cn count on when I get home for dinner :)
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
    I use smaller plates now. It helps me control my portions better. I also work hard at *not* finishing anything the kids didn't eat. I used to do that a lot. :(

    I saw a test conducted on the effect of plate size on amount of food consumed.They set up a buffet in two halves of the same restaurant - with a curtain down the middle. They invited 60 or so people to come eat at it. They made sure the types of people were balanced between the two groups (ages, genders, etc). The only difference was that one side had larger plates than the other. They weighed all the food that went out, and all the scraps that came back, plus the leftover food in the serving dishes.

    The side with the bigger plates ate something like 20% more food than the side with the smaller plates. It makes you think.

    Big congratulations on *not* finishing all the food on your plate! It's a tough habit to break!
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    This is exactly why I eat off little salad plates now.....and little 1 cup tupperware bowls.
  • hazelmae123
    hazelmae123 Posts: 109 Member
    I too have the same programming. I got rid of all the plates in our house and all we use for everyone is the salad plates. My kids are growing up with the salad plate. I also noticed something when I watched my kids eat and stop when they were full. They had no problem stopping no matter what was in front of them, it didn't matter if it was green beans or cake, they stopped when they were done. I asked them if they were full and that never seemed to make sense with them. Then I changed my words and asked them "Is your tummy happy?" and that they understood. So each day, when we finish a meal, I ask them if their tummy is happy and they know if it is or isn't and that is how they judge hungry. I am still working on that for myself, but I am definitely more aware of it now. I still feel guilt in dumping food but I am doing it anyway.
  • kirstyfromscotland
    kirstyfromscotland Posts: 555 Member
    i am the same i hate wasting food so i now use a smaller plate, smaller than a dinner plate but a little bigger than a side plate. I clear my plate and feel satisfied, i actually feel better as im not so stuffed after my dinner. Hope that helps.x
  • kirstyfromscotland
    kirstyfromscotland Posts: 555 Member
    I love planning my day in advance, too! usually I plan breakfast and lunch the night before, enter it all, and then know how many calories I cn count on when I get home for dinner :)
    i aslso plan in advace, i find this a big help also on my working days it means im not rushing 2 fill it in, i do a few days ahead.x
  • nursinggirl64
    nursinggirl64 Posts: 49
    im starting this site at 211 lbs n im only 5ft short so maybe we can help each other out i dont know if u text but i have unlimited we can text msgs to each other to help motivate if ud like my name is carolyn im 47 live in missouri....636 393 9482 text any time
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels compelled to finish a meal. Empty your plate no matter what. It usually comes hand in hand with losing the ability to know when you're full.

    Today for the first time in... I don't even know how long, I left my plate with food on it. To make sure I didn't go back to it a minute later, I tipped it into the bin. SUCCESS!!!!!

    It's an NSV I hadn't even thought about but i feel triumphant.
    You can still empty the plate and not feel bad about dumping food. Just eat off a smaller plate. Most plates are 13". I use 9" plates at home.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    I love using lunch plates!!! Less food and more plates fit in my dishwasher. lol

    I also proudly show my hubby what I have left behind on my plate, (usually a bunch of bread) and jokingly ask to trade it in for something better :)

    I also make my kids walk their own plates to the garbage can and dump their food - that way I don't feel so tempted to swipe some food off them along the way.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Oh yeah - I also have a tiny little 1 cup bowl that I eat cereal in -just enough room for a serving and some milk.

    and I have a tiny little cocktail or seafood fork that is really great to use when eating a really rich dessert that should take awhile :) Next thing you know I will be trying to squeeze into the doll house with Tinkerbell. lol
  • kjannan
    kjannan Posts: 248 Member
    It annoys me when I hear parents telling their kids to clear their plate-we've got so much to learn from kids eating habits!
    They eat when they're hungry until they're full, something I'm learning now after years of thinking I had to finish everything on my plate.
  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
    The key thing to keep in mind is that if you have more food than you need and can't save it for another meal, the excess is going to waste anyway. Eating more than you need doesn't change that fact: it's just as much of a waste on your hips as in the bin, but at least putting it in the bin won't make you fat or sick.
  • catdoc1
    catdoc1 Posts: 227 Member
    GREAT JOB!!!! I'm sure many of us struggle with this, me included. It's been so difficult not to enforce this on my kids, but I'm trying to teach them to take smaller portions so they're satisfied with just the right amount. My mom used to say to me "Waste it, don't waist it." Kind of a stupid play on words, but effective. Someone else told me when I was snitching something off my son's plate "You are not a trash can, so don't treat yourself like you are." We have a compost pile, so although I'm still not crazy about wasting food, at least I know now that if someone does, it's going to make soil for my garden, not the landfill.
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