My mother's like this. She's a cooking fiend, loves to push the food on you. But at dinner time, she eats by "tasting" her cooking. And then she's full. Meanwhile she keeps urging you to have seconds, then sends a doggie bag home with you. Thankfully she's supportive of my diet, and cooked fish and veggies this Sunday, and made sure to give me only a small plate's worth. She was a bit put out I wouldn't take the rest of the fish home though. It was sea bass, my favorite; it would've been gone by bedtime.
Me, it's been over a decade since I could actually recognize "hunger". I got to this weight by scarfing down tons of junk, but there were also days I'd forget to eat at all. Never noticed any symptoms. Now on this diet, I struggle to avoid the restaurants and candy aisle, but I also have to keep a log of when I last ate, and eat every three hours on the dot, or I'd starve.
Last edited by Jo Kittibuck; 05-11-2009 at 01:12 PM.
If I'm served 1 cup of ice cream, that's what I'll eat but if I am served 5 cups I'll eat all of that, too! I don't just "put things away". Last night we went out to dinner and I had the waitress wrap up half my meal so that I would not eat the entire, large serving. I would not be able to keep it in front of me and NOT eat it.
I would rather eat NO chocolate than eat 2 pieces.
Wow, lightbulb moment for me!
I'm the same way! I'd rather have none at all than stick to just two pieces. It would drive me insane and I'd have to find something else to binge on before I went mad.
I'm having a hard time with this topic not so much for me, but with my kids. At dinner time I watch what they put on their plate and I watch how much of it they eat. I have to stop myself from commenting on what they eat or how much (and my husband is quick to give me the "Don't you dare say anything" glance). I always want to say, "Finish that!" or "You've got to eat something!" What bugs me is that it's not my voice, it's my mother's voice. I heard all about the starving children in India/China/Appalachia, and I had to eat accordingly.
My kids are slender, not skinny. They're going to be tall like their dad and they have lots of energy. I know they're not wasting away. I know that when they're hungry, they ask me for food or immediately go to the bananas to help themselves (because they know I'm just going to tell them to get a banana anyhow). Yes, they always have room available for dessert, but they don't always finish it.
I don't want to give them the same complexes I have, although I know from psychology that's probably unavoidable. But man, is it hard to see them only eat a little bit (or graze throughout the day) and worry about whether they're getting enough nutrients.
I'm similar with the none rather than some for a lot of things. A lot of things I refuse to keep in the house because I know if I allow myself a few, I might as well allow myself a lot.
I'm testing it out this week with tortillas. I went to a latino market the other day and wanted to buy a few corn tortillas. Well I forgot that corn tortillas generally come in large stacks. So I separated out the large stack of corn tortillas into 3 freezer bags and one bag in the fridge. I plan to have 2 corn tortillas per day. If it doesn't work, then the tortillas will go to someone else (or trash) and I'll not buy them any more.
Chocolate (dark) actually isn't a problem. I can keep it in the house and just have a single piece and be happy.
If I'm served 1 cup of ice cream, that's what I'll eat but if I am served 5 cups I'll eat all of that, too! I
I tell ya, the book Mindless Eating was one revelation after another for me. When am I done eating? When my plate is empty. So...I put on my plate what I want to eat. It's been a little change, and I didn't have to wrestle a bear to change ME, I just had to make a little change based on my behavior (accepting myself as I am). Huge huge huge "little change" that has had a huge impact on my weight loss/maintenance.
Thank you for the suggestion. That is a good price and I may order it from Amazon if Chapters does not have it. This is the kind of book I really need.
The one reason I switched to salad plates was to help control dinner portions but for other things it doesn't work for me. For other things, I will go back, again and again. So those are the things I can't keep at home
I definitely lost my 'off' switch somewhere. I have spent night sitting in my kitchen eating until everything was gone, but I'd never get too full. A month or so ago, after falling off the weight-loss wagon big time, I ate so much I threw some of it back up, and was in pain for the rest of the night. That night I decided I had to climb back on the horse.
But that doesn't make it any easier to say no to the senseless cravings. I'll eat any carb you put in front of me, and as much as you'll give me. I've often wondered about the off switch, how much I would pay someone to find it and flip it. It seems like that would solve all my problems.
Another vote for Mindless Eating. It is an excellent book with lots of things that you know already, but they are great reminders!
Mindful eating is a real key for me. Giving up eating lunch at my desk while multi-tasking was a "duh" moment for me. The whole concept that we can easily mindlessly eat enough calories to gain 10-20 lbs. a year was an eye opener!
But man, is it hard to see them only eat a little bit (or graze throughout the day) and worry about whether they're getting enough nutrients.
