Mindless Eating....
 

I am reading this book (Mindless Eating) and in the first couple of chapters they talk about what we eat because we see it rather than whether we are full/ hungry.

I noticed a trend in my own eating...I must get petrified of running out of food...becuase I was a packing this huge lunch. I was eating good things but it was beyond me satisfying myself and just going for what I thought I needed.

Example:

Yesterday I packed - 6 ozs of cooked salmon, 6 triscuits, an apple, yogurt and this veggie puree soup I made which comes out to about 2 cups.

I looked at it as I was eating and realised.....I did not need what equaled two entrees. So today I took a step back and really thought when I was satisfied. I thought about once I ate the fish, crackers and apple I was good.

Today I packed half the food and was just as satisfied.

Have any of you seen this issue for yourself.....eating it because it was there???

I remember my Dad saying "oh you did not clean your plate...guess we won't have that any more in the house." He was kidding but I think I developed what I call a "Clean Plate Complex". I am really trying to take what I need now to stop hunger rather than what I think I can just devour.

My next issue is trying to slow down when I eat. I shovel and wolf everything down. This time I truly want to change so I can have an easier time maintaining.

When I make myself a tuna salad, I always end up eating all of it, even though I'm usually satisfied before it's gone. I guess because the leftovers really aren't enough to save for another snack or meal, so instead of throwing it out I just eat it. I should probably stop doing that.

This is me...100%! I blame my parents for making me clean my plate!! HA!:dizzy:

I just saw this book in one of my magazines and thought I should check it out. Thanks!

I read this posting and thought I must have written it in my sleep or something, this is ME to a TEE! I always bring quite a bit for lunch (snacks) to work because I do fear of running out I guess and then (God forbid!) I'll be "hungry". WHY I do this I don't know, no clue. However, I bring the same stuff everday. Today is: Salad, 1 serving dressing (25 calories), 1 serving progresso low sodium Italian Wedding soup (80 calories), 1 dole diced apple cup (80 calories), 1 hoagie bun (not sure calories), 1 serving butter (100 calories), 15 wheat thin crackers (110 calories), 1 Fiber One yogurt (80 calories), 1 granola bar (100 calories). I don't save all this for lunch, I get to work about 4 am and I am here until 3pm or later, I generally snack on some of it then eat the soup, salad and bread at the lunch hour with a 32 oz glass of water.

Iianae, that's a bit under 700 calories, and if that's half your day, it's good--it's not too much. The only thing is, I don't see very much protein there.

The hoagie roll is probably around 120 cals, but you should check on the package to make sure--these things vary.

Since I began being more mindful about food, I've realized that unless I'm truly very hungry, a small portion of something that tastes good is just as satisfying as eating the whole thing. So one of my strategies for losing or maintaining has been to use half-servings of some foods. For example, recently we had pasta and caponata sauce in the house. I made myself a side dish of that with 1/2 cup of cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of the sauce. That was 150 calories--fine as a side dish to my other foods. Tasted just as good as if I'd had a plate full.

Jay

I admit to the "Clean Plate" syndrome also. I have tried just to leave the last bit of each thing on my plate...Can't do it. If it is on my plate...I have to eat it. I know it isn't a hunger issue. I'll eat way past satisfaction. I control it pretty well at home by just not loading up my plate...Resturaunts are the huge problem. I have begun specifying the size serving that I want. So far...most resturaunts don't have a problem with it.

I grew up in a house that made me "clean my plate." The result of that is all of my siblings being obese except one and he is overweight. Both my parents were obese as well. I remember being made to sit at a table for HOURS because I didn't eat my pie crust--only the filling.

Before I started my lifestyle change in May, I would constantly have a fear of getting hungry. I would overeat everywhere I went, order too much at a restaurant and pack too much for my lunch. What was with the fear I had of becoming hungry? Food has always been readily available to me and I have never been "hungry" before! Now, I travel pretty light. I truly love being able to put an apple in the bottom of my purse or an orange and know I will be just fine.

You know, there are actually times I do feel a pang of hunger deep in my stomach or I will occasionally hear my stomach growl. It's a nice change. :)

Oh absolutely! Leaving food on the plate was a no-no growing up! When I first started coming to my senses and STOPPED dieting, I really evaluated hunger. It was weird, but I had very rarely been hungry. And when I noticed it, it wasn't that little tug that lets you know it's time to have a little salad and get dinner going - no, i left it so long it was a raging beast and the ONLY ( ;) ) solution was to stop and get a large pizza immediately and eat most of it! LOL

My other "jedi mind trick" i played on myself was "I'm a big girl - sure, MOST people should eat 1/2 a cup but i'm sure i NEED 1 cup!" hahahah

My most destructive habit was snacking. Sure, my food consumption was too high, but the amount of CRAP i shovelled into my face from after dinner til bedtime was - shocking to say the least! And the sheer PANIC i felt when i didn't have enough snacks and soda in the house - i mean, feeling actually UPSET there were only chips and cookies for mowing down; feeling like I needed a 3rd and 4th alternative! UGH what a waste of time and money!!!

My ONLY solution to those crazies was to give up the snacking after dinner altogether, just a cup of tea and a little treat after din din and then the kitchen is closed!!!

Our minds are the hardest things to change ~ I likethe idea of blaming myparents!! hahaha KIDDING!!

This was one of the first things that changed when I started eating healthier. One of the first steps I took was to practice eating only when I was hungry and I discovered that I had not felt hungry in years because I was always keeping myself from ever getting hungry. I also would worry about running out of food in class or during the day so I would "eat a big breakfast" so I wouldn't get hungry later.

Now I love to feel hungry. I associate it with feeling healthy and with healthy eating.

Understanding this about myself was a key factor in staying on plan for 2 months and having no desire (for the first time ever) to go back to my old ways of eating.

Yep! I'm working on stopping when I'm full and eating when I'm hungry, but it is SOOOO much harder than it might seem. I don't have problems with either extreme (eating way too much or eating too little). It's just hard to leave a little on the plate when you know it's still within a reasonable serving. It surprises me how hard it is. But it's getting better and I like it! Eating is becoming even more pleasurable and neutral (from dieting guilt).