Hi
My diet has changed a lot since August when I decided to lose weight. But my portion sizes haven't. I still have great big platefuls - its just mostly vegetables etc. I also still snack quite a lot but its healthy things. Although I'm losing weight, I'm still eating after I'm full. Sometimes when I'm deciding what to make for dinner I go for choices where there may be less taste but more food. Do you think that's bad? I think I do
For the people who have been doing this for a while have you found that in time you are actually eating smaller portions? Does your tummy/brain/mind (whatever) settle for less food going in?

Hi Annie-Rose,

I definitely eat smaller portions now. It used to be that I wasn't satisfied until my stomach was so full it hurt. Now I eat about half of what I used to. Like you, when I started I used veggies to fill my plate. I still eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies but I don't eat so much at once. I found that the more I ate, the hungrier I was, AND if I did eat a food that wasn't good for me, I would eat a large portion of it. I decided that I needed to get used to not eating as much in one sitting. I cut my portions almost in half. At first I felt hungry all the time, but eventually I got used to eating less. Now I rarely finish a full plate of food. The biggest plus is that even if I eat something bad for me, like a piece of cake, I don't eat as much of it.

I think the problem is that when you eat large quantities of food over a long period of time your body loses its ability to tell when its had enough food. I basically had to retrain my body to what an appropriate portion is. Being satisfied with less food has allowed me add some treats into my diet occasionally without worrying about over-indulging. It has worked great for me and I am almost at goal!

This has been something that was decided for me by virtue of the program I'm following. I do Jenny Craig, which is based on the exchange system. So, rather than just eating X calories per day, I eat a prescribed serving sizes of foods. The only thing that is "unlimited" is non-starchy vegetables, but that's relatively new, and even then they recommend serving sizes. So, if I'm sticking to the program, I can't eat two servings of fruit and make up for it by skipping a milk. It really keeps things in perspective. I also shy away from "diet" food like light bread and low-carb juice and whatnot for this very reason -- one of my goals was to retrain myself about appropriate portion sizes and not cheat by using re-engineered foods that allow larger portions for the same value.

I DO still find the voice in my head saying "MORE" when I've finished what's on my plate. After 3+ years I've become resigned to the fact that that voice is never going away. I will still eat even after I'm full, even if it is just boring old vegetables. HOWEVER -- and this is big -- over time, with the enforced portion sizes and menu planning -- even when I splurge, the amount of splurge has gotten smaller and less frequent. Only in the last few months do I find the fullness in my stomach consistently outshouting the voice in my head. Again, the voice never goes away, but my logic and my increased awareness of "full really does mean stop eating" usually overrides it. What matters is not that the voice is still there, but that I've gotten better at ignoring it.

This is all part of being a compulsive overeater, and it takes time to really understand when the compulsion is talking and how to deal with it. When this topic comes up I ALWAYS recommend the book The Thin Books. It has a wealth of information on this topic as well as strategies to help you learn about the compulsion and practice dealing with it.

Yes, my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I've noticed this just out of general awareness of my eating habits over the last few weeks. I agree with Fitbabe and Funnigrrl that retraining is probably in order.

I had to retrain myself. I began by using smaler plates and bowls and also found ways to keep busy to brake the habit of snacking .I watch soap operas and I used to love to munch while in front of the TV. I bought a jigsaw puzzle program for my com. so now I put them together instead of eating when I watch TV.

I too had the same issue, once I was adjusted to the eating healthier option even in larger portions, I started cutting what I planned to eat in half. If I finished what I took the first time and still truely wanted more when I was done then I could take more. But often I do not want the second half anymore. Then a few months ago I had a planned evening off and went to olive garden for there unlimited pasta dish planning on having 2 dishes of pasta but after one serving I was stuffed and could not eat anymore! That would have never happened before.

My goodness can I eat some large portions. I used to eat large portions of foods that were terrible for me. Now I choose foods which are healthy for me. I don't eat a large portion of meat with my meal though. I eat a very small portion of that. I don't find it to hard to cut back on that. For me the supper meal is the hardest to control. I eat a whole lot of vegetables with that meal. I'm losing weight, so I know it is not hurting me. When it comes to foods that are not as healthy I do exercise portion control. I figure a large portion of veggies is not going to kill me.

I'm all about portion control now, except when it comes to salads. I eat GARGANTUAN salads intentionally and shamelessly! A really frequent dinner for me is 4 oz. of grilled chicken with like 4 heaping handfuls of fresh baby spinach, maybe 1/3 of a new head of romaine (I just say new for size reference,) 2 roma tomatoes, 6 chopped baby carrots, 2/3 of a cucumber, a little fresh garlic, and a little Paul Newman's Light Balsamic Vinaigrette w/added balsamic vinegar and fresh mint or basil. It's a heaping dinner plate's worth of salad, and I eat up every last bite with zeal and enthusiasm.

I don't do this with pasta, or cereal, or lowfat ice cream or frozen yogurt -- but I absolutely do it with fat free vegetables and fresh greens and salads. I see it as a good thing, and it really helps when I'm feeling just famished or vulnerable to temptation. I just really fill up on the healthy stuff instead. It also supports my goals of getting lots of fiber and nutrients from whole foods. I'm really careful to measure the stuff that could add up though -- like, for instance, that chicken that I put in the salad. I have a Tanita food scale, and I use it -- like I measure my cereal in the morning. 'Course I log EVERYTHING in my DietPower, so it keeps me mindful of what I'm actually putting in my mouth on an ongoing basis.

My problem is sneaking bites while I cook, or after, while Im cleaning supper up. Maybe I should chew some gum while I cook?

I was just telling my wife that when I go to Subway that I am going to start ordering half subs instead of the footlongs. Not because I can't still eat a foot long but because I feel to full after I do and that makes me feel a little guilty even though I am well within my calories. I don't want to go for the stuffed feeling anymore. I don't feel as good and I don't think as clear. I have been enjoying eating the smaller portions.

Yesterday we had Thanksgiving dinner with the inlaws and it was nice not stuffing myself. I stayed totally on plan knowing that Thursday I want to induldge in some of the pies and such. Now in the Thanksgiving thread I said I would not count calories Thursday but I know I won't be eating as much as last year. Just because I get fuller quicker.

Annie, I think it depends on where you are in your journey with food. It is MUCH healthier to have large portions of healthy foods like vegies, than large portions of, let's say, ice cream! If you read the book Thin For Life, I think there are some people in there who lost a lot of weight and are maintaining by eating large portions of healthy food. Sometimes, I think, you need that full feeling. But of course, as you move forward in your journey, it would probably be good to eat more reasonable portions. But if you are healthy and are achieving the weight you want to be, I personally don't see a reason to feel bad about eating large portions of some foods. It all depends on where you have been and where you are now. That is just my 2 cents worth. I don't want to see anyone feeling bad for eating larger portions of some foods if they have made changes towards health. I guess it is all kind of on a continuum.