Based on my observation, this is where my problem is... I am gud with the calories that I eat till say 6 pm... We have a lot eat together with friends where I dont get to choose what I eat but I pick some healthier choices.. I start feeling hungry and when I start eating, I feel I will stop with this portion but I start thinking may be I will need more and have one more portion and this keeps going on and I spoil the good work I had kept to through the day
I sometimes feel I am d only one who isnt so strong focussing on my weight loss when I start eating
So any ideas on how I stay on control... I would be glad to hear from all of you...
I'm no good with calorie restrictions ~ only because I lie to myself!!
What I have to do with myself is Leave the Room after my meal. Physically. Don't go back. The temptation is too great. Maybe fill up with water. Or have tons of veggies.
I have a Habit App on my phone. When I go to bed I mark down my daily success. Corny, simple, but works!
Thanks time4me2change and Inkrid.... I totally relate to what you guys tell.. I think I am going to have to make a new habit and it is going to take time for me to get used to it.. I am determined that slowly I will get there
one of my goals is not to eat food after dinner....if I want something still it has to be tea or diet hot chocolate....I also like to EAT ALOT of food and that's where portion control kills me I try to compromise by eating ALOT of veggies and also filling up on fluids to try and balance that need to eat QUANTITY without consuming so many calories
I have one rule, no matter what, the situation, I NEVER clean my plate.
No matter what I put on it, I, even if it's only one itty bitty bite, do not clean my plate.
That was a hard habit to get used to, but it, for what ever reason, saves me. Now a lot of the time I leave more than one bite.
For me, it's just one of those mental things. I am not obligated to clean my plate, no one in China, as my mother used to say, is going to starve to death if I don't clean my plate.
It took me several years to get comfortable with this. Sometimes it still bugs me, but I do it anyway.
Portions, night eating, parties, whatever your battle is, lay down the ground rules, and for me compromise. Then, just try it out, do it a few times, no matter how hard it is.
For instance, I attended a wedding shower, skipped the punch, had iced tea, ate the cupcake, but scraped off the inch of frosting, had one mint, and one teaspoon of nuts. I had a good time, and did not feel deprived, because I had made the choices and the compromise ahead of time.
I have one rule, no matter what, the situation, I NEVER clean my plate.
Interesting that this works for you. I don't think it would work for me, unfortunately. Ever since I was a small child I couldn't enjoy my food if I thought I wasn't "allowed" to finish my plate. The size of the plate or portion wasn't what mattered, just the assurance that I could eat it all. Even now, thinking I "have to" leave food on my plate interferes with my enjoyment of my meal. I much prefer serving myself a smaller portion and knowing I can eat it all.
9 times out of ten, when hunger pains hit at night, you are actually slightly dehydrated. Try drinking a large glass of water and then waiting about 15 minutes. If you are still hungry, then find something small that is low in calories and fat and somewhat high in protein to help tide you over, such as two egg whites or an ounce of cheese and 1/2 cup of nuts or even 8 ounces of skim milk or greek yogurt.
A lot of times, night binging is nothing more than boredom and old habits trying to resurface. Find something else to do to amuse your mind. Learn how to play Dominos, read a book, watch a show you've been meaning to watch but have been putting off, grab the free wieghts and pump for a few minutes, play with your kid(s), or jog in place until the craving dies down. Most cravings only last 5-10 minutes, so if you can get past that, you *should* be golden.
It takes will power, but eventually you will be in control of your cravings instead of your cravings in control of you. Sure, there will be days where it doesn't work that way, but after a while, they will be few and far in between. And don't count those days as failures, count them as learning experiences. Remember, you are only human. The only mistake you can make that is disaterous is not to pick yourself back up again.
When I first started counting, the best thing for me was to cook one serving at a time. For example, boil a 2oz serving of pasta, match my pasta 50:50 with non starchy sauteed vegetables, then top the whole mixture with a measure of 1/4-1/2 cup of sauce. If I had enough calories, I'd add 1T of Romano or Parmesan.
There were no leftovers to grab. As I got used to portion sizes, I started making larger amounts, divvying them up into containers, and having one at a time. Since I don't like to eat the same exact thing everyday for dinner and food goes bad, I ended up freezing them. My "rule" is to eat one serving.
I also always made sure to keep a budget for a few different low calorie options for a snack if I needed it at the end of the day. At that time it was 12 mini cheese rice cakes, or an oz of reduced fat cheese and wasa, or a measured portion of dried fruit and nuts. They were all around 120-180 calories.
ETA, if you're eating at friends houses and not at restaurants, just keep yourself brushed up on appropriate servings. 1/2 of your plate vegetables, 1/4 protein, and no more than 1/4 starch. When you've finished that, ask if you can help clean up, or pop a mint or gum in your mouth. Often we want to eat when we're not hungry, just because food is sitting there.
Problem with Portion Control
