empty plate obsession

[cherylxx]

hi everyone,
whilst i wait for progress towards my wls i am tending to evaluate my eating habits all the time and ive come to the conclusion i have one problem that i will have to tackle.
i can not leave food on a plate.
i tend to serve way too much food on the plate and i know that when i serve it.
ive always been one of those people that says ' rather too much than too little ' BUT the problem lies in that i cant leave any food on the plate.
ive just had chicken pie, new potatoes, cauli,peas and gravy and had way too much.
i was about 3/4 of the way through the meal when i started shifting uncomfortably as i was getting very full but did i stop....... no, of course not.
i eventually managed to eat the entire plateful, leaving myself feeling sluggish, sick and bloated.
why do i do that to myself? why cant i push the plate away and say 'enough'?
i have spoken to my mother tonight and she said she is exactly the same. is that where i got the obsession of the clean plate from?
i think its doing me some good to NOT diet but simply watch my own eating habits, im beginning to see why i am the way i am.

 

[charliegirl]

I think we were programmed as kids to clear our plates I know I was...it is a very hard habit to break because no one likes to see food wasted...once you have a bypass though if you dont stop once you get that feeling full feeling you will be sick. Its not like vomit its more like regurgitation you can actually feel it backing up to the back of your throat. When I have had it (as it is trial an error at the start) I felt if I just opened my mouth and leant forward it would come out and it does!...and whats more your glad to get rid of it...xx

 

[prinny]

Paul Macenna's (sorry can't spell!)the weight loss book is great for this issue he go's through it and shows you techniques to use on how to help combat this. You ought to give it read.xxxxx

 

[tendersage]

I certainly was programmed to clear my plate, and its remained, there were times we did not know where our next meal was coming from, even school was a blessing as we knew would would have one meal that day. I for one know this is something i have to deal with, the bypass IS preventing me from eating as much, and if i do not leave alone when i am full i am going to be very very uncomfortable through dumping

 

[Nikki81]

Hi Cheryl

While waiting for my WLS I've noticed exactly the same behaviour. One tip I've been given is that when you know you're full, cover the rest of the food on your plate in salt or washing up liquid - that way you have no option but to stop eating it.

I've tried it a few times and it has worked. However I do feel very guilty for throwing 'good food' away and I know exactly where that comes from! When I was a kid I was always told to clear my plate as there were starving children in the world and me wasting food was a sin......at school I was told that naughty people who commit sins go to a place called hell and good people go to heaven.

I put the two and two together in my 6 year old mind and would always clear my plate - so its now just habbit!

It seems such a silly thing to think but when you're that young small things can really sick in your head and its gets harder and harder to change your behaviour as you get older even though you actually forget the reasons behind it all.

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Cheryl, why dont you try the smaller plate at meal times. I've started already and its unbelieveble how much quicker you feel full and I find myself tasting and enjoying my meal. I do still have plenty to eat but its probably half as much as normal and I dont feel bloated after, just content and I've cleared my plate with no guilt if you know what I mean. xxGaynorxx (it was good talking to you on the chat room, I enjoyed it and look forward to chatting again)

 

[cherylxx]

thanx for replies everyone.
think im gonna try using a smaller plate (even though i spend half my time wishing i had bigger plates as i balance my meals like towers )
gaynor, it was a pleasure chatting with u 2 hun. im sorry i left so abruptly. i was booted.
did u get my personal message?
hopefully will cya in chat soon.

 

[cazbandy]

A smaller plate is the way forward...as you can be tempted to overload a normal plate... but if I do use a normal one, nothing overlaps the inner circle...

 

[Mrs_CakeyBun]

try popping to TKMAXX or similar and buying some pretty small plates that are yours for dinner and serve your food up on that making it a bit more spoecial and a smaller portion...its worked for me in the past and somthing I am going to do when banded