Don’t be a fool, eat for fuel!
Welcome one and all to our Sunday Wisdom gathering. Today’s topic is how to know when you have had enough and not get over stuffed.
Over the course of many years my concept of what a portion size actually is became distorted and I had to relearn portion reality. After 68 weeks of healthier eating (and losing over 80 lbs) I am finally getting a handle of what a “real” portion size and being satisfied rather then feeling deprived because the portion isn’t huge.
At the beginning of a healthy eating plan it’s easy to feel “empty” and think you are hungry. Your body and your mind have to learn that being full doesn’t means the stomach is bulging to the brim. The body expects a certain amount of food and produces more digestive juices to take it all in, and the of course we all our eyes are bigger then our stomachs, but it learn what is enough and be satisfied.
For me there were other factors too. I wanted my money’s worth so a buffet was always the best for the dollar. But if the food is being “wasted” in my body by becoming fat, it really isn’t the best value for my money. I might as well be flushing the cash down the toilet. Just thinking of flushing away cash is often enough to get me to stop - think - and then chose a healthier option.
Free food was a similar dilemma, it’s free! The office party leftovers, baked goods, family dinners, free samples at the supermarket all were tempting even if I had already eaten, because they were free!
On the medically supervised diet plan I started this past Monday, I eat very small portions, about 100 to 200 calories worth (mostly protein) five to six times a day. I don’t get hungry, but I never had that “stuffed” feeling. I admit I was shocked. At the start of this plan I would have bet that I’d have times of the day I would feel like gnawing and eating just about anything.
Before this plan, I carefully planned my calories, kept a journal, but always allowed within my calorie limits for a larger dinner so I could have that “full” (a.k.a stuffed) feeling at least once a day. But that also meant that sometimes I was hungry for a good portion of the day.
Granted I had been doing well so far on the plan I designed myself (with 87 lbs lost), but what I’ve learned this past week on the pre-packaged plan is truly eye opening. I can actually feel satisfied all day and not have that “full” (a.k.a. stuffed feeling).
If you struggle with hunger and portion size reality-distortion, there are ways to improve. Make meals up ahead of time and pre-package them in containers so you are measuring them out when you are NOT hungry (when you may be tempted to put more on your plate then you really need). When in doubt, look at the palm of your hand - that is about the size of your stomach. Try not to eat more then that amount at any one time. Eat protein, veggies and fiber first and if you want to indulge in a treat now and then, do so when you are NOT hungry and have a small serving about the size of your thumb. Rather then mindlessly digging in, consciously choose to allow yourself to indulge now and then with a thumbs up to yourself as a reminder of what portion size to have.
Also, eat every three to four hours (a little protein or veggie), even if you are NOT hungry - that’s right even if you are not hungry. Why? Because you want to keep your blood sugar levels nice and steady to prevent the big bad monster “hunger” that can sneak up on you and make you want to dive into those huge portions yours eyes are telling you need to fill up the gnawing hole in your stomach - that feeling is an illusion, it’s not real. What is real is the hand in front of you — that is how much food you really need.
Also if you are feeling “hunger” but you know you have had enough to eat, try drinking some water. Because sometimes the body and your brain confuse being thirsty and send the hunger signal instead. Why? Because most of us are stuffing food in our faces more often then we are sipping a refreshing calorie free beverage. But we can help our bodies and brain get unconfused by keeping a container or bottle of water close at hand and sipping often. I now keep two 32 oz containers with me at work (topping them off with ice throughout the day now and then). I was amazed how easy it was to drink it all a little at a time. The thought of drinking 64 oz of water was never pleasant, now I’m doing it (in the form of Crystal Light Green Tea) with no effort at all.
What strategies have you found helpful in learning portion size reality? Do you have a favorite way of keeping hunger under control?
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