Cancel Your Membership… To Clean the Plate Club!
Just because there’s a plate full of food doesn’t mean we have to eat every last bite! If we are truly physically hungry and we physically need to eat more food.. then we should eat.
If we’re eating our own portion controlled meal at home that’s one thing… but if we’re at a restuarant chances are we really don’t need the 1200 or so calories we are about to consume.
You should know by now that I am not a proponant of dieting or ordering grilled chicken with steamed vegetables at a restaurant (unless that’s what you really want).
I do believe in healthy eating, and I believe in eating what you love. Even if that means ordering the most decadant meal at a restaurant. But here’s the thing… you don’t have to eat it all.
Chances are…
If you order grilled chicken & steamed veggies…
Instead of that double bacon cheeseburger that you really want…
You probably won’t be sastified…
And may end up looking for more food to satisfy…
In the end…
End up eating more calories than if you would have eaten ordering that bacon cheeseburger…
See where I’m getting at????
Make a committment to cancel your membership to “Clean the Plate Club!”
Just try it… for one week!
Here are the rules:
1) Each day, pick one meal and eat whatever you want/crave
2) You have to be truly physically hungry when you eat… not crazy starvation hunger… a comfortable hunger that doesn’t make you crazy (think gurgles in your tummy & mild hunger pangs.)
3) When you get your food, take your time when you eat and really enjoy it!
4) Once you’ve eated half of your meal, take a break, and reassess your hunger. If you’re still having hunger pangs, then eat half of what’s left. Leave the rest.
Remember… don’t think of this as wasting food… think of this as having an incredibly delicious meal the next time you’re hungry.
Eat until your satisfied…
not bloated…
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So, What do you think?
Are you a member of “Clean Your Plate Club?”
Can you try it? For one week?
This is something I work on everyday….
I try to not finish my plate, especially in restaurants. Portions are so skewed that it is hard to even gage an appropriate portion.
Good tips above, I’ll give it a try!
I with you on restaurant eating! I try to not finish my plate! If it taste really good, I’ll take the rest home 🙂
I can’t usually finish food in restaurants unless I am extremely hungry. I usually finish my plate though when I fix my own food:-) but I know what’s in it!
Hi Ashley – i know what you mean about finishing restaurant food when extremely hungry…
I try really hard not to let myself get too hungry when going out to eat 🙂
great idea! I’m the same way with restaurant food. I get what I want, but the portions are so big that I try to bring home SOME leftovers. I get double for my money, too!
I don’t eat out that often, but when I do I rarely eat everything if the portions are out of control. I determine how much I would like when it arrives and portion out my servings.
However, when I’m home, I HAVE to be a member of the clean plate club right now 🙂 I always make my own food, so I try to serve myself just what I know I need, mindful that it’s an amount that is specific to me and not influenced by what others may portion for themselves (as in-less). I can always have something else (or more), so I don’t feel like I’m wasting food if I don’t eat it all (I HATE wasting food!)
I often leave food on my plate, and in restaurants I will usually get half the food packed up for lunch the next day. I am totally on board with your thinking!
I think it’s a better idea than picking a boring salad and nibbling on it and not being able to enjoy a restaurant. This is a great way to enjoy and indulge, but in moderation!
I am defffinitely a Clean Plate Club member. It’s something I definitely need to work on!
This is exactly what I do. I eat when I’m hungry and slowly. When I’m not hungry, I stop eating even if there is leftover. If I’m hungry at 8 pm, it’s better to eat a little something. We have to listen to our body. I bought a book 2 years ago about that. It’s really great. But it’s in French. I discovered your blog tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow to read more 🙂
I definitely need to work on this! I was raised in a “clean plate” household. Those are hard habits to break. The best I can do now is try to dish out reasonable portions so that, if I do clean the plate, it won’t have done too much damage. Thanks for the reminder!