Portion control?

[ladybird64]

Hi folks, trying to lower carb again and control the binge eating. My main meal isn't usually large, but recently I've gone back for more, same with the nuts snack I put together the other day.

Part of the bingeing means continuing to eat when full, and I'm aware I am doing that. Do you control your portion sizes, if so how do you gauge how much to eat?
For example, yogurt (full fat of course). How much would you have, tablespoon, less, more?
Sounds convoluted, but the fact that I'm full doesn't register with me, and I'm guessing even if it's stuff like salad, if I'm having large amounts, it's misleading my stomach, overfilling it. Hope this waffle makes sense - think I need to employ portion control too. Any advice welcome

 

[13lizanne]

I feel your pain! Every so often I have this problem like-right now However, when I'm doing OK and losing/keeping weight steady a snack for me would be 1/2 oz cheese, or two tsp cream, or 2 strips M&S crispy bacon, or 5almonds and 2walnut halves, or 1 slice cold cooked meat. At the moment it's all of these at the same time plus a packet of crisps I reckon when I have these times it's a combination of lack of watchfulness and hormones. What think you?

 

[SunnyExpat]

Hi folks, trying to lower carb again and control the binge eating. My main meal isn't usually large, but recently I've gone back for more, same with the nuts snack I put together the other day.

Part of the bingeing means continuing to eat when full, and I'm aware I am doing that. Do you control your portion sizes, if so how do you gauge how much to eat?
For example, yogurt (full fat of course). How much would you have, tablespoon, less, more?
Sounds convoluted, but the fact that I'm full doesn't register with me, and I'm guessing even if it's stuff like salad, if I'm having large amounts, it's misleading my stomach, overfilling it. Hope this waffle makes sense - think I need to employ portion control too. Any advice welcome

I'm the same.
The only way that works for me is to count the calories.
Plan the meals, set yourself targets, and calculate what snacks you can have, and when.

 

[muzza3]

Hi folks, trying to lower carb again and control the binge eating. My main meal isn't usually large, but recently I've gone back for more, same with the nuts snack I put together the other day.

Part of the bingeing means continuing to eat when full, and I'm aware I am doing that. Do you control your portion sizes, if so how do you gauge how much to eat?
For example, yogurt (full fat of course). How much would you have, tablespoon, less, more?
Sounds convoluted, but the fact that I'm full doesn't register with me, and I'm guessing even if it's stuff like salad, if I'm having large amounts, it's misleading my stomach, overfilling it. Hope this waffle makes sense - think I need to employ portion control too. Any advice welcome

I have a bunch of very small seal-able containers (tupperware) that I measure 25g of nuts into when I get a large bag so that I just eat the containers full. I do the same thing with crisps (usually reusable lunch bags) etc

 

[Finsky]

My portion control is not functioning perfectly neither...not because I'm hungry and need eating more. I have tendency to put too much on plate and like a good girl, well drilled into brain from early age....'you do not leave food on a plate'! Such a thing is not done according to my brain...
So I'm trying to train myself with smaller plate size...really listening my tummy and how I feel after eating my meal, asking myself 'do I really need 2nd's?' Often it is case of not needing but wanting more
I have another issue too....I've learned to cook from early on 'for a army' 'One just doesn't waste energy and time for cooking small amounts of food at the time..' Yes, it is good for budgeting...but again...portion control is going to be issue when you have 'mountain' of cooked food to deal with
Now I let myself go through the whole menu...I eat my small portion of food, I have desert, hot drink to top it off...have a 'think about it'...and if I still after all that not feel full up, I allow myself to 2nds..'I must need it'..and I tend to have 14-16 hrs fast ahead after evening meal anyway, so there is no point doing it if not feeling sated from the meal anyway.....won't sleep properly if feeling hungry and cold.

 

[iHs]

I tend to eat most meals from a smaller diameter dinnerplate (£land) and eat more veg than carb. Also, nuts are very addictive so dont tend to use those too much. They say that drinking loads of water helps as a way of feeling full up and also eat slowly and chewing food thoroughly instead of gobbling, also helps. Other than that, try not watching tv too much as that tends to encourage snack eating

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi folks, trying to lower carb again and control the binge eating. My main meal isn't usually large, but recently I've gone back for more, same with the nuts snack I put together the other day.

Part of the bingeing means continuing to eat when full, and I'm aware I am doing that. Do you control your portion sizes, if so how do you gauge how much to eat?
For example, yogurt (full fat of course). How much would you have, tablespoon, less, more?
Sounds convoluted, but the fact that I'm full doesn't register with me, and I'm guessing even if it's stuff like salad, if I'm having large amounts, it's misleading my stomach, overfilling it. Hope this waffle makes sense - think I need to employ portion control too. Any advice welcome

One of the things that helps if I am having a grazing day -I had one on Monday, but as my weight had dropped a bit below my "floor" level, I wasn't overly fussed about the extra I was consuming - I sit to eat at the table. We always eat our meals together, at the table, without TV, and only sometimes with music in the background.

For us mealtimes are about enjoying our food and conversing. I find I am more satisfied by my food if I remember eating it, and to an extent, portion control is also influenced by how long I am willing to sit at the table, and keep MrB there, as neither of us leaves the table until the other has finished.

On Monday, I sat at the table to eat my snacks, even though MrB was away playing golf all day.

Could you give that sort of mindful eating a whirl, if you don't already practisw it?

 

[lovinglife]

I couple of things I do when I'm struggling (comfort eater and over eater too)

I had a starter before every meal - just a small salad no protein or carbs - salad leaves cherry toms etc. Would then wait 5 minutes before eating my main course - if you feel you have to have seconds put 3/4 of your meal on the plate leave the rest in the kitchen then ask yourself if you aren't hungry anymore (not full - that's a whole different feeling as you know) - if the answers yes you can eat your seconds without feeling guilty - if not you've saved yourself some calories - but don't throw it out - keep it then if you need to graze it's there for you

I made a rule that helped all the family in the end and we still do it for all meals - you can have a snack any time you want but you MUST set a place at the table with cutlery and plate and glass of water and eat at the table for everything and I mean everything even a square of choc - we still have this rule now for any meals - no food in front of the telly computer etc! It makes you more aware of everything you eat and also if your a bit lazy like me sometimes you can't be bothered

Last and shortest - clean your teeth - I found nothing tasted nice after toothpaste and the feeling of a clean mouth can kill a craving

Bit long but hope it helps

 

[Kristin251]

It took a long time to be able to control portions as I love all food. I have found using appetizer plates to be very successful. I also use whole lettuce leaves to wrap my protein up in as my salads tend to become too large. ( using bernsteins Chinese restaurant effect theory) I do weigh all my protein and then just add some fat in moderate quantities.
Personally I like to use my computer when I eat rather than sit at a table with others. I have to use my hands to type so it slows me down. My husband eats much larger portions than me and takes him longer to eat. I just like to eat and be done, nor sit around all kinds of food or I will inevitably eat it. I don't seem to have a shut off valve. I am never full. I can be somewhere between not hungry and stuffed but rarely just satisfied so I try to eat what seems reasonable and stop. Works most of the time but of course not always.

A snack to me would be about 1/4 avocado and a few celery sticks or a very small handful of pumpkin seeds.

 

[ladybird64]

Many thanks for the suggestions - as my family like to do things "their way", I think I will need to adapt the suggestions slightly!
I actually eat from a side/tea plate already. Since I had my illness (when I was unable to eat and lived on ice lollies), the sight of a large plate of food freaks me out. The idea of "mindless eating" makes sense to me, when I'm on my own, I'll make sure telly is off and that I'm dealing with nothing but my food.

I appreciate your help x