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Retrain eating patterns – Day 18

EmptyPlateDo you struggle with the clean-your-plate rule?

If you just can’t bring yourself to throw away what’s left on your plate, retrain yourself gradually by leaving one small piece of food at a time.

Starting at home, intentionally leave some food behind at every meal. Once you’re comfortable doing this, apply the same concept to restaurants meals.

One of my favorite stories about this came from a client named Jan who was raised with strict rules about never throwing food away. As an adult, she couldn’t let go of this pattern, even though it caused her to overeat.

One evening at dinner, Jan decided to leave one green pea on her plate. Each of the next several nights, she left a little bit of food on her plate, increasing the amount each time by the size of a pea.

Eventually, Jan completely broke her pattern of feeling anxious or guilty if she didn’t clean her plate.

Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)

1. Think about all the places you’ve heard messages related to cleaning your plate. Record all the phrases you remember and where you heard them. Then tell yourself these old clean-your-plate messages no longer apply to your life.

Growing up, I always heard “Don’t waste food.” I’ve also heard wait staff say things such as, “You did so well, because you finished it all!” For me, these need to be old messages that no longer apply.

2. Write down some “Never clean your plate” rules that show your new attitude.

“Always stop when you have eaten the right amount.”
“Let your body, not your plate, determine how much you eat.”

3. An expanded new message might be, “Never clean your plate. Instead, take care of your body and your health, and then figure out other ways to help those around you.” Write down a couple more new messages that fit your life.

“Food is not sacred. Be willing to let it go.”

Excerpted from Day 18 in the book, 100 Days of Weight Loss

Filed Under: Long-term Success

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