Throwing away food - Help!

[SpideyMom 1]

Anyone else having a hard time throwing away good food when you're too full to eat anymore, but there's just a few bites left? I'm so tempted by my years of being part of the "clean plate club" that it is hard to throw away the last three bites of yummy yogurt or Soup or strawberries, etc.

I need some help! Any good suggestions for breaking my habit of cleaning the plate? And, I'm really not into the idea of saving 3 bites of everything in the refrigerator. I just don't have the room! Nor do I have the room in my new tummy!

[coltonwade 27]

I actually am the opposite. at first , shortly after surgery i would bring home left overs from resturants, ect .. But it became an issue for 2 reasons. One if i knew the food was in there in the fridge I would tend to go back and eat more when i really was not hungry or need to .

The other issue is some things just dont keep well or taste well OR are not "band friendly " when warmed up .

So what I do know , when at home is as SOON as we are done eating if there are ANY left overs they are either thrown OUT or put up . Any small amount of left overs , meaning not enough for a full other meal is gone .

Left overs from resturants, i dont even bring them home anymore. I try to order from the kids menu or seniors menu so i dont even have them .

How do you get to that point ? I use to think of it like this ...

If you keep eating and keep eating your going to throw up . Or if you keep eating when you should not your going to gain weight. So it was not worth it to me . I would imagine my band slipping from over eating. So the "cost" of a problem from that out weighted the staisfaction of having that extra few bites laying around tempting me to eat it ?

Does that make sense ? I probably did not explain that well .

Mindy

[SpideyMom 1]

Thanks, Mindy! That makes a lot of sense! I absolutely don't want to jeopardize the band by eating too much. I just have to change my mindset.

BTW, I looked at your before and after pics, and you look FABulous!!! You are a real inspiration! And I love your cute haircut! :bored:

[Brockbabe82 0]

Is there anyone you can share with. Like make a full meal and give half to them? I know I have the same problem, its the head hunger thing, seeing food on a plate my mind tells me finish, thank god my band says oh no.lol Good luck to you

[SpideyMom 1]

Jenny, that's a good idea! I have been known to feed my husband the leftovers, but some things he doesn't like. It's too bad I don't have a dog anymore. My dog used to eat just about anything but fruit & veggies. lol Maybe I can convince my dh it's time to adopt another one. . . :wink:

[coltonwade 27]

Thanks, Mindy! That makes a lot of sense! I absolutely don't want to jeopardize the band by eating too much. I just have to change my mindset.

BTW, I looked at your before and after pics, and you look FABulous!!! You are a real inspiration! And I love your cute haircut! :wink:

Thanks . I love my new hair cut myself. SO much easier ! . Its just easier, better for me to just throw the food away . if its alot , obviously i keep it , try to make more meals out of it. Another option is , if you have enough for another meal or 2 all together , is freeze it . So its out of the way , out of sight right away .

[LindaD 3]

A very long time ago, I started working on this - trying to always leave something, even just a bite, as a matter of principle.

Also, if I was eating out for convenience and even if I ordered a combo meal, I would get Water. It felt strange at first - "I'm paying for a soda, I should get the value of getting a soda." But I kept telling myself it's not about money, it's about health.

I'm pretty new to all this so I'm not sure how things will play out. We have gone out to eat a few times and here's what I've done -- I've ordered off the appetizer menu. And then I shared with others at the table.

But - in order to get the satisfaction of some variety, I have also tasted a bit from my husband's plate or my child's plate. It's been satisfying me doing it that way.

I don't think I'd do the children's menu because I typically don't care for what they have on that menu. LOL I think I'll try to order an appetizer or a side or whatever and then maybe share a little of what my husband gets.

I have heard others say that when they order, they immediately move a portion they can eat onto a new plate and ask for the rest to be wrapped to go. That saves them from eating it just because it's there on the plate. This sounds like a good idea for me, too, when and if I do order a full meal.

Edited June 17, 2009 by LindaD

[SpideyMom 1]

Thanks for the great ideas, Linda! You know, I am going out to lunch on Friday with a good friend, and I looked at the menu online already and decided to do just that -- order something off the appetizer menu.

My surgeon said he used to give out cards to his patients that entitled them to be able to order off of the children's menu, but then he stopped because he felt that all the food on children's menus are foods that aren't that healthy for us -- fried chicken fingers, french fries, hot dogs, mac & cheese, etc. I never thought of it that way before!

[Kellster 1]

It's certainly weird not eating as much food - especially with the gigantic portions we are used to in America. My doctor gave me a card asking if I could order senior's meals - he changed from kid's because kid's meals tend to be fried, etc. and at least senior portions are smaller. My Lap-Band Journey card has that message on it too.

I've been out to dinner with friends and I either order Soup (not the creamy ones), or something healthy off of the appetizer menu, and I plan for leftovers. And I don't feel ashamed to leave food -especially bread - on my plate.

I was at a baby shower this weekend, and there were delicious chicken salad sandwiches on a croissant. I cut it in half and gave part to my friend, and took off the top bread and lettuce and just ate the open faced sandwich, with some fruit and veggies. It was great, I felt like I ate everything and didn't miss out.

Yum where's my Protein shake.