Dinner out - success

Last night DH and I went to dinner at our favorite steak house. I had
one small saucer-size plate of salad, one small sourdough roll w/
butter, about 3/4 of a medium-sized baked potato w/sour cream, and maybe
a third of my steak. My beverage was two cups of coffee.

In the past, I would have easily eaten a second plate of salad (they
leave the bowl on the table after serving you), 2 or 3 rolls, polished
off the whole potato, and at least half the steak.

Plus, when the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, I said no. Not
because I "should" say no, but because I was completely satisfied and
truly didn't want any. And they have a fab chocolate mousse cake too!
But that's the beauty of eating whatever I want in moderation - since I
knew I could have that or something else equally wonderful at any time,
I didn't *have* to have it last night like it was my last chance.

This really is a wonderful way to live!

--
M-C
401/376/?

wrote in message
...
Last night DH and I went to dinner at our favorite steak house. I had
one small saucer-size plate of salad, one small sourdough roll w/
butter, about 3/4 of a medium-sized baked potato w/sour cream, and maybe
a third of my steak. My beverage was two cups of coffee.

Congrats Managing to *leave* food in your plate, especially at a
restaurant, is a major victory! For some people, it's completely taboo, they
would rather throw the food inside their body than in the garbage can... For
myself, it was acknowledging that I don't know how to show appreciation for
food, so I was stuffing myself to show how much I like it...

In the past, I would have easily eaten a second plate of salad (they
leave the bowl on the table after serving you), 2 or 3 rolls, polished
off the whole potato, and at least half the steak.

It's always impressive to look back, and realize the amount of food you were
able to stuff in yourself. It's even more impressive when you stay
dumbfounded and wonder "how the hell did I manage to eat THAT much?" and
genuinely have no idea how it was physically possible...

Plus, when the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, I said no. Not
because I "should" say no, but because I was completely satisfied and
truly didn't want any. And they have a fab chocolate mousse cake too!
But that's the beauty of eating whatever I want in moderation - since I
knew I could have that or something else equally wonderful at any time,
I didn't *have* to have it last night like it was my last chance.

Yes, that's really the key. If you can have it whenever you want, you
don't need to have it every time you can. You also don't have to settle for
inferior versions and sustitutes, you can wait till you can eat the best...
And you can also have your favorite food, eat half of it, feel satisfied and
throw away the rest (or share it with your DH - I have been doing the one
dessert for two deal with my gf at restaurants, even if the waiters think
we're rude as hell).

Congrats anyway

401/376/?

I think what you're doing goes beyond the weight itself. You're buying your
way into a pacified and enjoyable but non-exclusive relationship with food.
That in itself is worth the work...

"Ignoramus13229" wrote in message
...
I have extreme difficulties with throwing food away. In restaurants,
fortunately, they give boxes so that un-eaten food can be taken home.

That's a pretty common problem. As a psychiatrist I read put it "So, you're
not hungry anymore, but rather than throw away the food, you prefer to eat
it. You are, in fact, confusing your own body and the garbage can. Do you
have so little self-esteem that you act as a human waste disposal unit?"...
Doggy bags are certainly a solution, but only if you don't end up eating all
that food without hunger, just because "it will go bad".
That's one of the exercises that my nutritionist uses. For instance, when
re-introducing taboo food, throwing away the left-overs was part of the
learning process. You can eat some of it, and that's the part you actually
eat, but not all of it, and that's the part you throw away. Many people have
a strong anxiety towards being separated from their food, but for real
(leftovers, refusing food when not hungry...) and symbolically (selecting
items at a buffet rather than trying to eat everything...).
Right now, I'm trying to leave a piece of everything I eat in my plate. Even
a symbolic amount (a couple of peas do the job), but some of everything. If
I'm still hungry, I move to the rest of the meal or eat something else. I
have no problem with leaving some of the food (vegetables, bread, ice
cream), but I had troubles leaving "noble" food (meat, some desserts,
cheese...).

"Ignoramus13229" wrote in message
...
I have extreme difficulties with throwing food away. In restaurants,
fortunately, they give boxes so that un-eaten food can be taken home.

That's a pretty common problem. As a psychiatrist I read put it "So, you're
not hungry anymore, but rather than throw away the food, you prefer to eat
it. You are, in fact, confusing your own body and the garbage can. Do you
have so little self-esteem that you act as a human waste disposal unit?"...
Doggy bags are certainly a solution, but only if you don't end up eating all
that food without hunger, just because "it will go bad".
That's one of the exercises that my nutritionist uses. For instance, when
re-introducing taboo food, throwing away the left-overs was part of the
learning process. You can eat some of it, and that's the part you actually
eat, but not all of it, and that's the part you throw away. Many people have
a strong anxiety towards being separated from their food, but for real
(leftovers, refusing food when not hungry...) and symbolically (selecting
items at a buffet rather than trying to eat everything...).
Right now, I'm trying to leave a piece of everything I eat in my plate. Even
a symbolic amount (a couple of peas do the job), but some of everything. If
I'm still hungry, I move to the rest of the meal or eat something else. I
have no problem with leaving some of the food (vegetables, bread, ice
cream), but I had troubles leaving "noble" food (meat, some desserts,
cheese...).

wrote:
Last night DH and I went to dinner at our favorite steak house. I had
one small saucer-size plate of salad, one small sourdough roll w/
butter, about 3/4 of a medium-sized baked potato w/sour cream, and
maybe a third of my steak. My beverage was two cups of coffee.

In the past, I would have easily eaten a second plate of salad (they
leave the bowl on the table after serving you), 2 or 3 rolls, polished
off the whole potato, and at least half the steak.

Plus, when the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, I said no. Not
because I "should" say no, but because I was completely satisfied and
truly didn't want any. And they have a fab chocolate mousse cake too!
But that's the beauty of eating whatever I want in moderation - since
I knew I could have that or something else equally wonderful at any
time, I didn't *have* to have it last night like it was my last
chance.

This really is a wonderful way to live!

What a terrific achievement!

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


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wrote:
Last night DH and I went to dinner at our favorite steak house. I had
one small saucer-size plate of salad, one small sourdough roll w/
butter, about 3/4 of a medium-sized baked potato w/sour cream, and
maybe a third of my steak. My beverage was two cups of coffee.

In the past, I would have easily eaten a second plate of salad (they
leave the bowl on the table after serving you), 2 or 3 rolls, polished
off the whole potato, and at least half the steak.

Plus, when the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, I said no. Not
because I "should" say no, but because I was completely satisfied and
truly didn't want any. And they have a fab chocolate mousse cake too!
But that's the beauty of eating whatever I want in moderation - since
I knew I could have that or something else equally wonderful at any
time, I didn't *have* to have it last night like it was my last
chance.

This really is a wonderful way to live!

What a terrific achievement!

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/7/2004

wrote:
Last night DH and I went to dinner at our favorite steak house. I had
one small saucer-size plate of salad, one small sourdough roll w/
butter, about 3/4 of a medium-sized baked potato w/sour cream, and
maybe a third of my steak. My beverage was two cups of coffee.

In the past, I would have easily eaten a second plate of salad (they
leave the bowl on the table after serving you), 2 or 3 rolls, polished
off the whole potato, and at least half the steak.

Plus, when the waitress asked if I wanted dessert, I said no. Not
because I "should" say no, but because I was completely satisfied and
truly didn't want any. And they have a fab chocolate mousse cake too!
But that's the beauty of eating whatever I want in moderation - since
I knew I could have that or something else equally wonderful at any
time, I didn't *have* to have it last night like it was my last
chance.

This really is a wonderful way to live!

What a terrific achievement!

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/7/2004

Lictor wrote:

That's a pretty common problem. As a psychiatrist I read put it "So,
you're not hungry anymore, but rather than throw away the food, you
prefer to eat it. You are, in fact, confusing your own body and the
garbage can. Do you have so little self-esteem that you act as a
human waste disposal unit?"... Doggy bags are certainly a solution,
but only if you don't end up eating all that food without hunger,
just because "it will go bad".

An excellent little piece of advice I plan on using. Often. Thanks.

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/7/2004

Lictor wrote:

That's a pretty common problem. As a psychiatrist I read put it "So,
you're not hungry anymore, but rather than throw away the food, you
prefer to eat it. You are, in fact, confusing your own body and the
garbage can. Do you have so little self-esteem that you act as a
human waste disposal unit?"... Doggy bags are certainly a solution,
but only if you don't end up eating all that food without hunger,
just because "it will go bad".

An excellent little piece of advice I plan on using. Often. Thanks.

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/7/2004

Lictor wrote:

That's a pretty common problem. As a psychiatrist I read put it "So,
you're not hungry anymore, but rather than throw away the food, you
prefer to eat it. You are, in fact, confusing your own body and the
garbage can. Do you have so little self-esteem that you act as a
human waste disposal unit?"... Doggy bags are certainly a solution,
but only if you don't end up eating all that food without hunger,
just because "it will go bad".

An excellent little piece of advice I plan on using. Often. Thanks.

--
PL
(320/291/170)
(First mini-goal: 299 Reached! 08/26/04)
(Second mini-goal: 279)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/7/2004