like i said in another thread, i have trouble with overeating at night. so i'm try to rearrange my eating patterns. but i don't know how much is the "right" amount to eat in a day. a history of eating disorders has skewed my perception. so. any suggestion on a pattern of eating, meal and snack times, amount of food, etc?
because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. this is not just a dream, but a necessity.
I suggest filling you plate like you normally would, and then scraping half of it back.
Or if you have the willpower, make a point to just eat half, and then put the rest back with leftovers.
Also, with snacks, fill a small dish, and then put the bag back. If you eat snacks right out of the bag, you'll end up eating more.
Live simply so that others may simply live.
Who can face the knowledge that the Truth is not the truth?
-RUSH-
I usually measure the amount of food for my meal when I'm preparing it, whether it's rolled oats, slices of bread, beans, quinoa, etc. For something like brown rice, I practically have to, because if I use either less or more than two measures of water for one measure of rice, it won't cook properly.
Sometimes I might measure coarsely. I'll take a handful of nuts or sunflower seeds, but this could vary from maybe one to three tablespoons- and these things have more calories per mouthful than most other foods I eat.
Leafy vegetables and fruit I normally just chow down with gusto.
Every snowflake in an avalanche pleads "Not Guilty".
I'll be mostly off-line until later this month. I'll miss you guys!
Have a 'safe food' that you can eat and not feel guilty.
I was still hungry last night so I got out some stewed okra, tomatoes, and onions over a little brown Basmati rice and chowed down. No guilt and I got full.
Try to keep safe foods that are filling and low calorie 'on the ready'.
Vegetarian since 1997, I'm 40 yrs. old, married 15 years to a meat-eater who just turned vegetarian because of his high cholesterol (yay!), a homeschool mom, and part-time paralegal in Louisiana.
Eating 5-6 small meals per day is the best way to stay full throughout the day and keep your metabolism from crashing. Here's what I do:
Breakfast: Kashi go lean crunch (1 cup) with 1 cup soymilk
Snack: banana or yogurt
Lunch: 1 bowl vegetarian chili or other meal with whole grains or legumes and a side of veggies or a salad with vinaigrette
Snack: piece of fruit and veggies with cashew dip
Dinner: whole grain spaghetti and marinara sauce or pasta with diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil sauteed in a pan with a salad
Dessert (I like having dessert): frozen fruit bar or sometimes I'll have a half a protein shake if I worked out that day
The key is to eat every 3-4 hours and keep your meals wholesome and filling. I don't measure portions exactly, but I recommend doing this in the beginning until you are able to eyeball correct portions. Also, I try not to eat past 8pm. Good luck!
Eat slowly. Chew your food well. Give thanks/appreciation for every bite. Don't engage in other activities while eating, be focused. Doing that, your satiation signals will return and you won't overeat.
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
You need to find the reason for why you overeat in order to prevent it or "solve" it. I used to overeat due to stress at work. I would eat great during the day, but when I came home, I would eat like you would not believe! Breathe meditation and learning to really feel my feelings worked for me.
Regardless, I am very anal when it comes to portion control. I use the palm of my hand and my fist as a guide for correct portions when I do not have measuring cups available. You need to have a general idea of how much calories certain foods have. For example, I would have a cup of oatmeal (cooked), but I would never have a cup of granola (uncooked). I also eat unlimted amount of fresh vegetables which are very filling. I love eating food that is of good quality and/or high in fiber.
I love bread which I ate frequently to comfort me. I have plenty of it in my home now, but I practice portion control so it is not a problem anymore. I think it is important to give yourself permission to eat your favorite foods in small amounts. Otherwise you think about it constantly and work yourself into a binge. Good luck! It takes time, but with effort, patience and a few slips here and there, you can conquer this habit.
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Last edited by .ghost.; November 5th, 2009 at 04:50 PM.
I have found exchange plans really helpful. The Mayo Clinic has a good one which you can Google; they give you a quiz to help you determine your calorie level and then tell you how many servings a day of things you should aim for.
Personally, I can be a bit of a binge eater too sometimes, and what has helped me is having smaller, more frequent meals and snacks. If I know I can eat again in two hours, the cravings are less. Also, there is a certain food I am sensitive to (wheat) and if I eat it, I get crazy sugar cravings, so I try and avoid that.
I used to follow the 'this many calories at breakfast, this many at lunch etc' rules but after experimenting, I found what works for me. You really have to listen to your body. For example I found that I really needed a biggish breakfast because a) I work out in the morning and b) I am a teacher and don't always get breaks when I might want them. So typically, I have soy milk and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, sometimes a SMALL morning snack, small-ish lunch, slightly substantial afternoon snack and more substantial dinner. Sometimes a small evening snack. I am careful to choose satisfying foods.
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I eat as much as I want but then again I just eat fruits and green leafy vegetables. Could you try just eating green leafy raw vegetables at night or steamed broccoli? You can eat as much of those as you want.
"They're religious, honey, not retarded."
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