Out and about the other day, I had a hankering for a curried chicken sandwich. I bought one at the deli and, boy, was it tasty. But by the time I had finished half, I wasn’t really hungry anymore.

Then in my head, I heard my mom’s reproach—”There are starving children in the world who would love to finish that sandwich!” I had no way to refrigerate the leftovers (and no way to send it to kids in need), so I polished off the other half.

My thighs did not thank me.

Were you, too, schooled in the “waste not, want not” ethic or forced to finish every bite before you could leave the table? The problem: That attitude overrides the body’s own signals as to when hunger has been satisfied, thus leading to unwanted weight gain.

When I called psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, author of Eating Mindfully, to discuss this topic, she put it succinctly: “Tell yourself to worry about letting food go to your waist, not waste.” And if that reminder alone isn’t enough to help you break free of the clean-plate dictum? Try these tips…

Practice leaving your plate just a little bit “dirty.” Force yourself to start leaving one little bite of food uneaten on your plate. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but you’ll soon see that there are no dire consequences. Work your way up, leaving two bites, then three, until you are able to leave uneaten whatever food your body doesn’t need.

Be still and savor each bite. No more wolfing down a snack as you walk down the street or drive to an appointment. Instead, Dr. Albers suggested, sit at a table…turn off the TV, computer and cell phone…and really pay attention to the tastes and textures of each morsel. The more aware you are of exactly what you’re eating, the more you’ll tune in to your body’s internal cues that let you know when you’ve had enough—and the less likely you’ll be to regard a clean plate as the only acceptable signal of a meal’s end.

 

Take only half your usual amount of food. When you’re done with that smaller portion, pause for 20 minutes. This gives your brain time to get the message that your stomach is satisfied—and you won’t be staring guiltily at uneaten food on your plate while you wait for the 20 minutes to pass. If you are still hungry after your break, go ahead and take a bit more food…but chances are good that your cravings will be gone.

Plan ahead for eating out. There’s no need to toss out leftovers if it makes you feel wasteful. Instead, carry a lunch bag with a built-in cold pack to store leftovers…split a restaurant entrée with a friend…or look for a deli that sells half-size salads and half-sandwiches (and then order them!).

Find a truly helpful way to assist the needy. Remember, stuffing yourself so as not to waste food does not save starving children, nor does it save you money, Dr. Albers said—it only endangers your own health. Better: Make a donation to a charitable organization that feeds the hungry. Then whenever that inner voice scolds you about not cleaning your plate, remind yourself that you have already taken action to help the needy and thus can rightfully say good-bye to unfinished-food guilt.

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