By “It” I mean the whole practice of taking smaller portions, eating slower, and feeling the satisfaction. It still surprises me when doing everything right, and by right I mean according to plan, isn’t fraught with anxiety, overthinking and the intermittent metaphorical “white knuckling” to remain abstinent and on track.
Today I attended a chamber of commerce luncheon. Friends saved me a seat at the table and we all went through the buffet line. It’s not like the restaurant presented an overwhelming variety of choices They had spinach salad or make your own Caesar, fresh baked rolls, roasted red potatoes, garlic string beans and roast chicken. Okay, there was a choice with the chicken — leg/thigh or breast/wing. 🙂 The challenge at any buffet or in any meal, is portion control. Even though I know my stomach capacity can’t handle large portions and my weight loss plan bans them anyway, there are plenty of times when my eyes literally are bigger than my stomach. I still often put too big a serving of too many different things on my plate.
At this lunch, I did the opposite and it wasn’t a big, agonizing, stressful thing to do. I also didn’t resent doing it. I took the equivalent of a couple of bites of lettuce and dressed it sparingly. I skipped the roll. The roasted red potatoes were cut in small chunks, so I spooned a few on my plate. One not-too-big tongs-full portion of green beans came next and then a chicken leg/thigh combo.
Really small portions and huge amount of white space left on the plate. I chatted with my friends before the program started, but paid attention to the way that I was consuming my food. When I’m not with others, I often forget to eat as slowly as recommended but this time I was being social so I didn’t chew and swallow too quickly.
Even with smaller amounts to begin with, I didn’t finish everything on my plate. Yet, I had plenty and felt satisfied! On the way out I even thought, “Wow, that was easy.” Then I wondered, “Why can’t I do that all of the time?”
The truth is that I can do it all of the time. I just need to remind myself and be aware at every meal. I think it will help if I also remember that it doesn’t have to be hard or a challenge. Like today, choosing the correct foods in the appropriate amounts can, indeed, be easy.
Weighty Matters 
Great comment Skye. Awareness and mindfulness is so important in what we do (within reason, lol, we need to freefall sometimes).
I’m glad that lunch today was easy. I think that we get so used to feeling that change is hard we can make it harder than it might otherwise be. I agree that awareness and mindfulness are key in not only being successful, but in that success being much easier than we expect it to be. Good for you for doing so well today!