What satisfies you more…a plate heaped with food or a smaller amount of great tasting food? When we eat, we are not only filling our stomach but our mind as well. If you’ve been over eating for awhile, then you know that your mind starts screaming “That’s not enough” when any portion of the plate can be seen. Our brains are very powerful and without it, the rest of our body cannot function. Our brain keeps our muscles working, tells our fingers and toes how to respond and it tells our heart how fast or slow to beat.
Perhaps it’s time that we take control of our brain and start telling it what we want it to do for us rather than allowing it to run amuck! You can redirect your brain to accept smaller portion sizes when you eat. It’s your brain that’s telling your body how hungry it is. You can trick the brain by filling your stomach with a no calorie substance – the best one being water. Yep! Drink a glass or even half a glass of water before you eat and the space it takes up in your stomach will signal your brain that it doesn’t need to order more food.
Besides drinking a glass of water before a meal, exercise is also a great way to tell the brain to stop sending the “I’m starving” signals. With exercise, the adrenaline starts flowing, the pulse goes up and the lungs expand. In short, the brain is out of the running as far as the food ordering goes.
We all know when too much is too much. We all must take the responsibility for our own well being and health. No one puts a gun to our head and tells us to eat more than we need. The more food that is piled, yes piled on your plate, the more calories there are to consume. It’s your decision and choice to eat less when it comes to meal time.
If you truly enjoy seeing a heaped plate of food before you, then heap it with low-calorie foods like salad with plenty of lettuce. Another great way to control portion size is to use a smaller plate when you eat your meals. This way your plate appears really full, which satisfies your brain, but also helps limit your calories.