Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Play with Your Food

Let's have an experiment.  For this test, you need to pick a rich, sugary, or succulent food item like a brownie or piece of cake.  A food that you are missing and craving right now.  And you'll need a knife, a sheet of paper, and a pencil.

Okay, you've got it now right?  Cut that scrumptious delicacy into 6 bitesize mini-bits.  You're going to start eating and rate each bite based on your satisfaction.

5 = ecstacy
4 = tasting pretty good
3 = still okay with eating this
2 = less yummy, now a commitment
1 = this is work

Note that each bite becomes less irresistible.  Stop eating when your rating reaches a "3."  I'll bet you eat less than the whole thing.

What's the lesson from this experiment?  We don't need to eat the entire portion to satiate the craving brain.  Foods rich in sugars, fats, and salts are dangerous when the portion is absolutely huge!  You can experiment with the bite test on any and all of your favorite foods.  Work slowly and methodically, and check in with yourself for satisfaction and fullness.  Then give yourself a pat on the back for not cleaning your plate.

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