A Few Bites Technique in Action
I don’t have much left in me to tonight. Not because I did a lot today but because the time change tends to catch up on me. Great family day today. We got out and about. Into the city! I do love heading into the city. I was a city girl for many years and now I rub elbows with Chip n Dale and Bambi on a daily basis.
Yesterday was mostly work.
I had to work most of the morning for my real job. I’m a techie and we install things on the weekends. It’s my world.
After the install was family cleaning day. It use to be much easier to engage the Whistler on cleaning events. At 9 years old I think he’s starting to realize its not as fun as it use to be.
Oh yeah and then there was the 16 inches of snow we didn’t deal with on Friday. It had snowed all day until dark so the hubby and I decided to wait. Funny thing is I didn’t think it was going to be a good decision. Thought it was going to be one I regretted. But when got out there after lunch it was beautiful. Sunny. Real warm. And we went at it. Hubby with the snow blower, I with my shovel.
It is activities like shoveling that instantly remind me how thankful I am for my health. I truly embrace hard physical work with gusto. Even my husband thought I was an animal. Me, I was thrilled that body is strong and able. I plan to be this way for a very long time and I don’t plan on stopping.
Got my weekly food shopping in too. We experienced a cheese cutting event at my Wholefoods market. Huge round of Parmesan cheese being cut in record time. And of course there were samples and the Whistler was right up front ready to be a taster.
Ok that was yesterday.
What I wanted to talk about was today.
Today was family day. As I mentioned earlier we headed into the city. We had some business to take care of and decided to wrap in some city people watching, lunch, technology fondling and shopping.
Since eating lunch out was in the plan I started my day light. Had a hot tea latte with my vitamin regime and a Power Crunch bar. I expected more calories at lunch. My plan was to use my few bites technique.
No bread. Three bites of appetizer. It was fried calamari. Six bites of entree. It was Louisiana Shrimp Gumbo. And it was GOOD. And three bites of chocolate bread pudding. I had known about the bread pudding at the time we order so I planned my fullness around being able to taste that!!!
This is how I roll when I eat out. I eat things I want just not much of them. The waiter always thinks I didn’t like my meal. But in fact I’m looking forward to the leftovers as my next meal.
Now I don’t eat bread pudding and fried foods in my daily food plan. But I will when we go out. And it’s always only a few bites.
How do you handle eating out?
Please consider leaving me a comment. Do you have a technique? Do you plan ahead? Do you avoid eating out? I did when I was early post op.
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Comments (14)
Cathy O
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I like the way you plan ahead even beginning at breakfast. We dont always have a plan on the weekends so I am not always totally sure where we will end up. For that reason I keep a protein bar on hand as well as nuts in my car at all times. I will grab a cheese stick or two sometimes but I am far enough out now I can usually get something when we eat out.
We also ate out tonight at Ruby Tuesday. I dont know if you all have those but it is just your garden variety chain with burgers, steaks, seafood etc.. I order the seafood platter which is a mini lobster tail, 3 grilled shrimp and a crab cake. This comes with two sides and I get the broccoli and spaghetti squash. It makes at least 2 meals for me.
I dont eat any dessert. I fear sugar at this point although I dont believe I will dump I just avoid it. It is a slippery slope for me, my kryptonite if you will, so I dont go there. I do enjoy SF things all the time though!
I do take into account my intake if I am going to have maybe a french fry or three or soemthing fried like you say Tracy. I cant always stick to my plan once I taste that fried, salty yumminess but I dont do it often so I am not super worried about it. 90% of the time I stick to my plan.
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my tiny tank
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Hi Cathy, the fact that you can even talk it through like you just did means you are “working” it. I do like to look at my day as a whole. So if there will be more calories at lunch then breakfast will be lighter. I don’t skip, I’ll have tea and something light. I do agree that staying away from trigger foods is a MUST. I like how you call it kryptonite. that is so true. It makes us weak. If I have a tiny bit of a trigger food it can cause a bigger issue and maybe not even that day but the next day I will still be thinking about it. so I steer clear!!! great comment. thanks, I know others have benefited from it.
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Jeanette
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Since I am only 5 weeks out from a gastric sleeve I find eating out to not be fun. Applebees was a disaster as I ordered the ‘baked’ tilapia with broccoli…the fish was actually grilled and dry as a bone. The waitress took it back and I wasn’t charged but then I sat there and ate nothing.
I was craving the tomato soup at Panera and was disappointed when I could only eat a few bites of something that I truly love.
Jimmie Johns was better with the tuna salad, cheese in a lettuce wrap . Yesterday was the best…we went to a local new restaurant called ‘Healthy Eating. They had quinua salad and tomato soup…so delish and I have plenty of the quinua for this week. I also do eat a few french fries if I’m out with someone who orders them, but 4-5 is all I can handle without getting full.
It’s hard for us that were taught to clean their plate as children. Old habits are being broken now with my new life.
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my tiny tank
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Hi Jeanette. You are doing great. I’m hoping you noticed the statement you made about the “foods you Love” and it is like a mourning of food. This is a signal that food brings you pleasure. and this is where you will be doing your work. One thing that needs to change as we move through our losing phase and into maintenance (which don’t blick you will reach before you know it if you follow your surgeons rules to the T) is that we need to give up the LOVE for foods. We need to steer clear of tose foods we sought for pleasure before our WLS. You will need to learn that if you go out to dinner with friends and DON’T EAT a THING it is still an enjoyable event. It’s not about the food but the people/experience. Now this is easier said than done!! And I am the first person to say that it was one of my first challenges. I use to “date” my food. I’d set a date for pizza. etc Try with all your mite to avoid those foods you craved before WLS and eliminate them (for the time being) and stick to a very regimented diet while you lose. It will make a world of difference. Thanks for coming by and reading and being soooo honest. Your honest will set you free from the behaviors that got you to an obese way. I applaud YOU. Keep up the good work.
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Marie H.
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I haven’t been planning ENOUGH….OF ANYTHING. I’ve started over and have two days of exercise behind me, and cleaner eating. MUCH cleaner!
Thanks for your inspiration!
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my tiny tank
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HI Marie. Keep it up. and if you have a stumble big or small, get back up… it averages out and for the better if you get up FAST!! thanks for sharing!!
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Robin
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Sounds like you had a great weekend. I had forgot about your “bite” technique. I really need to try that when we eat out. Eating out is my biggest fight lately with the hubs….he likes to way more often than we should and I’ve been stalled because of it. But we have agreed to NO Eating out for 2 weeks. We shall see how that goes. LOL
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my tiny tank
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HI Robin!! I love my “few bites” technique!!! I try to channel a little bird
sounds funny but I try to think like a bird when I am in that situation LOL, ok now I know you think I am a nut. oh well it is what works and I am happy to share it 
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julia
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I plan obsessively, so eating out actually works pretty well. I try to stick to restaurants I can look at menus online for, and I pretty much plan my whole day the night before in MyFitnessPal. And I’m in it throughout the day on my computer/cell phone, making any adjustments as I go along.
While I do dump, I do indulge in tastes/bites of the things I want as long as I come in under my danger fat/sugar levels. And since I don’t have any cravings/triggers at this point (15 months out from RNY), it’s possible for me to be completely satisfied of just a taste of whatever I want.
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my tiny tank
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HI Julia. obsessive planning is a good thing and in fact I think it becomes habit after a while
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Donna B
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Catching up on some reading I’ve missed!
I tend to eat less when we go out to dinner than if I am home. Some foods still make me feel pretty sick/nauseous, and I like to avoid that when out in public. (I like to avoid that when I’m home alone, too, come to think of it!!) I usually order an appetizer, or a cup of soup, or side salad. Then I’ll take a few bites of my boyfriend’s protein if I want it. Leftovers are sometimes fine and sometimes they give me the creeps, so I can’t always plan to have a meal or three after we go out. And I come from the “don’t waste food” generation . . . so it hurts to spend good money and then watch it go down the drain (or in the trash!)
I have a nut addiction going on right now. Seriously. I can eat ALOT of nuts. They never bother me. Breakfast is the same pretty much every day, and lunch is a salad with protein, or leftovers if I can handle them. Dinner – protein and veg. Afternoon protein shake. I may make a protein SF pudding for dessert. BUT those dang nuts!!! Sheesh.
I do need to get back into planning and tracking more. I track maybe once a week at this point. I think I’m pretty consistent calorically and even with the nuts I’m at 1100 calories a day, 100+ grams of protein (my doctor wants me at 100 min and up to 150 a day), and my carbs are 70 or less a day. I guess I do have a “plan”, but maybe I need to write more down. I also need to drink more water.
My word, you make me think!!
Not complaining – but I feel like I’m in confession!
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my tiny tank
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Donna I am always here to take your confession
this is a great place to share as everyone here knows what it is like.
I went out to dinner with friends the other night… a sort of girls night.
When I am out for dinner without my husband I always order something he would like. I never eat much of a dinner meal out. First off dinner is my worst meal, I’m never hungry for dinner and a few bites and I’m done. So I order steak or something that he can nosh on when I get home
Sometimes I don’t like left overs too this this approach is still win win since I know my husband will eat it!!!
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Cris Martin
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I love this (few bites rule) I never thought of that….I normally skip the appitizer, and half my plate (to box up & take with me) …then I dont even do dessert (cause I dump…and its not worth it). I never thought…oh ok…Ill have three bites of app, then a few bites of main dinner. Thanks for sharing that. I LOVE to learn how others do things. =)
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Jennifer Shore
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I do eat out. 99% of the time I plan it by looking at their menu, reading nutrition for my options, etc. If eating out happens spontaneously due to things taking longer, I stick to things that I know are okay – grilled chicken, steamed veggies (no sauce or butter). I’m only 6 months out and I’m honestly terrified of fried foods. I also don’t want them, so I don’t have any reason to push beyond my fear. I don’t really eat sugar, but for a special occasion (kids’ birthdays, anniversary, etc), I’ll have a bite or 2 of something. For birthdays, I still go through the ceremony of cutting a tiny piece of cake for myself, eating my bite, then throwing it away after my bite. I need to do that whole routine. Not sure why, but it works for me. For a special dessert when we go out, I share it with my husband, eat my bite, and push it in front of him along with my spoon. I know I have the tendency to pick at food when I’m done, so that keeps me from doing it and then regretting it. And I make sure to get plenty of protein when I know I’m going to have a bite of cake or something.
I knew going into surgery, I had to be able to live in the world too, which means going out to eat sometimes and I wanted to be able to share cake at my kids’ birthday. But those are exceptions to my usual routine, which makes them even more special.
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