Breaking a habit that may have been drilled into you since childhood isn’t always easy, and it may take a few methods to learn to be OK with not finishing every morsel every single time.
It was the same for me, I wasn't allowed to go out and play unless I had eaten everything on my plate. Tormented by the comment 'There are starving kids in Africa that would love to eat that' So, I basically just stuffed it all in - even though the food was generally disgusting
Now, the first step is realising that you actually have this habit. Once you’re aware of the fact that you’re eating out of habit, not hunger, it’s a lot easier to break the routine.
To do just that eliminate distractions like the TV, your computer, or book, and just focusing on eating when you have a meal. That makes it more likely that you’ll experience your food and recognise your fullness as a result.
Utilise your One Mouthful portion control bowl and put down your utensils between bites. It gives your brain a moment to register that you’re eating and helps people pace themselves. It can slow down the process, making it more likely that your brain will catch up with your stomach in terms of satiety.
That's such an important factor that you should slow down your eating in general. Try to take at least 20 minutes per meal to allow your brain to process satiety signals.
To that end, you may also need to take timeouts while eating to listen your body and rate your levels of hunger and fullness throughout the meal on a scale of one (being starving) to 10 (being uncomfortably stuffed). Once you reach a six or seven, take a few minutes to think about how you feel. Chances are you’ll realise that you’ve had enough to eat. If that doesn’t work, she says you might first want to learn what it feels like to eat smaller portions by using the One mouthful portion control bowl to help you get back into the habit of feeling satisfied with smaller portions.
If you eat out a lot and tend to clean your plate at restaurants, too, I suggest splitting a meal with a friend to make it impossible that you’ll eat the whole thing. And, if you’re by yourself, you can put aside a portion of your meal for later before you even start eating (simply knowing that there's more there to dip into if you're still feeling hungry may help you tune into your appetite). Over time using the One Mouthful portion control bowl will help you to retrain your eyes and stomach and regain control over your appetite