Why “80% full”? First: The exact number isn’t important. “80% full” is just an idea of eating a little less than you normally would. 80% full is about two things:
1. How much you eat.
2. How it feels to eat that much.
So by doing this habit, you’ll learn:
1. What portion sizes work for you.
2. What it feels like to be physically hungry, satisfied, and/or full.
In the beginning, you won’t know what 80% full is for you.
You probably won’t know what 80% feels like, or what portion sizes work best. That’s OK.
You’ll experiment.
Here are two techniques to get you started.
Eat slowly = 80% full along with eating slowly, 80% full is one of the two most important “anchor habits” in nutrition coaching.
If you can master only two nutrition habits , make them these habits. (Seriously. They're that important!)
And they work together.
The better you are at slow eating, the easier 80% full will be.
So in the beginning, as you learn what 80% looks like for you, go slow.
1. Take a bite.
2. Stop.
3. Take a breath.
4. Check in with yourself. How do you feel? Pause to notice.
5. If it feels like another bite is a good idea, take another bite. And repeat.
6. If you feel like you might be around 80%, stop.
That’s it.
Stop eating sooner than you normally would You probably have a sense of how much you normally eat — what size of plate you use, what size of sandwich or coffee you order, etc.
So you can:
1. Start with what you’d normally eat.
2. And then just shrink that a little bit. Or stop eating just a little sooner than you normally would.
For instance, try:
• Purposely leaving a couple extra bites of your meal on your plate.
• Ordering one size smaller than normal. • Using a smaller dish than normal.
Another option: Plan a workout or brisk walk shortly after you finish eating.
What to do today
1. Stop eating before you normally would. Don’t stress over the “80% full” and how to quantify that yet. If you stopped eating a little sooner than you normally would at every meal, then tick off your habit.
2. Eat slowly. This "anchor habit" will make your new habit of "80% full" much easier.
To find out more tips on how you can control how much you eat, book in for a Discovery Consultation to find out more about how the coaching I provide and how I can help you achieve a lifetime of good health
Chris, myHealthCoach