My mom's 'clean plate' rule ruined portion control for me

My mom's 'clean plate' rule made me ignore my own hunger signals for decades. At family dinners, I had to eat everything even if I felt sick, and seconds were encouraged if I finished fast. It wasn't until I moved to Austin and started cooking for myself that I noticed I'd pile on huge portions out of habit. Counting calories for 6 weeks showed me I was eating way more than I needed, and I felt awful all the time. Now I use smaller plates and stop halfway through every meal to check if I'm actually full. Has anyone else had to retrain their brain after a childhood rule like this?

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hannahs451mo ago

GIRL, same. My grandma did the whole "there are starving kids in Africa" thing every single meal. I had to unlearn that too. What finally clicked for me was putting leftovers away BEFORE I sat down to eat. Like, portion out what I wanted, then immediately box up the rest and stick it in the fridge. That way there was no going back for seconds unless I REALLY wanted to get up and get it. Also, I started eating way slower, actually putting my fork down between bites. It sounds stupid but it made me realize I'd been inhaling food like I was in a race. Now I can stop when I'm like 80% full and not feel guilty about it. That clean plate guilt is REAL, but you're already past the hardest part.

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