I sort of have a running battle with my wife when we eat meals together. Nataliya tends to eat very “clean”, i.e. almost always high protein, high vegetables and essentially no carbs. I, on the other hand, will often have a bunch of non-Phase one items on my plate, such as fries, dessert etc. However, Nataliya will very often (i.e. all the time) reach over to extract items off my plate, albeit in very small amounts. As this is somewhat annoying to me, I jokingly (and sometimes non-jokingly) tell her: “Stay on YOUR plate”, i.e. leave my plate alone.”
Yesterday I saw a patient who told me that one of his action items that is somewhat derailing to his own weight loss journey is reaching over to his children’s plates for food they are not eating. In the quest to entice them to eat the breakfast cereal, the bagel, the fries and other “usual” foods that have been provided to them, he will go on their plates and they will say “Dad…leave my food alone” and then they will start eating the food.
It is quite common for all of us to reach over to our family members’ plates when we see they are “done” and left unfinished food remaining. The remaining food could of course be wrapped up but sometimes what is left over is not much and therefore not worthy of saving. Human nature being what it is, in the quest to not “waste” food, we feel compelled to consume the remaining food.
During your long-term weight control journey, take a step back and see if you are “guilty” of straying off “your” plate and onto someone else’s to finish off any remaining food items that may be derailing to your efforts. Stay on YOUR Plate!