DAY 18: Satisfied is the New Full

On Day 18, the task is to change my definition of full by eating only enough to satisfy myself instead of overeating to overfullness.

This introductory passage to this step was a shock:

You might eat beyond the point of fullness for several other reasons, too: One, you might want to prolong the eating experience -- that is, have food in your mouth for a longer period of time. Two, you might have difficulty turning your attention away from eating if you know there's food readily available. Three, you might be concerned that if you don't load up now, you'll be too hungry before you can have your next meal or snack. You might link the sensation of overfullness with feeling safe or protected from discomfort...

The shock wasn't the information; I recognized a lot of my past behavior in those words. The shock was how appalled those words made me feel; the idea that people behave that way astonished me -- even though I was one of those people not too long ago! It dawned on me that I am thinking like a thin person already, and now I'm a little dazed. While I digest this morsel, on to redefining my definition of full.

Dr. Beck suggests gauging whether you're normally full or overly full by asking yourself if you are able to take a walk at a moderate to brisk pace after a meal. She adds that if you're not sure of the answer, you should actually try it. That raised my eyebrows because I've always thought you shouldn't exercise immediately after eating.

But if I take the question as rhetorical, it sounds like a good way to make sure I'm eating enough but not too much. Not that eating too much is a problem for me these days; since I started eating slowly and mindfully, it seems I'm hardly eating at all. But better safe than sorry!