Do you clean off your plate even when you are already full? Do you finish the dinner scraps just because you can’t stand the thought of throwing out the food? Do you eat that last spoonful of chili in the pot just because nobody in your family wanted to finish it? To get rid of this extra food, do you choose to throw it right in your mouth?
If that sounds like you, you are not alone. This behavior is very common. Most of us have been taught not to be wasteful. When we were little, we were told to clean off our plates, so it is deeply ingrained in many people’s minds. We feel guilty about throwing out any food, especially since we know that there are so many starving people in this world.
In addition, since we paid money for the food, we perceive leaving food on our plates as wasting money. It is especially true in restaurants – if there are not enough leftovers to take home, most of us will clean off our plates because we feel we have to get our money’s worth.
Do we stop to consider that day after day, it really adds up. All this food that we eat after we are already full turns into tens of pounds of body fat not to mention whatever additives, preservatives, pesticides etc are in the food we’re eating. You avoid wasting the food, but instead, you might be wasting your health, your goals, and your weight loss efforts.
Next time you are about to eat because you feel guilty for the wasted food, tell yourself:
“I Am Not A Garbage Can!”
Instead of throwing the unwanted food in the trash, you are throwing it into your stomach. By doing that, you are treating your body as a garbage can on an energetic level. You are not the chosen medium to gather stuff that nobody wanted to eat!
To get over the guilt associated with wasted food, think of it from the perspective that this excess food is actually serving a better purpose when it’s fed to your compost or your dog, or just throw it out! Let go! If that food is thrown out, it might cause you to be mindful about how much food you cook or purchase for a meal, and that less might be sufficient so that you can fulfill your appetite and not allow any leftovers.
When you eat everything off your plate, it is completely fine. Just do ensure you’re maintaining a good exercise regime. Also, don’t think that you are wasting your money if you don’t finish all the food you paid for. The money is already spent – you are not going to gain more money by eating more than you can fit in your stomach!
Aim to only eat when you are hungry. Treat your body well. Say it with me, “I Am Not A Garbage Can!”
