Carrie from teambojo left a comment about wasting food on my How Fast Do You Eat? post that really got me thinking. . .
You can throw it out and waste food or you can eat it and waste food. Either way it’s wasted. One will keep you thin and the other will make you gain. I honestly never thought about that. It gave me a new perspective.
Growing up in a clean-your-plate household this is new territory for me. Is eating more food then you need “wasting it”? Interesting thought. What do you guys think?
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I would argue it certainly becomes ‘unwise use of food’ (i.e. a variation on the definition of wasting). So my answer to yr question is, yeah. Eating more than you need is wasting it – and WAISTING it. (hah)
I had never thought about it that way, but I guess she is right. If you are feeding yourself beyond your bodies needs then the food is wasted.
Timely post – this morning I was a bit bad and was eating from a packet of chips. As I began cleaning up my bedroom, throwing things out, the unfinished packet of chips went into the bin. I don’t need it, it’s not good for me, I shouldn’t have been eating it in the first place.
I guess the same could be said when eating healthier things, but still reaching that satisfaction point.
Kirsten – yea I think this really only applies to all those people who believe they MUST finish what is on their plates. If you are doing so and your body doesn’t need it then I could see the “wasting it” argument. I think you are right.. it’s more an unwise use.. wasting seems harsh but the concept does get me thinking.
a nutritionist once told me “all food becomes waste eventually”
This quote reminds me of that.
That quote stood out for me as well, and I would tend to agree that it is a waste. A waste of food, a waste of the emotional, mental and physical energy that it’ll subsequently take to get the additional weight off that we gain as a result of eating beyond our bodies’ needs. Very thought provoking!
I really like that quote. I have never ever looked at it that way, but it makes complete sense.
That’s an awesome perspective, although all food becomes waste eventually. It does make complete sense.
I have the same perspective. Either I can eat it all and consume too many calories (waste) or I can not eat it and throw it out (waste). Either way doesn’t make a difference to the planet, the universe or feed the starving people in the world, but the choice will make a difference to my body.
I do think its wasting food, so I try to only portion what we need, we can always get more and save the rest for leftovers or components in other meals.
I used to eat whatever my kids didn’t finish. I used to eat whatever bag of cookies was open and stale. I used to eat all the donuts no one else wanted. Once I stopped treating my body like a trash can, I started having more self respect and getting healthier.
Wow Roni! Thanks. If you haven’t read The Beck’s Diet Solution, it’s a great read. Because I do most of the things suggested in her book, I didn’t actually make all the cards and do the “program” as she suggests in the book, but just reading it through reminded me of a few things I could do to improve my perception and the choices I make about food. It’s different than other diet books because it teaches you an “approach” instead of a diet plan. Keep up the good work Roni! I enjoy your blog tremendously.
I love that quote but my husband would hate it. Here is my own experience with the clean plate club: http://waistingtimeblog.com/2010/03/01/the-clean-plate-club/
I throw out food a lot. Mostly I try to hide that from my husband. Sigh.
Thanks for this Roni. I definitely think eating more food than necessary is definitely wasting it. I grew up in a “clean your plate” household too and that’s one of the reasons I eat EVERYTHING that’s in front of me. Now, I try to put less on my plate, eat that, and after about 30 minutes assess if I want more. So far, no need for seconds… and bonus, I have leftovers for the next day :)
So, so true!!
Thanks for sharing! :)
You end up “waisting it” because it end up on your waist. :)
Instead of using the word wasting… I always tell myself, “if you like it this much, save it for tomorrow and you can have it twice!” It works well. Plus, half the time I end up throwing it way a couple days later! :)
I read somewhere that people who have trouble throwing out food will also have trouble losing weight. Interesting, huh? Seems to be true for me…
What a great post…I am struggling with my daily addiction to french vanilla creamer- I use at least 5 TBSP and have a brand new $5.99 bottle of it in the fridge. I want to throw it out but feel that I should use it since I bought it…
Just started weight watchers this week.
I throw out lots of stuff, food included. It’s just that the creamer is SO SO good in my morning coffee.
Maybe I’ll throw it out.
I agree totally. If I don’t need it and I’m satisfied it is a waste of my time and energy to keep ingesting more calories.
I have worked with many people who have the difficulty of throwing away food. But the truth is whether we eat it all or throw it in the trash — it isn’t helping other people, the children in China or whoever we were programmed to think of. Making smaller amounts, saving it for leftovers is a good way to go.
Remember, you are not a garbage disposal.
Jennifer
I have NEVER thought of this before… but you are EXACTLY right! Whole new perspective. Both ways its wasted.
Thank you!!!! So glad I came to your blog today!
Rob
weighdownsouth.com
I would agree that eating food that you don’t need can be wasting it, if the reason you are eating the food is ONLY because you don’t want to waste it and not because you are actually hungry. But people also eat food they don’t “need” all the time, and it can be for pleasure. Like a little dessert after a meal. That is also food you don’t necessarily need, and that isn’t wasting food because you’re enjoying it. If you tend to binge and eat much more than you should, then its a bigger problem than just wasting food. Its putting strain on your body!
I totally think it is a waste to eat more food you need…unless there is a famine coming that I haven’t heard about. Unfortunately telling myself this doesn’t always work. :-( I will still overeat from time to time no matter what I tell myself.
I too have recently read the Beck Solution and I had the same epiphany. I especially now apply this to restaurant meals, unless it is something I truly love. Otherwise I now tell myself that it was a one-time treat, and I do not need to treat myself twice. I think the hardest part was reconciling this with my penny-pinching brain, but I just had to shut that part up and tell myself “Well, do you want to spend even more money paying for diet books?” Anyway, I realized that the money was spent regardless, and I should enjoy my treat without guilt over throwing some of it away if it helps me reach my weight-loss goals.
My brother who is a doctor is very particular about what he eats. If there is a couple of table spoons or very little amount of something left over after everyone in the family have had their meals, I would finish up the leftovers rather than finding containers to store then in the fridge. Once I insisted my brother to take a bite, I would take a bite and we could clean up the serving bowl. He disagreed and when I frowned at him, he said that those extra couple of bites are showing on ur waist line. Thats where they go if you do not throw them in garbage. We had this conversation years ago, but it is still fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. And I always remember to not to finish the leftovers now. :)
I agree that learning to throw food away made a big step in my weight loss. Most of the time it’s extra rice, bread, tortilla wrap, hamburger bun. Mentally I had to think of it as “not food”. I saw a stat the other day that we produce 4000 calories per person, so whether I throw it out or the manufacturers do, someone has to. That said, most of the time I make healthy foods so that I eat “a portion” regardless. Sometimes I’ll stop in the middle of a large salad and realize I don’t want more, but most of the time I eat the large bowl.
I grew up very underprivileged, so sometimes “wasting food” wasn’t an option. Sadly, as I became an adult I dealt with and still deal with the issue of “wasting food” as “not an option” thereby over-eating. Learning portion control is the hardest! It is, however, the key to a healthy eating plan and to weight control. I think we all know this but it’s still tough!