1/2 serving diet

[Enoch Choi, MD]

I've been trying to eat only 1/2 of what's served to me, such as saving 1/2 of lunch to eat at dinner.

It's tough because i'm hungry, but I try to stave off hunger by drinking lots of water and low calorie snacks like miso soup.

anyone get anywhere with this kind of approach?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

you're totally right, servings now are enormous, twice that in 1958...

wish i could be home for dinner, i'm usually working...

[LukeL]

I have found the worst time to snack or eat, is when you are alone and your mind is distracted on something else. For me it is sitting at a computer wasting hours on wikipedia. I am sure you have caught yourself overeating on junk food while catching up on charts, or waiting for the next trauma to come in.

Also it is very interesting to see what a serving was in 1958 compared to 2008. It is no mystery why people are so overweight, not to mention the nightly dinner around the supper table has become a thing of the past.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!  ;)  thanks for lightening the air ;)

[chigirl29]

I was making a funny:)

[Enoch Choi, MD]

i doubt it, based on the fat content...

maybe if they're moderate drinkers, that's true

if they're heavier drinkers, like most brits i know, they've got lower longevity

[chigirl29]

I once read a study that said Brits live longer because they drink beer and eat fish and chips:)

[Enoch Choi, MD]

ok, did better today, taking breakfast and spreading it out to lunch and dinner (A quesadilla).

but after work, out with buddies, and 3 beers and fish&chips shared with them, and diet goes out the window.  oh well...  tomorrow's a new day.

[RamblingSeminarian]

heh....I have braces....so I'm sure I chew MANY more times than that, lol.  I had an off day.....never did have a "meal" but snacked on things all day......oops:)

[Barb925]

I have found that you should never say that you are dieting, just that you are eating healthy.  I have found that this seems to keep me on track.  I have also heard that you should only eat small portions and chew about 30 times per peice of food.  That helps you get fuller faster.  I hope that you are taking a good multi-vitamin.  I love it when you here that a dr. is as dumb founded about eating healthy as anyone else is.  

I am going back on Weight Watchers next week and plan on following the core program and cut out some of the carbs.

I know for a fact that drinking 8 glasses of water a day will help fill you up and that it is good for you.

Good Luck and yes you do Rock

[RamblingSeminarian]

heh.....I'll pass on the banana and take the splenda:)

[chigirl29]

The big giant shreaded wheats are the best.  I used to chew on them while studying at night.  I felt like a horse eating crunchy straw.

Splenda--ick--but like the banana.

[peekawho]

Oh, Enoch!  Shredded wheat with skim milk, Splenda, and a banana is a great, healthy choice for snacking or breakfast.  Not tasty?  You kiddin' me?

A bowl of that in the evening, and you'll sleep like a baby.  

I don't have trouble at buffets.  I make the best choices I can (there's always something) and enjoy the night out.  I heart sushi and sashimi.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

yeah, i'm in urgent care, with crazy hours that change every day.

non-frosted mini-wheats.  yeah, i can see how that could satisfy the chewing thing that gnaws on me.  but not so tasty...

late night.  that's what kills me.  during the day, i'm pretty good...

[Enoch Choi, MD]

buffet.  ugh, not a great place for a diet!

[RamblingSeminarian]

Not sure what all of ya'lls (Texas term there, haha) snacking patterns are, but I found that when I started Grad School....the late night study sessions was where I found myself snacking....I've switched those snacks to shredded mini-wheats (not the frosted kind)....it's helped a lot.  The other thing I'm really working on is having a routine...not just for meals, but for sleep as well....unfortunately my chaotic schedule of classes, work, internship junk....doesn't lend well for that.

[peekawho]

I actually used to love ChuckECheese when my kids were little!  But, I'm a confirmed pizza addict.

We're going to Onami's tonight, seafood and sushi buffet.  

[Enoch Choi, MD]

totally hot, totally hot, totally hot, totally hot, ok, got it down.

that's awsome you have such a positive outlook.

doing good today...

going to lunch with a buddy who LOVES to eat.  will stick to the small serving size, but because it's soup (Vietnamese Pho) it's kind of hard to do 1/2 serving ;)

tonight is a chuck e cheese party, no problem only eating 1/2 of the awful pizza there.

[chigirl29]

Yeah--you have to watch the after kid to bed snacks!!!  That is my favorite time to indulge because I don't have little beggers.

I'm sure she thinks you are adorable.

By the way, I always tell myself I am totally hot:)

I look like a skinny librarian with a grecian nose--and I'm whiter than Casper the friendly ghost.

Even when I was pregnant--I was always totally hot!

Just think of yourself as totally hot, Dr. Choi--and it will work.

It even helps with dieting--

Take care--and pears are the best!

At least you don't have to worry about the extra weight on the heart.

My husband has the tiniest waist, legs, and hips.  He is only about five feet two inches tall.  He gains in his tummy--and his face.

I'm a pear too--

I'd rather be a pear

And so should you...think positive--

And think about being totally hot.

Take care!

[Enoch Choi, MD]

fresh air and sunlight sound good.  if only it would stop raining here in 'sunny' california...  ;(

thanks for saying I ROCK!  i sure love to ;)

my diet today is not going much better than your Mickey D's (i love those biscuits!).  fried egg breakfast.  chicken fajita lunch (not 1/2, ugh).  1/2 serving dinner (rice, stir fry pork, broccoli, salad).  

the big problem was the late night snack, after we put the kids to bed: foie gras, escargot & bone marrow stew.  bourgogne rose sparkler.

gotta ditch the snacks ;)

i wish my wife thought it adorable...  she's skinny as a bone...  i'm more pear than bear!

[chigirl29]

I had a friend who was a doctor and he was always under artificial lighting.  He was overweight.  I told him he needed fresh air and sunlight along with his diet.  Maybe you do too.

I have thyroid issues and have been researching vitamins (I'm always anemic--my lowest heme was 6).  

Since I am out of school and bored out of my mind, and I just moved to the worst state--Oklahoma--I have thought about starting a blog about vitamins and thyroid health and medications.  There is a library near to me so I would get my resources there.  Do you think a blog is a good use of time?  I've never really read any. I have read some of yours.

I might have a job (second interview today) working at a Christian private school, but it pays $1K a month.  My student loans are like a mortgage so that income will be gone as soon as I make it.

Sorry I am rambling.

I just ate a McDonald's sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit.  Did you know that no one here has heard of a chicken and cheese biscuit?  I'm southern; I suppose I do not displace well.

Anyway, I hope your diet is going better than mine is today.

Also, I thought about something you wrote, you should save the portion from day one for day 2.  You still may be taking in too many calories per day.

Again--you don't look near obese from your photo.

My husband is chubby, and I think it is adorable on him since he is short--kind of like  a little bear:)

[peekawho]

I'm doing Weight Watchers, on the Core part of the plan that doesn't involve much "tracking" of points.  

When I do eat out, invariably I will only eat about half of my dinner b/c the serving sizes are so large.

The Core Weight Watchers program is all about eating lean meats, complex carbs and whole grains, 2-3 fat free dairy servings a day, and 2 tsps of healthy oil a day.  And of course, water.  Snacks can be any Core food, but it is suggested to have FF dairy, 94% FF popcorn, fruits, veggies, or vegetable soup for snacks.

You learn to eat "to satisfaction", which is hard to grasp at first.  You stop before you are "full" or stuffed.  Which in a typical restaraunt meal, is probably when you've eaten about half.

I've had great success with it.  Sounds like you're instinctively doing something similar.  You rock!

[Enoch Choi, MD]

you're lucky that you're so small when you have Tootsie Rolls as your snack ;)

you'll be surprised to find that i'm on the borderline to becoming obese...

thanks for the tips.  i'll try to avoid artificial sugar.  and to make sure i don't drink so much as to cause salt depletion.  yes, your brain can swell, but you have to drink an awful lot of water.

thanks for the well wishes...  i'm trying!

glad to find someone else doing the 1/2 portions at restaurants...

[chigirl29]

I'm very small after having two children as I take care of my body.

I eat half portions in restaurants and prepare small portions at home.  I never deny myself chocolate--ever.  I sometimes eat too much chocolate, but I just eat frozen (steamed in a steamer) vegetables and fish on days when I overeat.  The fish I eat is Tilapia and is very good on calories, fat, and protein.  No butter--extra virgin olive oil only.

You are drinking too many liquids and that is probably why you are still hungry.

Choose a solid snack that you like.  I hate yogurt, but if you like it, find a good one.  I don't eat artificial sugars so watch out for the low sugar variety.  A little real sugar is better than artificial sugar that overstimulaes your body.

If you drink too many liquids, you can cause salt depletion.  I suppose that is why you are snacking on miso soup.  However, you may still be short on salt or other nutrients.

Did you know that if you drink too much water your brain can swell?

I read it on BBC.

By the way, my husband is south asian and looks about your size--from your photo.

I don't think you have to diet that much:)

Good luck.