I’m Done With Dinner When…
photo by sydney marie photography
… this watermelon, that’s the size of my head, is nothin’ but rind.
Here it is ladies and gents. (Are there any gents out there? Wanna de-lurk today? Just so, you know, I can know you’re there.)
The day I’ve been making you wait for whether you like it or not: The most interesting thing I learned during Brian Wansink’s talk…
But first (mwah ha ha)
How you guys doing? Awesome? Super awesome? The BEST ever?
Yeah, me too. It’s Friday after all and I’m turning my office into an office bedroom. This should be fun.
It should also test my marriage. Because rearranging furniture—or, more accurately, me telling The Man where to drag a piece of furniture—is like a marital fistfight. If you don’t hear from me, someone come find me underneath a desk and mattress, OK?
As if that weren’t enough, The Man and I plan to completely reorganize our file cabinets. Because that’s just what every healthy, post-furniture rearranging couple should do. Test the strength of the union. Or not so much.
Alright. I believe I’ve kept you waiting long enough, like the Evil Villain Blogger that I am. So without further pointless musings, I give you the most interesting thing Brian Wansink said during his speech:
It’s all about how we thing about eating. He did a study that asked 134 Parisians and 145 Chicago residents this:
How do you know when you’re done with dinner?
The main answers:
FRENCHMEN: But of course, I am fini when I am no longer hungry. C’est tout.
CHICAGOANS: Er, when my plate’s empty. Duh.
Coming in second:
FRENCHMEN: When ze food no longer tastes good, je suis fini.
CHICAGOANS: Ya know, when the TV show I’m watching is over.
Hm, and we wonder why we’re, um, pudgier. The French use internal cues to let them know they’re full. We use external ones. And, says Wansink, it’s not a French v. American mentality. It’s a fat v. thin thing.
There you have it.
So, back to you. How do you know when you’re done?
23 comments
The French eat all those pastries and cream sauces and are still thinner than us. I love it. I want to adopt the European style of eating slower and more mindfully. I always feel rushed at a lot of American places.
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Me too. I’d also like to adopt the European way of lunching, which is to say I’d like to incorporate a siesta into my day. If only my work thought it was a good idea.
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I know when I’m done when the protein shake in my cup is empty! HA!
Interesting observation, btw. Must stop watching tv while I eat!
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Yeah, when the TV is on I get so sucked in I’m not paying any attention to how full I am.
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Ahhh this issue is so annoying! I’ve had an issue with an ED and my mom is constantly watching me to make sure I’m eating enough. The problem is, if I ALWAYS clean my plate, it’s not really helping with my intuitive eating
I feel full halfway through a meal. It annoys me a rather large amount.
Wei-Wei
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 9:10 am
I think in order to be a parent you must learn the art of force feeding. My parents did the same thing: A clean plate let you leave the table.
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I would love to say I’m like the Parisians… but I think I’m a combo.
Most of the time I stop when I’m full… but sometimes things just taste so good
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That is REALLY interesting but not surprising. I know when I am done when I am full…but sometimes it tastes so good I just keep going…ugh!
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Thus is my problem with Chili’s molten chocolate cake.
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When my plate is empty, the pot on the stove is empty, my stomach is overflowing and I’m lying on the floor cursing the amount of food I just ate (while contemplating a piece of cake for dessert)
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Ha ha … you should get to know The Man.
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Haha the French are so wise! Most of the time I’m done when I’m full, but if the food is REALLY good I’ll sometimes take a few more bites than are necessary.
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Yikes, I think I lean toward “CHICAGOANS: Er, when my plate’s empty. Duh.” But my plates are 99% of the time properly portioned so I guess that saves me, right?
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you had me laughing at the movie furniture scenario! very true and funny……..hope you have a great weekend
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sacrebleu. Dern French, so true.
Good luck with the move:) I have faith in y’all!
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I love it! C’est tout! Glad I took French for 13 years…so I could fully enjoy blog humor!!
Those French are smart. I am more Chicago-an with my eating, and so…that is why I eat off a salad plate. It’s really helped! I’ve also slowed down to help my stomach out!
Happy weekend, Tracey!
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I know when I’m done when what I’m eating starts to taste bland. I hate feeling too full! So I always stop before I get to that point. I tell myself that the food isn’t going anywhere and I can always get back to it if I want more!
French Women Don’t Get Fat is a great book, btw!
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internal and external factors of hunger have been shown to define obesity in psych studies (psychology major here lol). and sometimes if you REMOVE the ambiance from the eating experience or make the ambiance bad, those “external eaters” will actually eat less. neat huh? good luck with the rearranging! (found your blog through kalli’s).
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Tracey Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
That’s interesting! Glad you found my blog. I love meeting new readers.
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Great quesiton… sometimes I feel like I’m never done. =)
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ah, I ADORE ‘further pointless musings”
they so crack me up!
Thanks for the Friday smile
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When my stomach problems first started my GI doc told me to eat six small meals a day. It’s amazing how easy it is to stop when you’re full if that way.
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I’m oldish. Here’s what I’ve learned: Eat when you’re hungry, then stop eating when you’re not hungry anymore. Eat small portions. Don’t take seconds. Always set a place at the table for yourself, and never eat while reading, watching TV or at the computer. Eat slowly, savor each bite, and be mindful of the flavors, the textures and the pleasures of eating.
I said I’ve learned this, not that I manage to do it all the time. But I try, and it does help a great deal in the battle against the bulge.
Have a great weekend, Tracy. Hope you and The Man survive the furniture rearrangement …
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