Stop at satisfied, not stuffed
Eating to about 80% full. The number doesn't matter. It means eating a little less than you normally would, and noticing how that feels.
Why speed matters
Same meal, same Ian, two speeds. The stomach fills first. The message takes a while to reach the brain. Eat fast and you're past full before it arrives.
What each level feels like
Satisfied is the spot between hungry and full where more food would not make you feel better. It's easy to walk right past.
How to do it
Eight small moves. The first five happen at the table.
When it's hard
It usually is, the first week. Three common versions.
You notice satisfied and keep goingThe food is right there and the next bite is easy. Don't try to win that sitting down. Use "satisfied" as the cue to move: clear the plate, step outside, take a short walk.
You never notice it at allEating in a rush, you go straight past the signal. Slow down enough to catch it. Even the first five bites of a meal count as practice. (Standing over the sink counts as a rush.)
The food isn't doing the jobWhole foods fill you sooner and for longer than heavily processed ones. And if no amount of food satisfies, the thing you need may not be food. That's worth knowing too.
What you get for it
None of these need a scale or an app.
Your appetite does the portioningSlower meals give your own hunger and fullness signals time to work.
Easier digestionLess food arriving at once is less work for the gut.
Fat loss that tends to stickA little less at most meals adds up gradually, without a diet to fall off.
Fewer rulesLess need for calorie targets and meal plans once you can read your own signals.
More enjoymentYou taste the food. That turns out to matter.
A better afternoonYou leave the table settled and ready to do things, not looking for the couch.
