It is very common to hear in the plant-based community that you can eat as
much food as you want without any consequence. I agree to a certain point
because I promote intuitive eating, which basically just means eat when you’re
hungry till you’re full.
There are plenty of people who when they switch to a plant-based diet and
eat intuitively, they get immediate results and lose weight effortlessly. I also
understand that everyone is unique with a unique history and this can really
make a difference.
In Japan, there is a practice called ‘hara hachi bu’, which means eat until you are
80% full. Many of us are so used to force feeding ourselves till we are stuffed
and even if we are eating a plant-based diet, it can still be causing weight gain
because our satiety and hunger mechanism is broken.
Here is how you practice hara hachi bu. Eat half of what you normally would
eat and check in with yourself. Are you still hungry? Can you eat some more?
If you are then eat some more.
Once you begin to feel some stomach pressure, you are at the 80% full stage.
It may take 15-20 meals in order to reset the muscle memory of your stomach
to get used to eating less food.
A lot of times when people think they are eating till they are satiated, they are
really eating until they are stuffed. You will have to trust this process as it may
be scary at first but over time you will become more in tune with exactly how
much your body needs.
Be mindful of how much you are eating. Check in with yourself to see whether
or not you’re overeating.
This isn’t necessary for everyone but if you are used to
stuffing yourself then this is a great practice for you.
Something to be mindful of is how much salt you are consuming. Salt can act
like a stimulant and can cause overeating. If the food is less stimulating then you
are less likely to overeat.