Eating off kids plates and finishing what is on your plate

Here are a few weight watchers tips and tricks I've heard (but not necessarily learned) over the years...

If you eat off your kids plates when they are done eating...don't...have them take their own plate to the garbage or the sink and scrape it off themselves.

We have been taught to clean our plates...you know the "there are starving kids in Africa" routine.  Well guess what (in case you haven't figured it out) if you leave food on your plate it doesn't mean that those kids will be any more hungry.  And if you eat all of your food it doesn't mean that those kids get any more food.  So WW suggests taking more of an approach like "I want you to try (take a bite) of everything" or have the kids serve themselves and then they must eat what they serve themselves.  But they recommend getting rid of the "you must clean your plate no matter what" theory.  Our bodies are built in to know when our stomachs are full.  Up until age 5 kids can recognize that very easily.  After that we learn to ignore or over-ride those body signals.  If you pay close attention to your body and eat slowly you can recognize that  and train yourself to stop when satisfied and not eat everything on your plate.

One more WW suggestion...If you do still have food on your plate (because you've been good and stopped when satisfied) don't sit there and pick at it.  Spray it with 409 or windex or something and then you will no longer be tempted to eat it.  If at a restaurant...have them take your plate, or the chips or the bread or whatever you are mindlessly eating.