How Do You Know When You're Full?

That is my question to all of you.  How do you know when you are full?  I wish I could stop at what I know I should stop at, but I don't.  I stop when it's gone. By that time I am sooo full and bloated it is only then I realize what I have done.  I am curious if this is just me or if it happens to others?

I have heard that when people have Gastric Bypass surgery done there is a "switch" or something that is usually missing for folks and part of the reason they overeat.  It also seems like there is a vitamin missing in you that does not send the information to your brain that says "STOP I AM FULL".  Has anyone else ever heard this?  I can't remember what it is called but I will continue to look and see if I can find it.

Thought it was interesting as I Googled "How do I know when I am full".  There were a variety of answers.  For the older generation (me) here are some things we used to hear:

1. There are starving children in Africa.  We had to clear our plates no matter how full or how nasty the food was.  In elementary school we used to have mashed potatoes, and hamburger gravy on top.  I remember one time I did not eat it, and was told I had to not only eat it but also clear my plate before I could go to recess.  It only took that once and never again did they (the lunch ladies) make me clean my plate and especially eat the nasty hamburger gravy.  Yep, I tossed it all up, all over them!!!  
2. Another thing was you were done eating when the TV program was over.  Ha Ha  Now imagine that being an hour long program compared to a 30 minute program.  How many of us have gone back during commercials for seconds.  Never thought about it till now but true.
3. You were done eating when someone else was done eating.  I see myself doing this one too. Going along with this, as a child my brothers ate first.  So if I wanted seconds, I had to eat fast!!  Ugh all those bad habits I have today.

Now that we have identified things that we associate with "we are full" how do we stop them.  Again as you can see they are HABITS!!!  Habits can be formed and they can be broken!!! 

1. Okay so the starving children n Africa, we know we can find other ways to help besides clean our plate.  
2. As for our TV Shows, DON'T EAT IN FRONT OF THE TV.  In my case it is the computer.  
3. This one will be a bit harder for me, BUT I know I simply have to slow down when I eat. I am not going to a fire!!!   Even after I left home and had roommates, I cannot begin to tell you the times I went to get something and it would be gone.  UGH!!  So if I did not eat it, someone else would!!!

STORY TIME

I have not done this in a long time, and this just reminded me of a story.  If I had a favorite meal it would be SPAGHETTI!!! I love SPAGHETTI!!!  How much do I love spaghetti? 

True story:  My mom had made spaghetti for dinner when I was little and lived in Texas.  My dad was a police officer and worked the night shift.  My dad would go to work after we went to bed, and was there when we got up in the morning.  My mom would often pack his lunch for him.  This night she thought she would heat up some spaghetti (this was before microwave ovens-see I told you I was old!). My mom sent us to bed and I think they must have gone to lay down as well and then get up when my Dad had to get up to get ready for work. My mom went to get the spaghetti to heat up and put in my Dad's thermos and there was no spaghetti.  The bowl and all was gone! She could not figure out what happened to the spaghetti!  My dad ended up with a cold bolonga sandwich instead.  In the morning my mom came in to wake me up and her words to me as she told me this story was:  "I could have killed you!!!" She walked in my room and found the missing spaghetti!!!  I had the bowl with me in bed.  But there was spaghetti all on me, my bed, bedding, floor, ceiling, even in the closet.  Don't ask me how it got on the ceiling and in the closet!!!  I have no idea how I did it when I was only about 6 years old.  I was creative even then!!  So you can see my love for spaghetti.

As I got on my own spaghetti became my special meal. It is always the first meal when I move into a new apartment.  And just for the record, if you have never tried a bit of mustard in your spaghetti sauce, you should.  Good stuff!!  This one particular time I made some spaghetti and had some leftovers for the next day.  Or so I thought. I had even frozen it so my roommates would not be tempted to eat it.  Yes we had "big mice" and food seemed to walk away.  Imagine my surprise to go and get my spaghetti and I found TWO BITES left!!!  When I questioned my roommates, no one had eaten it.  Finally one confessed she had "just tasted it".  From there it went down hill as she always had to have a "taste" which was never really a taste, and then she had to critique my cooking.  Ugh!!  No wonder I am so messed up with food.

Anyway.....back to the blog.  How do we know when we are full?  Or do we?  I stop when the food is gone.  What do all of you do?  I really need to change this with me!!!  Looking for ideas!!!

Thanks all!!!