Over the last three years portion sizes had crept up for one of my clients.
When she thought about eating less, it felt like punishment.
Like going back to those smaller meals from when she was thinner was some kind of deprivation.
It’s a common feeling, and it’s also not the full picture.
So today I’m sharing my not-so-secret habit that helps you actually eat less without it feeling like punishment or missing out on anything.
What Is My Cutlery Down Habit?
It’s beautifully simple.
When I put food in my mouth, I put my utensils down.
I chew.
I savour.
I enjoy.
And only after I’ve swallowed do I load up the next bite.
I’m not shovelling.
I’m not getting the next forkful ready while I’m still chewing. I’m just paying attention to what’s in my mouth.
I do this at pretty much every meal now.
What it does is slow down the whole cadence of eating.
It’s a concrete, grounding habit that keeps me present with my food.
Why It Works to Eat Less Without Punishment
As food lovers we think we want vast amounts of food. But what we actually want is the enjoyment piece.
And here’s the really cool part: you can get more enjoyment from less food.
The enjoyment we get from eating isn’t about quantity. It’s about the quality of the experience.
I could eat a massive plate of food distracted and shoveling, and get very little pleasure from it.
Or I could have a quarter of that amount, put my cutlery down between bites, slow right down, actually smell and savour what’s in front of me — and get way more enjoyment.
That’s the life hack.
More satisfaction, less food.
Which — as you can imagine — has a big impact on weight over time.
One myth I want to bust here: the idea that it takes 20 minutes for your body to know it’s satisfied. I’m not sure where that comes from, but it doesn’t make evolutionary sense. We actually can sense satisfaction in the moment — and slowing down makes it easier to notice when we’ve had enough.
Bonus Tip
Even now, I’ll sometimes sit down to dinner and catch myself shovelling.
When that happens, I just remind myself: “There’s no rush.”
That simple thought — there’s no rush — is enough to bring me back.
I slow down, reconnect with the cutlery-down habit, and enjoy the rest of the meal. It doesn’t need to be perfect from the first bite. Just notice, reset, and carry on.
(Obviously, sometimes there genuinely is a rush — a meeting, a school run, life. That’s fine. We don’t have to do this perfectly to benefit from it.)
How to Eat Less Without Punishment
Putting the Strategy Into Practice
This week, I’m inviting you to experiment with just one meal.
Set an intention to try the cutlery-down habit:
- When food is in your mouth ? utensils go down
- Chew, savour, enjoy
- Swallow first, then load up the next bite
- Notice how you feel — and how satisfied you are with whatever amount you ate
I’d genuinely love to hear how you find it.
Have a delicious week!
In your corner
Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
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