Luckily, the best thing about dropping pounds is that it's easy to discover how little one actually needs to eat. Shoving too much though one's mouth is more than just a bad habit. If people were to set aside more time for eating, it'd probably help. Yet, I think after eating a lot for a while, one becomes more capable of eating a lot. I read that one cannot really "shrink his or her stomach" as that's a myth; however, eating less can act to reset one's threshold for hunger.
I think many of us get fat through a combination of bad habits and food that's too easily accessible. Someone'd eat on a TV commercial and I used to unconsciously get up and run (well perhaps not) to the refrigerator or cupboard for a snack. Just being a little more cognizant of what one is consuming can help in cutting down.
I've noticed a larger change in my perceptions of food in the past year. In the past, quantity always trumped quality for me. Now the reverse is true. I'd much rather have a little something special than a ton of something filling. I've noticed that I now enjoy some foods identified with refinement. A few cashews, a good cheese, a sliver of dark chocolate, and of course red wine are on the list. Oh and vegetables, lots of vegetables!
The newest addition to my gourmet proclivities is olives.
