At age 70, twenty years post-menopause, it takes a lot less to get me to a “5” than it did in my younger days! That has been very difficult for me, and at times very angering. So the idea of “miniature eating” has a softer, gentler, more fun and enjoyable feel to it, especially since I love miniatures! I even have a miniatures collection! So this has a sweet connection for me.

I enjoy using my miniature bowl, cup, and plate. Here are the two I got at a thrift shop – the best place to find them!

And here they are with food on them, and my hand in the picture so you can see how tiny the portions are…

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“RESTRICTIVE” EATING?

When I first shared this concept and a few photos in a TW group I was in, someone expressed concern that this was “restrictive eating.” This is where we can get into some semantics, so I’ll just explain my heart and my thinking… 

As far as the amount of food I’m eating, I’m still eating 0-to-5. 😁  In one way, eating 0 to 5 is “restricting” for me, but since I do not have any “bruises“ from my dieting days, which ended decades ago, using the word “restrictive” is not a bad thing for me. I never liked or did well with dieting back then, and once I heard about this intuitive, kind of eating, I knew it was right, and never looked back or felt connected to my dieting days.

However, actually DOING it was another thing! My sin habit has been eating what I want, when I want, and how much I want – regardless of whether or not I’m physically hungry. I call this “food greed” or “lust.”

So eating 0-5 – eating miniature – is a much-needed “restriction” of my gone-rogue appetite. 

But it is kind and wise restriction, in the same family as self-control, self-discipline, cutting portions in half…  So it’s not a restrictive “dieting mentality” thing; it’s just following my exact same Thin Within boundaries.

HOW MUCH FOOD?

I don’t measure or count calories. If I put what little I eat – the miniature amount it takes to get me to a 5 – onto a regular dinner plate, it has just a few little – and I do mean little – dollops of food on it. It looks pretty sparse. Thus the idea of using miniature, or just “small” plates and cups. This first picture is actually a doll plate that I got out of the grandkids’ toys. People know I love miniatures, so someone got me the miniature Coke glass. 

Here’s a meal on a dessert-size plate. And I had made myself a mini biscuit along with the regular size ones.

Here’s another dinner on another dessert plate…  (I realize there’s nothing special or amazing about what I’m showing you; just sharing out of my life.)

A friend had made a carrot cake for my birthday, and, knowing my “miniature eating” boundaries, served me this mini amount…

A miniature serving of popcorn…

A donut cut into fourths, three of which I put in the freezer…

And here’s a miniature pumpkin pie I made…

LEGALISTIC?

This is not at all legalistic! It’s just a “boundary inspirer” to help me think in terms of “less” and thus put my unbridled flesh to death.

What if the amount of applesauce I have in one little bowl is not enough? I have another little bowl! But just enough to get me to my comfortable 5.

You can be certain that my flesh is not fooled one bit into thinking that this tiny amount of food, just because it’s served on something proportionately cute and tiny, is actually the same [larger] amount of food. It’s just a way of helping the “boundaries fall for me in a pleasant place.”

I’ll close with a couple of truth cards that I made…