Last night we went out with some friends who are visiting from Spain. They are used to eating late, so we made dinner reservations for 9 pm and agreed to meet at a preliminary location for drinks at 7:30. I was definitely feeling hungry, though, by around 8. Since my stomach sometimes revolts if I wait too long to eat, we ordered an appetizer to share and that calmed down any urgent food cravings.
The restaurant where we ate dinner serves mediterranean food, so there are plenty of small plates that are perfect to share among friends. We ordered a slew of them plus a single (but large) entree to share, and were finally eating at around 9:30.
At some point during this delightful meal, I thought to myself, "Am I actually hungry anymore, or do I just
want to keep eating?" I confess, I didn't linger on the thought and ate some more. When I finally put down my knife and fork I did a mental check to see how I felt. Was I satisfied? Still hungry? Over-stuffed?...I was satisfied and then some. I was almost over-stuffed, and I could have stopped sooner and felt just fine.
I have noticed that there is a very definite difference between feeling hungry and
having an appetite. Sometimes, I just
want to eat something, or eat more. I know whatever I'll be having will be delicious and I just enjoy the experience.
At what point does indulging that appetite turn into gluttony? It seems like a question that I need to seriously consider and that part of succeeding on the French Diet is learning to master yourself so that you give your body some of what it wants, but without caving into every craving and whim of your appetite.
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