how do i know im comfortably full?

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how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby f00die » Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:58 pm

(recently this has been happening)
im looking at my plate this evening
and half the food i served is still on there
i can eat it, but i could just as easily not
im not "hungry",
but im not sure i should put the plate away
if i finish it, ill be more full than i am now
im worried ill be hungry sooner later
if i put the plate away
usually id label that worry as a sign of hunger
but im full and comfortable
finishing it would reduce my comfort,
but it wouldnt be "uncomfortable" just more full
the guideline also says to not eat when not hungry
when this happened before, the average number of meals
i ate per day went down,
my weight isnt down , but my belt lost another notch
maybe my stomach is getting smaller?
anyway, ill take a couple more bites and put it away
see what happens
id appreciate some input on this thx
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby Idgie » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:56 pm

Dr. McDougall recommends stopping when you're at that comfortable point, and then if you're hungry in half an hour, eat again. He says it's okay to eat fourteen times a day if you get hungry that many times, and it's better to eat more small meals than to overstuff yourself at fewer meals. That's how I do it, and I eat from 4 to 8 or 9 times a day, small amounts, and it works for me. When I really feel like eating a lot, I make a big salad or a pot of soup, because that's more volume of food without being too overindulgent, but really, it seems to work better for me to just eat until that sigh of comfort.

I read somewhere about "the pause," that moment when you usually put your fork down and start talking or doing something else. It recommended just stopping at that point and putting away the food, instead of getting a second wind and eating the rest of your food.

For me, I decided when I started this journey that my body is going to decide how much I eat, not the amount of food on my plate.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby f00die » Sun Sep 16, 2018 10:37 pm

yup, cool
that second wind is what hasnt been happening lately
i wait and it doesnt come, so i figured its time to ask
it may seem weird,
but im laser-focused on satiety
coz without it, my behavior can get unpredictable (nice way to put it)
it takes calories to run my brain appropriately it seems
so i get concerned (need reassurance)
when im eating less food
coz i dont want bad outcomes
thx for that
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby geo » Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:38 am

Idgie is spot on. If your not hungry just don't eat. Its not about staying on a particular eating schedule (unless you just have too and some do for a variety of reasons). I try never to eat past the point of eating when not hungry as that just exacerbates potential issues such as over eating leading to weight gain, gerd, etc... And even if you get hungry a little earlier than expected, no worries if you can't eat, you won't starve and you will enjoy your next meal that much more.

Time though will tend to even things out and get your normal levels of feeling hungry and satiated back to being what they should be. Welcome to the McDougall world of truly understanding why, how, when, what you eat and what your body truly has to say about it.

*as a side note and to be a little more analytical about it: Remember its all about Calorie Density. We know most people eat the same weight of food everyday (3-5 lbs, 4 lbs being average). If you feel the volume of food is what is making you full quicker and hungry sooner than you like, then simply increase the calorie density a little (i.e., less veggies and fruit, and increase starches a bit) that will increase the calories and weight of the food, while reducing the bulk volume to hopefully keep you satiated a little longer. In the end is about a delicate balancing act between bulk/volume, calories, weight, fiber/water, length of satiation, tastes and habits. Eventually you will have it down pat as your body changes and becomes use to eating the way it should. And no you don't need to be this analytical (thats just me and trying to understand the inner workings of it all). Dr McDougall explains it simplist as Idgie pointed out "-)
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby Quinda » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:06 am

My plate usually fits my tummy but sometimes I overestimate and then just stop anyway, store that in frig to reheat and in a couple hours I eat it when I am hungry. I have never been one to eat one bite beyond what I really want and have become quite accurate at knowing what that amount is.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby Lyndzie » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:47 pm

I think Idgie is spot on. If there is a question about whether you are hungry, you probably aren’t. And you can always reheat the food later. Jeff had posted some links to some natural hygiene book excerpts, and the writing pointed out that hunger is felt in the mouth, like thirst. Right now, I can feel the desire for food in my mouth. So, is your mouth telling you to eat? If not, save the food for later.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby f00die » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:53 am

Lyndzie wrote:I think Idgie is spot on. If there is a question about whether you are hungry, you probably aren’t. And you can always reheat the food later. Jeff had posted some links to some natural hygiene book excerpts, and the writing pointed out that hunger is felt in the mouth, like thirst. Right now, I can feel the desire for food in my mouth. So, is your mouth telling you to eat? If not, save the food for later.

so i found those links and
it seems that what i think is hunger
they call morbid sensations. coz of
condiments, stimulating spices, and
repeated satisfaction of appetite:
the root morbid sensation
guess the journey continues on
the road to recovery
coz my hunger happens all in the head
morbid, they used that word a lot
thx lyndzie
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby dynodan62 » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:54 pm

I think some of us overeat slightly out of convenience. When you know there will be no opportunity to eat later, pushing away that partial portion still on your plate (when you realize you are no longer hungry) just isn’t practical, since it leaves you vulnerable to succumbing to whatever inappropriate junk food is all that is handy when later you find you are starving. Also, if I eat too little or too long before bedtime, I know I’ll get hungry and not be able to fall asleep unless I get up and have a snack. Not good if you have a history of GERD.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby bunsofaluminum » Wed Sep 19, 2018 11:00 am

One thing that helped me do this, back a few years, was an eating "plan" that had to do with chewing every bite thoroughly. I lost 40 lbs, very slowly, eating whatever I wanted to eat BECAUSE part of that plan was stopping when full. When I chewed everything to a consistency of loose paste, I slowed myself down, and really FELT the fullness. AND because my mind was in the game, I followed the rule of stopping when full and left many a plate with food still on it. Didn't get hungry again until right before the next mealtime, either. But it would work with grazing style meals, as well.

Awareness of hunger signals is important. Overeaters seem to struggle with it.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby viv » Wed Sep 19, 2018 10:26 pm

f00die wrote:but im laser-focused on satiety
coz without it, my behavior can get unpredictable (nice way to put it)
it takes calories to run my brain appropriately it seems
so i get concerned (need reassurance)
when im eating less food
coz i dont want bad outcomes
thx for that


If you are afraid that you will have "bad outcomes" when you are eating less calories that is a different issue. I like affirmations, e.g.
"I eat as much as I need for my mental and physical health" or something similar. Have you discussed this with your therapist? Maybe something to consider.

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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby f00die » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:59 am

viv wrote:
f00die wrote:but im laser-focused on satiety
coz without it, my behavior can get unpredictable (nice way to put it)
it takes calories to run my brain appropriately it seems
so i get concerned (need reassurance)
when im eating less food
coz i dont want bad outcomes
thx for that


If you are afraid that you will have "bad outcomes" when you are eating less calories that is a different issue. I like affirmations, e.g.
"I eat as much as I need for my mental and physical health" or something similar. Have you discussed this with your therapist? Maybe something to consider.

Viv

needing less food, less sleep
without a specific reason
usually is not a good sign for me
so i wanted to make sure that
on the program, food volumes
are expected to go down
plus its been like half the food
not just a little
but im doing ok so far
sleeping normally etc.

on another note,
i tried waiting for "true hunger"
like the natural hygienists talk about,
the "pleasant tickle in the throat/mouth",
i started spontaneously fantasizing about pizzas,
waffle house breakfasts
so i ate a compliant meal
despite not being "truly hungry"
guess im a gluttonous food drunkard
they were so not pc
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby AlwaysAgnes » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:12 am

f00die wrote:(recently this has been happening)
im looking at my plate this evening
and half the food i served is still on there
i can eat it, but i could just as easily not
im not "hungry",
but im not sure i should put the plate away
if i finish it, ill be more full than i am now
im worried ill be hungry sooner later
if i put the plate away
usually id label that worry as a sign of hunger
but im full and comfortable
finishing it would reduce my comfort,
but it wouldnt be "uncomfortable" just more full
the guideline also says to not eat when not hungry
when this happened before, the average number of meals
i ate per day went down,
my weight isnt down , but my belt lost another notch
maybe my stomach is getting smaller?
anyway, ill take a couple more bites and put it away
see what happens
id appreciate some input on this thx



I can relate. There have been times when I take just a couple bites and feel done. For me, I think that's just lack of appetite. I'm rarely hungry either, though I'd say my stomach is empty more often than not. You might find this article about hunger hormones interesting. http://theconversation.com/chemical-mes ... full-35545 My hormones are either working great or they're totally whacked. I haven't figured out which. :duh:

Sometimes I think maybe we each have what I think of as a starch quota, an amount we need in order to feel satisfied or not hungry. As long as our starch tanks are full, we tend to be satisfied.
You don't have to wait to be happy.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby OOnaOwl » Sun Sep 23, 2018 2:38 pm

Thank you for asking this question, and thanks to all the responders. Very helpful discussion! I have similar issues & it has been confusing me also. History of disordered eating, Currently living with a (family member) disordered eater has all thrown off my healthy internal gauge.
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Re: how do i know im comfortably full?

Postby abit » Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:00 am

:)
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