Listening to your body

MissFlawed

Today I was feeling rather weak at the end of the day and I had this nagging feeling in my stomach. So I decided to eat an extra 150 kcal. Guess what, I feel much better now.

When do you listen to your body? How do you decide when you do and when you don't? I can stand hunger, but if I get dizzy or feel weak, then I draw the line.

AnnPT77

Your approach seems sensible for a start. When I was first starting out, I also experimented with the timing & composition of my eating, to see what made me feel best (mood/energy/mental clarity), and helped me feel as full/satisfied as practical.

What I mean by timing is things like 3 meals a day, vs. 3 meals & snacks, vs. 5 small meals (vs. a lot of other possibilities), plus whether you eat (say) a big breakfast & other smaller meals vs. smaller meals early in the day to allow for a big dinner, save calories for evening snacks, etc.

What I mean by composition is (within a healthy range) whether you find it more satisfying/energizing to get a little extra fat vs. a little extra protein; whether high-volume low-cal foods (like many veggies) help you feel full & satisfied; whether carbs make you feel satisfied or crave-y; etc.

I found I needed a bigger breakfast with solid protein; high volume foods at some point during the day; and protein in my snacks. But others here report different variations work better for them.

Most of the time, I found I didn't even feel hungry, except when it was getting close to time to eat (and I'm down 62 pounds since April 2015).

MissFlawed

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Your approach seems sensible for a start. When I was first starting out, I also experimented with the timing & composition of my eating, to see what made me feel best (mood/energy/mental clarity), and helped me feel as full/satisfied as practical.

What I mean by timing is things like 3 meals a day, vs. 3 meals & snacks, vs. 5 small meals (vs. a lot of other possibilities), plus whether you eat (say) a big breakfast & other smaller meals vs. smaller meals early in the day to allow for a big dinner, save calories for evening snacks, etc.

What I mean by composition is (within a healthy range) whether you find it more satisfying/energizing to get a little extra fat vs. a little extra protein; whether high-volume low-cal foods (like many veggies) help you feel full & satisfied; whether carbs make you feel satisfied or crave-y; etc.

I found I needed a bigger breakfast with solid protein; high volume foods at some point during the day; and protein in my snacks. But others here report different variations work better for them.

Most of the time, I found I didn't even feel hungry, except when it was getting close to time to eat (and I'm down 62 pounds since April 2015).

Lovely advice. It's a journey indeed to find out what works for you. I'm not sure yet.

I find that a big breakfast leaves me hungrier through the day.. Which is too bad, because I really enjoyed my bowl of oatmeal every morning. I'm reducing it to a piece of fruit or a small piece of chocolate and a coffee nowadays.. Then I'm slightly hungry afterwards, but it's doable and I'm full of energy. I consume most of my calories during the evening.

Fun fact, I work a student job at McDonald's (yeah the best place to lose weight). I work there one day a week and consider it my 'unhealthy day'. I usually have two cheeseburgers for lunch and a bacon burger for dinner (no fries or coke), that makes up for 1300 kcal. I only eat two times a day at 3 PM and 8 PM. The strange thing is that I'm not as hungry on that day as I am on normal days where I eat fruit and vegetables.

I'm not sure that's because I'm busy working and don't focus on how I feel as much.. Or because the fatty food keeps me more full (along with a gigantic diet coke).

goldthistime

Yes and no. When I was dieting more aggressively (1200 cal/day) I would have to eat extra on occasion because I felt tired or weak. Now I have my goal set to .5lb/week and there is no longer a need to listen, it's not talking.

pluto2626

I also tend to listen to my body. If I am feeling extra hungry, I eat. Often times I will add to my work out or do a quick 20 minute at home workout but other times I dont. Adding 200 calories once in awhile isn't going to stop me from hitting my goals. Feeling tired, hungry, and beaten down will.

jofjltncb6

Is your calorie deficit and goal weight reasonable and sustainable?

_lyndseybrooke_

It's been a long time since my body let me know I needed to eat more - eating too little is definitely not my problem. Not that I don't get hungry, because that's my default setting, but I've never gotten lightheaded or felt like crap because I wasn't eating enough.

When I have to listen to my body, it's usually because it's telling me to take time off from the gym. When I get the random aches and pains and I'm dragging butt during my workouts, it's time for a little break or a deload. And since I'm so stubborn and enjoy lifting so much, I usually wait until my body rebels to take a break.

Sued0nim

My body likes to eat all the foodz

I'm more comfortable listening to my brain with the back up of decent data and analysis

But then I'm a nerd

MissFlawed

goldthistime wrote: »

Yes and no. When I was dieting more aggressively (1200 cal/day) I would have to eat extra on occasion because I felt tired or weak. Now I have my goal set to .5lb/week and there is no longer a need to listen, it's not talking.

I think I'm dieting a agressively (1200-1400 kcal).. But I'm only 5f3 (157 cm) and I weigh 125 pounds (57 kg). I don't exercise at all at the moment (I will, after school's done this year, it's my last year).

MissFlawed

pluto2626 wrote: »

I also tend to listen to my body. If I am feeling extra hungry, I eat. Often times I will add to my work out or do a quick 20 minute at home workout but other times I dont. Adding 200 calories once in awhile isn't going to stop me from hitting my goals. Feeling tired, hungry, and beaten down will.

^This.

Sarahb29

I'm in that spot now where I have to listen to my body. I have a bad cold and have to take dayquil/nyquil and cough drops. Even though they are sugar free the calories in them are adding up. I am continuing to eat my normal diet and doing my best to just let this second cold pass.

If I'm hungry and don't have much wiggle room calorie wise I make sure to eat something that will go towards my protein or fat goals for the day.

MissFlawed

LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »

When I have to listen to my body, it's usually because it's telling me to take time off from the gym. When I get the random aches and pains and I'm dragging butt during my workouts, it's time for a little break or a deload. And since I'm so stubborn and enjoy lifting so much, I usually wait until my body rebels to take a break.

Haha, I wish I could relate

MissFlawed

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Is your calorie deficit and goal weight reasonable and sustainable?

I think so. I'm 5f3 (157 kg) and I'd like to weigh 114 pounds (52 kg). I'm currently 125 pounds.

glassyo

rabbitjb wrote: »

My body likes to eat all the foodz

I'm more comfortable listening to my brain with the back up of decent data and analysis

But then I'm a nerd

Yup! My body says "Who cares if you end up 900 lbs? That looks good! Eat it! Yum! Eat some more! Now eat some of that!"

Nope to my being that kind of nerd tho. I'm more of a nerd girl fantasy of Joss Whedon and Steven Moffat collaborating on something kind of nerd (I'm actually about 40% there....)