Anyone eat through listening to their bodies hunger cues?
PeakLiving17
Posts: 27 Member
I asked this question to a friend and she told me if she were to listen to her body she'd be eating +5000 calories a day. IMO that's gorging. Gorging on any and everything that taste nice is not listening to your body. If that's what listening to your body meant you'd feel absolutely fantastic after eating that way which is never the case. For example, I love cheese but my body doesn't so I tend to eat it occasionally rather that at every opportunity.
So my question is, does anyone eat this way? What has your experience been eating this way? Do you believe it's possible to be equally healthy and in shape eating this way as opposed to meticulous tracking? What are your thoughts.
So my question is, does anyone eat this way? What has your experience been eating this way? Do you believe it's possible to be equally healthy and in shape eating this way as opposed to meticulous tracking? What are your thoughts.
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Replies
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I haven't logged in years...pretty healthy and fit...2
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My hunger cues got me fat. If im starving ill eat but its taken alot of effort to learn what hungry is15
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I would say some people can and some people can't.
I don't track right now. I use the scale and adjust my intake as necessary. But I typically listen to my hunger cues, I just have to be mindful of very high volume food because I can feel really full and trick my body into thinking I ate way more than I really did. Also when I am bulking I have to force feed myself a bit and eat things daily I wouldn't normally eat (whipped cream, dried fruit, bananas, nuts, ice cream etc)4 -
I'd be very large if I listened to my body. It wants lots of tortilla chips and guacamole. ALL THE TIME.14
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My body tells me to eat and eat and eat. Calorie counting is what worked for me.9
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JaydedMiss wrote: »My hunger cues got me fat. If im starving ill eat but its taken alot of effort to learn what hungry is
Hunger cues alone? No mindless eating, boredom & emotional eating etc?3 -
PeakLiving17 wrote: »JaydedMiss wrote: »My hunger cues got me fat. If im starving ill eat but its taken alot of effort to learn what hungry is
Hunger cues alone? No mindless eating, boredom & emotional eating etc?
I used to get shakey ...like physically shake and the world would spin. I took it as hunger and ate and itd go away. Was a roller coaster ride of crashing blood sugars. As i said, Took time and effort to learn what hunger was and not just keep feeding into my body relearning what normal eating patterns were like4 -
Well, here's the trick. When it comes to eating an appropriate amount of calories - then I need to count, as I have no perception of the caloric value of food. However, I do listen to my body and my particular cravings about types of food when I prepare meals everyday. While in all honesty I do it because I can't be bothered to spend time thinking about meals, I've found it helpful when identifying possible deficiencies, and I always have this perception that I eat what I want, rather than what I should eat to be healthy.3
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I believe there is a lot of confusion between what listening to the body and listening to the mind.
I am one of those people whose body does still allow me to maintain health and weight regardless of whether I am tracking or not. I naturally gravitate towards mostly healthy foods, maybe it has just become part of my routine habits, and my body lets me know if I need something specific. I sometimes, for example, crave rice during certain times of the month or fish at other times. I love cake, but my body would not allow me to eat more than a certain quantity of it. I track mostly through curiosity and because I am a listing and numbers sort of person. I have maintained both with and without it.3 -
I would say some people can and some people can't.
I don't track right now. I use the scale and adjust my intake as necessary. But I typically listen to my hunger cues, I just have to be mindful of very high volume food because I can feel really full and trick my body into thinking I ate way more than I really did. Also when I am bulking I have to force feed myself a bit and eat things daily I wouldn't normally eat (whipped cream, dried fruit, bananas, nuts, ice cream etc)
I think you're right about some people being successful at it and others not so much. I'm of the idea that everyone is at least capable of eating this way with enough experience.
You made an excellent point about being observant with volume food and the body thinking you ate more than the actually calories consumed that day. That's so true. But I guess your body takes that into consideration the following day with further hunger cues. The body truly is magnificent. I feel eating this way is like an art. Tracking is still a wonderful tool.0 -
JaydedMiss wrote: »PeakLiving17 wrote: »JaydedMiss wrote: »My hunger cues got me fat. If im starving ill eat but its taken alot of effort to learn what hungry is
Hunger cues alone? No mindless eating, boredom & emotional eating etc?
I used to get shakey ...like physically shake and the world would spin. I took it as hunger and ate and itd go away. Was a roller coaster ride of crashing blood sugars. As i said, Took time and effort to learn what hunger was and not just keep feeding into my body relearning what normal eating patterns were like
Yikes, that's rough. Glad you're over that.0 -
I do it in some form, but only as a feedback mechanism to aid in decision making, not as a decision making tool in and of itself. My satiety signals tend to take a good while to register after a meal (about 30 minutes) so I need to consciously tell myself "it's okay to stop eating while hungry, the amount you've eaten is enough and you will stop being hungry soon". Some days my appetite is just not there, so I use it as an opportunity to bank calories. Some days I'm just plain hungry no matter what and how much I eat, and I need to make my choices logically and keep telling myself that "it's just one of those days, it won't last forever, just eat to maintenance and stop". If I allow myself to go free for all on these days I'm guaranteed to wipe out a 2 weeks deficit. Sometimes I have something planned, so I allow myself to feel hungry because I know I will be having a large meal later, other times I eat well beyond full because I believe there is nothing wrong with that if I'm in control.
My hunger signals are just too unpredictable for "listening to my body" to work, and for my diet to be sustainable I sometimes need to make food choices that are calorie dense and can pack in 1000 calories before I'm anywhere near "not hungry".
If you're planning to try it this and see how you do I suggest spending a couple of weeks writing down your foods in the beginning without logging them right away then logging them all at once in the evening once you're done eating for the day. You need to know where your natural appetite falls and make sure you aren't undereating or spinning your wheels overeating.2 -
PeakLiving17 wrote: »I think you're right about some people being successful at it and others not so much. I'm of the idea that everyone is at least capable of eating this way with enough experience.
I think this is the key. Many people have ignore genuine hungry and satisfaction cues for so long that they no longer know how to interpret them, or have a realistic idea of what will be fulfilling. It takes time and practice - maybe years.
Also, even though @cwolfman13 hasn't been tracking in years (I am in awe of this!), he is still here keeping health and fitness top of mind.
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jelly_potato wrote: »Well, here's the trick. When it comes to eating an appropriate amount of calories - then I need to count, as I have no perception of the caloric value of food. However, I do listen to my body and my particular cravings about types of food when I prepare meals everyday. While in all honesty I do it because I can't be bothered to spend time thinking about meals, I've found it helpful when identifying possible deficiencies, and I always have this perception that I eat what I want, rather than what I should eat to be healthy.
I fully understand where you're coming from here. As a society we're so far removed from this form of eating that it's probably a wise decision to first gain knowledge on cals & nutrition etc with time spent dieting. Otherwise you're right, you could feel like a fish out of water without the probably knowledge to go with it.0 -
For me, "No"! I'm one of the people who get up after I've gone to bed in order to eat. I can't fall back to sleep unless eat. I try to drink water, but I feel I just have to eat. Even if I've had a large dinner, most times I have to get up to eat. My choice of food is anything with carbs. Since I've been on MFP, I've managed to fall back to sleep with a cracker and some peanut butter, sometimes a small yogurt. I've spoken to my Dr. about this, and his thoughts are that I need the serotonin the food or carbs provide in order to get back to sleep. Mystery to me, but I'm trying to fix it.2
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MommaGem2017 wrote: »PeakLiving17 wrote: »I think you're right about some people being successful at it and others not so much. I'm of the idea that everyone is at least capable of eating this way with enough experience.
I think this is the key. Many people have ignore genuine hungry and satisfaction cues for so long that they no longer know how to interpret them, or have a realistic idea of what will be fulfilling. It takes time and practice - maybe years.
Also, even though @cwolfman13 hasn't been tracking in years (I am in awe of this!), he is still here keeping health and fitness top of mind.
And I did log for about 9 months during my weight loss...it taught me a lot in regards to nutrition, feeding my body, feeding my fitness, etc. I just took what I learned and ran with it in maintenance.
I'm not sure "listening to my body" is what I really do...IDK...never really thought of it that way. I'm into nutrition and fitness...I eat pretty healthy most of the time (largely whole foods diet) and exercise regularly. I have my rules in regards to indulgences and so long as those rules are adhered to, I don't have too much issue. My only issue is winter when my activity level dips with it being cold and dark...both exercise and general activity...so I usually put on about 8-10 Lbs every winter and take it off in the spring when I resume my normal cycling schedule. I think I'll be able to mitigate that to some extent this year as I have purchased an indoor trainer...but it's not really my favorite thing in the world.6 -
MommaGem2017 wrote: »PeakLiving17 wrote: »I think you're right about some people being successful at it and others not so much. I'm of the idea that everyone is at least capable of eating this way with enough experience.
I think this is the key. Many people have ignore genuine hungry and satisfaction cues for so long that they no longer know how to interpret them, or have a realistic idea of what will be fulfilling. It takes time and practice - maybe years.
Also, even though @cwolfman13 hasn't been tracking in years (I am in awe of this!), he is still here keeping health and fitness top of mind.
I wouldn't say years.. I feel it can be achieved inside 12 - 18 months. It's really about being mindful and attentive to what feedback your body gives you over time (+12 months is long time).
Eg: If you eat more in one sitting for lunch and you're not hungry until 8pm. That's listening to your body. It's actually easier than most people think. It's far from an illusive gift reserved for special folk lol. And It's not necessary to do at all. It's a choice to want to eat this way at the end of the day.2 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »I do it in some form, but only as a feedback mechanism to aid in decision making, not as a decision making tool in and of itself. My satiety signals tend to take a good while to register after a meal (about 30 minutes) so I need to consciously tell myself "it's okay to stop eating while hungry, the amount you've eaten is enough and you will stop being hungry soon". Some days my appetite is just not there, so I use it as an opportunity to bank calories. Some days I'm just plain hungry no matter what and how much I eat, and I need to make my choices logically and keep telling myself that "it's just one of those days, it won't last forever, just eat to maintenance and stop". If I allow myself to go free for all on these days I'm guaranteed to wipe out a 2 weeks deficit. Sometimes I have something planned, so I allow myself to feel hungry because I know I will be having a large meal later, other times I eat well beyond full because I believe there is nothing wrong with that if I'm in control.
My hunger signals are just too unpredictable for "listening to my body" to work, and for my diet to be sustainable I sometimes need to make food choices that are calorie dense and can pack in 1000 calories before I'm anywhere near "not hungry".
If you're planning to try it this and see how you do I suggest spending a couple of weeks writing down your foods in the beginning without logging them right away then logging them all at once in the evening once you're done eating for the day. You need to know where your natural appetite falls and make sure you aren't undereating or spinning your wheels overeating.
Interesting comment. Sounds like you're working alongside your hunger. Awesome.0 -
PeakLiving17 wrote: »
I wouldn't say years.. I feel it can be achieved inside 12 - 18 months. It's really about being mindful and attentive to what feedback your body gives you over time (+12 months is long time).
Eg: If you eat more in one sitting for lunch and you're not hungry until 8pm. That's listening to your body. It's actually easier than most people think. It's far from an illusive gift reserved for special folk lol. And It's not necessary to do at all. It's a choice to want to eat this way at the end of the day.
Really, the reason I said "Maybe" years is because everyone is individual and has unique experiences with food. I just don't see how you can put a specific time frame of 12-18 months on it. I think you're coming from the perspective of a person who can eat well intuitively and are forgetting that it's actually incredibly difficult for others - like your friend.
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MommaGem2017 wrote: »PeakLiving17 wrote: »
I wouldn't say years.. I feel it can be achieved inside 12 - 18 months. It's really about being mindful and attentive to what feedback your body gives you over time (+12 months is long time).
Eg: If you eat more in one sitting for lunch and you're not hungry until 8pm. That's listening to your body. It's actually easier than most people think. It's far from an illusive gift reserved for special folk lol. And It's not necessary to do at all. It's a choice to want to eat this way at the end of the day.
Really, the reason I said "Maybe" years is because everyone is individual and has unique experiences with food. I just don't see how you can put a specific time frame of 12-18 months on it. I think you're coming from the perspective of a person who can eat well intuitively and are forgetting that it's actually incredibly difficult for others - like your friend.
I probably shouldn't have be so definite with my time frame however I say that because I'm confident that applying the correct approach (which they probably haven't been aware of or tried) will be that effective. Everyone's different of course, you're right. And it's also not a race either.0 -
I was a pretty intuitive eater before various life circumstances sent things off the rails a few years ago. I suspect that I'll go back to that once the weight-loss process is done, but I expect that to be another year at least. Like @cwolfman13 said above, logging has taught me a lot about nutrition and satiation and portion sizes. The primary reason I want to keep logging for now is that my diet varies a lot day-to-day, so it's important to me to make sure I'm staying in a deficit week-to-week.1
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Nope. Im often hungry after meals but suck it up since I still have weight to lose.1
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KurumiSophia wrote: »Nope. Im often hungry after meals but suck it up since I still have weight to lose.
How many calories are you eating in a day?0 -
I take a medication that makes me insatiably hungry. I can eat an entire Chipotle burrito and five minutes later down another one. I have no sense of being satisfied ever. If I don't count calories I'll balloon up pretty quickly.3
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Counting calories during weightloss, and nine months into maintenance, has given me enough confidence and experience to be able to eat without the help of the food diary. I'm down 50 pounds and approaching 3 years maintaining a healthy weight, pretty effortlessly, but I'm always learning, always facing new challenges.
I make my eating decisions based on a combination of common sense (I have an idea of how appropriate meals looks like); regular, structured meals (was 4, now 3), no eating between meals; flexible meal planning which becomes logging as I eat (I use a spreadsheet; I do weigh and count most items, not primarily for the calories, but to get the right number of portions and be able to plan shopping; I also like looking back for ideas for next week's meals); hunger drives me to eat; appetite leads me to choose from what's available (I enjoy the predictability planning provides, so I always look forward to whatever is on my plan); natural breaks from whatever I'm doing that day besides eating; and feedback from weighing myself every morning.
If I were to eat "whatever", I too could easily eat 5000 calories per day. But I base my intake on balanced meals, often home cooked from real food ingredients, and treats only occasionally. I actually feel a lot less "restricted" now; I used to "try" to not eat so much, but it was futile - now, I feel like I eat what want, how much I want, when I want. My idea of "what and how much I want" has changed; I still like the same things as before, I just eat some more often and others more rarely. I'm not worried about fluctuations or cravings anymore, I know I won't gain weight unless I start to consistenly overeat again. I eat, move and think like a normal weight person.
I don't even exercise; normal daily activity is enough for my need and desire.2 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I haven't logged in years...pretty healthy and fit...
Just curious, why are you on this site if you arent logging? Not trying to be rude.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I haven't logged in years...pretty healthy and fit...
Just curious, why are you on this site if you arent logging? Not trying to be rude.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I haven't logged in years...pretty healthy and fit...
Just curious, why are you on this site if you arent logging? Not trying to be rude.
I'm a nutrition and fitness junky...there's a lot more going on here than just calorie counting. I was also very successful in the process and have been very successful in 4+ years of maintenance so I like to share the knowledge that I have...I also like to learn and there are a plethora of knowledgeable posters here. I also just like talking about fitness and nutrition.9 -
It depends for me. So previously my hunger cues were insane and completely off. I've dealt with binge eating for years so I don't have very good hunger cues.
However, when I changed what I eat - not in binges, but every day regular meals - and I upped my protein and fibre intake my hunger cues are much more normal. I still binge, but when I think about it I wasn't actually hungry . . . there was a lot of other things going on. So for me, my hunger cues do work now pending that a binge isn't starting . . .although a binge actually never starts, for me, with feeling hungry anyways.1
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