Afraid of Hunger

BlossomingInRecovery

I have Binge Eating Disorder and I think I've found out what causes it; I'm afraid of hunger. Whenever I get hungry I get afraid that I'm going to get tired, weak, and not be able to focus. I try to portion my food out but it doesn't help I just go back and eat more. I just need some information on hunger. Like when is it okay to be hunger, how to overcome it and deal with it.

I do eat a lot of protein, I have almonds, cottage cheese, etc but I binge on that too

I just need some general information about hunger and dieting

QuilterInVA

Fear of hunger is not a reason to keep eating all day. It's okay and even good to experience hunger. You aren't going to faint or get weak unless you don't eat for several days. Choose one day and go without lunch. See how you feel, what happens. Thin people experience hunger and put it on the back burner.

ldrosophila

You may be best if you eat very small all day so you never feel those pangs. Have 6-8 meals a day portion it out and know that in an hour or three you can eat again. Eat lots of protein and have some fat that will keep you feeling fuller longer. Fiber too, and drink water or some other calorie free beverage in between meals.

Small meals though not regular size. Think gastric bypass diet.

Madame_Goldbricker

I T I S O K T O B E H U N G R Y !

1.Awareness : Notice what happens when you feel hunger. See if you can excavate the unconscious associations, thoughts and behaviors that happen when you feel hungry. When do you treat hunger as ok, or appropriate? When do you judge it? What is your relationship with your appetite?

2.Make amends with your appetite. Give your body unconditional permission to be hungry. Know that hunger is merely a sensation in the body, a messenger. Know that you live in a place with an abundance of food, and no one is rationing you except you.

3.Deeper dive:If you try to control or suppress your appetite, consider where else in your life you might try to control or suppress your desires,in sex, work, play? Or if you find yourself constantly overtaken by intense desire for food – check out how this might be a balancing act of other areas of tight control in your life.

* I pinched this from here: http://www.nakedhunger.com/its-ok-to-be-hungry/ - but maybe its something that resonates with how your feeling.

BlossomingInRecovery

Anymore advice

links_slayer

I just need some general information about hunger and dieting

Maybe see a nutritionist/dietitian and/or a mental health professional?

BlossomingInRecovery

I just need some general information about hunger and dieting

Maybe see a nutritionist/dietitian and/or a mental health professional?

I did last week and she told me; "portions, plan things out. etc" Stuff I've already heard

Madame_Goldbricker

I just need some general information about hunger and dieting

Maybe see a nutritionist/dietitian and/or a mental health professional?

^^ Agreed. OP I'm not really sure what you are specifically looking for? There are plenty of tips to help with hunger i.e. drinking more water, hot drinks, brushing teeth (some people state the fresh feeling makes them less likely to eat) & so forth. However, it sounds more a psychological issue for you. As previously stated if you don't have an actual medical condition - you wont actually get faint nor weak. :flowerforyou:

husseycd

I don't like being hungry either. I'm actually thinking about trying intermittent fasting to help get a better grip on hunger. I feel like I have it mostly under control (I maintain my weight fairly well), but feel a bit obsessive and worried about when I'll eat next. I'm also always hungry. Within moments of eating. High protein, high fat, high fiber... Doesn't matter.

Since I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm going to try 6:1 fasting. Basically eat normal 6 days and eat 500 calories one day. The weight loss plan is 5:2 fasting. Supposedly there are health benefits as well.

_Waffle_

Anymore advice

Use your head. Hunger won't kill you for over 3 weeks. Eat what you need, now what you FEEL that you need. I'm not saying to starve but that you don't have to fear hunger.

_Waffle_

I don't like being hungry either. I'm actually thinking about trying intermittent fasting to help get a better grip on hunger.

Do it. You'll find that you're a few hours into the time you can eat and it doesn't matter. Hunger is half mental. Sure if you're days out from eating it's real but 18 hours with no food doesn't even feel bad once you get used to it.

Ian_Stuart

Yes! Try intermittent fasting! I do leangains and don't typically eat until after noon and have my last meal of the day around 8 p.m. (Though my work schedule has been switched around recently and is messing with that) For the first week or so I was ravenous just before noon. These days I sometimes forget to eat until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I feel clearer and more energized when hungry. There is actually a good evolutionary reason for this. Your body saves energy and makes you feel like you could go chase down a gazelle when you get hungry because that is what you are supposed to be doing then! That lethargy that you are feeling is probably more of a blood sugar thing than actual hunger. That will be normalized by intermittent fasting.

An article on the subject: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/08/06/a-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting/

BlossomingInRecovery

Great advice anymore?

Ian_Stuart

Yes! Read this one also: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

This article is probably more important to you than the first one.

MyJourney1960

I just need some general information about hunger and dieting

Maybe see a nutritionist/dietitian and/or a mental health professional?

I did last week and she told me; "portions, plan things out. etc" Stuff I've already heard

go back and ask for help. you need someone to help you over your fears (which are very real)- a good therapist who has experience with EDs

Dewymorning

Yes, if you have a binge eating disorder I would advise going to see someone who is an expert in compulsive eating disorders.

tigersword

You need psychological therapy, not random advice on an internet forum. Seek a therapist.

chani8

Hunger is an awful feeling. I've had to stop any eating of food after around 6pm due to tummy trouble, and I spend the evening with what I often interpret as hunger pains. (The pain I get from eating and not digesting is much worse, so I cope with the hunger pains.)

When I first started dieting, just over a year ago, the hunger pains were very upsetting. I hated them. Then I started using a bit of cognitive psychology on myself, meaning, talking to myself. Here are some examples of what I would tell myself: "I won't die from hunger pains." "I just ate lots of calories, so there is no reason to be hungry. Therefore, my body is lying to me." "These feelings are not hunger pains, they're digestion!" "I feel weak because I ate too many carbs/sugar and this feeling is from poor food choices, not hunger." "I'm bored, tired, sad, nervous, stressed. Not hungry. And eating won't help. I'll just feel worse after."

I think the last line I just wrote above is really the most important one. You have to ask yourself, why are you binge eating? What are you trying to fill up in yourself? What are you truly hungry for? Is this an emotional/psychological thing? Is it a sensory thing in that you're seeking more pleasure? Why are you binge eating.

You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on going to a therapist to simply ask yourself, "Why?" Maybe journal it out. Sit down at a quiet time, in a quiet place, and ask yourself why you binge eat. If you figure it out, and want to share, let us know. Hugs!

kelly_e_montana

I have BED as well and I find the easiest thing for me is to carry a 100 pack of almonds or a protein bar in my purse at all times. That way, if I feel I'm getting a little hungry, I just eat it before I get really hungry and go into full blown mode. Let your hunger get to a pang here/pang there level. I eat small meals 6 times per day so I don't have this issue.

Also, for me I have a lot of anxiety and nervous energy that I was directing into binges for many years. I found that I need more exercise than the average person to keep my anxiety under control. I also do grounding activities like nature walks, baths, yoga, gardening, etc. Sounds dumb to a person without this issue but it has helped me tremendously to get out of my head and just be in a good state with my body.

I would highly suggest that if you go to a therapist, you choose one who specializes in binge eating or bulimia and I've had much better luck with those who do cognitive behavioral therapy/modifications. I don't know why I binge. There might not even be a good reason, since I've been doing it since I was a child. However, I know how to be uncomfortable with discomfort now and how to lessen the amount that feeling of doom/something building in me comes up. I don't know if you know what I mean, but you probably know how the compulsion feels and how if you can get through an hour of distracting yourself, it will pass.

TavistockToad

Fear of hunger is not a reason to keep eating all day. It's okay and even good to experience hunger. You aren't going to faint or get weak unless you don't eat for several days. Choose one day and go without lunch. See how you feel, what happens. Thin people experience hunger and put it on the back burner.

there is no need to skip meals... that is not going to help the OP learn healthy eating habits!

arrseegee

I worked with a lady who was researching motivators for eating. She ran a series of studies looking at the effect of eating "mindfully". We live in a world where abundance of food, advertising, unnatural ingredients and stress contribute to us eating not in response to need, but want. To address the issue she taught people how to assess their actual level of hunger, and eat appropriately in response to it.

I think this could be something that might be helpful for you, whether you choose to get some psychological help or doa bit of research yourself. Google "mindful eating" and have a read.