Do hunger pains go away?
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^^^^^^^Eat slowly. Eat WITHOUT distractions; no reading, watching TV, playing on your smartphone or tablet, get away from your work desk.
This has been key for me. It makes an enormous difference.
When I really pay attention to what I'm eating, I find I can enjoy every mouthful. I don't feel deprived due to smaller portions. I can even be happy savoring one small square of chocolate, when before I might have scarfed down the entire bar without really noticing.0 -
Indeed, more studies are needed. I cannot (and generally don't) speak from a medical, fitness guru, dietician perspective. I can only speak from my own 93-lb weight loss perspective from 6/2013 until today. Eating less, for a wheelchair-bound, 5'1 woman has resulted in what I've done this far. Not excessive exercise, eating salads, eating this-or-that. I feel that when I understood that my body didn't need the amount of food I was feeding it, that it didn't need to feel full all the time and that this need is purely psychological and no biological beyond a discreet amount of calories/food, I began to lose weight. Is this true for everyone? I guess not, as proven by people who lose weight exercising excessively/moderately or eating salads, or whatnots. I've come to a point in my life where I honestly believe that people would benefit (a LOT) by eating less than they do, and finding a balance of their life stresses. BUT, if whatever they are doing makes them happy, and is giving them their desired results, then they should continue. Happiness/less stress is a nice goal to have, no? My advice to the world, if I could give them one? We shouldn't knock down ANYONE'S successful experience simply because they aren't in the medical/nutrition field. I was born with a disability, and NONE of the hundreds of doctors, dietitians I've seen in my 37 years on this planet have been able to achieve with me, what I taught myself in these almost 2 years of taking control of my life. 93 pounds lost. It's no joke, and I do think that this personal journey of mine is worth reading about, not because it's me - I'm no one particularly special or smart - but because I HAVE lost and continue to, in my own unorthodox way, so maybe there's someone out there for whom my experience might help. Those for whom it won't, then they shouldn't pay attention to me, but demean my efforts? It wouldn't be fair, for me and those who might read my story and somehow benefit from it.With smaller meals, the effective volume of the stomach tends to shrink. This is very important in the perception of hunger and satiety.
This is false information. Just want to point that out. The size of the stomach stays the same whether you are 500 lbs or 100 lbs.
Do you believe that your appetite decreases when you eat less over a sustained period of time?
Yes, I do believe appetite decreases and by A LOT! I've been eating on 8" plates for around 1.5 years now and I simply CANNOT eat more than that amount. I get physically sick if I even try.
As for the stomach shrinking? It's a muscular organ (not necessarily a muscle, but it works thanks to muscles within it), isn't it? So, yes, I do believe it shrinks. There are countless research articles on stomachs expanding to fit in more food, I seriously doubt that it doesn't contract when you begin a sustained period of your life feeding it less. This would cause you to feel RAVENOUS all the time, and as is my particular case, I no longer feel the need to eat as I was eating before. Not only that, I physically cannot.
http://theandersonmethod.com/category/does-your-stomach-shrink-when-you-diet/
Great boots-on-the-stomach report.
And that's what others report as well in Hagan's pilot study.
There is another study where researchers had volunteers swallow some type of nanometric tube and quantified that the EFFECTIVE stomach volume does shrink over prolonged periods of NOT being stuffed.
Even they were surprised at the results.
So with a smaller effective volume, not only CAN'T you eat as much as you did before, but the stretch receptors reset and give out a signal to the brain to stop eating (basically) at a lower volume.
What WAS surprising in Hagan's study was that all it took was an enforced morning fast- the folks were on a 14/10 water-fast and then eat-as-much-as-you-want protocol.
So eating small meals works on a psychological level just on stomach physiology alone. Theoretically, it should not matter WHAT you eat, but how much you eat.
More studies needed.0 -
Yes, I understand.I have trouble feeling full. I give myself time for it to register that I have eaten, but unless I overeat I don't feel full.
Feeling full or stuffed is not the goal of eating. Not feeling hungry is the goal. It's not a feeling, it's the absence of a feeling.
During weight loss, we're essentially asking our body to tap into stored energy (fat). That means we don't fill up the tank of gas, we add only a few gallons -- maybe enough for the next 20 miles. Then we drive 25 miles, getting that extra 5 miles out of our reserve gas tank or batteries or something (the metaphor isn't the best but hopefully it's useful).
I'm on day 79. In those 79 days, I've rarely felt terribly hungry and only a couple of times have felt full.
Okay, some tips for avoiding terrible hunger:
Make sure you eat frequently enough. If you haven't eaten in 4 hours, I would expect that you would be hungry.
Make sure that your morning and mid-day meals have more protein. The half-life of protein is much longer than the half-life of carbohydrates. Since most of your energy usage happens in this part of the day, it stands to reason that these meals should be larger (more food, bigger portions) and longer lasting (more protein). The final meals of your day can be your lightest meals. (It's the opposite of the way most westerners like me eat.)
If you are hungry very late in the evening, a carbohydrate snack can be awesome and less than 100 calories. Microwave some veggies and spray some "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" on them. They will curb your hunger (not make you feel stuffed) and if you go to sleep in an hour or two, they won't keep your blood sugar high and get stored as fat -- so you'll maintain or lose weight during the night.0 -
It's important to learn the difference between actual hunger and just the feeling of wanting to eat. It takes a long time to learn the difference... I agree about drinking lots of water. It will make you feel so full and you won't be able to eat more. I used to eat every meal until I was stuffed but now that feeling is so uncomfortable to me. It's also great to add a small (or huge) salad to lunch and dinner since you can have a large volume of food to fill your stomach with very few calories. Stick to lettuce, veggies and something like mustard or lemon juice.0
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I know this question is not directed to me, but I'll chime in anyway.With smaller meals, the effective volume of the stomach tends to shrink. This is very important in the perception of hunger and satiety.
This is false information. Just want to point that out. The size of the stomach stays the same whether you are 500 lbs or 100 lbs.
Do you believe that your appetite decreases when you eat less over a sustained period of time?
In general, my appetite has decreased over time from learning moderation. However, there are some days when I feel more hungry due to my activity level and I eat more food.
I know for sure that my stomach does not shrink or get bigger day-by-day, so it is my appetite.
Well, if appetite tends to decrease as one eats less, perhaps it's understandable that individuals would think the stomach "shrinks." That's the whole point of telling someone their stomach will shrink anyway, isn't it? That their appetite will lessen? Or do some think the statement is meant to imply they will lose their visible gut overnight?
Or maybe this is just one of those issues, such as "does muscle weight more than fat?" that everyone likes to get pedantic over.0 -
Yes with water 0
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I don't think your crazy at all.
Never, do I feel satisfied or full unless I have a stomach ache from over eating.
I don't even remember a time I was just full.
It's always still hungry, or over ate and feeling sick.
No idea if it ever goes away, as It never has for me,
but it does suck!0 -
water does help!Yes with water0 -
Watch your language. .:laugh:We are talking about the stomach's effective volume, not someone's panniculus.0 -
If I was eating the things you are, I would be hungry too. Greek yogurt and protein shakes may have a lot of protein in them, but I still need some solid food (or something filling like a banana added to the shake), or I will be hungry. It looks like you put milk in your protein shakes. To save calories, you could try unsweetened almond milk or water. I would suggest you stop drinking your calories, and instead eat more filling solid foods. Eggs and meat are going to fill you up a lot more for the protein. Aim for carbs that are high in fiber. Eat healthy fats that you also find satiating. Almonds are great, but if you are feeling hungry you might want to eat something more substantial for the calories (unless you find them really satisfying, personally I don't).
Finally, if your calorie goal is too low for you to stick to it, try reassessing your weight loss goals. Reduce your goal to 1lb/week (or even 0.5lb/week if you have to), so that you can eat more and still lose. It is far far far far far better that you have a plan you can stick to, even if you lose slower, than if you give up.0 -
often times when people have eating and still don't feel full it's because they arent drinking enough water. Drink two bottles at each meal if you can and one when you're snacking. It helps. Drinking lemon water also helps.0
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Mis-read this as "do huger pen!ses go away"
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I am actually happy I don't have that "full" feeling anymore, usually "oh my god I ate too much" feeling. I was eating wayyyy too much prior to MFP. I am actually feeling hunger now, and really look forward to my next meal. Prior to planning my daily calories, I would eat a meal that would keep me "full" for 6-8 hours! So for me it had been really hard sticking to my 1560 calories a day after eating huge meals that would keep me full for hours if not all day, I often ate when I was not hungry because it was Lunch time or Dinner time. My meals are now about 400 calories each, which means I do not really get full, I would say I am satisfied and I am nourished after each meal. To be honest I often go to bed hungry, or feeling like I could eat. I eat Dinner at 6 and go to bed at 11, I TRY to save calories at night for a snack...sometimes I will go over because I am hungry but no more than150 calories.
I do Zumba on Wed and Thursday nights, so I eat more on those days and I really plan it with extra snacks or that is the day I have a higher calorie food (pizza) for lunch as I cant eat much after class because for some reason my hunger goes away and food is not appealing.
I am just giving myself time to adjust.0 -
I get the impression that some people think their stomach actually shrinks from eating less.
I know this question is not directed to me, but I'll chime in anyway.With smaller meals, the effective volume of the stomach tends to shrink. This is very important in the perception of hunger and satiety.
This is false information. Just want to point that out. The size of the stomach stays the same ywhether you are 500 lbs or 100 lbs.
Do you believe that your appetite decreases when you eat less over a sustained period of time?
In general, my appetite has decreased over time from learning moderation. However, there are some days when I feel more hungry due to my activity level and I eat more food.
I know for sure that my stomach does not shrink or get bigger day-by-day, so it is my appetite.
Well, if appetite tends to decrease as one eats less, perhaps it's understandable that individuals would think the stomach "shrinks." That's the whole point of telling someone their stomach will shrink anyway, isn't it? That their appetite will lessen? Or do some think the statement is meant to imply they will lose their visible gut overnight?
Or maybe this is just one of those issues, such as "does muscle weight more than fat?" that everyone likes to get pedantic over.
As for pedantic...not my thing to decide. Everybody has the right to their opinion.0 -
Protein is good.
Drinking lots of water is good.
Also, I'd say to stop eating at around 80% full. No need to eat until you feel full or until you're so full you couldn't eat anymore without feeling sick.0 -
Eat vegetables ...... raw, steamed, sauteed, roasted ...... they'll fill you up ..... with little extra calories :flowerforyou:0
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When I first started eating at a deficit I too never felt full. What I came to realize though is that I wasn't still hungry, I just didn't have that 'full to the gills' feeling I used to get when overeating. Years and years of mindless eating led me to believe I was still hungry if I wasn't stuffed.
My appetite has truly changed in the last 6 months. Drinking more water and filling my plate with lower calorie foods helps quell that 'not full' feeling.
Listen to your body and really examine if what you're feeling is hunger. Sometimes just a small treat like a Hershey's Kiss or two makes me feel fully satiated. I just wanted that TASTE of something really yummy.
Congrat's on your weight loss so far. 0 -
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If I was eating the things you are, I would be hungry too. Greek yogurt and protein shakes may have a lot of protein in them, but I still need some solid food (or something filling like a banana added to the shake), or I will be hungry. It looks like you put milk in your protein shakes. To save calories, you could try unsweetened almond milk or water. I would suggest you stop drinking your calories, and instead eat more filling solid foods. Eggs and meat are going to fill you up a lot more for the protein. Aim for carbs that are high in fiber. Eat healthy fats that you also find satiating. Almonds are great, but if you are feeling hungry you might want to eat something more substantial for the calories (unless you find them really satisfying, personally I don't).
Finally, if your calorie goal is too low for you to stick to it, try reassessing your weight loss goals. Reduce your goal to 1lb/week (or even 0.5lb/week if you have to), so that you can eat more and still lose. It is far far far far far better that you have a plan you can stick to, even if you lose slower, than if you give up.
Thank you. I will try eating more solid foods and fiber.0 -
You bet I understand! It's like my brain never passes the message along to my stomach that it's full. I swear my brain knows when I'm trying to lose weight and it makes sure I feel the hunger pains until it's the only thing I can think about until I binge. Horrible.0
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I had a hard time the first 2 weeks of not feeling full and as others have said I think that is because i was over full before and never felt true hunger. Now I actually get excited when I have a true hungry feeling. It means I am doing things correctly. I am tracking everything I eat as honestly as possible. good or bad I don't beat myself up for going over my calories.
when I have an extra hungry day I try to add more low cal veggies like carrots and celery to help get that full feeling. Also I allow myself treats once in a while and count the calories so I don't do too much damage.
Good luck to you0 -
I was trying to add a comment that weight loss surgery does indeed decrease the size of the stomach.0
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one more thing sometimes drinking water doesn't do it for me so I have tea with no sweetener. I like celestial seasonings herbal teas for flavor.0
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With smaller meals, the effective volume of the stomach tends to shrink. This is very important in the perception of hunger and satiety.
This is false information. Just want to point that out. The size of the stomach stays the same whether you are 500 lbs or 100 lbs.
Actually that's not true. I'm a GI pathologist and the stomach of a 500 lb person is going to be way bigger than the stomach of a 100 lb person. (In general, unless they are a professional eater or something)I'm not saying the stomach shrinks (I think we just get used to the feeling of less food) but if you consistently overeat, the stomach "stretches" out.
I've done autopsies on 500 lb folks before, ALL of their organs are usually bigger.0 -
There's a book called intuitive eating: make peace with food , free yourself from chronic dieting forever, rediscover the pleasures off eating. I think you'd like some of the chapters because it explains a lot about our bodies' hunger/fullness queues. Not trying to spam a product in here at all but I think this book is a good one for ya. It was recommended to me by a nutritionist.0
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If I was eating the things you are, I would be hungry too. Greek yogurt and protein shakes may have a lot of protein in them, but I still need some solid food (or something filling like a banana added to the shake), or I will be hungry. It looks like you put milk in your protein shakes. To save calories, you could try unsweetened almond milk or water. I would suggest you stop drinking your calories, and instead eat more filling solid foods. Eggs and meat are going to fill you up a lot more for the protein. Aim for carbs that are high in fiber. Eat healthy fats that you also find satiating. Almonds are great, but if you are feeling hungry you might want to eat something more substantial for the calories (unless you find them really satisfying, personally I don't).
Finally, if your calorie goal is too low for you to stick to it, try reassessing your weight loss goals. Reduce your goal to 1lb/week (or even 0.5lb/week if you have to), so that you can eat more and still lose. It is far far far far far better that you have a plan you can stick to, even if you lose slower, than if you give up.
Thank you. I will try eating more solid foods and fiber.
I totally agree with this. If your body feels deprived it can lead to over compensation0 -
Yes they go away, you've go to ride it out until your stomach shrinks back. Then you'll feel fuller for longer on your new calorie allowance.
It's ok to feel hungry.0 -
^absolutely!You do get used to eating less and will feel less hungry, definitely.0 -
OP, do you want to open your food diary for us to give feedback? Also, do you exercise?
Personally, smaller more frequent meals makes me hungrier. I found that 3 large meals is much better for satiety than 6+ meals.0 -
I have trouble feeling full. I give myself time for it to register that I have eaten, but unless I overeat I don't feel full. I am trying to choose foods with protein. Yesterday I binged, I just couldn't feel full. Is it something you get used to or that goes away? Does anyone even know what I am talking about?
For me, personally, I have a pretty good appetite and I like to eat a fairly large volume of food. I find this satisfying. As such, I'm careful about the food choices I make. For example. You can make a great stir fry with mounds and mounds of fresh veggies, an appropriate portion of meat, and an appropriate portion of rice or noodles and be super full.
So, my first rule of thumb is.... double the veggies.
Another example
5 oz of pork tenderloin
3 cups of broccolini with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms stir fried with some garlic, ginger and soy sauce
1/2 a cup of baked sweet potato
This is a huge dinner with a tremendous volume of food.
or
5 oz of grilled chicken
1 cup steamed broccoli
1 cup of steamed cauliflower
1/2 cup of steamed carrots
1/2 cup of brown rice with sliced green onion and perhaps a bit of pinapple
For breakfast why not a baked egg dish
two eggs with a bit of milk. use a small flan dish and bake in the oven with sliced colored peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms and a bit of cheese (goat or maybe parmesan) grated on top. Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes. (it's like a baked, open-faced omelet)
serve with a side of sliced tomatoes on a bed of arugula and a small drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
The long and short of it is, veggies are your friends! Learn to cook them in many ways with many spices and herbs and incorporate them at every meal to provide huge volumes of food at very little calorie cost and huge vitamin benefit. 0
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