Finding that Balance...

Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt

I'm having a hard time finding that perfect moment to eat something, that moment of hunger that's somewhere between "Yeah, I could eat something now" and "FEED ME, SEYMOUR!!!". I don't want to eat before I'm truly physically hungry (not just feeling a snack craving) but don't want to be crazy-starved to the point of overeating when I get to that food, either. I know my signals will get easier to read as I go on, seperating the whole physical-vs.-emotional food need, but right now it's a bit muddled.

What signs do you look for, to figure out if you're physically hungry? Energy level? Stomach growling? Something else? Or do you just time meals for the same time each day, and eat it then no matter what?

waffleflavoredtea

It's really just a matter of adding in healthy snacks once or twice a day if you usually get ravenous. And not anything you know is not reasonable, either - a tuna sandwich is NOT a snack, it's a meal, and even if it fits within your calories for the day, emotional eaters will probably feel guilt about this choice because they know it is not as healthy as an apple or carrots and hummus.
Try letting yourself have whatever RAW fruits or veggies you want as snacks during the day.

Also, it's a LOT harder to emotionally overeat to the point of extreme guilt when you no longer buy anything you could even remotely overeat on or feel bad about. Be honest with yourself and write down all of the junk foods you currently have or buy on a regular basis, then try and remove all of it (depending on how bad your emotional eating and ravenous cravings are). Save room for a treat that is potentially guilt-inducing once a week if you must, but buy it only in a portion size. The thing a lot of emotional eaters deny is that junk food, no matter how big the box of doughnuts is, or how deep that bag of chocolate raisins is, it eventually ends up as a "Serving Size" for you : Don't even allow for a slip up, by not buying any more than a simple serving size in the first place.

I hope this helps. You need to remember that you aren't depriving yourself of comfort by removing guilt food from your house, you are helping to create a new and different way for you to vent out your emotions. You might realize that when you only have lean chicken breast, fruit, and veggies on hand, you don't eat to soothe yourself the way you did when you kept bread, candy, sugared soda, unhealthy baking items, and ice cream around to tempt you.
It will be painful to try and truly replace a bad way of dealing with emotions with good and healthy expression. The ways you deal are going to be unique to you, but you might try watching an emotional movie or tv show, going for a brisk walk (movement and a pumping heart REALLY helped me once I no longer saw exercise as something I did only to lose weight), painting or other art, or calling/texting a sister, mother, or friend.

best 'o luck

wild_wild_life

I'm struggling with this too but I feel like I am starting to be able to tell the difference. For me, when I am not "really" hungry but just want to eat something, i notice that I don't feel satisfied after eating, no matter what or how much it is. Sometimes I am even more hungry after eating. When I'm truly hungry, often a small amount will fill me up. Maybe trying to eat a small amount of something nourishing (veggies vs french fries) and seeing how you feel afterward would be one way to learn to tell the difference.