eating when not hungry

lpasqu01
lpasqu01 Posts: 2 Member
in Motivation and Support
For some reason I have begun eating when not hungry and eating past the point of fullness. I am not sure why i am doing this and am desperate for suggestions to help me stop before I create more problems for myself.

Replies

  • fitQueenbeast
    fitQueenbeast Posts: 298
    Several things:

    1 Are you following a 5-meal-a-day nutrition plan?
    2 Are you getting in at least EIGHT glasses of water?
    3 Are you getting you daily fiber and protein intake?
    4 Is your calorie intake calculated correctly?

    All of the above is VERY important but what could REALLY help is the fiber and protein. Both are designed to digest VERY slowly which keeps you feeling full longer. You are less likely to get hungry. Additionally, eating five small BALANCED meals, spaced out, will kill the hunger pains, as well. Try 100% whey in a protein shake and/or Fiber One bars.

    I wouldn't recommend something if it didn't work for me!

    Hope this helps!
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    don't eat if you're not hungry. i love overeating. that slightly-too-full-i'm-going-to-burst feeling is my favourite.
    it's self control really.

    i do low carb, and i am able to overeat, thank god. over time, my stomach does shrink and it gets hard to eat portions i used to.

    eat more fibre, fats and protein. eat slower. drink water before you eat.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    For some reason I have begun eating when not hungry and eating past the point of fullness. I am not sure why i am doing this and am desperate for suggestions to help me stop before I create more problems for myself.

    eating out of boredom?
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
    For some reason I have begun eating when not hungry and eating past the point of fullness. I am not sure why i am doing this and am desperate for suggestions to help me stop before I create more problems for myself.

    If you are eating when you are NOT hungry, you need to look at that behavior specifically. MFP is great for logging food - but you might need to start logging the circumstances surrounding your eating. When are you eating, what are you doing immediately before eating, how are you feeling before/during/after eating. There may very likely be an emotional/stress component --- because the bottom line is: you should never eat if you're not hungry and certainly shouldn't eat past the point of feeling full/satisfied.

    Good luck to you --- I hope you resolve this because you really might be sabotaging all your hard work!
  • johnhowson
    johnhowson Posts: 73 Member
    Comfort/emotional eating. I still have problems with that occasionally, I think it is to do with revealing stress but it doesn't work, makes you more anxious so you end up eating even more.
    Cutting out night snacks and eating a larger breakfast helped me break that.
    BTW Keep at it and good luck
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
    I used to think that I ate when not hungry because I was bored, lacked self-control, and just had developed bad habits. I've realized (through therapy), though, that I was actually using food to distract myself from thinking about painful (and confusing) stuff. Now that I'm dealing with those issues (which I really didn't even know existed before), I am much less likely to eat when not hungry. Just something to consider.
  • ncbill
    ncbill Posts: 76 Member
    If it just started you are getting more pleasure from eating the food than the pain associated with gaining weight and knowing it's not good for you. The habit, reward is probably replacing something else that is worrying you. So next time you reach for some food when not hungry try to do something different. Ironically my appetite is less when I work out not sure how that works.
  • marissawhipple
    marissawhipple Posts: 2
    I eat so often when I'm not hungry too :/ It's so frustrating. We were built with such intelligent bodies that know exactly what we need when we need it. However, I've become a pro at tuning that out. I will have to start following everyone's tips!
  • das021263
    das021263 Posts: 1 Member
    I think everyone has been contributing very sound advice. One clarification I would like to add, though, is that you actually should NEVER feel hungry if you're eating properly. Yes, eating 5 balanced meals (proper combination of all three components: fat, carbs and protein) a day spread out evenly will keep you satiated (feeling full). In fact, if you wait till you feel hungry to eat that next meal, you'll miss the meal all together and bump into the next feeding time.

    I have set calendar events on my phone with reminders at intervals throughout the day. Breakfast, 1st snack, Lunch, 2nd snack, Dinner. I have stopped eating after dinner. Never again will I have an after-dinner snack (before bed time). It's a huge no-no. The only thing I might have is my recovery drink (8-oz. of Nesquik in skim milk) right after a very intense workout (within 20-minutes of completing the exercise).

    So, if you're eating 5 times a day (300 - 500 calories per BALANCED meal), exercising 4-6 days per week and drinking AT LEAST 8 glasses of water (each glass should be 8-oz.) you should be OK.

    And I don't believe you'll feel hungry between meals - you'll have to actually force yourself to eat on a schedule even though you don't feel like eating.
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
    Hi Ipasqu! fantastic congratulations on losing your 5lbs already!!! I think a lot of it has been covered/ boredom/stress etc... It is sooooo easy to go raid the cupboard/fridge just for the hell of it when we are not hungry.

    What works for me is making out that I have to make it a reward for something I have done. So I think maybe if I do a few jumping jacks, take the dog for an extra walk...you get what I mean? Something a little extra then you get to earn your extra food.

    Think of it is being at school and training your mind/body to learn a little at a time with a reward at the end of it
  • lpasqu01
    lpasqu01 Posts: 2 Member
    Wow thanks for all the great tips,insight and suggestions. I really appreciate you all reaching out. I need to reach a ittle more within myself but with what you have all provided, it should help me to help myself although i know that is easier said than done!:smile:
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    If you catch yourself doing it, STOP and go do something else. Walk away, go drink a glass of water, go to the gym, just do something else. I've caught myself doing it and it was because I was bored.
  • fitQueenbeast
    fitQueenbeast Posts: 298
    I think everyone has been contributing very sound advice. One clarification I would like to add, though, is that you actually should NEVER feel hungry if you're eating properly. Yes, eating 5 balanced meals (proper combination of all three components: fat, carbs and protein) a day spread out evenly will keep you satiated (feeling full). In fact, if you wait till you feel hungry to eat that next meal, you'll miss the meal all together and bump into the next feeding time.

    I have set calendar events on my phone with reminders at intervals throughout the day. Breakfast, 1st snack, Lunch, 2nd snack, Dinner. I have stopped eating after dinner. Never again will I have an after-dinner snack (before bed time). It's a huge no-no. The only thing I might have is my recovery drink (8-oz. of Nesquik in skim milk) right after a very intense workout (within 20-minutes of completing the exercise).

    So, if you're eating 5 times a day (300 - 500 calories per BALANCED meal), exercising 4-6 days per week and drinking AT LEAST 8 glasses of water (each glass should be 8-oz.) you should be OK.

    And I don't believe you'll feel hungry between meals - you'll have to actually force yourself to eat on a schedule even though you don't feel like eating.

    You are on point with your post!!! I agree wholeheartedly and it just complements what I suggested. I do like your idea of an actual schedule so as not to miss one of the five meals. I rarely feel hungry in between meals thanks to the fiber and protein AND water I chug down daily.

    Erica

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