Feel Hungry but Stomach is Full

tiffles17
tiffles17 Posts: 28
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone else have this problem? Often I will finish eating and know that my stomach is full but find myself still feeling like I'm hungry which leads to bad cravings, and eventually, giving in to said cravings. If you do have the problem, what do you do to deal with it?

Replies

  • Mumbles83
    Mumbles83 Posts: 626 Member
    Drink water
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    Heck yea.. I learned to eat slower and drink more water... trust me, it helps
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Why don't you track protein? Problem #1.
  • Ely0418
    Ely0418 Posts: 45 Member
    I been through that so many times, but I started to drink more water it seems to go away. If your hungry eat something really healthy like nuts, fruit, or smoothie. Simply you have to wait till your food goes down your system that's when you will feel full. Sometimes feeling hungry is annoying, but you have to fight your way through, read a book or go outside to distract yourself. It may seem imposible, but is your brain that is telling you that your hungry not you. Try to fool your brain believe me it works. I was addicted to sweets and junk food and my body got use to it so much I had no boundary.
  • dorthymcconnel
    dorthymcconnel Posts: 237 Member
    Are you eating anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it? I know if I eat anything with that in it, I feel hungry more, even though I ate plenty. When I get like that I drink water and go find something to busy my hands. Sometimes boredom or seeing food can trigger it. Try water and giving yourself about ten or 15 minutes to see if the craving passes.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    YES, I have this problem sometimes. Not sure why (I drink on average 12 cups of water, so dehydration is not likely). The only thing I have found that helps is if I press slightly on my stomach (right below the sternum) and hold it there for 20 or 30 seconds then I can feel my full stomach pressing internally on everything and my brain seems to get the hint finally that my tummy is actually full and I am not physically hungry.
  • suzieqsmart
    suzieqsmart Posts: 47
    Drink a big glass of water. A lot of the time when our body "feels hungry" it is actually just telling you that it needs something, and if your tummy is full, chances are you're thirsty.

    Second option, you're not actually giving your body what it needs when you eat. Best way I can explain this is to recommend the documentary "Hungry For Change". It explains how our bodies will never stop telling us that we're hungry if we're not giving it the right foods. Even if you're eating HUGE meals, your body will still feel starved if it's seriously lacking something.

    If all else fails. My "disciplinary method" if I feel I'm going to give in to a craving, is to do a few laps on the stairs. (just my personal method) I use stairs to get my daily exercise through the winter. I do laps in my office building early or late in the day when nobody is around. (6 stories - 10 laps). So, if I am really struggling with my will power, I will go do a lap on the stairs. It reminds me how hard I have to work to make up for my "slip" and usually that is enough to keep me from giving in.

    Good luck!!
  • RunEatLift
    RunEatLift Posts: 68
    Like you feel hungry but not sated? That can happen if you're filling yourself up with too much low calorie food - e.g. if you ate a kg of celery you would be full but not satisfied. Make sure you're getting enough protein and fats in your diet.
  • 3_is_enough
    3_is_enough Posts: 25
    Drinking water works for me, too.
  • christimccarty
    christimccarty Posts: 81
    my first thought was water too. A lot of times that hungry feeling you have is actually that you're thirsty...
    When I know that I want a treat I actually drink my shakeology!!! It my *cheat* thats NOT a cheat AT ALL! love love it!
  • caribear1984
    caribear1984 Posts: 203
    Are you eating anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it? I know if I eat anything with that in it, I feel hungry more, even though I ate plenty. When I get like that I drink water and go find something to busy my hands. Sometimes boredom or seeing food can trigger it. Try water and giving yourself about ten or 15 minutes to see if the craving passes.

    ^This, and what Susieq said. Exercise is a great false hunger killer. When I am not hungry but just want to eat something, I have been known to run in place for 10 minutes.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Does anyone else have this problem? Often I will finish eating and know that my stomach is full but find myself still feeling like I'm hungry which leads to bad cravings, and eventually, giving in to said cravings. If you do have the problem, what do you do to deal with it?

    Willpower
  • tiffles17
    tiffles17 Posts: 28
    Does anyone else have this problem? Often I will finish eating and know that my stomach is full but find myself still feeling like I'm hungry which leads to bad cravings, and eventually, giving in to said cravings. If you do have the problem, what do you do to deal with it?

    Willpower

    Fair enough :-P
  • tiffles17
    tiffles17 Posts: 28
    Thank you all! I just downed about 16 oz of water and felt better almost immediately, sad that I didn't think about being dehydrated. I will keep that in mind in the future :-)
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    To me it's all about what I eat. As someone else said, protein and fats will help you feel satisfied, so of your meals are very low in either of those, no matter how much you eat you won't be satisfied.
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
    I feel that way when I have an ulcer.
  • AprilLove125
    AprilLove125 Posts: 26
    I get that a lot and for me it's one of two things - not enough protein or not enough water. We often think we're hungry when we're really just thirsty. I chew gum sometimes after meals too to simulate that eating activity and eventually my brain gets it.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    Once I've made sure I have eaten enough over the past few days, checked protein, and drunk a glass of water, the next step would be to plan out my next meal and make sure that it is a good one, not just eh, and then try to distract myself because it likely is just boredom.
  • jourdanerin
    jourdanerin Posts: 69
    This happens to me sometimes too. Other than drink water I'll chew a piece of gum. Gives me the sweet flavor I'm craving without all the calories.
  • mytracker22
    mytracker22 Posts: 6
    I'd second the drink water idea. Your tracker is amazing and just a little high in sodium, so maybe more hydration can offset that.

    To be honest, though, I have the same issue, and it's a lifelong battle, the mindless eating. I read somewhere that you can think of it like quitting smoking, and visualize putting sand in a pile each time you have a cigarette, and putting sand in another pile each time you resist. The idea being that eventually through practice the resisting pile of sand is bigger. I guess it's a way to visualize developing good habits, and I find this helpful so I thought I'd share.
  • mwooderson
    mwooderson Posts: 254 Member
    I struggle with this as well. I have found a small apple sliced into 8 wedges with some PB2 is a great great satisfier. It's sweet, crunchy and very filling.
  • greeneyes0809
    greeneyes0809 Posts: 422 Member
    I sometimes get this way. I just drink a glass of water and wait 20-30 minutes because sometimes it takes a little bit for your brain to register that you are full. If I am still hungry after that time I will have a small snack, but usually by then the hunger has gone away.
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    I find when I am at a restaurant where I can gulp down water because I can only drink as much as fast as they fill, I eat way more food and I'm less satisfied. When I eat at home where I can control my liquid intake with food much easier, I drink 2-3 glasses of water with my meal or a whole 32 oz of Powerade Zero, which lends to me being full after eating. At work, I tend to always have my "snack" right after eating or either I'm not happy.
  • micqs
    micqs Posts: 186 Member
    I know its been said before, but during my meals I chew my food really slow and take sips of water or wait a few seconds before taking another bite. I try to make it a point to put my fork or spoon down between each bite (gets kinda silly but it helps me). Also, just increasing water if you are already slowing yourself down during eating.
  • mistesh
    mistesh Posts: 243 Member
    Like you feel hungry but not sated? That can happen if you're filling yourself up with too much low calorie food - e.g. if you ate a kg of celery you would be full but not satisfied. Make sure you're getting enough protein and fats in your diet.
    To me it's all about what I eat. As someone else said, protein and fats will help you feel satisfied, so of your meals are very low in either of those, no matter how much you eat you won't be satisfied.
    I find when I am at a restaurant where I can gulp down water because I can only drink as much as fast as they fill, I eat way more food and I'm less satisfied.

    I'm not sure what you mean by satisfied?

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