How do I know when to stop eating?

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EpicChick24
EpicChick24 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Lately I have constantly been feeling hungry even after I eat my meals. I feel like i'm eating healthy portions, but when I compare myself to all my slim girlfriends, they eat like half as much as me. I do light excersise so I know i should be eating more. I am also vegan. I used to count calories, but then it started to stress me out because I would sometimes eat up to 1000 cals more than I actually needed. I started to worry that I was developing problem with binging eating so I stopped with the counting and restriction. I then decided just to lisen to my body, but no matter what i do i just keep overeating, making me gain more weight. I never seem to feel satisfyed though! I am constantly being told not to deprive myself and i agree completely! I don't really care about weight loss anymore because my eating habits are going it become a problem one way or another. I just want know how to maintain without feeling hungry or gaining weight.

I'm a girl who's 5'4 and in her late teens. I used to weigh 140 up until January, but now weight 155. I am vegan and have been so since march, however I have not eaten meat in a year. I do eat a lot of vegetables and whole foods and I know i get enough protien. I drink about 9 glasses of water a day. Lastly, I come from a chubby childhood. I have never been thin (I was 185 lbs).

Can anyone help me? Should i keep counting calories or should i continue to eat as my body tells me? Or do you have a different way to aproach this? Please share!


PS. I NEVER eat until i am stuffed or can't move. Only like family gatherings and stuff which doesn't happen regularly. I really just have a problem feeling satisfyed. My stomach will literally be grawling ten minutes after i devour an entire 450g bag of just steamed veggies. Before anyone says it, i know meat makes you satisfyed. I'm just not going to eat it.

Replies

  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    What do you eat for protein? Also do you include healthy fats in your diet?
  • EpicChick24
    EpicChick24 Posts: 6
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    I eat a lot of beans, tofu, nuts, chickpeas, and peas on a regular basis. I sometimes feel like i need to limit my sodium intake so when i eat the beans and chickpeas I'll only use half the can in a day. I don't really eat a lot of lentils simply because my family doesn't buy it often. Sometimes i'll have textured protiens derived from soy products. I probably get like 40 plus grams of protien from these foods alone daily. Is this enough? I don't really know how much protien i get from everything else i eat in adition with this. And yes I do eat a lot of healthy fats from nut butters and olives.
  • DistantJ
    DistantJ Posts: 155 Member
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    If you eat mainly whole foods and are still gaining, you might need to go back to counting calories. One thing I did recently that boosted my weight loos quite nicely was give up sugar and flour. I still need to count calories, personally, but I know a lot of people don't when they are eating clean.
  • kaaatherine
    kaaatherine Posts: 9 Member
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    I know what you mean about listening to your body and calorie counting stressing you out. When I felt that way, I started keeping a food diary instead of tracking calories. I wrote down what I ate, how much, and sometimes how I was feeling if I felt that had something to do with my diet.

    I learned that I tend to overeat after school-- I'd usually eat a tiny lunch, so by the time I got home I'd be hungry, but also craving sugar, so I overate. Keeping a food journal helps to keep you accountable-- it's easier to visualize how much you're eating-- but also help you to recognize patterns like this. I make an easy adjustment, I just had a more filling lunch with a little something sweet, and soon enough it was much easier for me to control myself when I got home.

    Hope this helps!
  • EpicChick24
    EpicChick24 Posts: 6
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    Thank you for your reply I will definitely consider that. Do you mind my asking how long that has worked for you?
  • EpicChick24
    EpicChick24 Posts: 6
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    Thank you so much! I actually found myself doing the exact same thing during the school year! I would always have a small breakfast and lunch then end up binging later in the day. I will definitely try what you said!
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 170 Member
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    My hunger-fullness cues are also broken, so I can relate. I pretty much don't know when I'm hungry or full so I can keep on eating. I have to literally time my eating (I spread 3 meals over 5 hours). I don't count calories either: I count servings, but I'm a meat eater so I guess that makes counting servings easier.
  • EpicChick24
    EpicChick24 Posts: 6
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    I time myself too. I eat every 4 hours only because i eat larger portions. I thought about eating more frequently, but at where i am now i am already hungry with my larger portions so I am not so sure if i eating less more frequently will help me so much. I may feel even more hungry. :/
  • Vexxed
    Vexxed Posts: 8
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    This might sound a little crazy, but I've had a similar problem for most of my (albeit also short!) life, and what worked for me was to increase the fat (good fats) in my meals. I know you don't eat meat, but there plenty of other ways to get fat (pistachios, almonds, avacados) so next time, when your body says it isn't finished, try giving yourself something a little more filling like a hand full of almonds instead of another bag of vegetables, and you might find yourself not being hungry again for a very long time!
  • alone_aqua
    alone_aqua Posts: 28 Member
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    If you're like me, the consequences of overeating are not exactly severe or physical- my friends for example may feel nauseous if they overeat, or tired, or in pain (stomach cramps)- NOT ME!

    I can tell you this from my own experience: If you have grown up with a habit of overeating your internal stomach is quite large, therefore- small portions (even healthfully small) will not fill you up- UNTIL YOU PRACTICE. I don't know how long you've consistently eaten small portions but do some tracking and be honest with yourself- There have been points in my life that I was able to be that consistent, and when I was, my stomach DID shrink. If you do well for a few days or weeks and then overeat you will defeat the purpose. When I spent two months eating healthfully, I DID begin to know when to stop naturally, I lost a lot of weight and was satisfied with vey little food. But it's a muscle- you have to work it. And EVERYtime you give in I ca promise you- it will get harder.
    I had to tell myself to stop, that I'd had enough. And I walk away from the table when my stomach stops growling. Satisfaction is physical

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