Do hunger pains go away?
Replies
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There are a couple of possibilities that may help.
Learn to tell the difference between "emotionally" full and actually, physically sated. Oftentimes, I want to keep eating and feel "dissatisfied" long after I have physically eaten enough.
Learn to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. This may sound silly, but it can really be difficult to tell the difference, and sometimes I still can't. Try drinking a glass of water and see if you feel better. If you are still having actual hunger pains and your stomach is actually growling, then you probably are still actually hungry.0 -
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.
OK. But, it's a fallacy that the stomach shrinks when you start to eat less. Correct?
At least, everything I have ever read on reputable websites, says that the stomach does not shrink. It basically stays the same size once you reach adulthood.
So, if I'm 80 lbs overweight, and I start to watch my calories, my stomach doesn't shrink at all. Correct?
I don't have proof, but I don't think it shrinks in size. I think we just get used to it being less full.0 -
Last time I felt full it is because (per my calories) I over ate.... aka ate what was a "normal' portion to me. When I meet my calorie goals, I never stop feeling hungry. But... I have only been at this for 6 months or so, and not with great success...0
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The stomach expands and contracts.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.
OK. But, it's a fallacy that the stomach shrinks when you start to eat less. Correct?
At least, everything I have ever read on reputable websites, says that the stomach does not shrink. It basically stays the same size once you reach adulthood.
So, if I'm 80 lbs overweight, and I start to watch my calories, my stomach doesn't shrink at all. Correct?0 -
I wonder how low you have to decrease intake. They ate 600 cal for 4 weeks and lost 9 kg if I am reading correctly.
Thanks for the study
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A couple other thought occur to me with regard to feeling hungry
1) Experimentation is good. Try keeping a little notebook of meals and types of foods that do feel satisfying to "you".
I hear it again and again, fats are satisfying and protein is satisfying - this is true in a general way. But volume of food is satisfying, too, and that's why my recommendation was to include a lot of veggies in a meal and to stretch your protein portion of meat with things like stir fry and stews and stuff because the meats add additional flavor to the veggies when they are cooked together.
But everyone is different. I know many people who say they love a few nuts as a snack. Me, personally, a few nuts, which are really high in calories never cuts is - it seems like a measly snack to me and never fills me up. In fact, if you give me just a few cashews, I'll eat close to half the can, in the same way that many people simply cannot eat just a few potato chips.
So, for me, personally, I feel way more satisfied with a cup of carrots and a cup of celery and a bit of dip, rather than just a handful of nuts.
Everyone is different. What works for one person, might not work for you. Trying different things, different food approaches and combinations is a good thing, and then make some notes about what is "good for you".
Also, many people are used to having dessert or something sweet at the end of the meal. Often, people like this can feel like a meal is "not finished" or that they are still hungry, if this element is missing. It's not really hunger but it is mistaken for hunger because things just feel not finished.
If this is case, you can plan for it with a tiny sweet. Save enough calories for a very small portion of yogurt with some fresh fruit in it and perhaps a tiny bit of jam on top, or even just a teaspoon of chocolate sauce or something. If you genuinely have eaten enough dinner, with a good volume of food because of many veggies, a very, very tiny "sweet ending" may help you to feel that the meal has properly come to a close.0 -
Thanks, a lot of this helped.
Someone mentioned that feeling overstuffed is full, is a mindset I have to change to thinking that the absence of hunger is when I am done.
And, I have been "eating" a lot of non-solid food- shakes, yogurts. I had a shake this morning which was a lot of calories and it didn't hold me over as long as eggs and toast or oatmeal and fruit probably would.
I tried to increase my fiber intake yesterday, I hadn't been paying attention to that. I did feel more full. I asked my dad for his soup recipes but they are pretty bland so I will find different ones or buy premade bean soups. I like soup and that would give me protein and fiber.
And, i had help calculating my BMR and TDEE and upped my calorie goal some.
and water, lots of water
I am not going to wait for my stomach to shrink but maybe my appetite will decrease0 -
The best way to get used to being hungry without overthinking it is to delay your first meal of the day. It doesn't have to be long, maybe an hour or two, but you know in the morning that your stomach is empty and this should help you adapt in other situations.
And there is no such thing as morning hypoglycemia in the normal adult person.
Thank you. For some reason I don't feel very hungry in the morning usually. Maybe it is more psychological? I don't have a problem with hypoglycemia.0 -
Thanks, a lot of this helped.
Someone mentioned that feeling overstuffed is full, is a mindset I have to change to thinking that the absence of hunger is when I am done.
And, I have been "eating" a lot of non-solid food- shakes, yogurts. I had a shake this morning which was a lot of calories and it didn't hold me over as long as eggs and toast or oatmeal and fruit probably would.
I tried to increase my fiber intake yesterday, I hadn't been paying attention to that. I did feel more full. I asked my dad for his soup recipes but they are pretty bland so I will find different ones or buy premade bean soups. I like soup and that would give me protein and fiber.
And, i had help calculating my BMR and TDEE and upped my calorie goal some.
and water, lots of water
I am not going to wait for my stomach to shrink but maybe my appetite will decrease
Oh, if you're getting a lot of your calories through shakes, I think that may be a big part of the problem. I've always seen that as a strategy for bulking -- because drinking your calories is usually less satisfying and fulfilling for most people. So, they can often squeeze another protein shake in there when they can't stand to look at another piece of meat.
I think if you drop or reduce the shakes and get your calories from more whole sources -- meat, veggies, fruits -- you'll find that you feel fuller longer. I know that's the case for me and I only use shakes when I'm trying to increase protein or overall calories (just adding more fat to the protein shakes.0 -
Yes. The first couple weeks it was tough for me to get accustomed to eating at a deficit to lose weight.0
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The beginning stages of the "losing weight" process, you will feel like you can't get/stay full. You have to slowly decrease your calories. You can't go from eating close to 3000 calories to 1500 calories and expect your stomach to shrink. Nope doesnt work that way. Slowly decrease your calories. I dont know how many calories your are eating, but I can guess that you have cut your calories down to the bare minimum if your not feeling "full". Also drink water and get plenty of protein. Fill up on Veggies first, then fruits. Dont eat empty calories..."chips, candy, ect....Good luck!0
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The beginning stages of the "losing weight" process, you will feel like you can't get/stay full. You have to slowly decrease your calories. You can't go from eating close to 3000 calories to 1500 calories and expect your stomach to shrink. Nope doesnt work that way. Slowly decrease your calories. I dont know how many calories your are eating, but I can guess that you have cut your calories down to the bare minimum if your not feeling "full". Also drink water and get plenty of protein. Fill up on Veggies first, then fruits. Dont eat empty calories..."chips, candy, ect....Good luck!
I can't get over how successful people here are. 71 lbs lost
Yes, I went from eating whatever to 1200 at first and that was too hard. I had some help and bumped it up some.0 -
Personally, and again this is totally personal, because every person is different and unique in their own way.
I really, really try NOT to drink my calories.
The act of chewing - for me - makes me feel full and satisfied.
Take a simple thing like a smoothie. There might be 1/2 a cup of blueberries, 1/2 a cup of strawberries, 1/2 a cup of milk, and a 1/2 a cup of yogurt.
I would never drink this - and on the few occasions that I have made a smoothie, I was hungry not long after.
But if you put a cup of blueberries and strawberries in front of me and I eat them. Chewing my food instead of letting a blender do the work, this is satisfying! I've "eaten". Then, to follow it up with another bowl with a 1/2 a cup of yogurt. I'd feel pretty full right there. Forget the milk! I'd have a coffee with a bit of cream and sugar for the same price/calorie cost of the milk.
So, to me, the actual act of eating instead of drinking, makes a huge difference. Is it just a psychological difference. Could be, but who cares. Same amount of calories, though.
On the other hand, I know that with horses (since I have horses and train horses) and colic (tummy upset) is the number one cause of death in horses, eating and food and nutrition is very important. When horses chew it's really important because the saliva that they make when they are grinding up their food, chewing it, is very settling to their tummies. So, there was a time, not long ago, when modern feed makers all got into this pelleted type food. Basically, it was sort of pre-digested, and it was sold to people because it was supposed to be "easy on the gut" because the grain had been processed and basically mashed up and then pressed into a pellet. It was supposed to be "easy to digest" with all the nutrients "more available". But guess what, many people are going back to just good old fashioned grains that the horses really have to chew a lot. By removing a lot of the chewing, they were removing the horse's saliva from the equation - a natural gut protector.
So, that's how I, personally, look at "liquid" meals. Some machine has taken the chewing (the work) out of eating the food for you, and when you are hungry, you need that work to do.
Same goes for fruit. Why drink orange juice. Just, eat the orange. In fact, it's a great meditation and awareness type exercise to do - close your eyes, peel and eat the entire orange, with your eyes closed. You will be very surprised at where this exercise leads you... the smells... the time... the peeling.... the eating of the orange. Although it's not an exercise about dieting, it's an exercise about "awareness" of day to day life and what it really contains, you will be surprised how much we don't really "experience" the act of eating.
Taking the time to actually experience your food (especially with your eyes closed) will make the whole experience more full and satisfying, and I'm also going to bet that you will be surprised with how full you get, too.
(I think they have done this experiment with pasta, and blindfolded some participants, and some were not. Participants were told to eat until full. Guess who ate less?) This can also teach you to eat more slowly, savoring not just taste but texture, and smell, and yes, the act of chewing the food, too, and swallowing... the whole deal. This gives your brain time to receive the signals from your tummy that you are, in fact, full. (This is also one of the reasons why it's a pretty big no-no to eat in front of tv. You don't give the food any thought at all, and people overeat. )0 -
Personally, and again this is totally personal, because every person is different and unique in their own way.
I really, really try NOT to drink my calories.
The act of chewing - for me - makes me feel full and satisfied.
Take a simple thing like a smoothie. There might be 1/2 a cup of blueberries, 1/2 a cup of strawberries, 1/2 a cup of milk, and a 1/2 a cup of yogurt.
I would never drink this - and on the few occasions that I have made a smoothie, I was hungry not long after.
But if you put a cup of blueberries and strawberries in front of me and I eat them. Chewing my food instead of letting a blender do the work, this is satisfying! I've "eaten". Then, to follow it up with another bowl with a 1/2 a cup of yogurt. I'd feel pretty full right there. Forget the milk! I'd have a coffee with a bit of cream and sugar for the same price/calorie cost of the milk.
So, to me, the actual act of eating instead of drinking, makes a huge difference. Is it just a psychological difference. Could be, but who cares. Same amount of calories, though.
On the other hand, I know that with horses (since I have horses and train horses) and colic (tummy upset) is the number one cause of death in horses, eating and food and nutrition is very important. When horses chew it's really important because the saliva that they make when they are grinding up their food, chewing it, is very settling to their tummies. So, there was a time, not long ago, when modern feed makers all got into this pelleted type food. Basically, it was sort of pre-digested, and it was sold to people because it was supposed to be "easy on the gut" because the grain had been processed and basically mashed up and then pressed into a pellet. It was supposed to be "easy to digest" with all the nutrients "more available". But guess what, many people are going back to just good old fashioned grains that the horses really have to chew a lot. By removing a lot of the chewing, they were removing the horse's saliva from the equation - a natural gut protector.
So, that's how I, personally, look at "liquid" meals. Some machine has taken the chewing (the work) out of eating the food for you, and when you are hungry, you need that work to do.
Same goes for fruit. Why drink orange juice. Just, eat the orange. In fact, it's a great meditation and awareness type exercise to do - close your eyes, peel and eat the entire orange, with your eyes closed. You will be very surprised at where this exercise leads you... the smells... the time... the peeling.... the eating of the orange. Although it's not an exercise about dieting, it's an exercise about "awareness" of day to day life and what it really contains, you will be surprised how much we don't really "experience" the act of eating.
Taking the time to actually experience your food (especially with your eyes closed) will make the whole experience more full and satisfying, and I'm also going to bet that you will be surprised with how full you get, too.
(I think they have done this experiment with pasta, and blindfolded some participants, and some were not. Participants were told to eat until full. Guess who ate less?) This can also teach you to eat more slowly, savoring not just taste but texture, and smell, and yes, the act of chewing the food, too, and swallowing... the whole deal. This gives your brain time to receive the signals from your tummy that you are, in fact, full. (This is also one of the reasons why it's a pretty big no-no to eat in front of tv. You don't give the food any thought at all, and people overeat. )
I do mindless eating, grazing, not so much in front of the tv but just not paying attention. I am working on being more attentive.
What you are describing sounds like mindfulness meditation.
I think I do feel full longer with solid foods. I have been experimenting trying to find ways to get protein.0 -
As others have answers, having smaller frequent meals will help with this. Also keeping protein high and nutrient dense foods which are not dense in calories such as vegetables, meat, complex carbs such as rice and oats will help.
I also do recipes with the leftover shredded carrots after making carrot juice. I will mix with egg, oats and spices such as cumin and curry, then bake it as a think cracker. They are very filling specially taken while drinking water and low on calories.\0 -
Not going to read through all 5 pages, but I figure if you're eating below TDEE, you will *always* feel hungry, by definition.
You are not consuming the calories you are burning ... that deficit = hunger = weight loss.
My opinion is that trying to achieve weight loss without feelings of hunger is a no-win scenario.0
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