Is there a way to train your body to accept smaller portions and feel full?
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In my experience... nope. I had to change what I eat in order to be full - more veggies, and meals and snacks with a good amount of protein, fat, and fiber. A small portion of a high calorie food will almost never fill me up, sadly! But it works for some people....
However, the '20 minutes rule' before your stomach catches up with the food is a very good one - sometimes I'll still feel hungry but have a cup of tea instead and the hunger will go away.
But I react differently to foods depending on what time of the month it is too... I could be full for 3 hours on a scone the week after my period, but the week before, I would still be hungry after eating it. It's pretty much all trial and error... but really, more protein, fat, and fiber is the key for me. If I have a sandwich, for example, it's pretty much guaranteed that I will have a harder time sticking to my calories that day - bread doesn't fill me up at all for the calories.1 -
Don't know if it's a coincidence but since using a hypnotherapy weight loss recording I downloaded from YouTube, I have found it a lot easier to resist overeating. Could also be seeing the scales drop and compliments at the gym spurting me on, but if you can try it maybe it will be worth it?!1
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I've found that since I reduced my sugar intake to <24g/day, I don't have to eat as much to feel full. I still eat starchy carbs, but not as many, and I've found that I register being full earlier. Also, thin soup like the La Zuppa pouches help me out heaps for the 'mid morning munchies'. One pouch is 26 cal and it makes me feel full until lunch time, and even then, I'm not as hungry. Other than that, reduce slowly - going from huge amounts to next to nothing is only setting yourself up for failure.1
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I started counting calories on MFP and was shocked at the level I would over eat. I was pooping twice a day and thought it was normal. I cut back and for the most part it was easy because I was giving up calorie dense foods and replacing them with produce. Yes I did reduce portions too.0
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coolchick207 wrote: »I've found that since I reduced my sugar intake to <24g/day, I don't have to eat as much to feel full. I still eat starchy carbs, but not as many, and I've found that I register being full earlier. Also, thin soup like the La Zuppa pouches help me out heaps for the 'mid morning munchies'. One pouch is 26 cal and it makes me feel full until lunch time, and even then, I'm not as hungry. Other than that, reduce slowly - going from huge amounts to next to nothing is only setting yourself up for failure.
Oh yet I've cut down on sugar massively...used to be a major biscuit fiend...so maybe that's helped.. I never had sugar in my coffee but I have a half a teaspoon now just to abate my sugar cravings...0 -
PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
I used to eat like double to triple my current calories and pooped every 2 or 3 days! Now I eat 1200 and poop every 3-4... Think my digestion system is different to others...no matter what my diet I've always pooped less lol1 -
Eventually, I got used to that slightly hungry feeling. And it doesn't feel so bad. Just takes time
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I've lost close to 140lbs. I've been dieting the better part of 5+ years. For me, no. It has never gone away during periods where I restrict calories. At the moment I have to eat about 1800 calories a day to make even the slightest bit of progress. I feel basically like I'm starving at all times. During periods where I maintain I don't experience the feeling nearly as much (hey, everyone is hungry sometimes right?).1
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You will feel hungry sometimes, it comes with the territory. As others have suggested, you need to figure out how YOUR body operates and how to structure your meals. Some people like 3 big meals, some like 6 small meals and everything in between. Maybe keep a hunger scale diary for a week and see if you notice any patterns. For me personally, I can handle a bit of hunger in the morning and lunchtime, but if I get hungry in the afternoon or evening I will stuff my face with anything I can find. So I cut more calories at breakfast and lunchtime and shift those extra calories over to my afternoon snack and a sizable evening snack. I basically eat most of my calories after 3 pm because that is when I get hungry and I can't sleep when I am hungry. It may take a few weeks but figure out when you get hungry and what satisfies it the best while also keeping your taste buds happy (because you won't stick with eating foods that you don't like).2
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Basically, it just takes time to adapt. The longer one has gone, throwing their hormones out of whack with overeating, the longer they are going to suffer. As I've said before, the brain is a damned dirty liar when it comes to how much you needto eat, and it's exponentially worse for people who have spent years putting way too much into their system. My first three months at 1600 kcal felt like a nightmare, and I wasn't even among those in the worst of shape.0
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angeljo2015 wrote: »For instance if I was to have a recommended amount of oatmeal I'll be very hungry right now do I just bear with it until my body gets used to it?
I personally don't find cereal very filling, so I don't eat it. I suppose eventually you might get used to the recommended serving size or you could bulk it out with fruit or protein powder. Or eat a little more than a recommended size if it fits your calories. Or you could find something else for breakfast that will keep you full, like eggs.0 -
it's taken a while, but i've finally figured out the difference between feeling "satisfied" and feeling "full". My goal now is never to feel 'full', but also not to be hungry for more than an hour before meals. My experience is that after, truthfully, quite a while, several months, of eating small portions, I now feel "over-full" on what used to be normal size portions for myself, and satisfied with small portions - but it took a long time. I feel like for me it was a combination of becoming more aware of what various amounts of food in my stomach feel like, and being mindful of eating each bite, so I appreciate - emotionally, mentally, physically every bit. I used to wolf food down, and have to eat more because I really didn't enjoy the first plate-full. Now, i actually enjoy being a little hungry approaching mealtime- it's a sign of success! i used to eat so frequently and so much that I never had the sensation of a grumbling stomach. I'd force dinner down because it was dinner time, but at 4pm had eaten a sandwich. Eating is more satisfying when you do experience cycles of hunger and food satisfaction.1
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For me, it required working on a mindset change. Instead of eating until I feel full, I allocate my portions to feel not hungry after a meal. Getting a good amount of protein and fats each meal is a part of that. By the next mealtime, I will be quite hungry, but that is a good thing!0
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