afraid of measuring

Then you learn to pick foods that are better going to fill you up - I like eating volume so I pick low cal options. I can have a massive serving dish of vegies (broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, pumpkin) for less carbs than a measly amount of rice. It's all about experimenting to work out what works for you.

If you're trying to lose weight then you might be hungry sometimes. So? What's wrong with being hungry?

Here's a thought or two:

Usually, you will need to reduce calories further as you continue to lose and require less to maintain the same deficit. So, instead of looking at it like am I or am I not calibrated with a "proper portion," as you say, how about looking at it like seeing where you are and then, if you need to, ratchet it down -- thinking of it like you're entering the next stage of your weight loss? Like, "I've been successful doing this, and now I need to do this next piece."

(I'm sure fitness-wise, there are plenty of places where I fall short -- sprinting or push-ups or whatever. I just measure where I am and put a plan in place to get where I want to be. When I think of it like that, it occurs to me as getting better rather than failing to be where I think I ought to be. That kind of thinking, while logical, sucks the life out you.)

Hunger is just a sensation. Maybe look at it like you're doing something right, something that comes along with this next stage (if that's what you decide to do)? And, of course, eventually you'll get used to smaller portions if you need / want smaller portions and won't be as hungry.

Morgaen73 wrote: »

This is going to sounds harsh, and I really dont intend for it to but what is more important to you? Is feeling full more important or losing weight?

I've been calorie counting for nearly four years. That means that most of the time (I have my weak days lol) nothing crosses my lips that have not been weighed or measured and logged.

Now, do I feel full? No, I probably never feel full. I just ate a 600 calorie lunch and I'm still hungry.

HOWEVER when I look at this pic and I see the difference and I realise that the hunger helped me lose the 62kg (137lbs) that I have lost then I am proud to still be hungry because being full would mean that I would still look and feel like the guy on the left.

So it's time to make a choice, because even though it may be possible to be full and lose weight, I have never been able to do it.

If you do decide that losing weight is more important then you need to start measuring and weighing your food. As was said above, educate yourself and experiment, find out what works best for you.

That's great! I'm glad you found something that worked for you and may work well for others.

I don't know about full but I always feel not hungry until the moment I feel hungry and then I eat or drink right then. I couldn't stick to an eating plan where I was always hungry. I've lost 130 pounds feeling not hungry. I experimented with meal timing and what-I-ate-when until I found a balance.

I had to find a way of eating that worked for me and kept me not hungry at a calorie deficit without much thought or effort. For me, struggle is a pathway to regain after loss if I even manage to lose in the first place. Willpower is a finite resource for most people so the fewer battles that I have, the more willpower I have left for the major temptations.

Are you currently losing weight tracking in a generalized way?

If not, and if you want to lose weight, then you may have to change. Yeah, it's about being honest with yourself. You can't change your weight if you can't face what you're putting in your body. You may not be ready for that yet. But you have to be willing to be honest. Most of us are used to huge portions of high calorie food. There's no way around this -- this has to change to lose weight. You can do it by eating larger portions of lower calorie food if satiety is your number one concern. You can try intermittent fasting, or flexible dieting.

I've discovered that hunger isn't a scary thing. Feeling hungry is not the end of the world. It's just hungry. We're adapted to withstand hunger -- I don't think we evolved to be full all the time. I used to be terrified of the feeling of hunger, in fact I would never let myself even get close to it. For me, it has been vitally important to explore it.

But there are many sustainable ways of eating to lose weight and then maintain that weight loss, and what works for one person may not work for you

seska422 wrote: »

Morgaen73 wrote: »

This is going to sounds harsh, and I really dont intend for it to but what is more important to you? Is feeling full more important or losing weight?

I've been calorie counting for nearly four years. That means that most of the time (I have my weak days lol) nothing crosses my lips that have not been weighed or measured and logged.

Now, do I feel full? No, I probably never feel full. I just ate a 600 calorie lunch and I'm still hungry.

HOWEVER when I look at this pic and I see the difference and I realise that the hunger helped me lose the 62kg (137lbs) that I have lost then I am proud to still be hungry because being full would mean that I would still look and feel like the guy on the left.

So it's time to make a choice, because even though it may be possible to be full and lose weight, I have never been able to do it.

If you do decide that losing weight is more important then you need to start measuring and weighing your food. As was said above, educate yourself and experiment, find out what works best for you.

I don't know about full but I always feel not hungry until the moment I feel hungry and then I eat right then. I couldn't stick to an eating plan where I was always hungry. I've lost 130 pounds feeling not-hungry. I experimented with meal timing and what-I-ate-when until I found a balance.

I had to find a way of eating that worked for me and kept me not hungry at a calorie deficit without much thought or effort. For me, struggle is a pathway to regain after loss if I even manage to lose in the first place. Willpower is a finite resource for most people so the fewer battles that I have, the more willpower I have left for the major temptations.

I basically have 2 modes, hungry and overfull. Before I started this journey I would eat until I I was ill. Anything less than that and I would still be hungry.

Counting calories and measuring and weighing food allows me to eat the right amount. Think of it like a car with a broken fuel gauge. Measuring the amount of fuel I put in tells me when the tank is full instead of relying on the car to tell me when it is full.

Anyway, that's just me. The point that I was trying to make is that feeling full should not be the priority.

dangerousmezzo wrote: »

I've discovered that hunger isn't a scary thing. Feeling hungry is not the end of the world. It's just hungry. We're adapted to withstand hunger -- I don't think we evolved to be full all the time. I used to be terrified of the feeling of hunger, in fact I would never let myself even get close to it. For me, it has been vitally important to explore it.

The main thing that has allowed me to lose weight is changing around my understanding and experience of hunger. A huge amount of hunger is psychological; and most especially, I find that I get hungry if I expect to be.

So I have spent a lot of time over the last six months looking at small portions and sternly telling myself 'this is all that my body needs. This is plenty. This is packed full of important nutrients.' And then I eat it slowly and mindfully, enjoying every mouthful, and sit back and tell myself 'Aaah, that was good. I am satisfied now.' And then I go and do something else. And my brain is convinced, and doesn't give me pangs

In addition, the way I feel hunger has changed. It used to be a whole-body craving that could not be ignored; now it's a kind of suggestion that maybe some food would be nice, which can.

So don't fear your hunger. You have the power to change it.

tamera_g wrote: »

I've been using this app for about six months but I haven't been measuring my food. Maybe this sounds silly but I am afraid to. I keep worrying that I will still be hungry after I eat my measured portion. Then what? I would feel like a failure because I can't get full off of proper portions of food. If I eat more I would go over my allotted calories but the alternative, remaining hungry until the next meal, doesn't sound like a solution either. What should I do? Your advice would be helpful. I wish to get over this fear so I can start tracking like I should have been all along.

Have you been losing weight? If yes there is no real reason to change what you're doing. If you're not losing weight, or you're not happy with your rate of loss and think it could/should be more, then you must decide which you want more.

deannalfisher wrote: »

instead of focusing on portion sizes - just weigh and log

i.e. if you have a bowl of cereal - measure out your normal amount and then log it appropriately - i.e. 2.5 servings etc

just because something is a recommended serving size - doesn't mean you need to stick to that - its more about honesty in logging

Yep! Weighing/logging your food helps you keep tabs on what you're eating and how much.

One of my favourite treats is sour patch kids. A 40g serving of sour patch kids is 140 calories. If I want 50g, then I weigh out 50g and log it as 175 calories. I don't have to stick to the serving size that the package says. Sometimes I want more, sometimes I want less.

You just eat the amount that fits your calorie goals.

I also keep in mind that while I CAN eat my entire daily calorie goal in sour patch kids, I would get canker sores and probably a sore tummy and I'd be hungry very soon afterwards, so I eat low calorie, high volume veggies along with satiating protein and some fat to fill me up, reach my goals, and I still got to enjoy my treat.

So eat more than one serving if it fits your calorie goals. As long as you log it, it doesn't matter if you have one serving or three. Measuring ensures that you are accurately counting calories.

Measuring and weighing is always enlightening. Don't think about it as scary, think about it as educational and a good start to your journey it doesn't have to be a negative thing so don't make it one. Measure and learn about what an appropriate portion or serving size is. And it's ok to be a little bit hungry sometimes and if you're too hungry than just tweak it and if not, just go with it. Once you start losing weight you won't feel hungry anymore with a regular portion size. When I first started losing a lot of weight I used to get worried because I would get full so fast on a small amount of food, once I was full I'd think "well now what, it tastes good, I want to keep eating..." but that's what got me overweight in the first place so I had to change that way of thinking. Keep it simple. Like someone else said, eat foods that are lower calorie but nutrient dense. Lotts of veggies help too!