Very stupid question.

2

Replies

  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,281 Member
    I don't think about it.. I just know how much protein, fat, and carbs I should have to stay thin, and I eat vegetables freely if I want to feel more satisfied.

    So, if I want a full feeling .. I eat a large delicious salad and fresh cut, or steamed vegetables with each meal and snack. I never entertain the option of eating extra carbs, proteins, or fats to achieve a more sated feeling.

    It works for me.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    Its not a stupid question OP. Are you still fairly new to maintenance?
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited September 2018
    It's hard to say. I just feel ... not hungry. Comfortably full but not stuffed. After years of (off and on) counting calories I've learned what appropriate portion sizes look like for me and how I typically feel after eating them. I will say, that my weight problems came from mindlessly snacking and grazing throughout the day and eating too many sweets, probably not as much from eating too much at dinner.
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 870 Member
    One time on a cruise ship I did hypnosis for weight loss. They kept saying over and over to listen to your body and as soon as your full stop eating. It worked great for about 2 weeks> my take away from that is the signals are there if you let them in to your physical side.... :)
  • Meurl
    Meurl Posts: 22 Member
    I really loveeeeee this question! One of my biggest problems as well! Man.. our brain gets *kitten* up quite easily I guess...
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited September 2018
    psychod787 wrote: »
    Its not a stupid question OP. Are you still fairly new to maintenance?

    Only a year in... still learning... I will always be learning. Actually, I keep saying I am going to try and gain some back. I let bf get too low, sub 10. I was a binge eater... well recovering. I have not had an episode in a long while. I just used to eat until stuffed, so all I ever knew was hungry or stuff. Never learned sated.

    I think we are always learning. If you've not had a binge in a long while it sounds like you are winning. I think with time you will learn to be sated naturally. I'm 5yrs at maintenance, still learning, still tweaking but after year 2 I did learn satiety, I suppose that might have because it was habit? it comes naturally now.

    {{Hugs}}

    Ruth
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,261 Member
    I had to figure out my Maintenance cals and then split it up into two larger meals. I like the full feeling too.

    Two meals plus a small (200-300cal) snack seems to work best for me.

    I know intellectually that's enough food. Like I said in the "psych" thread, I will eat my larger meals and then wait for 20 minutes. That's how long it takes to get that message to my brain that I've eaten enough. If I don't eat more (I usually still want to) within that 20 minutes I find I'm fine at the end of that 20 minutes.

    It's about knowing over time that I'm getting the right amount of food for my weight - then trusting it.

    wow, I'm the exact same!!
  • VanVanDiane
    VanVanDiane Posts: 1,359 Member
    No massive amount of food feels as good as fit feels

    For a lot (most?) of us, a binge rarely feels good. I was often disgusted with myself while eating, not just after.

    Agreed. It still happens sometimes - usually if I've added alcohol into the equation. I log it and move on
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I struggle with this too. So, I just decided that unless it's meal time (and I've been observing meal times that day with no snacks) or my stomach is growling with hunger then I'm not hungry and hence must be satisfied. The only meal I tend to overeat is dinner and binges are always at night. I'm too busy during the day, so I'm lucky in knowing how many calories I have left for and after dinner.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Sometimes I have to look at it academically, did I have enough calories for today and what I've done, so is that actually hunger or am I just wanting to eat because I want to? I'll give it twenty minutes and drink some water and distract myself and check in again. If still hungry I'll look at my macros and see if I am short somewhere and try to tailor a snack to that. So to answer, no I guess I don't know what it really feels like.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited October 2018
    This is something you have to learn. I have learned to pay really careful attention to how I feel later. I know that when I eat until I am full I feel gross later. If I eat until I am stuffed I feel really sick.

    I focus a lot on the enjoyable qualities of food. I also try really hard to eat delicious food. In general I find the more I pay attention to my eating and the better it tastes, the LESS I eat. I am looking for satisfaction and stimulation in food. Lousy food doesn't give me that. Good food does.

    I am told that in Japan you are taught to eat until you are half full and then stop. This works for me. At that point I start sipping my tea or chatting or playing with my salad or reading the paper. I might grab an olive or something. I SPECIFICALLY put small gnoshy things on the table so I can nibble without really eating much. I will find over the next half an hour or so I feel fuller and fuller and fuller. If I feel motivated to eat after an hour I'll definitely eat more.

    So my answer is mindfulness. Teach yourself this. It really is worth learning and you can do it!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    xbowhunter wrote: »
    One time on a cruise ship I did hypnosis for weight loss. They kept saying over and over to listen to your body and as soon as your full stop eating. It worked great for about 2 weeks> my take away from that is the signals are there if you let them in to your physical side.... :)

    Insert sound of needle skipping off record. Weight loss....on a cruise ship? That’s a complete oxymoron.