Stopping when full is so difficult

[evilpenguin]

You see, I dont think I even know what 'full' feels like.

I know 'hungry' and I know 'stuffed', which is when it actually becomes unpleasant. I dont eat til Im stuffed any more, although I used to.

I guess 'full' is when you're no longer hungry, but I dont think I really know what that feels like. I only know if I feel really, really hungry and *really* have to eat something now - or I dont. But if I never ate unless if felt REALLY hungry then to be quite honest I would hardly ever eat at all, which isn't right either.

I often wonder whether some people 'feel' hunger/fullness differently to others, and whether that contributes to determining the sort of people who might have serious problems with relationships with food (massive, massive binge eating and stuff).

Being full is just being not hungry, I don't feel full ever I just know that I'm no longer hungry and don't need to eat anymore, and if I did continue eating I would be stuffed and aching which makes me feel upset and causes me to eat more, as in snack on biscuits etc after dinner to cheer myself up (which it doesn't and the vicious circle begins!) Now, with SW, sometimes I do keep eating after dinner, but it's never bad stuff and isn't to cheer me up, it's because I feel hungry again and the whole point in SW is that you eat until satisfied and choose super free or free foods first!

Maybe it you struggle to feel full when eating, ask yourself if you're still hungry? I don't think you'll ever find yourself feeling full, only stuffed to the point of being uncomfortable, maybe it's as simple as looking for a different sensation.

I think this topic is really about emotional eating, well for me it is, before when I didn't stop at full I was eating with my brain and if brain wasn't satisfied I never felt full, now I eat with my stomach and ignore what brain says. Brains still hungry? Well I shut it up with chopped fruit & yoghurt, not the Danish pastry it wants! If my stomachs hungry I eat a meal, if my brain is hungry I eat super free and free snacks. Haha sorry this is rambly and going off topic now. *shuts up*

 

[who_la_hoop]

But I dont find this a problem, as if you cook the sort of stuff you should be eating it really doesnt matter if you eat it all.

I think this depends. I mean, I always stick to 1/3rd of a plate veg - but if I have an enormous plate, and pile it high, that means my portions of (eg) meat and rice are too big, which will hinder my losses, as well as being bad for my mental health. For me, anyway, being overfull can trigger unhelpful feelings like 'I'm such a pig' etc etc.

I see what you mean about, say, if you have a piece of chicken then you can't eat more than that piece of chicken - but then I often buy a pack of chicken that should technically feed 4 people and then use it to feed 2. I'm finding I do eat less now than I used to (my stomach definitely holds less than it used to!) but I still struggle with the issues like feeling the need to clear my plate and resisting any leftovers, sigh.

 

[ermintrude]

I often buy a pack of chicken that should technically feed 4 people and then use it to feed 2. I'm finding I do eat less now than I used to (my stomach definitely holds less than it used to!) but I still struggle with the issues like feeling the need to clear my plate and resisting any leftovers, sigh.

Yeah I see what you mean, but then I suppose you're not really eating "what you're supposed to be eating" in a way, youre... not 'cheating' exactly but doubling the chicken is not really the best idea, although I realise its a free food. Hmmmm.

Yeah, my meals are way more than 1/3 SF, it's usually over 3/4 and often almost all superfree, like my Balti last night... so I dont see any reason to limit how much I let myself have - but then maybe Im just weird

 

[JoFlo2]

You see, I dont think I even know what 'full' feels like.

I know 'hungry' and I know 'stuffed', which is when it actually becomes unpleasant. I dont eat til Im stuffed any more, although I used to.

I guess 'full' is when you're no longer hungry, but I dont think I really know what that feels like. I only know if I feel really, really hungry and *really* have to eat something now - or I dont. But if I never ate unless if felt REALLY hungry then to be quite honest I would hardly ever eat at all, which isn't right either.

I often wonder whether some people 'feel' hunger/fullness differently to others, and whether that contributes to determining the sort of people who might have serious problems with relationships with food (massive, massive binge eating and stuff).

I think that's my problem too..... It always amazes me when people have a meal out and the next day say they are still full...? I find I'm even hungrier in the morning...

I also have a massive problem with not drinking enough and ave downloaded an app on my phone that makes a sound of filling up a glass of water at regular intervals through the day to remind you to drink, annoying as t s it does help.

 

[who_la_hoop]

Yeah I see what you mean, but then I suppose you're not really eating "what you're supposed to be eating" in a way, youre... not 'cheating' exactly but doubling the chicken is not really the best idea, although I realise its a free food. Hmmmm.

I completely disagree I find eating big meals suits me - I rarely snack inbetween them, and I don't eat many puddings apart from a piece of fruit after dinner most nights. So it works for me. (And the proof is there in my losses - five stone last year, taking me down to a healthy BMI.)

But I do concede that my portions are probably a bit too big now that I'm the size I am, so I may have to take my own advice earlier in this thread and buy myself some even smaller dinner plates, lol!

It sounds like you have a great attitude to food, though - and I think you're right in that upping the superfree is always going to be a good idea!

 

[Befanwi]

Just to add something I'm struggling with.. Eating till full is something I've only just really become conscious of doing, weighing out portions of rice and pasta helps and following recommending serving sizes.. But, I've been logging my cals on MFP as I suspected I was eating too many and it's given me 1330 as a suggestion to lose one lb a week.. And this has meant I've had to watch my serving sizes and now I've noticed I'm often hungry :/ Especially if I eat (or drink) my syns.. Iknow the point is that I can eat free and superfree foods but I must have been eating 1700 cals minimum(!) before and wondering why my losses were slow.. Hoping my stomach catches up to my allowance soon!!

 

[sweet pink]

Just to add something I'm struggling with.. Eating till full is something I've only just really become conscious of doing, weighing out portions of rice and pasta helps and following recommending serving sizes.. But, I've been logging my cals on MFP as I suspected I was eating too many and it's given me 1330 as a suggestion to lose one lb a week.. And this has meant I've had to watch my serving sizes and now I've noticed I'm often hungry :/ Especially if I eat (or drink) my syns.. Iknow the point is that I can eat free and superfree foods but I must have been eating 1700 cals minimum(!) before and wondering why my losses were slow.. Hoping my stomach catches up to my allowance soon!!

I done that over the summer & although it was a bit of an eye opener & I did have some great losses it meant that I got really obsessive with food & calories. I was exercising like a crazy woman just so that I could have food that filled me up. While I did get some great losses while doing it I found it wasnt maintainable for me & almost threw me off track completely. I know I have hit a bit of a plateau at the minute & have had very very slow losses lately but I take comfort that at least when I get to target I'm doing it in a way I can maintain. Not saying it will be the same for everyone just saying that sometimes too strict can throw you off plan completely

 

[Befanwi]

I can see myself getting obsessed with it.. Saying that I've only eaten 805 cals net today after exercise (only 30 day shred) and I feel full.. But I know I should eat something because that's low.. It's weird that I feel full now, I've been starving all day! (long day and not very well prepared!) x

 

[frankied]

For me I just feel this constant need to eat. I limit my potatoes on my plate and make sure I'm having a 1/3 superfree. My plate isn't under full I just always still want to eat after I've finished dinner (and lunch). It just feels very frustrating when I know I've eaten enough and I've been doing this a year now. I hear that people are saying about a lifetime of habits though. I guess I can't change a lifetime of disordered eating in one year.

 

[Shirleen]

For me I just feel this constant need to eat. I limit my potatoes on my plate and make sure I'm having a 1/3 superfree. My plate isn't under full I just always still want to eat after I've finished dinner (and lunch). It just feels very frustrating when I know I've eaten enough and I've been doing this a year now. I hear that people are saying about a lifetime of habits though. I guess I can't change a lifetime of disordered eating in one year.

Have a bowl if chopped stuff in the fridge either fruit or veg, then graze on that in the afternoon/evening. Try chewing some sugar free gum ( I personally do NOT syn one piece of blinking gum lol). Have a large cup of tea/coffee see if that helps x

 

[Pigler]

I just discovered this thread and read through all the posts and am impressed at the honesty and thoughful comments. I would have valued these discussions in image therapy when I used to go to class, but I guess it's easier to be so honest when no one is looking at you!
For myself I am learning to recognise when I have eaten enough (whether that is 'full' or not I'm not sure) because like some of you have said feeling stuffed is more likely to make me feel bad and go off track. But that said, SW is the only diet I have ever been able to stick to because I can always eat free food if I want something. Last time I did SW I forgot that and got obsessed with getting to target when my losses stalled. I went hungry and ended up blowing the whole thing and put all the weight back on.
This time round I am not setting a final target weight. I have some idea how much weight I'd like to loose but if I get to a point where my weightloss stops I will still be happy being smaller and healthier than I am now. I know that isn't for everyone but having been on the diet and weightgain treadmill for the past 30 years it feels right for me.

 

[Mirrakel]

I can totally see what people are getting at with the feeling like you have to finish everything on your plate issue.
Some things you can eat may be free/unlimited but how much of it you eat is still important, if you're full you should stop eating regardless of whether or not the food is free.
I struggle with leaving food on my plates simply because I dont like waste.
What I have been doing recently is making tea as I usually would, put putting a portion of it into a tupperware before dividing the rest between me and hubs. Then taking it to work for lunch the next day.