Anyone else actually finding that they are losing the will to overeat?

I have been doing this for about 4 weeks now and must admit that I feel full a lot quicker than I used and dont' feel constantly hungry like I used. 

In the past I have really struggled with getting boredom munchies but even that has disappeared now.  Everytime I go near the fridge I look at everything, assign calories to it all and then decide that it isn't worth it.  I realise this is a godo thing but its never happened before.  Is this temporary or is it a positive thing that will last - hoping it lasts.

Just wondering if this is usual as a lot of other people are posting that they are always hungry.  Last night I actually pushed myself to have a pear and apple to up my good intake and because I was 400 calories under my daily allowance.

And 11 pounds gone in the 4 weeks so something is going right. 

Just interested if anyone else is suffering/experiencing this side effect.

On one hand it's good if you are learning an appropriate amount to eat, and your stomach is learning to be full on a healthy amount.

The concern is that it can also be an indication that you are eating too little.

Most things you say sound fine, but being 400 cals under your allowance and not at all hungry sounds kinda extreme, especially since so many people set their allowance too low.

edit to add: But I did find that after counting for several weeks, I started asking myself "is it worth the calories?" for certain treats that I wouldn't have thought twice about snacking on before.

I'd also caution against eating too little.   Some people fall into the trap of 'all or nothing' and can go from being overeaters to undereaters in a rapidly short space of time.  Neither being healthy, of course.

Try to plan your day out so that you get that 400 cals in before the end of the day.  If you work out your meals a little in advance you can see if it's going to come up short and then fit in an extra snack or extra portion as you go through the day.  That makes it a lot easier than trying to stuff down food you don't really want at the end of play.

You should reasonably expect to lose 1% of your body-weight each week.... if it's much more than that then revise your calorie intake and make sure you're getting enough.  Steer a safe and sensible middle course and any weight you lose will be more likely to stay off long-term.  Good luck

YUP

Here's an example.

I just got back from Mexico. All-inclusive. I drank a lot and did not count calories. My eating habits have changed though. Even though I made the decision that it was a vacation and to HECK with calorie counting, I still watched what I ate, and only ate until I wasn't hungry anymore.

I weighed 156 when I left and I weigh 157.4 today. I gotta say that's pretty good.

My trick is this- as hard as it is sometimes. Before I eat anything, I ask myself, Am I really hungry OR am I just bored? Sometimes at work, mid afternoon, I want to get a muffin or cookie. But I can generally talk myself out of it because I am not hungry. Just reaching the boring/slow part of my day.

On the other hand, I always eat when my body says EAT and I try to eat something at least every two hours. It works. Keeps the hunger monster away. And I eat less at meal time because of it.

Just an update in regards to the replies - thanks for coming back so quick.

I do eat a reasonable amount each day.  I have breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack and dinner and often fruit after dinner so I certainly am not "not eating".  Also I haven't actually cut back the amount I eat from before I started I have just swapped from high calorie options to low calorie options so my meals are no smaller just probably half the calories.

My weight loss hasn't been exceptional and I walk for 2 hours per day (to work and home from work) and don't feel like I am struggling for energy so I don't think I am undereating at all.

What I used to eat in calories per day was around 2000-2200 so in dropping it to 1880 its not a huge drop for me.  Also I still have chocolate once a week.  It just seems that I just aren't as hungry as I used to be.  Hey I'm not complaining just hoping that someone else had the same thing happen and its stayed with them long term.

Original Post by lisajb74:

What I used to eat in calories per day was around 2000-2200 so in dropping it to 1880 its not a huge drop for me.  Also I still have chocolate once a week.  It just seems that I just aren't as hungry as I used to be.  Hey I'm not complaining just hoping that someone else had the same thing happen and its stayed with them long term.

Sounds good to me!

And yes, it has happened, and yeah, for the most part, it's stayed with me, past the "weight loss" period.

i find that I don't eat a lot anymore because I don't want that feeling of eating too much when you feel all bloated and sick.  I have found that that is one of the worst feelings and totally not worth it.

i'm right along with ya! just earlier this week, i was in a crappy mood, so i wanted comfort food - a nice big plate of spaghetti. OMG did i feel sick afterwards!! it was just the reminder that i needed to point out that i don't eat like i used to, and that's a very good thing! i also find myself assessing certain "goodies" and asking myself if they are really worth it. i even checked the nutrion label on some ice cream packs the other night and decided not to buy because "they just weren't worth it"! I'm working getting my BF to read labels as well... he's in this with me, but just doesn't like to do the work. but i think he's starting to come around...

okay, enough of my rambling.  point is - i'm finding myself eating a lot less, not being as "happy" when i overeat, and weighing out the "is it worth it?" treats.

Hello,

I'm experiencing the same thing.  It took a lot longer than four weeks for me though.. I needed about a year =S

It's awesome you've managed to make that change/break that habit.  Overcoming the mental attachment to food is for many people(like myself), the most challenging part to weightloss and it seems like you're on the right track!!

You're just experiencing one of the benefits of a healthy relationship with food.

I'm happy for yah!

I have to say, the healthier I eat, and the more I do daily exercise, the less food is an issue.  I eat the amount of calories I should, and it's not a struggle to stay under.  I'm not hungry all the time, and that overstuffed feeling you get from overeating has totally lost it's appeal.  I see the posts about folks who are litteraly hungry all the time, and I wonder if they have cut their calories too low, or aren't eating enough complex carbs, or trying to do it all with diet and no exercise.

Yup...definately not alone.  I was stuck at a plateau (never counted calories really in my life).  Found this site and figured...what the heck.  I know why I plateau'd.  I was just eating on the fly and wasn't planning good choices...it was more a convenience thing...Hmmm...I'm hungry...PIZZA ROLLS!  WRONG!

The more "crap" I ate, the hungrier I was and nothing in the house was safe.  I went back to making lots of veggies for every meal, and half the time I cannot eat all that's on my plate, which is WELLL within my calorie plan, yet it seems I can't hit it.  I actually went to bed feeling "guilty" because I had to put half my supper in the fridge, and made a valiant effort to eat it a little later in the night, and when I ate it I felt so bad cuz I just felt stuffed.  Woke up this morning and dropped three lbs.  I actually burned more calories yesterday with my workouts than I know I took in. 

I usually do 50% veggies, 30% carbs, and 20% meat of the total whole meal, and after I eat the veggies and a few bites of the carb and meat, I'm totally stuffed, and nowhere near my daily calories.  Or I get thru about half the amount. 

I usually do a work out in the morning after breakfast, and another one after supper, and to even think about eating after that is non-existant.  When I'm bored, I usually go kick out 20-30 mins on the bike.  Or sit on here and reply to peeps.  Helps curb unhealthy snacking.  Most the time I have to FORCE myself to eat a snack just to get to my caloric intake.  But definately not bitching at the results! 

There are SOOOO many theories on weight loss, and I guess The Biggest Loser plan, along with Jillian Michaels workouts, and using this as a tool to track my calories consumed vs calories burned is the cat's meow and working for me.  Everyone is different and what works for one, might not work for another!

I have failed at EVERY diet I ever tried.   And per the biggest loser, it is fine to drop a lb a day...but then I'm severely morbidly obese.  I don't just have the few vanity lbs to lose...I got ALOT to lose!  LOL  But HEY!  I'm sticking with this!  I started at 305 lbs, and I am down to 266 and finding it easier and easier to do it!  16 lbs to my summer goal, and then I start working on winters goal to be at 200!  At the rate I am going, I will hit summer goal in max three weeks!  But I'm not crash dieting...I'm eating smart, not retarded, and exercising for the first real time in my life!  And never thought I'd say it...I'm enjoying the hell out of it!  So much so that I've thought about becoming a certified personal trainer when I'm done with my own battle to inspire and help others like me!  It's like a new addiction.  But I also have an extra incentive.  I was just diagnosed with diabetes, and I have to do this, or my lively hood is short!  That's a major wake up call let me tell ya!

Anyway...ramble ramble...

Cindy

that happened to me last night!  i just wanted SOMETHING to munch on because it was saturday night and i used to always have a splurge snack on saturdays that i don't work.  so i went to the store planning on getting pierogis and just having like 3 for 170 calories.  i had the box in my hand and was gonna get it, but then i rethought the calories.  i was already at my target for the day (1600).  sometimes i'll let myself go up to 1800, but no more than that.  in the past i've learned that 1600-1800 is my perfect range for weight loss.  anyway, i thought to myself, well i'd only be getting 3 pierogis and it would put me closer to 1800 than 1600.  i wandered around the store for like a half hour just looking at the calories on my "usual" saturday night snacks (like pizza rolls).  i walked out of the store with a bag of edamame!  i ended up eating a handful of those and one piece of teriyaki beef jerky.  my whole snack was 50-75 calories instead of the 170 i was going to have!  it was very yummy and satisfying too.

This gives me some hope.  I feel like I'm nearly always hungry but I've been trying to distract myself.  It's normally just mindless snacking.

I can't wait until that goes away.  Heh.

Im experiencing the same thing.  I find that Im not really hungry that much now, when in all my past diets I have been starving the entire time.  I think Im undereating a little bit though.  Im coming in about 200-300 below my allowance.   Ive actually been consciously trying to eat more, but for the first time ever its hard to just stuff my face.   Its totally weird.  

Yesterday I had to help a friend host her daughters sweet 16 party.  Seeing all the cake, and cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies and chips, really didn't even phase me.  Didn't even have the URGE to want them.  But she was all proud about how these cookies were the best she'd ever baked and I just HAD to try just one.  I really didn't want it, but I ate it just to make her happy.  YES!  They were good...delicious in fact, but did I enjoy it?  Not really.  It tasted good, normally I would chow!  But it didn't.  It felt foreign in my mouth.

We ate supper out at the venue spot, a pizza place, and I picked the best thing on the menu...which in my boat wasn't...but it WAS the best on the menu...truely.  I went with a Submarine sandwhich.  And after it was all done, I came home, and just eating the cookie, and the submarine sandwhich...I could tell.  I got home FAMISHED!  I wanted FOOD FOOD FOOD!  And I know I was WAY over what I normally eat, but I wanted more food.  It was the difference between eating garbage and eating healthy.  That's what it seems to do to me.  Just make me ravenous.  But if I eat my veggies, and healthy home cooking, I have a hell of a time meeting even 1200 calories! 

I KNOW women should not be under 1200 calories, and yesterday I figure I maybe ate 1800-1900, and the scale reflected it.  It seems if I eat in the 1000 calorie range, the weight just comes right back.  For some reason, 800-900 calories a day seems to work better for me.  And I feel more satisfied and not hungry, and I don't know how to explain that being's I'm a big girl and my life has centered around food.  Is it reality or psychosematic?

And that's with working out for 55 minutes a day or not working out on my rest days.   Eating the good stuff today, not the junk...I'm at 838 calories.  I'm not hungry and have no desire to eat. 

yep am experiencing the same thing! its actually wierd. I log all the food that i have eaten and end up having to add a couple of fruits or something just to reach my daily calorie intake

I find that my body has a "shut off" button now... finally.  I used to be able to eat until the cows came home, but now my body tells me pretty accurately when I'm full, and content, and I no longer feel guilty about not finishing a meal.  I also don't freak out if the meal would have gotten me to my ideal calorie goal for the day and I don't finish it - if my body is telling me "enough!" then there's a reason.

I absolutely have noticed that I don't have the urge to overeat like I used to. I was talking to my wife a couple of days ago about this and saying that between the meals and snacks I'm eating on my diet, it seems like I'm eating all the time. I can't believe I ever actually ate enough to be over my daily 'maintain' calories and gaining weight! But when I look back at my previous eating habits, I was for sure eating 1.5-2x the portion sizes for meals and snacks - basically eating to the point of 'stuffed' every time I sat down to a meal. After only a month I already find I'm getting full on a lot less and couldn't possibly pound back the portions I used to without feeling seriously uncomfortable in the guts.