This article certainly made me think about when im actually it also made me think about when i had given food to my children

I don't think that this would really work for me.  From what I've found, if I eat a little bit at a time about five times a day my body never gets really hungry.  If I wait until I'm really hungry then I tend to over eat at my next meal.  But to each their own.

This article made me think about all the times my mother left me at the dining room table because I would not finish what was on my plate. Boy, I promise not to do that with my kids. The only thing that bother me about eating when I am hungry is that I get hurgry late at night and I know that is a bad time to eat. So I may have to find another solution.

Until recentlty, I was never "hungry because I was always eating.  I grazed and if I opened a cabinet and and saw some nuts or crackers, I'd eat them.  When mealtime came I just ate everything on my plate. Now,  I've learned to listen to my body and feel the hunger.  I drink a big glass of water or have some broth or tea before meals to take the edge off.Write it down. it helps.

Original Post by: syanderson

This article made me think about all the times my mother left me at the dining room table because I would not finish what was on my plate. Boy, I promise not to do that with my kids. The only thing that bother me about eating when I am hungry is that I get hurgry late at night and I know that is a bad time to eat. So I may have to find another solution.

syanderson, I was brought up the same way and I can understand how hard it is to fight that urge. I also grew up with two other brothers and there always seemed to be an unofficial race to see who could eat the most. It worked fine when I was young and had a high metabolism but now I am having to deal with it.

I found that when my body thinks I am hungry, it is really needing water. Although it is crucial to eat before you are hungry, I think it is just as important to stay hydrated too.

After I quit smoking, taking a break and having a bite was my way of breaking up my work day. 

This article causes me some problems - and confusion

for example I have been told all my life that I should be eating a 'big breakfast' every day. And I often do eat a big breakfast, despite the fact that I typically am not hungry in the morning.

So is this article saying I should not eat in the morning if I'm not hungry?

While I agree with the essential truth of eating only when you are hungry, this approach conflicts with the most recent data that suggests eating throughout the day before hunger becomes an issue will prevent overeating.  I think it would be great to say that we will wait until we are hungry and then eat only to satiety but 'feeling full' is a delayed reaction and it is so tempting to keep eating past the point at which one is satisfied. 

Your article is excellent, however, you don't explain what hunger is... how does real hunger feel? I would be interested to know whether I am actually eating now by real hunger or some other reason.

I have the same issue that others have mentioned. If I wait to eat until I am hungry, I over eat. I find it much easier and more satisfying if I eat small snacks (like nuts, fruit, crackers, unbuttered popcorn) throughout the day, and then a light meal in the evening. If I wait, I can easily down a large meal and then be hungry an hour or two later.

Thank you for the explanation - it really does help.

Once I figured out that I was overeating at times when I was fatigued, I realized that I was mistaking feeling tired for being hungry.  A similar thing happens when I'm actually thirsty - I want to eat.  It pays to be aware of it. 

I agree, it appears because its early I have to eat, its midday I have to eat and its evening I have to eat. A lot of times I am not feeling hungry. I do it because somewhere that became the norm. Interesting thoughts. I'll keep an eye on how the hungry begin physically. And note:  I eat emotionally, that probably would take a long time to discuss the why's but as you mentioned you train to eat that way and you can train to not. So good comments. Thanks All.

One more vote for "I eat throughout the day so that I'm not hungry all the time, which causes overeating/bad choices."

I agree with some points in this article. I am an emotional eater, and I've also been told by my nutritionist to log my feelings before I eat. Even though I log my food from every meal, if I want to have a piece of peanut butter pie because I had a terrible day with my clients, I'll have one. My mind knows that I am eating based on emotions and not hunger, but my body refuses to listen.

A post by another member has begun to help me deal with emotional eating: The temporary gratification of overeating clearly was not worth the resulting long-term feelings of being defeated and unhappy.

i understand this article...

but you should be eating a lot more than 2 times a day!

if you are someone who tends to eat 'just cause'...make it your goal to just take everything in smaller portions...that way you are still getting the satisfaction of eating as well as the taste of many different foods. Torturing yourself by eating just 2 huge meals which make you feel too full each day is ridiculous!

I agree that the 2 meals is not healthy. The article mentioned 2 - 8 times a day as a general reference. I believe the article was more about eating when the body is craving food for nourishment as opposed to just eating just because. What I do know is that a good breakfast helps start the body in movement and in its metabalism kicking in. I know a healthy snack is about a handful or fist size, and that along with good eating choices, one should not deprive on foods they crave. So a bite or two of something is okay on occasion. But along with this is the fact that when you put your body in movement...you are on a roll and not around the waist ;) Good article here as it has us all thinking! Good Day

Good morning everyone. I became a diabetic last year and for the first time in my life, the hunger pangs wouldn't go away until I ate something. Eating before I get hungry is better for me, because if I wait, I will eat more than I should.

Original Post by: lebrocq

This article causes me some problems - and confusion

 

for example I have been told all my life that I should be eating a 'big breakfast' every day. And I often do eat a big breakfast, despite the fact that I typically am not hungry in the morning.

 

So is this article saying I should not eat in the morning if I'm not hungry?

 

Yes, this article saying I should not eat in the morning if I'm not hungry.  

Consider this: 

In the morning, many people "drink" rather than "eat", yet they don't consider liquids to be food.  Drinks are "breakfast".

People think "breakfast" must be eaten upon jumping out of bed.  That's not right.  Go do the farm chores, build up an appetite, and then eat.  "Breakfast" can be eaten any time in the morning.  

"I have been told all my life that I should be eating a 'big breakfast' every day."  That "rule" can be broken.  Much of the world eats a light breakfast (bread, fruit, yogurt, coffee), a big mid-day meal, and a light dinner.  

And so, yes, eat something in the morning, but, no, it doesn't have to be a "big breakfast".

you may not be hungry when you wake up in the morning but i think it is a good idea to just put something in your stomach relatively soon after you wake up. like a banana. or some yoghurt. or even a hot chocolate/coffee that is quite milky would be good just to give you a bit of energy

Good article, better responses. The best part of the article for me is to look at why I am eating. I recognize that much of my life I felt I was "owed" food. It was dinnertime, and whether I was hungry or not, I just HAD to eat, or I felt like I was being cheated or something.

I am sure that goes back to my childhood. My mother's mother and aunts almost starved during a blue-winter in Montana when they were young. In fact my grandma married her first husband because he said he would stop bringing them food if she didn't. They never let themselves be denied thereafter. They moved to California (leaving the first husband) got jobs, filled their pantries and got fat, and type 2 diabetes.

I was raised with the value "never deny yourself food". So to change my eating culture and habits has been a major part of being healthy.

But, of course, I have dealt with hyperinsulinemia, and for years I would crash with hypoglycemia, big time, if I didn't eat right. Now, again of course, I am have borderline diabetes type 2 breathing down my neck. So I must eat right! (and exercise despite of bad joints).

I have started to work again after returning from our annual time at a Oaxacan Bible school. I need to remember to bring a small snacks because I am getting hungry a couple hours before and after lunch. The gnawing in the stomach is an enemy because it sets me up for gorging or indulging in a way I want to avoid.

Sorry, this as gotten too long...I am an outward processor, don't know what I think until I write. Need to put this in my journal, hope someone got as much out of this as I did.

I do not agree with article with respect to bloodsugar levels. If I didn't eat until I was hungry...often I would not eat all day. I've tried this technique before and found that I binged when I was finally hungry. Bottom line...eat small, well balanced meals. Keep snacks on hand to keep your bloodsugar level.

This is contradicting.  I thought we needed to eat something every 2 to 3 hours ( of course healthy choices). 

I have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner.  Every three hours.  I do not eat anything after dinner. 

One thing that I try and implement when eating is the 1-10 rule... you plate your food (small plate of course) and you eat what you want if, when you are done, you "think" you are wanting more you rate how hungry you still are. 1 being starving and 10 being full if you fall at a 5 and up you don't eat anything else 5 and under you eat a little bit more. I find it works pretty well as long as I am honest with myself. I hardly ever go back for more food either and I don't feel like I am starving either! I try to eat regular meals everyday but there are times when I am just not hungry and during those times I don't force feed myself because it isn't a good thing to do, so if that means I skip a meal then I skip a meal. Why is that a bad thing I am not denying my body anything if I am not hungry.

Cheers!

Since I started my diet, I prefer not to be hungry 'cause if I wait for it, I want to  eat whatever is near and I can not control myself. Better to eat small things low in calories 5 or 6 times a day.

I was so glad to see Mary the nutritionist comment that you do not have to EAT a breakfast. I also do not get hungry.  Breakfast is sometimes coffee, water and fiber tablets. Sometimes I just do not want food in the mornings.  I have been making myself eat. 

Original Post by: aupair7

you may not be hungry when you wake up in the morning but i think it is a good idea to just put something in your stomach relatively soon after you wake up. like a banana. or some yoghurt. or even a hot chocolate/coffee that is quite milky would be good just to give you a bit of energy

I'm never hungry when I wake up. Actually I don't find myself even having the desire to eat until about 1:00pm. I do eat in the morning because I assume it's healthy but I think I'm just gunna just cut it down to one yougrt in the morning. I'm tired of force feeding myself breakfast food when I don't actually feel like eating it. It's such a releif to know I don't actually have to have a big breakfast.

When I was little, I received a lot of mixed signals from my parents on healthy eating habits.  At first I was being trained to eat only Lean Cuisine meals because "that's what models ate".  I couldn't eat certain foods, but then later on in life, I was served large plates of "healthy" food.  It was still too much for me to eat but I was expected to finish it all.

Going back and relearning everything has been hard, there are some times when I get scared of gaining a pound from eating and so I don't want to.  There really is a lot of psychology to correct when you're losing weight, I'm very happy there are nutritionists here to help guide us.

I agree with powerdrain:  I eat several times a day.  It is when I do not eat small portions throughout the day that I overeat.  This is evident from my food log.  Nonetheless, noticing when I am hungry tends to make me eat smaller portions, even if I eat several times a day.

When I was 7 I realized that my parents hated me they really did) and I was afraid that they would try to kill me (they never did). So I also realized that if I was going to survive, it was going to be up to me. I could never trust them - or anyone else - to take care of me.  I began hording food and eating everything that wasn't nailed down.  And my health paid a heavy price.

I now realize where my compulsive overeating originated but understanding it and being able to turn it off are two different things.  I struggle with it every day of my life.  Wanting to eat only because I'm physically hungry is a luxury I've never been able to achieve.

This article was helpful as a quick review of things I've already read, but I have a bit of an issue with this sentence:

Be brave enough to wait until you’re hungry before you eat, and then give yourself full permission to eat until you feel satisfied.

I have a problem with knowing when I feel satisfied, and I have absolutely no problem giving myself full permission to eat.  If this page could provide a link to an article about "What is Satiety," that would be great.  Thanks!

I think it's important to look for other signs of hunger, too. My stomach is only good for telling me when I'm running empty about half the time-- the other half, my body will not warn me until extreme fatigue or dizziness set in, and then it takes deducing. Often, when what I need is food (been doing chores for 6 hours on a 250-cal breakfast and cup of coffee), I will identify my physical symptoms as "needing a nap" or "feeling feverish". I can't trust my body to tell me properly, so I have to be aware and keep track of time. 2:00 and exhausted? I'll perk up after a nutritious snack or meal.

I would also like to mention that there are many different theories about what makes the human body run the best, for longest-- just like there are many different car care products. Everyone agrees that you shouldn't put oil in the windshield wiper fluid or douse the back seats in gasoline, but each vehicle will need (or get) different amounts at different times, depending on its driver.

So, being a sciency girl, here's an abstract of a medical study concluding that of their sample group (2959 people who have maintained a loss of 30lbs for 1 year), 78% regularly eat breakfast and only 4% never do. I'll bet on the statistics for my personal weight loss strategy.

in short, eat only when you are hungry.

I personally don't think the "eat only when you're hungry" is a very good measuring tool.  And I think that's what the article was about.  Most people don't know what hunger feels like.  We misinterpret thirst, emotions, and boredom for hunger, as well as a drop in blood sugar.

Starting a program that is recommended, i.e., at least three meals with a good balance of carbs, fats and proteins while keeping an eye on the amount of total calories per day will allow for weight gain, loss or maintenance.  Regular exercise, even just 30 minutes a day three or four days a week will help regulate the calories needed, too.

As many people here can verifiy, for a relatively healthy person this is the kind of lifestyle change that gets result.

Because we learn eating habits from a variety of sources that might not always be correct, we may need to unlearn some of these habits.

I agree with this whole heartedly.  I am overweight and alot has to do with steroids Nerve blocks to my back, and then bed ridden for a long time. Just when my weight was getting back down everyone who be on my case for not eating I rarely used to eat and the weight fell off not do to dieting but becuase I don't Get hungry. Even Last night I had to argue when I was gone with my son that I didn't want anything to eat.  I had a very large salad at 3p.m. and wasen't hungry.  I have a new doctor and he told me don't eat if I don't want to.  My other doctor put me on a diet and I gained 40 lbs. as I was eating 5 times a day and I was sticking to the right portions.  Her diet made me feel lazy and lifeless when I eat early in the morning then late in the afternoon I feel great. I beleive like sleep we all have differn't patterns.

  Don't let people nag you into eating when you aren't hungry.

I agree with this whole heartily.  I am overweight and a lot has to do with steroids Nerve blocks to my back, and then bed ridden for a long time. Just when my weight was getting back down, everyone would be on my case for not eating. I rarely used to eat and the weight fell off, not do to dieting but because I don't get hungry very often.  I have a new doctor and he told me don't eat if I don't want to.  My other doctor put me on a diet and I gained 40 lbs. as I was eating 5 times a day and I was sticking to the right portions and proper food.  Her diet made me feel lazy and lifeless when I eat early in the morning then late in the afternoon I feel great. I believe like sleep we all have different patterns.

  Don't let people nag you into eating when you aren't hungry.

My old Doctor told me the same thing to eat a large meal first thing in the morning then 4 meals throughout the day. My new doctor says eat only when I truely feel hungry.

with breakfast it doesnt need to be a big meal a slice of toast and a glass of juice is enough to kickstart the metabolism for the day and give our bodies somt thing to work on

This article is very interesting, When I am stressed or depressed abot something I seem to binge. I find myself eatin when I am already full or not even hungery. So what I do now when those days come up I will exersize (go for a walk, do some sittups, ect.....) this has work for me. Other times I feel like I am hungery when I am not. To fix this problem try getting a big glass of water and drink it, if you still feel hungery afte that then you really are.

Toni

You should eat 6 small meals a day. If you are trying to loose weight, you need to calculate how may calories that you need to be eating. I am consuming 1200 calories a day. This is one day meal plan that I have.

1/4 cup of egg white beater

1/2 of a meduim banana

Lunch

1 cup of shredded or choped lettuce (iceburge)

1 meduim tomatoe chopped

1/2 cup sliced cucumbers

2oz tuna

4 tbls lite red wine vinigar and olive oil (kens steak house)

Dinner

1 cup of boneless skinless chicken breast (chopped)

1 cup of boiled frozen broccoli

Snacks in between

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

1 medium apple peeled

This adds up to 1,082 calories  21.6g of fat   120g of carbs 98.4g of protein

This is just an example, changing your diet eeryday helps your metabolism to move qiucker. Which, will help you loose weight 

Toni   

I enjoyed reading this original post and it's comments.

I agree about the initial realization that there are different kinds of hunger.

I had discovered in my own body that there were (at least) TWO kinds of hunger that I would name: mental and physiological.

I went from 350 lbs to 175 lbs in under 2 years and one of the main "tricks" I discovered is that physiological hunger can be healthy, enjoyable and exciting. I think the pancreas plays an important role in giving me that enjoyable, pleasure-sensation.

If I'm right in thinking that the pancreas works in one of two modes (insulin-producing or glucagon-producing) and that the glucagon-mode is that of mild starvation, when, as wild animals, the activity level of hunting rises (we get excited) and when I choose that time of day to do sports (walking, hiking, swimming, bicycling) what I get as reward is a natural high.

The next hurdle is dealing with the natural fatigue that such energy expenditures produce WITHOUT binging during the evenings.

In order to achieve that goal, my tricks are:  eating a good breakfast (fruits followed, an hour or two later, by oatmeal), a high-protein lunch (meats or fish or egg...) and sleeping a few hours in late afternoon (when the physical fatigue is elevated) then ending the day with a long, stretched-out but light supper (salads & veggies).

Of course, being retired and having the time to take care of myself is a plus!

But in any circumstances, not falling into conventional and social eating patterns, or at least identifying these conventional habits as opposed to being conscious of what my body is saying and following it's hints towards greater pleasure, these are all components of an attitude that helped me get rid of that 50% of excess body mass.

Phil 

Original Post by: aupair7

you may not be hungry when you wake up in the morning but i think it is a good idea to just put something in your stomach relatively soon after you wake up. like a banana. or some yoghurt. or even a hot chocolate/coffee that is quite milky would be good just to give you a bit of energy

I totally agree with what you said as well. I used to eat breakfast, but I was never really hungry when I would eat it. I think if you aren't hungry, then why should you eat? Something small for breakfast, bigger meal for lunch, and lite dinner sounds like a really good way tp space out your eating and to control your portions. You would never want to eat three huge meals as many of us North Americans love to do so much.

...Now getting off topic from what you said...

I feel as though we over indulge and we take the fact that we have food at our fingertips for granted. I don't want to be an overindulgent person. We need to realize that eating is just a way of surviving, not a comfort. What I always thought is funny id the fact that we use food for comfort, but then we manage to make ourselves feel 10 times worst by our eating for the wrong reasons.

This just goes to say, that we DO need to figure out why we eat when we aren't hungry so that we can really understand where we are going wrong in our lives or where are priblems are coming from.

I really liked this article and it made me realize a few things.

Usually I don't eat because I am truly hungry, I eat out of boredom, stress, anxiety, or when I am upset over something. I really want to try what was suggested in the article instead of eating just for the sake of it.

My other problem is that when I don't eat for the sake of it and wait to be hungry, I normally will not start feeling hungry around 4 or 5, depending really on the day ad how much I ate the day before.

I don't think that my parents ever really used food as a reward for me because I was never an over eater, but this has just happened recently in like the past 4 years. I was really skinny until the age of 14 and had no problem with food. Then I started working at McDonads when I was 15 and gained like 20-25 pounds. Then I did take off the weight, but I fluctuate like mad! I will range from being 130 to going back up to 145. I guess it all depends on what is going on in my life. I don't want to eat for the wrong reasons anymore. I want to eat because I am physiologically hungry. 

p.s. I know mine is LONG too, I always have lots to say! ah ah

Original Post by: Mary_RD

Original Post by: lebrocq

This article causes me some problems - and confusion

 

for example I have been told all my life that I should be eating a 'big breakfast' every day. And I often do eat a big breakfast, despite the fact that I typically am not hungry in the morning.

 

So is this article saying I should not eat in the morning if I'm not hungry?

 

Yes, this article saying I should not eat in the morning if I'm not hungry.  

Consider this: 

In the morning, many people "drink" rather than "eat", yet they don't consider liquids to be food.  Drinks are "breakfast".

People think "breakfast" must be eaten upon jumping out of bed.  That's not right.  Go do the farm chores, build up an appetite, and then eat.  "Breakfast" can be eaten any time in the morning.  

"I have been told all my life that I should be eating a 'big breakfast' every day."  That "rule" can be broken.  Much of the world eats a light breakfast (bread, fruit, yogurt, coffee), a big mid-day meal, and a light dinner.  

And so, yes, eat something in the morning, but, no, it doesn't have to be a "big breakfast".

 

Opps, I totally just realized that I quoted the wrong comment. It was supposed to be this one instead. Sorry for the confusion guys...

i was the same way, never feeling full, never really hungry.  I have now found that being hungry is not painful.  I try to notice what it feels like, and let it be,  not try to ignore it but not let it consume me.  I feel i am getting a handle on my eating.  it is a great feeling

Being a diabetic, this will not work for me. If I wait until I am hungry my sugar levels bottom out. I could do this if I was not diabetic. Good luck and God Bless to those that can do this.

I usually wait until I can hear my stomach gurgle when pushing it out before I eat... often by this time I am feeling a little light headed. This is usually 2 - 3 hours between meals/snacks containing about 300-400 calories.... does this seem right to you? I am also curious about how to determine just what hungry feels like... is it when you stop feeling satisfied, or when you feel shaky and faint?

hello, i've been looking for a forum to share my realization why I used to overeat.  Since I started modifying the types of food I'm eating by eating more vegetables (raw ones), I discovered the main culprit, I love to MUNCH!  not only munch, I want every bit of it, from my mouth's movement to the crackling sound of food (I think I've read an article somewhere about enjoying your meals, and one of it is hearing the sound the food produces as your teeth grind them).  So, my main favs now are carrots, celery, dipped in humous or yoghurt and though not sound-generating, I also enjoy onions, red bell peppers (Soooo sweet) and ginger (I guess these last three just keep my mind feel fresher from the sweet acidic taste they produce)...plus, the latter must have been helpful for my being an emotional eater (when I feel down, i just have the big urge to grab a bar of dark chocoloates! and when i am excited too!)  so, just now, and something excited me, i grabbed my cup of humous, cut some red pepper,ginger, onions and one medium carrot to munch away....

I just thought this might be useful for you too!

enjoy food! enjoy life!

buwan, red bell peppers have also been shown to reduce stress hormones due to the high vitamin C content. Munch away!!! 

I guess in this I come from a different place than a lot of people. I've done way too much research and reading and worked with way too many street people and advocates to really believe that what I feel is true hunger. 

I for one almost completely agree with this article though, mostly because waiting to eat until you're hungry breaks all those bad habits like comfort eating, social eating, etc. 

Mary -

I have been heard that the best thing to do is eat 6 times a day - 3 meals, 3 snacks - as it keeps your metabolism going. What is your take on this?