Trouble with the 20 minute rule

Hi everyone,

Does anyone else have trouble like me with the 20mins that it takes the body to realise that you have eaten. I've had lunch today and was hungry so I ate a few more slices of roast turkey and a couple small slices wholemeal bread with my salad and an apple after, totals about 400 cals but I'm feeling stuffed and it is now 4pm. Trouble is when I was eating I didn't realise that I was stuffing myself.

Question is how do I train myself to remember that 20 mins?

Any suggestions, thanks. Dess

Try chewing each bit 20 times, it will slow down your eating so that way you don't end up eating as much before you realize that your full.... The slower you eat the better.  I too have a problem with this because I eat way too fast... But when I slow down and chew eat bit completely - I realize that I am full way before I am finished with my plate.

How about a nice big glass of water before you eat? And maybe afterwards too?

I can't recall where I read this, but apparently our tummies want a certain amount of VOLUME and don't care about the calorie counts of that volume.

So fill up with calorie-free water!

Oh yes, I do that ALL the time. Like just now. Bought myself a pot of sweets to keep in my desk as a treat to have one or two a day. Just ate the whole tub, now I feel overfull, bloated and sick, and there was probably about 600 cals in it.

 The only thing you can do is only make as much food as you should eat (or a little bit less) and then don't eat any more. I've stopped making big portions of things to freeze for another day because I ate more! So only make/buy/take into work or whatever it is what you know you should eat and no more. If there are leftovers you are likely to pick. If there are no leftovers you can't eat more! If you're at home and the food is in the fridge wrap it all up again and put it back before you take your plate into another room to eat.

 Try telling yourself if you're still hungry in half an hour you can have something else. Chances are, you won't feel hungry then.

 Hope that helped, that's what I try to do (doesn't work all the time though!)

I have this same problem, you would think that I am competing with a wild pack of hyena for what's on my plate.

Much better using the savor each morsel like it's sacred method.

Water truly helps, before, during, after. I also put away all leftovers ASAP, no exceptions.

I cannot be trusted with a pot of sweets.........darn it.

I have this same problem. I eat what I  have already allotted myself, and then if I still feel hungry, I promise myself not to eat anything for 20-30 minutes. If I am still hungry then, I can eat more. You know what, after waiting that long, I almost always have already forgotten I was hungry

Yeah, I have the same problem too. Especially if I'm starving when I begin to eat, I just shovel the food down like crazy because I want that hungry feeling to go away, and then I realize my stomach feels like a rock and I feel sick. :-(

But everyone's suggestions have been very good. I agree that it's easiest for me to make sure I have small portions, and eat those portions before I decide I'm still hungry and go for something else. If tons of food is in front of me, I usually keep eating it just because it's there.

This is my downfall. Whenever I've had a slice of cake or a biscuit, it's RIGHT after a meal.

 

Try going for sugafree gum as soon as you're done. It might be hard to tell yourself "c'mon you! You've just eaten, no need to reach for more food!" but it's slightly easier to say "Oi, reach for gum instead" since gum is sweet, and comes in lots of different flavours (try a different one each time).

 

Half a calorie from the gum...I don't think you need to log that.

 

Added bonus to gum: All treats will taste like crap after gum (don't let this discourage you from chewing gum though, since the gum flavour itself is nice if you choose a good one).  

I do that sometimes as well with a piece of fruit, I eat too fast...still feel like I should have something else. Grab and apple and by the time I'm done with that I'm way overfull. D:

 Eating slower I think is definatly the best way to solve it. Enjoy your meal. :)

Thanks for all the tips, will try all suggestions. I think the water and gum may help, water to fill me up, gum cos I got a very sweet tooth anyway. Thanks again, Dess

I know how you feel.  My schedule is so tight I definantly don't have 20 frikin minutes to eat-let alone to wonder whether or not I am full.  But I just drink water afterwards and I am fine.  :)

Hey Dess,

Actually...the water is a really bad idea.  We have learned that you should not drink anything 20 minutes before your meal, eat for a minimum of 20-30 minutes (I know, easier said than done sometimes) and not drink for 20 minutes after you eat.  The reason is that when you drink before your meal...you are expanding your stomach, making more room for food.  If you drink during and after you eat, you are litterally "flushing" the food into your intestines and your stomach isnt working to process the food...which is your trigger that you are not hungry anymore.  When I first heard this, I thought..."that is impossible"...but actually...after a couple of meals it got easy...and I find that I dont eat as much because my stomach stays "full".  Also...increase your fiber intake in your meals...it's more substantial to "process" and fills you up without the volume and calories.

Hope this helps a little bit!

Original Post by pollockh:

Hi everyone,

Does anyone else have trouble like me with the 20mins that it takes the body to realise that you have eaten. I've had lunch today and was hungry so I ate a few more slices of roast turkey and a couple small slices wholemeal bread with my salad and an apple after, totals about 400 cals but I'm feeling stuffed and it is now 4pm. Trouble is when I was eating I didn't realise that I was stuffing myself.

Question is how do I train myself to remember that 20 mins?

Any suggestions, thanks. Dess

If you're at home, try eating 1/2 cup of grapefruit first.  I buy the red grapefruit that Del Monte puts out - it's in the glass jar, and in the fresh produce section.  For some reason, grapefruit always stops my hunger.  I eat that FIRST - then I wait about 30 minutes (or at least 15 minutes) to EAT MY MAIN MEAL.

I also put my music on - I always eat SLOWER, when listening to classical music; or music that is pleasant - not too up-beat, because then I'm ready to 'gobble'more.

Also:  Don't put serving dishes on the table - take a small portion (about 1/2 of what you're going to eat) - take that to the table; relax to the music, and eat SLOWLY that 1/2 portion.  Talk with your eating companions if you have them; listen to music, and don't take that second 1/2 of your meal for at least 20 minutes.

When the 20 minutes has passed, GO BACK for that 1/2 that is 'allocated' into your meal - and eat that slowly. 

Grapefruit/music/'two portions' of one portion/ - that's how I've stayed slender for 65 years.  I hope these ideas also help with the other ones that have been given.

I eat lots of fresh lettuce, spinach, broccoli slaw, etc with meals with a little bit of low-cal dressing.  I also love taking a whole onion and roasting it in the oven with a little light margarine and garlic salt. 

Fills me up and keeps me out of the higher-cal food on the table. 

I have the very same problem. I eat and all of a sudden I feel like I have a brick in my stomach.  How am I supposed to know I should have stopped 5 bites ago.  I'll get it eventually.

Eating some soup first helps you feel more full on fewer calories.

I'm 46 and have felt this same problem all my life, no chip in my brain to tell me I'm full. For 3 weeks, I have been watching my calories and retraining my eating patterns (have lost 7 pounds). but when I get hungry, sometimes I look at the small portion on my plate that is the correct calorie portion and I say, "wow, that's not very much!" So, I'll start eating celery or pickles right then, before I even finish preparing my meal. Also, has anyone ever just brushed their teeth right after eating? I do that sometimes and it actually redirects my brain from a taste of food in my mouth to a fresh start.

When we went on a cruise I gained 8 lbs. On the ship there was a hypsonis expert. I bought a CD from him for weight loss and lost that 8 lbs upon returning by just listening to it. I tried to find the link to his CD but could not find it. I know listening to the hypnosis CD helped me a lot with the mental aspect of being full. You may want to try something like that.  Here is a link for something similar to what I had:

http://weightlosshypnosisguaranteed.com/nv.ht ml   Good luck.

Hi to everyone and many thanks for all your tips,

Chefdad I can see where that trian of thought comes from and will try to remember these points.

I pickup up on a tip from one of the other forums when I asked how to stop myself eating as I cooked. I now have a cup of slimmers quick soup (97 cals) which does two things, gives me that savoury taste I'm longing for and leaves less room too overeat when I sit down.

Once again thanks for all suggestions, I love coming on here and finding everyone out there so ready and willing to help. This site has kept me buzzing and determined and I hope it continues to do so for many, many pounds to go!!! (years to come???)

Dess