Re: Waiting for Hunger

[Guest guest]

hello kate & welcome to the group,i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well. i have been on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like. another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs. what helped me at first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3 meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get hungry. i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in an attempt to

avoid hunger. it was like i had this incredible fear that i couldn't 'survive' being hungy. by limiting to the 3 meals i avoided all impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to. it simplified things for me. it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first 'thought' of hunger. maybe for a while i will try to question that thought, "am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am?" what is the sensation in my body? what are the body signs that i am feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it makes a difference.blessingsmjTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for HungerHello:I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what others are going through, feeling etc.I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of stopping when full begins. Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much if your

body didn't want it right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it only wants or needs a little bit. ThanksKate------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I am new here too and having the exact same problem. I don’t get

hungry in the mornings at all. I have had it drilled into my head for years

that breakfast must be eaten to start the metabolism. I am struggling with this

meal more than the others because I am truly not hungry but still eat anyway. Portion

control, or stopping when satisfied is another biggie for me. I seem to have

the eating what a want part down, not always in the best ways either. J

Alecia

From:

IntuitiveEating_Support

[mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of m g

Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:14 AM

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Subject: Re: Waiting for Hunger

hello kate & welcome to the

group,

i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well. i have been

on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like.

another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it

is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs. what helped me at

first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3

meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get

hungry. i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other

guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.

i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing

what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in

an attempt to avoid hunger. it was like i had this incredible fear that i

couldn't 'survive' being hungy. by limiting to the 3 meals i avoided all

impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to. it simplified

things for me. it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full

scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first

'thought' of hunger. maybe for a while i will try to question that

thought, " am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am? "

what is the sensation in my body? what are the body signs that i am

feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it

makes a difference.

blessings

mj

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PM

Subject: Waiting for Hunger

Hello:

I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot

about what others are going through, feeling etc.

I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am

hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to

eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of

stopping when full begins.

Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped

you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much

if your body didn't want it right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it

only wants or needs a little bit. Thanks

Kate

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi, Alecia and Kate, and welcome to our group!

I think lots of us go through what you've both expressed as your first challenge. I always also thought I was never hungry in the morning and didn't want to eat breakfast, but when I stopped bingeing or even just eating beyond satisfaction in the evenings, like magic (duh) I was hungry in the mornings! All those years my body was telling me "you've eaten so much I'm not really hungry yet" and I couldn't figure out the "you've eaten so much" part!

As I concentrated on not eating beyond satisfied (and yeah, it's a LOT less than I used to eat!), I found I got hungry more often. And as long as I could eat every so many hours, I didn't feel deprived.

I felt like I had to do one or the other--either wait until I was actually hungry, or not eat beyond satisfied--to get to the feeling of "hungry." I found it easier at first to concentrate on just one, and not eating beyond satisfied was often easier for me. I can't say I'm in a place yet where I consistently only eat when hungry, but I've pretty much nailed not eating beyond satisfied, which is truly gratifying all on its own.

I hope this helps!

Laurie

Waiting for Hunger

Hello:

I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what others are going through, feeling etc.

I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of stopping when full begins.

Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much if your body didn't want it right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it only wants or needs a little bit. Thanks

Kate

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I'm really struggling with breakfast too. I hate eating it, but I feel very weak and tired at work if I don't eat something before I go. I find I get hungry enough to eat at about the same time of day even if I don't eat breakfast. I do eat before bed usually...I work late nights and want to eat when I get home, even though I go to bed about an hour later. I wonder if that's why I'm not so hungry in the morning.

I'm new here too

Subject: RE: Waiting for HungerTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Friday, September 24, 2010, 12:22 PM

I am new here too and having the exact same problem. I don’t get hungry in the mornings at all. I have had it drilled into my head for years that breakfast must be eaten to start the metabolism. I am struggling with this meal more than the others because I am truly not hungry but still eat anyway. Portion control, or stopping when satisfied is another biggie for me. I seem to have the eating what a want part down, not always in the best ways either. J

Alecia

From: IntuitiveEating_Support [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of m gSent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:14 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Waiting for Hunger

hello kate & welcome to the group,i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well. i have been on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like. another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs. what helped me at first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3 meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get hungry. i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in an attempt to avoid hunger. it was like i had this incredible fear that i couldn't 'survive' being hungy. by limiting to the 3 meals

i avoided all impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to. it simplified things for me. it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first 'thought' of hunger. maybe for a while i will try to question that thought, "am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am?" what is the sensation in my body? what are the body signs that i am feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it makes a difference.blessingsmj

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for HungerHello:I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what others are going through, feeling etc.I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of stopping when full begins. Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much if your body didn't want it

right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it only wants or needs a little bit. ThanksKate------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi Kate,

Welcome! I think the issue that you are struggling with is a common one.

I have had luck, unlike MJ, at telling myself that I can eat as soon as I get hungry. And when I eat, I promise myself that the next time I eat, I will eat again. I actually find that eating more often, and not waiting until I'm starving, means that eating is a lot less exciting, and I usually end up eating less food total. It's also less scary to get hungry when I know I can eat 

The other thing that has been important for me is trying to not do anything else while I am eating. If I have to sit down and focus on my food, I don't tend to want to do that unless I'm actually hungry. This allows me to know when I am actually hungry and when I am in the mood for grazing for other (emotional) reasons. 

So for me, feeding " on demand " (like a new baby) and focusing on eating while I am doing it both allow me to focus my hunger and also my fullness.

I also found it took me a while to get used to how much less food (a lot less!) I actually need versus what I thought I needed in the past. 

Have you read the Intuitive Eating book? I think the hunger and fullness rating scales are really helpful. Try to stay in the middle numbers whenever you can. And when you can't, be an anthropologist studying yourself, and just observe what's happening, without judgement. I do think it's fine, and helpful, to let yourself eat when you feel you need to, even if you are not hungry... just do it consciously, and observe closely what the experience is like, in a place of non-judgement.

I've been doing IE for quite a while now, almost two years, and just a few days ago I let myself get waaay to hungry, like to the point of nausea. I had been super stressed and way too busy at work to eat more than a few bites. I tried to eat a sushi snack as I walked home (normally I HATE eating while walking but felt truly awful and needed to feel better fast), but the combination of having low blood sugar plus the emotional feelings of having to work so hard that i didn't have time to go to the bathroom, never mind eat, both conspired to leave me feeling that i needed to be taken care of... which i chose to do using food... namely, a large bag of potato chips. what i was happy about was that i could NAME it and experience it and accept it. and hopefully it teaches me that i need to do a better job of prioritizing my own needs, and making sure i meet my own basic self care needs. (actually, i think this failure to prioritize our own needs over others' seems to be very common among people in the IE world... but that's another topic for another day!) i hope i don't choose to use potato chips often to satisfy my emotional/physical needs, but i love being generous and supportive of my own self by accepting that that was what i needed at the time.

i am sorry for going on way too long, and going far beyond your question! i hope some of this is helpful.best,abby

 

hello kate & welcome to the group,i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well.  i have been on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like.  another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs.  what helped me at first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3 meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get hungry.   i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.

i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in an attempt to

avoid hunger.  it was like i had this incredible fear that i couldn't 'survive' being hungy.  by limiting to the 3 meals i avoided all impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to.  it simplified things for me.  it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first 'thought' of hunger.  maybe for a while i will try to question that thought, " am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am? "   what is the sensation in my body? what are the  body signs that i am feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it makes a difference.

blessingsmj

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for Hunger

Hello:I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what ...------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

oops, i meant to say " the next time i am HUNGRY, i will eat again "

Hi Kate,

Welcome! I think the issue that you are struggling with is a common one.

I have had luck, unlike MJ, at telling myself that I can eat as soon as I get hungry. And when I eat, I promise myself that the next time I eat, I will eat again. I actually find that eating more often, and not waiting until I'm starving, means that eating is a lot less exciting, and I usually end up eating less food total. It's also less scary to get hungry when I know I can eat 

The other thing that has been important for me is trying to not do anything else while I am eating. If I have to sit down and focus on my food, I don't tend to want to do that unless I'm actually hungry. This allows me to know when I am actually hungry and when I am in the mood for grazing for other (emotional) reasons. 

So for me, feeding " on demand " (like a new baby) and focusing on eating while I am doing it both allow me to focus my hunger and also my fullness.

I also found it took me a while to get used to how much less food (a lot less!) I actually need versus what I thought I needed in the past. 

Have you read the Intuitive Eating book? I think the hunger and fullness rating scales are really helpful. Try to stay in the middle numbers whenever you can. And when you can't, be an anthropologist studying yourself, and just observe what's happening, without judgement. I do think it's fine, and helpful, to let yourself eat when you feel you need to, even if you are not hungry... just do it consciously, and observe closely what the experience is like, in a place of non-judgement.

I've been doing IE for quite a while now, almost two years, and just a few days ago I let myself get waaay to hungry, like to the point of nausea. I had been super stressed and way too busy at work to eat more than a few bites. I tried to eat a sushi snack as I walked home (normally I HATE eating while walking but felt truly awful and needed to feel better fast), but the combination of having low blood sugar plus the emotional feelings of having to work so hard that i didn't have time to go to the bathroom, never mind eat, both conspired to leave me feeling that i needed to be taken care of... which i chose to do using food... namely, a large bag of potato chips. what i was happy about was that i could NAME it and experience it and accept it. and hopefully it teaches me that i need to do a better job of prioritizing my own needs, and making sure i meet my own basic self care needs. (actually, i think this failure to prioritize our own needs over others' seems to be very common among people in the IE world... but that's another topic for another day!) i hope i don't choose to use potato chips often to satisfy my emotional/physical needs, but i love being generous and supportive of my own self by accepting that that was what i needed at the time.

i am sorry for going on way too long, and going far beyond your question! i hope some of this is helpful.best,abby

 

hello kate & welcome to the group,i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well.  i have been on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like.  another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs.  what helped me at first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3 meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get hungry.   i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.

i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in an attempt to

avoid hunger.  it was like i had this incredible fear that i couldn't 'survive' being hungy.  by limiting to the 3 meals i avoided all impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to.  it simplified things for me.  it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first 'thought' of hunger.  maybe for a while i will try to question that thought, " am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am? "   what is the sensation in my body? what are the  body signs that i am feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it makes a difference.

blessingsmj

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for Hunger

Hello:I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what ...------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi Kate...I have found that I enjoy eating more when I'm hungry than when I'm not hungry so that's why I find it easier and easier to eat only when I'm hungry as time goes on. I try to savor my food and eat slowly so I won't end up over-eating... I still sometimes end up eating to where I'm over-full, but I think as long as I wait until I'm hungry the next time I eat, that shouldn't be a problem. I've been IE'ing for 3-4 months now and I'm excited to say that it's becoming 2nd nature. It has been so nice and simple to not worry about weight and eat what I want.To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for Hunger

Hello:

I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what others are going through, feeling etc.

I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of stopping when full begins.

Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much if your body didn't want it right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it only wants or needs a little bit. Thanks

Kate

[Guest guest]

there are no rules with IE! if you don't want breakfast, don't eat it! if you feel like you MUST eat something because you will feel weak, wait as long as you can to see if you can get hungry, and if not, eat a little something. 

that said, i agree that i think people feel better and are healthier if they eat breakfast... but see if your body figures that out on its own!try to also pay attention to not eating past a moderate level of fullness in the evening. i thought i never wanted food in the morning but once i started IE i started to not be interested in food in the evening as much, but to wake up hungry. i was shocked! 

 

I'm really struggling with breakfast too.  I hate eating it, but I feel very weak and tired at work if I don't eat something before I go.  I find I get hungry enough to eat at about the same time of day even if I don't eat breakfast.  I do eat before bed usually...I work late nights and want to eat when I get home, even though I go to bed about an hour later.  I wonder if that's why I'm not so hungry in the morning. 

 

I'm new here too  

Subject: RE: Waiting for Hunger

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Friday, September 24, 2010, 12:22 PM

 

I am new here too and having the exact same problem. I don’t get hungry in the mornings at all. I have had it drilled into my head for years that breakfast must be eaten to start the metabolism. I am struggling with this meal more than the others because I am truly not hungry but still eat anyway. Portion control, or stopping when satisfied is another biggie for me. I seem to have the eating  what a want part down, not always in the best ways either. J

Alecia

 

From: IntuitiveEating_Support [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of m g

Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:14 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Waiting for Hunger

 

hello kate & welcome to the group,i have a hard time waiting until i am hungry to eat as well.  i have been on so many 'diets' that i have lost touch with what hunger feels like.  another problem is that at times i let myself get overly hungry & then it is an invitation to eat way more than my body needs.  what helped me at first ( & this is totally NOT an ie concept) was to limit my eating to 3 meals a day so that there was plenty of time between meals for me to get hungry.   i was following (or trying to follow) all of the other guidelines just not the eat whenever you are hungry part.

i had to actually do this for a couple of months until i got back to knowing what hunger really felt like in my body. I used to be a compulsive snacker in an attempt to avoid hunger.  it was like i had this incredible fear that i couldn't 'survive' being hungy.  by limiting to the 3 meals

i avoided all impulse to reach for food whenever my 'mind' told me to.  it simplified things for me.  it has now been over 2 months since i've been doin ie full scale & i am finding that lately i am going back to snacking at the first 'thought' of hunger.  maybe for a while i will try to question that thought, " am i really hungry right now or do i just 'think' that i am? "   what is the sensation in my body? what are the  body signs that i am feeling actual hunger not just mind hunger. i'm going to try it & see if it makes a difference.

blessingsmj

 

 

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PMSubject: Waiting for HungerHello:I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a lot about what others are going through, feeling etc.

I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I am hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of stopping when full begins. 

Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat much if your body didn't want it

right now. It might want more tomorrow but today it only wants or needs a little bit. ThanksKate------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Glad I'm not the only one feeling this way. I did well today. I was determined

to wait until I was hungry before I ate. Like you I think food does taste

so much better if eaten when you are hungry. I just don't get hungry that often

and I like to eat.

It took me basically all day to get hungry enough that I felt like I could eat

something (more than a few bites) and feel comfortable but not overfull. I did

eat a lot last night, but then today just had coffee this morning and at about

7:00 pm I was nice and hungry. So I had fresh baked home made apple pie with a

bit of ice cream. It was just right. Not the most nutrious but it was what I

wanted at the time. Tomorrow maybe I'll want veggies. I also suspect I will be

hungry earlier in the day tomorrow too. We'll see.

Kate

>

> Hi Kate...

>

> I have found that I enjoy eating more when I'm hungry than when I'm not hungry

> so that's why I find it easier and easier to eat only when I'm hungry as time

> goes on. I try to savor my food and eat slowly so I won't end up

over-eating...

> I still sometimes end up eating to where I'm over-full, but I think as long as

I

> wait until I'm hungry the next time I eat, that shouldn't be a problem. I've

> been IE'ing for 3-4 months now and I'm excited to say that it's becoming 2nd

> nature. It has been so nice and simple to not worry about weight and eat what

I

> want.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: IntuitiveEating_Support

> Sent: Thu, September 23, 2010 9:14:43 PM

> Subject: Waiting for Hunger

>

>

> Hello:

>

> I am new here and have been reading through some of the posts and learned a

lot

> about what others are going through, feeling etc.

>

> I am having trouble waiting to get hungry. If I am truely only eating when I

am

> hungry I don't get hungry or not often. I get tired of waiting to be able to

> eat. When I do feel hungry I get very excited and then the tough part of

> stopping when full begins.

>

>

> Has anyone else had issues with these two things when you started? What helped

> you to get through or learn to wait? And learn that it was okay to not eat

much

> if your body didn't want it right now. It might want more tomorrow but today

it

> only wants or needs a little bit. Thanks

>

> Kate

>