It doesn’t happen often, but on occasion I can find myself uncomfortably full. I hate the feeling and it always surprises me when it happens, since I’m not used to that feeling. Ironically, in my past, eating too much and being stuffed to the gills was my norm. It’s interesting how binge eating can create such a disconnect with how we feel physically while eating.
Everyone’s idea of “full” is probably different. Also, our own idea of “full” can change over time. Keeping portions relatively consistent may help one recognize comfortably full, versus looking for that “stuffed” feeling before we stop eating.
Now that my idea of fullness is more normalized. I don’t need an extreme stretch to the stomach to tell me that it’s time to stop eating. I think overeating robs a person of the joy of eating. Allowing ourselves to be mindful as we eat, it can feel good while you are eating and afterwards.
Have you found that your idea of full or satisfied has changed over time in response to changing your portions? Do you think it’s possible to condition yourself to overeat via large portions of low calorie foods?
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As part of our mindful eating series, we have been exploring the seven hungers, as discussed in Jan Chozen Bay’s book, “Mindful Eating.” Eye hunger, nose hunger, mouth hunger, stomach hunger, cellular hunger, mind hunger and heart hunger – each provides a unique lens through which you can investigate your relationship to food and the body. By noticing your eating through the seven hungers — from a place of curiosity, as opposed to judgment — change is possible. – Barbara Meyer, PhD, Green Mountain at Fox Run Program Director
We begin our exploration with eye hunger. Most of us can relate to situations when we felt drawn to eat something, not because our bodies were particularly hungry, or that we needed food, but rather because the food was there and it looked good. Watching a commercial for gooey, cheesy pizza, or a steak sizzling on the grill can definitely override our stomach’s signals and create a strong desire to eat that particular food or to overeat. While the eyes may stimulate a desire to eat, many times eating occurs without really seeing what we’re eating at all. We are physically there, but not present. Eating mindfully helps us to create some space, so that the intention to eat and the experience of the food may be more conscious and less reflexive.
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