[breakfreein]

As I lose weight through learning intuitive eating, I'm constantly adjusting my hunger and fullness levels.
What kind of hunger/fullness scale do you use? I'm pretty happy with about 5 levels: starving, hungry, neutral, full, stuffed. But I also found that there are about a jillion scales out there in internet-land.

[rockinrobin]

I count calories, as I find intuitive eating just doesn't work for me. I need the accountability of actually counting and therefore putting limits on the amount of food that I eat. I never knew when to stop eating, even though I was satisfied/full, even stuffed at times. I ALWAYS had room for more. I also pretty much adhere to a schedule, eating every 2 1/2 hours or so, this way I never get starving. I simply hate that feeling. Getting too hungry is a scary place for me. It can send me straight into overeating.

HAving found the right calorie level for me, and keeping to a certain level at each meal, keeps my hunger in check and tells me when to stop, I simply can't rely on intuition. My dopey intuition tells me to keep on eating and eating and eating.

[JayEll]

Hey! I hope you get some replies from other intuitive eating folks. You might also try posting in the Whole Foods Lifestyle Forum and in General Diet Plans, so more people will see your question. Like Robin, I'm a calorie counter.

I will say that my concept of "full" has changed as I've lost weight. In the past I overate, and it took awhile before my body adjusted to feeling full on less food. But now I'm satisfied with much less than I used to eat. So, I guess if I had been using a scale, it would have changed as I lost.

Jay

[shrinkingchica]

I use a 1-10 scale; from starving to stuffed with 5 being neutral. And I heard that you shouldn't go beyond a 3 or an 8.

[sidhe]

It sounds very "mystical", and I'm sorry for that, but if I listen closely I hear a little voice in my head that says, "that's enough". I'm trying hard to listen. I know that probably doesn't help you, but that's the way I'm learning to do it.

[LeedaRenee]

I also can't really eat intuitively and am a calorie counter. I often have to wait about 10 minutes after I eat until I feel really full and not still hungry.

[wisher]

I'm also a calorie counter on a schedule (eat every 3 hours) but eating intuitively still plays into my plan. If 3 hours rolls around and I'm not hungry I won't eat, if 2 hours rolls around and I honestly am hungry I'll have an early snack. My "scale", like yours, has 5 major points on it. The difficulty for me is accurately defining exactly where I stand, not on the 2 ends but when I'm in the "neutral" zone. Sometimes it gets fuzzy and I have to ask myself and analyze - amd I actually hungry or am I bored and just want to eat?

[gailr42]

I find that if I eat regular meals, and never get more than just "hungry", I do fine. I serve myself up my portion controled meal and eat it. It doesn't take a whole lot of food to make me feel satisfied as long as I eat reguarly.

What I really have to watch is mindless eating. I try to create a food enviornment where there aren't too many opportunities, but it doesn't always work.

[Altari]

I only have two states lately : hungry and not hungry. I used to blame my gall bladder for my ridiculous stomach aches, but then I finally gave myself a mental slapped a realized that was my third state - stuffed - which I've recently abandoned. Yes, I got the terrible stomach afflictions because I have no gall bladder and my liver is shot, but I was doing it to myself by gorging like an animal.

Sometimes, like for the last week since I've been sick, I don't get hungry at all. Then I force myself to eat something every 4 hours. I have a feeling that once I get over this bought of whatever, I'll temporarily find a new marker : starving.

For the most part, though, since I've gotten my eating under control, it's either hungry or not. I deal with my body's lag time on recognizing fullness by eating small amounts while I'm cooking my children's dinner. Like, I'll cook my fish while I'm making their pasta, and I'll eat it while I'm cooking their fish. If I'm still hungry, I'll nibble on the veggies while I'm getting their plates ready. Then, while they're eating, if I'm still hungry, then I'll go for some pasta. It's not the most scientific method, but it generally seems to work. Since I'm pacing myself, my body can catch up and say 'not hungry' and I'll always have something to do so I won't feel obligated to eat that pasta.

[CharlottesMum]

Im a calorie counter as well...I need more structure in my diet...

[JayEll]

Hey CharlottesMum,

Jay

[Kery]

I don't use a scale with numbers, that always confuses me. Although you could say I have 5 states as well: grumbling stomach (hungry), nausea (VERY hungry + in dire need of protein), nothing (neutral), not hungry anymore (satisfied/full) and about to burst out of my jeans (too full). Blessed be non-elsastic waists for the latter, by the way.

But since I don't want to take any chances, I also count my calories, just to be on the safe side.

[mrsgeb2]

I just try to eat less and better.

I once read a post by someone here that said:
"I now realize I don't have to feel full after every meal just satisfied."

That really stuck with me for some reason. I now try to eat something every 2-3 hours during the week. (Weekends are HARD, because I'm usually so busy.) By the time I get to lunch a small simple Michelina's frozen dinner and some fruit are enough because I'm not STARVING! The only times I may end up STARVING are of course in the morning and right before going to bed.

Some people say it does not matter how late you eat but I try to eat mostly during the day before 4pm. After 4pm I'll only eat light (fruit, popsicle, maybe some celery and light dressing) My mother lost a signifigant amount of weight by just cutting out eating after 6pm, so I know it can be done. Lunch is always the biggest meal of the day for me.

I was also once told by a friend that a study was done on the effects of eating times. The study had half the group eat a big meal for lunch and the other half eat that same meal for dinner. Of course excerise was included but the half that ate the big meal for lunch lost more weight that the half that ate it for dinner.

Just something to think about!

[Hope20]

I have chosen eating much healthier foods and 5-6 times a day usually every 2-3 hours. I don't count calories I have a mental scale that tells me I should stop like someone on here said a little voice that says you have had too much. Usually w/e I am eating has a serving recommendation so I usually go by that. Also if I am unsure I eat veggies, I can def till if I am full and if I get full on veggies I am a little safer then if I do it on cheese or turkey

My meal plan has gotten better week bye week...I have just tweaked it abit.

Hope that helps..good luck