I was reading the 'not easily full' thread and it got me to thinking about my particular oddities.

The thing that has always struck me odd about my body is the VAST differences in my hunger/full line. A good part of the time I am not too overly hungry and something like a grilled chicken sandwich is more than filling.

I don't fixate on food during those spells and just find myself stopping at a bite or two of this or that.

BUT . . . when I AM hungry, I am a bottomless pit, and I can eat embarrassingly huge amounts of food!

Beyond the chemical science of it all, I have wondered how that is physically possible?? How in the world can the same tummy that can feel a sense of satisfaction over half a pack of cheese crackers on one day, not feel physically full over scarfing down a whopper, fries, drink, and still leave nibbling on other things??

I can understand the chemical/biological aspect of hunger signals betraying you or not getting turned off correctly, but it seems like the physical amount of food would cause uncomfort and that in itself would be a signal of sorts.

I guess there are somethings I shall never understand

Totally struggling with this myself. I could never understand my mother being able to eat some crackers, fruit, maybe a small salad or cup of soup for lunch and not still being hungry. In fact, I don't ever remember food being an issue for mom. Eat, not eat, whatever. How can you not feel hungry when the volume of your food doesn't physically fill up your stomach?

Look at the tiny little folks who often win the competitive eating events. They couldn't eat like that every day or they'd weigh 800 lbs.

Stomach capacity is only a tiny piece of the hunger and satiety puzzle. Everything else is biochemistry (hormones, neurotransmitters, blood sugar...), psychology and social cues.

I totally get that, Katy! It's like, sometimes a small serving of something is more than enough, but other times I'm just SO hungry. And I have to eat. Luckily it doesn't happen all that often, so I let myself have a small bit of something else. I often find too that if I just eat a small thing, still feel hungry, but then wait half an hour or so, I don't feel hungry anymore. Maybe it's a boredom thing?

It used to surprise me that even when I wasn't overweight, I could pack away more in a meal than my BIL and he's massively obese. I guess the difference is the choice of food.

Katy - a similar thought crossed my mind when reading the 'not easily full' thread. I used to say my tapeworm showed up today.

The thing that I find strange as well is that sometimes I can feel that I am becoming uncomfortably full and stop and sometimes I can eat like I have a hollow wooden leg.