I had an epiphany today! I was getting home from Bible School and though to myself, Gee, I'm hungry. Then I thought a little harder...No, I'm not. But, I'm not full! TADA!!!!! Before today I have ALWAYS associated a "not full" feeling with hunger. But that isn't it at all!!! Not full is not full. Hungry is empty. DUH! I wonder why I had never figured this out before????

I used to think that if I actually felt hunger pangs, I would faint. ha.

I ate a decent dinner this evening, but I'm still feeling hungry. I don't get it.

Since starting on this weight loss journey , I have had to rethink what it meant to be hungry too. Sometimes, I would think that I am hungry and really wasn't. I wasn't used to ever letting myself wait long enough before to actually get hungry. I ate all the time. Now, if I feel hunger, I will eat some-thing. Before, I ate before I ever felt hungry.

Yes changing what's in your head is the first step, then the rest will change too. I found that out as well. 3 squares a day and 2 snacks if needed, is my philosophy.

to me it's a big deal this time around to pay attention to hunger and fullness. Mindful eating when I feel hungry, never eating until I feel overfull (that's a cardinal rule). It does sound simple when I say it, I guess my brain got it all screwed up along the way!

I also try not to eat to "full". However, when I'm not full, I'm not even close to satisfied! Satisfied is what generally made me eat so far beyond full. I need to learn to be satisfied with MUCH less!

do you think your sense of full has to do with other things besides hunger? being anxious, bored, tired, etc.? I know I had to work on separating those things.

Hungry is finishing a 10k run in 30 degree heat and realising you could eat a horse!

I never knew what hunger was until I started exercising, I never felt like I really "used" my food before. There are days when I am working hard at the gym and I can almost feel my body drawing on its resources.

Hunger that I felt before was boredom and loneliness, and stress. I still struggle with the stress eating, but I'm getting better at that.

It has to. I have no other explanation for it.

I know that one of the things I really enjoy doing is reading recipe books...or recipe websites. That always makes me feel so hungry. So I've switched to reading them only AFTER I've just eaten.

Boredom is also something that drives me to feeling like I need to eat. Just for something to do. My stepmom suggested needlework or scrapbooking during those times. Then I wouldn't eat because I wouldn't want to get anything messed up! Sounds like it might just work. I'll definitely be giving it a try.

I also need to incorporate excercise like kykaree suggests. Using up the fuel I'm feeding myself so I can really feel hungry as itself...and none of these other things. My problem there is just plain and simple motivation. Maybe if I'd just start slow and go for a walk...then I'd be motivated to do more. I'm no where near running 10k though! haha I'm not sure I could even run around the block!

Thanks guys...you're certainly giving me things to think about!!!

I started at your weight and was really intimidated by exercise. I started with walking, then started swimming, then doing more structured exercise at the gym, and now I try anything once! I can't believe i can run. I'm not great, I'm slow, but I really don't care!!! As long as I do it.

Exactly! I often ask myself, "what am I really hungry for?" and usually it's not food.

reading recipes and watching cooking shows makes me hungry too, ha. at least it makes me crave the food.

I'm better at noticing the times I feel hungry -- during my period, when it gets hotter all of a sudden, exercising, things that require energy from me, then I get HUNGRY. I get hungrier too when I eat certain foods. Pasta doesn't hold me as long as yams and chicken does. (That glycemic load.)

I started slow with the exercise, basically walking about 12 short blocks every other day. Now I walk a mile about 5 to 6 times/week, go to the gym, etc. You don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it just has so many benefits I find it well worth putting my energy into it. For me there was a certain point that I got past that it became much easier. The foods harder for me, so the exercise saves me sometimes.

I find it true for me that the diet has to be good for the weight to come off, but the exercise gets me more and more into shape and helps.

Exactly! I often ask myself, "what am I really hungry for?" and usually it's not food.

me too! it's a relief in a way, makes it easier for me to not eat. I start to struggle when I get that "deprived" feeling going.

You know what's weird? Before I began my new lifestyle, I can't remember a time when I felt REALLY hungry. Because I was stuffing my face constantly. I went years not knowing what true hunger felt like.

Now I'm hungry a lot. But it doesn't bother me anymore, it's just something I've learned to live with.

I have only recently been experiencing this type of hunger on a regular basis. After exercising I really look forward to a meal. And there is no way that a meal of junk could possibly satisfy that kind of hunger. I absolutely crave certain carbs and proteins.

am i weird? but i find that excercising kills my appetite? u guys are saying that after a good hard workout you crave food because you've been using it? but excercise makes a lot of foods a would normally shovel in seem sickening...