thanks :) I also know it will come off, I'm certainly not interested AT ALL in going backwards, so, there is no other place for it to go but... AWAY :)



to be honest, no! I only feel full literally when I eat too much. I do like to have a bit of bulk in my lunch for example (the rice or pasta), but that's a "like" - I'm not really even sure if it does *anything* for me at all (as far as make me feel full). I'm OK with that - I'm not starving to death or something :lol: I just don't like feeling hungry. I've had dinner just one hour ago and I feel hungry again. And like Robin suggested I just ate TONS of veggies and a huge healthy piece of fish. Alas, that's how it goes.

I am not super keen on mints and with gum I tend to get mouth sores. Tea is ok, I enjoyed my tea today, but it's really just prolonging the inevitable.

I also love my morning and mid-afternoon fruit (and am still going to have my yoghurt and fruit, but not the extra apples and mandarins), there's something about the ritual of having that break and a little piece of fruit that makes me feel like I'm away for 10 minutes. I used to have a 2nd Latte ;) that's been replaced by fruit which will be replaced by tea until I find a veggie that I want to snack on when I feel hungry.

Thanks for the reply :)


I've been through that before, back in 2000 so I tried to remember what I did previously (I never had a plateau this long) - I have also had a few weekends where I threw caution to the wind and then I gained (of course!). Then I had stellar weeks and gained and then a half/half and lost. I mean really, I give up trying to trick my body as well!

But again - in the US fruit is not zero and I understand that. Here in NL it is. So I really don't know how I would count fruit to start off.

ok, one more thought which I'm not sure if someone asked about yet - how much water are you drinking? Sometimes, what feels like hunger is really thirst. And sometimes, it's true hunger but I can mask it for at least a little while if I drink a big glass of water.

And the other thing is that you may just have to train yourself to not eat until you feel stuffed from eating too much. That whole "stomach shrinking" thing. I don't know if it's really a physical thing, I think it's probably more mental - but I think we get used to that overstuffed feeling as "this is how I feel when I'm full" and we can train our minds/bodies to get used to feeling full on a smaller amount of food. It might not be a fun few days but I think there is a good chance you could adjust the amount of food down and get more used to it.

Now you've got me wondering. I am questioning whether or not your are mistaking not feeling full with being hungry. They are two different things.

Back in the day I ate till I was stuffed, most often to the point of discomfort, sometimes to the point of VERY MUCH discomfort. I actually ate all day long. Grazed and grazed and grazed, so therefore -

I had to re-learn what being satisfied and sated felt like. I'm assuming I at least knew what that felt like when I was an infant and toddler. With the exception of my enormous salads which literally leave me feeling as if I can not eat another bite, I am never (probably rarely is a better description) to the point of full (when I'm on plan that is ;)). I eat my allotted calories, the calories that I have already determined to be the *right* number for me, and without a doubt I feel as if I've got room for more. But I don't have more. That feeling passes VERY quickly and minutes later, I will feel more than satisfied, content. But I don't think I'd actually call it full.

Soooo, I was just wondering if perhaps you are mixing up your hunger/full/satisfied cues.

Okay, I just found this. Here is the article. I will also give the link in case the mods think/feel/know that the whole article should not be displayed.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Rate-Your-Hunger&id=982250

Rate Your Hunger


People who struggle with weight often have difficulty identifying the difference between true physical hunger and head hunger. To lose weight, it is necessary to be aware of the differences. Sometimes this is a challenge because head hunger can be so convincing (loud) and persistent that we believe it is physical hunger. We need a strategy to be able to recognize them and respond accordingly in a healthy way. A great tool in your weight loss strategy belt is to use the chart below to rate your hunger. It will help you to identify the type of hunger you're experiencing.

Physical hunger starts to occur about two to four hours after your last meal. Symptoms include an empty or rumbling feeling in your stomach. If you ignore this signal you body sends you a stronger physical signals in the form of a headache, dizziness or lightheadedness. This type of hunger is your body's way of telling you it is time to nourish it. The physical hunger gives you true physical cues.

Head hunger occurs at any time and has no physical symptoms. They may seem like physical cues but if you pay attention, they really aren't. Thinking compulsively about food, emotional situations, specific personal triggers, or food cravings may cause you to think that you are hungry when you're really not. Watching television, being bored and wanting to eat is head hunger. Grazing is head hunger. You almost feel as though you're feeding an empty hole and can't eat enough to feel satisfied.

Think of your stomach as a fuel tank. Would you overfill your vehicle's fuel tank? No! The same applies to your body too. Visualize a food gauge similar to your fuel gauge.

To help you to identify which type of hunger you're feeling and what action you should take, the Rate Your Hunger chart is helpful. Again, in using this chart, think of your stomach as a fuel tank with its own gauge.

RATE YOUR HUNGER CHART

1: Extremely uncomfortable, feel "starving" physically, dizzy, irritable, headache.

2: Very hungry, empty or rumbling in your stomach, feeling lightheaded.

3: Hungry and need to eat.

4: Signals of true hunger are starting to occur.

5: Content and satisfied, neither full or hungry sensations.

6: Knowing that you have eaten and feel satisfied.

7: Feeling satisfied and physically don't need to eat any more food.

8: Uncomfortably full, you are overly full.

9: Very uncomfortable, you need to loosen your clothes.

10: Stuffed to the point of feeling sick (similar to the full feeling at Thanksgiving).

You can use this chart to rate your hunger. Check in with yourself every time you want to eat. Is it head hunger or true physical hunger? Listen to your body and it will tell you. As dieters, we're not used to listen to our body. Some of us don't trust our bodies. We're so used to a diet telling us what to eat and when to eat it that we've turned off the physical cues. When you're aware of your body and use the Hunger Chart, you'll get back in tune with it. You'll be able to distinguish the various levels in the chart.

On the chart, if you're at number 6 or 7, you have satiety. You're comfortable and feel physically nourished. If you're above this number on the chart you have overeaten. If you are at number 5, you are neutral, nether hungry or full. If you are at a number 4, then you are beginning to get hungry and need to consider eating soon. If you let your hunger go for a while you will start to feel the physical signs of hunger of number 3. To avoid overeating because you're overly hungry, set a goal to eat at the number 3 level. You will tend to eat too fast and eat beyond a comfortable feeling of satiety or fullness to get rid of those bad physical feelings. Pay attention and tune into your body. Start eating when you're at a number 3 and stop eating when you are comfortably full at a number 6 or, at the most, a number 7.

Keep a log of your feelings of hunger using the Hunger Chart. This will assist you to become more familiar with your body's physical cues. You can identify if you are waiting too long to eat or eating beyond a comfortable, satisfied level. Also note what and how much you're eating and the hunger rating when you started eating and the level you at to and stopped.

Just as with your vehicle's fuel tank you are in charge of how much you put into it, you're in control of your own body's fuel tank too. By eating when you're truly hungry and stopping when you're satisfied, weight loss and maintenance will occur naturally.

I drink a lot of water, normally 1½ litres per day minimum (3 x 18oz). And I think I have the training down pat with the stuffing thing :lol: at least, during the day, dinner has been a different story. As we speak I am training it again to have no mid-morning snack, to get used to the empty feeling and also prove to myself that I'm not going to keel over if I don't eat every few hours.





great post and reminder about the Hunger Scale. WW does use this scale too, but not in such detail. I will print this out and put it in my paper journal so I can delve into this a bit more. Recently I actually had a chat with myself about this "hungry" feeling and like I said above, reminded myself that it's actually OK to be hungry sometimes, but I do need to listen closely and pick up the cues of what my limits are. Thanks Robin!


By the way, I did have my Double Short Non-Fat Latte this morning. Baby steps I guess - another try tomorrow (I did run this morning for 40 minutes and I changed my breakfast a bit so I think calorie-wise I'm still the same as planned last night).

You know, PinkiePie, if it were as simple as cutting out a double short non-fat latte, we'd all be thin. Know what I mean? :lol:

I know you're casting about for The Answer that will make you start losing again, but I think if you consult with your WW leader and STICK with your plan, rather than trying to micromanage it, eventually things will change. I hope so! :hug:

Jay

hmmm, we could all try it! and We'll give it a silly name like "the No Latte Diet" garanteed to lose weight in 30 days or your money back!

Thanks Jay -- I just thought I could try to cut it and several fruit servings out and maybe it would make a difference. But I was up at 4.20 this morning - by the time I got to work I just mentally NEEDED my latte! I realise this is an "excuse", and I'm ok with that.

I just don't know when I can talk to my leader. I don't go every week. I have an arrangment with her that I can come whenever I like because I'm doing the online program as well. I'm a lifetime member so I just have to pay on the weeks that I go since I'm over my goal weight. It has been some time though so I will go soon or try to find her phone number.