How has your hunger changed?
 

So, I'm eating a lot less than I was. And less fat, although more fiber & protein. Less bread & grains (but not low-carbing it by any means). Drinking a lot less too - drinking plenty of water plus some coffee and tea, but not nursing a Diet Coke all-day-long. I'm a bit hungry at times, but I'm fine with riding that for a while and seeing how my body adjusts, and learning to recognize when I'm a lot hungry, just a little, or full without being stuffed. I'm doing alright - I'm not afraid it's gonna "get me," but I am feeling it a bit. It's actually kinda refreshing.

Did you find that your hunger changed? How long did it take to be more used to reasonable portions? And to stop confusing not being stuffed with being hungry? Did it get worse before it got better?

I'm not talking about craving certain foods or "bad" foods (maybe I should call that "not as good" foods) as much as I mean general quantity and fullness.

For me, the first few days of a diet are the hardest. Its like a detox or something. Once the first few days are over and my stomach has shrunk down to a more realistically healthy size, i find that i dont get hungry as much and it doesnt take nearly as much to satisfy my hunger. As long as i stay away from sugar and refined carbs, and i keep protien and high fiber foods on hand...i can get full quickly and pretty much stay fine until the next meal time.

So basically, it happens w/i a week for me. But i have to make sure i am eating the right foods for that to happen. Like if i eat a white bagel for breakfast...i am hungry ALL DAY...no matter what i eat after that...i still stay hungry But if i eat a high protien high fiber cereal...i am good til lunch and dont have a problem getting full easily.

Well, I can not say my hunger has deviated much. When I am eating "good food" fiber rich and proteins, i simply do not get hungry. It is more so now me reminding myself to eat. Time will past since my last meal some times 4-6 hours and I realize 'Wowsers" why am I not hungry? I need to eat something! I never trully had hunger problem in the first place I am a recovering binge eater lol.

However, right after an intense work out session ( i work out late at night), sometimes I come back wanting to eat up the whole kitchen, I realized thats my bodies way of telling me I am dehyrdated so I usually have some cheddar cheese or pita chips for salt and drink more water and go to sleep

YES, I am the same way. I give myself Friday or Saturday usually for eating some extra calories. I tend to find that lunch meal out I was thinking about all week just wasn't as good once I actually had it. So weird and funny.
And, I can't eat "crap" anymore, it makes me feel sick. Now, I find I look forward more to my natural/organic snacks.

For me after about two weeks of dieting I am much more used to eating correct portions and never feel hungry. Also, as others have said, when you are really paying attention and eating all the right kinds of foods you do pretty much always feel full because they are nutrient and energy rich.

It's been a few years since I made the switch to whole wheat carbs, lean meats, and aiming for more veggies and fruits. Sometimes I revert to more packaged foods, mostly during exams. I find that when I am eating well I get hungry regularly, but I never get "binge-hungry". I completely lose the urge to binge, and it makes me wonder if my binges were based on my body lacking something it really needed.

I am in total agreement with the first few days being the worst. I am finding that I don't mindlessly eat like I use to. I am really aware of what is being eaten.

I've always eaten healthfully, except for brief periods of my life when I was in college and more concerned with partying and staying up all night. Generally, I kept processed foods to a minimum, but had indulged in processed meats. (I'm a slut for a good kosher hot dog!) I've given that sort of thing up more recently, so I'm not taking in as much sodium any more. I'm happy to report no more swollen ankles and fingers during my period.
Georgia

So, I am curious if you can give an update on how these things are going for you, Julie. Thanks!

Oh, things certainly change over time. You really do get used to less food, and that's really nice. It's been a year since that post (what a blast from the past - that was just after I started). Now I'm focusing on learning to stop before/when I'm full instead of just going by pre-selected portions. It's surprisingly hard to stop when you know you're "done" but there's still food left that you're "allowed" to have. But I'm starting to learn it and that feels nice too.

Thanks!

What a cool concept (that whole thing of eating in response to hunger that you can trust). Someday, hopefully science will show us how we get so off track from something so fundamental as compared to healthy-weight people! ;)

Still hungry all the time, still can eat past the point of fullness, still know I'm done with the plate is empty, still eat too fast - I'm still the same person (well, the same person who is addicted to roasted brussel sprouts instead of scones, so that's a little plus).

I am more aware of my habits, so manage them effectively. I only put on a plate what I should eat, so it doesn't matter if I clean my plate. I eat lots of vegetables to feel full.

I didn't find it possible to change HOW I ate, instead I changed how I ate to accommodate ME. Much less work and angst.

I don't find it angsty, I find it rewarding. It's abundantly clear that's a minority opinion around here :) Certainly calorie counting was helpful at first.

I find that after a little over a month on south beach my appetites changed alot. i used to never eat breakfast (huge mistake) and with doing so, i'm usually satisfied throughout the morning. although i do eat snacks in between, my portions have changed alot too. it used to be protein, veggie, and starch. now its protein and veggies and more veggies. once you eventually cut bad starches out and get away those cravings, it becomes much easier. keep goin ladies!

My hunger has DEFINITELY changed- for one I've started eating breakfast every morning- even if it's just a 150 calorie bar if I'm too busy to cook.

I also snack 2x during the day to help and I find I'm never starving anymore- before I'd hold off eating as long as I could. Now I eat like 8 am, then 11 am, then 2 pm, then 5 pm then maybe a snack after that. Keeping my blood sugar up and eating consistently totally helps.

I also don't crave bad stuff as much and mostly crave veggies and lean meats now :)

Yesterday my friend got mexican and it just didn't sound good to me at all!

I don't crave junky food anymore. I crave veggies and lean meat most of the time. When I get hungry, I realllllly get hungry. Before , it was more "head hunger" than real hunger. Times I do eat junky food, I do feel physically ill afterwards. You wold think I would have learned after all this time, but sometimes I seem to forget or it probably more selective rememebering. :P

I don't have nearly as many struggles as I used to with eating healthy. It is just how my life is now.. the lifestyle has changed and 95% of the time, the old ways aren't even on my radar anymore.

For me, right now, I have to say that hunger is detrimental to my success. It has been hunger that keeps me making the wrong choices, and for now, I allow myself to eat heartily. It's just the foods I choose to eat heartily , that is making the difference.

Having just started losing weight now, after gaining , gaining, long after I was trying to lose, my perspective is changing. So yes, I did gain before I started to lose, for several years now. It's a total mental set, not even so much as physical. I am not into deprivation, or no/low- carbs, dieting programs in the least, but very interested in WholeFooding it to superhealth, and increasing my protein intake, especially vegetarian. I know that for me, lifetime results come only by making those little lifestyle choices over time, nothing is overnight and weight goes off slow ( a little fast at first, but slower the more I lose, I am predicting) It may very well take me a year or more to lose this 50 pounds, but I'm already 5 pounds off, and what that does is face me in a certain direction, which is what I've wanted for a long time.

I'm planning on allowing myself plenty of the whole-healthy foods that I have as my OnPlan chosen 'munch' foods, such as my tabouleh-like mediterrainian salad of sorts, and just eat as much as I want, all day. It fills my gut before it maxes calories out. I had to come to terms with one behavior fact , and that is , for now, I need to be able to eat as much as I want... in front of the computer, wherever, and whenever... but it must be either tabouleh or watermelon/fruit , almost-plain popcorn. Other things, like the formal dinner entree that I make and serve with DH , I am conscious of portion sizes now, however with veggies, I allow myself as much as I want to eat, even if it was sauteed in oliveoil or butter. I am staying away from my favorite treat of ww toast w/ butter or even pb, because for now it remains to be a trigger food. I am excluding certain binge trigger foods for life , with rare exception of treat (milk chocolate, white flour pastries, sodas, etc) and training myself to be quite satisfied with non-trigger foods like almost-plain popcorn, dark bittersweet chocolate, whole grain foods... and trying, trying, trying to remember to eat more fruit (which has always been difficult, maybe not in future.)

yay!
 

Yay! Congrats!

I keep close track of my calories,and I feel like I eat a ton, but I really am eating only about 1200 calories a day. I eat for lunch a serving of beans, two servings of veggies, and one serving of fruit, and for dinner a main course, and two servings of veggies with a serving of low fat yoghurt, and it fills me up!!

I find that when I eat whole foods and stay away from the processed stuff, my desire for sugary stuff and junk goes almost completely away, and my appetite diminishes to the point where I have to remind myself to eat. At my current weight I have to eat more than I have the appetite for to lose 2 lbs a week, so it's a bit challenging to stay away from the denser, high calorie stuff that lets me reach my caloric goals easily. I've been dong it with raw mixed nuts and avocado mostly, but I sometimes let my addiction to Pepsi help me! I figure that if I'm eating mostly whole foods and home-made meals, my Pepsi won't kill me. (Hey, I at least switched to Throwback!) :-)