Tag Archives: hunger signals

More Help on Stopping When Full

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Many of us have a much easier time starting to eat when hungry rather than stopping eating when comfortably full. In addition to yesterday’s suggestions, eating more slowly will help with with your ability to stop when full. Being mindful while you eat will allow you to really taste what you are eating so the eating experience fully registers. When we are distracted while eating, it’s easy to keep on eating because we are not receiving the full pleasure of the experience.

 

Slow your meal down. Breathe. Stop now and again to check in with your body’s fullness level. Try standing up halfway during the meal to see how your body is responding to the food. You might walk into another room to remind yourself that there are other things in your life you might do besides eating.

 

During the meal, remind yourself, that if you stop now, you can always have more food later. In fact, the sooner you say goodbye to this meal, the more quickly you will get hungry again and be able to eat.

 

If you are able to stop eating when comfortably full, notice how not being stuffed feels. This positive feeling of being comfortably full rather than stuffed is important to focus on and remember. Recalling this memory of being comfortable after eating can help motivate us to stop when full in the future.

 

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Trouble Stopping When Full?

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Do you find it difficult to stop eating when full? Perhaps you don’t want to stop because the food tastes so yummy. Maybe stopping means returning to uncomfortable feelings such as stress, boredom, loneliness, fill in the blank. Or stopping might mean going back to doing something, like working, that you’d rather avoid. The first step in helping yourself to stop when full is to bring mindfulness to exactly what is happening.

 

To do this, identify and vocalize what you are feeling. Say out loud or quietly, “I don’t want to stop! This tastes so good!” Or “I don’t’ want to go back to feeling lonely, sad, etc.!” Acknowledge your feelings and bring compassion to yourself. Tell yourself, “Of course it’s hard to stop. It’s not fun to feel sad, lonely, etc.”

 

Stop for a moment and breathe. Put your hands on your heart. Allow youself to feel the loss that comes with stopping. Let yourself frown. Comfort yourself as you would a small child. Then, think of something kind you can do for yourself if you stop eating.