Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky
I've become so disconnected with my natural hunger and fullness cues that I'm not really sure when I'm hungry and when I just want to eat these days. I'm really working on that right now. But still unless I am starving I cannot tell you whether I'm really and truly hungry or whether I just want to eat.
Some of you completely know where I am and some think it sounds bizarre, but it's where I'm at. It's why I struggle with intuitive eating, mindful eating, etc. I think I'm hungry when I'm just...NOT. It comes from years of alternating between ignoring my hunger in an attempt to lose weight and then eating past fullness habitually. I used to think I was hungry pretty much always, and I either fed that hunger constantly or ignored it constantly.
That's why I have clung to counting calories in the past. If some chart can tell me how many calories to eat, then there's no more guesswork...just eat that much, period. But that can be a slippery slope to obsession for me. Sigh. Balance anyone?
Lately I am trying very hard to just focus on portions and eating regularly. I know about how much are good portions for me to eat and am trying to just stop there. For some reason this doesn't cause me to obsess like calorie counting, but is obviously much less an exact science as far as weight loss is concerned.
Since I've been trying to work out how to eat proper portions I often constantly have a nagging 'hunger' feeling even though I've eaten plenty. Sometimes I wonder if I don't just like to be full or even stuffed all the time!
I have found since starting the Paleo Diet last week I am experiencing the constant hunger less, I am hopeful this will continue. However I've come up with a few tricks to handle these 'hunger' feelings once I know I've eaten enough:
- I try to drink about a half liter of water 6 times a day. Usually with the meals and snacks that I eat. It give me that full feeling.
- I snack on apples. They really help me to feel full.
- Protein, protein, and more protein. By far eating more protein helps the most for me.
- After each meal is done I immediately clean up and put leftovers away. Keeps me from grazing through what's left just because it's there.
- At night if I start feeling snacky I brush my teeth. If I still feel bingey/snacky and know I've had enough to eat I simply go to bed. It's usually a sign that I'm up too late anyway. Sleep is a good thing.
What do you do when you've had enough to eat, but still want to eat more?
When I am full and still want to eat, that is a clear indicator that something is off emotionally and that is when it is time to really tune in a figure out what I am really feeling in that moment. If it isn't physical hunger, what kind of hunger is it? Am I tired? Am I bored? Am I angry? Am I still harping on something someone said to me a few days ago?
ReplyDeleteIf hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the answer.
It's just the mouth wanting food and your brain wanting food, not your stomach! I don't think it's emotional, necessarily.
ReplyDeleteI started writing a lot but then got inspired just to write it in a post! I'll post it tonight on my dieting blog. (sorry, I'm not trying to plug my blog, just letting you know!)
This seems to be the subject as WW a lot so you are NOT alone. smile.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with this all the time. Sigh. Let me know if you figure it out:)
ReplyDeleteIt takes homework.
ReplyDeleteYou decide what your diet will be. Schedule what you will eat and when. Losing weight is hard but does take discipline. You don't starve yourself...you should be eating every few hours to keep your metabolism up. I lost 75lbs it took almost a year.