Is hunger just a part of remaining thin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm skinny and I used to think hunger was necessary. But, I've cut out alcohol and eat a mostly raw, plant based diet now, and I feel like I am eating constantly to maintain my weight.

So you don't go out to dinner as entertainment. What do you do for fun?

[Anonymous]

I've been successful lately in losing weight, I've lost about 25 lbs in a couple months. I've found that being hungry feels much better than feeling full, in fact it is very satisfying psychologically knowing that when I'm hungry I'm losing weight. I eat healthy, small portions, well spaced out meals. Once your stomach adjusts to that you can find some satisfaction in the feelings of hunger and just being a lot less full than you may have in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm skinny and I used to think hunger was necessary. But, I've cut out alcohol and eat a mostly raw, plant based diet now, and I feel like I am eating constantly to maintain my weight.

So you don't go out to dinner as entertainment. What do you do for fun?

Not the poster you responded to, but if you are under the age of 70 and your preferred form of entertainment is going out to eat, that’s pretty sad. There will be time for being idle and having food served to you for entertainment when you can’t be active.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm skinny and I used to think hunger was necessary. But, I've cut out alcohol and eat a mostly raw, plant based diet now, and I feel like I am eating constantly to maintain my weight.

So you don't go out to dinner as entertainment. What do you do for fun?

Give blowjobs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm skinny and I used to think hunger was necessary. But, I've cut out alcohol and eat a mostly raw, plant based diet now, and I feel like I am eating constantly to maintain my weight.

So you don't go out to dinner as entertainment. What do you do for fun?

I'm the pp you're responding to. I switched to this because I was diagnosed with cancer and I want to give my body the best shot. I still go to dinner and tend to order vegetarian options. I don't overthink it though. The majority of the time, my diet is really healthy so having an odd indulgence isn't a big deal. It's not a religion, it's just an approach to nutrition.

[Anonymous]

Eventually you can learn to ignore hunger. It's not hard. It's how at 50 and after 3 c sections I still fit into my college jeans and have a flat stomach. That and and yoga/3 mile daily walks.

[Anonymous]

Also going out to dinner "for fun" just doesn't exsist for me. It never has. Food is food. Is some food better? Yes. But do I ever "gorge" on it? Never over the course of my life. I eat what I want until I feel full. My stomach is much smaller than most Americans, it seems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also going out to dinner "for fun" just doesn't exsist for me. It never has. Food is food. Is some food better? Yes. But do I ever "gorge" on it? Never over the course of my life. I eat what I want until I feel full. My stomach is much smaller than most Americans, it seems.

Going to a restaurant /= gorging on food. You just order whatever sounds appetizing and eat it, and then stop when you're full. It's like home, but someone else cooks and cleans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone who's easily thin truly like food?

Yep. I love food. I have coffee for breakfast most days, but enjoy filling and satisfying lunches and dinners, full of animal products, veggies, and a smaller amount of carbs/starches. Occasionally I’ll enjoy something like ramen for lunch, but I’ll make sure to eat it with substantial foods like eggs and pork belly, and balance it with a good dinner full of meats/seafoods and veggies. If I have a sandwich, I make sure it’s got a good amount of meat vs the bread. If I eat pizza, I take my time to enjoy a few pieces. Occasional fast food is also enjoyed, but not the super-sized meals of my youth. I’m happy with small fries and a cheeseburger. I feel like I’m enjoying the foods so many others are too scared to eat, so it doesn’t feel restrictive at all. I don’t snack and I’m not hungry between meals.

-42 years old-5’4”, 118 lbs.

42 is young! I Didn't start gaining weight until 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I wonder about this too. My job stresses me out, my teens stress me out. My default mode is stressed out. So I overeat. On the rare occasions I have a low stress week, eating well is a lot easier. If I were a lady of luxury with no job, tons of money, someone handling college stuff...I'm sure I'd be thin.

This was me when I was in my early/mid-40s. My DD put us through a LOT during her teen years. Not only could I not get through the stress while being hungry, I needed some sort of vice. It was sugar, but I supposed it could have been drinking or something else. I made my peace with it and didn't feel bad about myself at the time. I was unbothered by the extra weight.

Fast-forward to age 48, both kids in college. I was ready to make a change and it only took 7 or 8 months to lose the weight I had put on over a decade (and then some). I have exercised 6 times per week since then, eat way better and have kept all the weight off for several years now. I just needed enough time and energy to make it a routine and I just didn't have it when my kids were teens. Kudos to the perpetually size 00 4 am exercisers who haven't had carbs for 25 years, but that just wasn't me. I had to let something go.

One upside of letting things go - because I never did any yo-yo dieting over the years, I didn't mess up my metabolism. I can eat 2000+ calories a day for maintenance which is enough to keep me from going hungry.

Do you have a full time professional job as well? Hard to imagine going from not working out to working out 6 times a week while working 45 or 50 hours a week.

DP
I work out 7 days a week, work full time professional job, have 4 kids. I'm healthy....and 'healthy' weight (5'4"; 125lbs). As pp suggested, I too, stress eat. There is not much more I can do about the stressful life I have that I'm not already doing. If I want to maintain or lose weight I have to starve. It's the only lever I have left to pull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been successful lately in losing weight, I've lost about 25 lbs in a couple months. I've found that being hungry feels much better than feeling full, in fact it is very satisfying psychologically knowing that when I'm hungry I'm losing weight. I eat healthy, small portions, well spaced out meals. Once your stomach adjusts to that you can find some satisfaction in the feelings of hunger and just being a lot less full than you may have in the past.

I wish hunger brought me satisfaction. Darn this evolutionary survival feeling of discontent unadorned hunger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also going out to dinner "for fun" just doesn't exsist for me. It never has. Food is food. Is some food better? Yes. But do I ever "gorge" on it? Never over the course of my life. I eat what I want until I feel full. My stomach is much smaller than most Americans, it seems.

You sound perfect. What is it like to be perfect in a world of imperfection?

Seriously, I'll never know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been successful lately in losing weight, I've lost about 25 lbs in a couple months. I've found that being hungry feels much better than feeling full, in fact it is very satisfying psychologically knowing that when I'm hungry I'm losing weight. I eat healthy, small portions, well spaced out meals. Once your stomach adjusts to that you can find some satisfaction in the feelings of hunger and just being a lot less full than you may have in the past.

This is the reason I will never understand : it is very satisfying to feel hungry because it means you're losing weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm skinny and I used to think hunger was necessary. But, I've cut out alcohol and eat a mostly raw, plant based diet now, and I feel like I am eating constantly to maintain my weight.

So you don't go out to dinner as entertainment. What do you do for fun?

Not the poster you responded to, but if you are under the age of 70 and your preferred form of entertainment is going out to eat, that’s pretty sad. There will be time for being idle and having food served to you for entertainment when you can’t be active.

My husband rides 30 miles and I run most Saturdays. Then for fun we go out to dinner with drinks and hear a band, often, on Saturday night. What do you do as an active person for fun on Saturday nights?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eventually you can learn to ignore hunger. It's not hard. It's how at 50 and after 3 c sections I still fit into my college jeans and have a flat stomach. That and and yoga/3 mile daily walks.

That, and not having a high stress executive job. LOL.