What is it about hunger that makes us feel so uncomfortable?
What is it about hunger that makes ME feel so uncomfortable??
I can not ever remember a time in my life where I worried about whether I would have a meal or not. I mean I know, when I was a kid we were poor and we didn’t always have huge amounts of food to eat. We also ate things like cereal for dinner, and cheap meals like macaroni and cheese, pork chops and apple sauce and tinned vegetables. But it’s not like we missed meals all together.
I feel like I complain about hunger a lot. I don’t like to be hungry. I don’t like to be late for my lunch. I don’t even like not having something to eat every couple of hours, though lately I have been skipping a morning snack all together in the hopes that my stomach/head will adjust to the difference and deal with it accordingly.
I don’t really feel like I’ve adjusted at all though. I have the feeling now that I’m just suffering through until lunch. That if other people can make it without eating surely I can. I’m not going to die, after all, just because I’m “empty”.
I’ve also been trying to eat “like a Dutch person”. The Sandwich Phenomenon. I wrote about it on my other blog. These are not like “American” sandwiches, with the works, these are literally 2 slices of bread, a very thin layer of margarine (that I’m not doing) and a slice of cheese or lunch meat and that’s it. So let’s say a Dutch person would have two “sandwiches” (an American “half”) for breakfast and four for lunch with various different toppings. I’m not knocking this entirely, I swear, even though it may seem like a broken record to some. My husband eats like this. Every day without fail. Toppings may include peanut butter as well, or Nutella, or butter/margarine with chocolate sprinkles.
So, I have been eating an American sandwich for breakfast and two for lunch. And this costs me a LOT of points. A LOT. Bread itself is 3 points per 50g. NO slice of bread out there (that is worth eating, to me) weighs only 25g. I would say the average that 2 slices of bread weighs is around 65 – 70gr. This is costing me 4.5 – 5 points.
Keep in mind I could eat an entire tub of yoghurt for 5 points. A pound of yoghurt.
I could eat 2 eggs for 5 points.
I could eat 250 g of chicken for 5 points.
So this is just bread we are talking about. Then I add something to the bread. This is leaving me VERY little points for dinner.
So my question is (and it’s purely rhetorical, I am sure) how on EARTH do people eat ONLY sandwiches during the day (and I’m not having peanut butter or Nutella by the way) and have a normal meal in the evening AND STAY SO FREAKING thin/normal weight???
I am absolutely STARVING.
Yes I know I shouldn’t say that. I’m not starving of course. But I’m uncomfortably hungry. Really, really hungry. No it’s not thirst. It’s not emotions. It’s not stress. It’s pure, unadulterated hunger.
I really have no idea how I am supposed to keep my body fueled so that it doesn’t feel like this, but I’ve really got to find a solution soon.
I’ve just calculated all my points for today pre-dinner. 28 is the total. I get 29 per day. So, if I’m THIS HUNGRY when I feel I’ve had so little to eat, could something be wrong?
How do YOU deal with the Hunger?
You know, I think it’s different for everyone.
I calorie count and I find I’m a daytime eater, meaning I’ve rarely EVER snacked after dinner. I snack during the day.
My usual plan is to eat around 300 calories for breakfast. (5:30 am)
A 200 calorie snack around 9:30-10
A 400 calorie lunch at 12:30
A little something 100 cals if I’m hungry when I get home at 3:30
Then I totally gorge myself on dinner because I have 800-1000 calories left.
I dunno, it works for me. Like I said, I think you just gotta find your trick.
What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I’m a calorie gal now but I did WW for a long time. And there are ways to eat more food, volume-wise, for fewer points.
Some breakfast ideas: scrambled egg whites w/ diced veggies & low fat cheese (hardly any points at all!); 1/2 of a slice of bread w/ one egg, 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 ounce almonds.
Lunch: 1/2 sandwich loaded with low-point toppings and sides: lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, sliced cucumbers. Use avocado as your spread instead of mayo – saves cals/points AND gives you healthy fat! Or, try taking leftovers from dinner the night before – I actually rarely eat sandwiches.
Anyhow, there’s a thread on the WW message boards called “Eat More, Lose More” and they have GREAT ideas for ways you can eat more and still lose, including ways to use your points to get the most filling food.
Hang in there!
When you figure this out let me know. this is the main problem I had when counting WW points. I don’t seem to have the issue as much counting my calories out for myself though. I’ve found that if I load up on veggies I tend to feel fuller. I used to have to eat lots of meat and bread to feel full. It just takes time for your body to adjust to the change or corrected eating habits I think.
I do think that it is different for everyone and I DO KNOW that when I was working to lose weight and initially FELT THE HUNGER I migrated toward…lesser choices.
crap :)
in a panic.
now I learn that when my body feels the hunger it is calling out for FUEL to get me through the day and I give it such.
suresure I eat…junk treats candy whatever you wanna call it…but Im also aware that 99 percent of the time I eat that IM NOT HUNGRY its just part of a total experience for me (movies etc)
hey, thanks for the responses! I posted a Part II to try and explain a bit more.