Hello, friends. I wanted to ask if there is ever a time when you know that you're eating too much? Like eating a meal and being starving right after, or eating big meals and stuffing your face, only for your stomach to growl at you 1-2 hour later I mean, I eat anywhere from 4 to 6 meals a day, sometimes 8, and I still feel hungry at the end of the day. My meals are a bit smaller than what you would consider meals, such as a club sandwich or a bowl of cereal, but I still feel hungry and in the mood for even more food, mostly before bed. There is where I kind of binge on whatever I can find. That's probably not the best, but I'm not much for food. I don't know anything about it really since I just shoved most things down my throat. Don't have any meals I could try you could tell me about, do you? Can you people also tell me about the foods you eat, when, how much you eat so I can get a better idea of how to eat more healthy? Oh, and drinks, too. Thank you. Also, did I post this in the right place?
I practice mindful eating. I eat three meals a day, but always stop before I'm full. I allow myself a snack if I feel hungry, but in a controlled portion (I usually go by the serving size on the package). I eat something small and dairy based (yogurt, a little cheese, milk) about an hour and a half before bedtime, because it helps me sleep. I always eat as slowly as I can, since I enjoy my food more and fill up faster that way. Could you be a bit dehydrated? You might try drinking a glass of water, milk, or decaf unsweetened iced tea the next time you're "improperly" hungry. But really, your body knows what it needs, and you should listen to it, even if you think you're eating "too much."
Coming from somebody who after indulging themselves in food notices the instant effect it has on their body, I get where you're coming from. It's good you are inquiring of your tendencies for insights from others rather than researching for an answer and blindly following that (yes, this or off-topic/spam/test are both fit for this subject). I had high metabolism that's quickly slowing down, and a big thing that's helped is to resist eating until you're full (as violaceopes mentioned). If you want to eat less meals during the course of your day, know that it takes anywhere between 3 weeks to 3 months to develop a new habit; training your brain to eat less is possible. As for your tendency to get hungry fast - try adding more eggs and beans! Proteins help you stay full longer as they take longer to digest than carbs.
Interesting answers, friends. Thank you. I'm certain I have too many carbs, mostly from bread. That's one thing that needs cutting down. Originally I barely ate food, and so my body went into starvation mode. I assume that made me gain weight. I started eating normally, or more than normal two years ago and lost close to two stone in over summer. Still got some fat on me, mostly stomach. I'm 12 stone 14 pounds in weight, and am 24. Think I'm still losing weight very slowly. The only protein I get is from peanut butter, so I certainly need more protein foods. Thank you, friends.
Your body is questioning when you're going to start starving it again, and trying to get you to eat more to pack on some insurance. I drop to like ~500 calories a day when I'm stressed or depressed, so I understand barely eating, but it's so bad for you. @DzKnight is right about protein - you also can't go wrong with complex carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat, etc. that digest more slowly, mess with your blood sugar less, and keep you full longer.
I'm half bulimic, I just binge and don't purge afterwards. But in all seriousness, there's a lot of research out there showing that we tend to crave unhealthier food later in the evening, and poor eating habits are often related to sleep patterns. I've gotten used to sleeping from 5AM - 11AM during college, and it caused me to not be hungry until like... 4PM but then crave really shitty greasy foods once it hit like 1AM.
Best way to to eat is to track your macro nutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates & Fats) and adjust them accordingly to fit them with your goal. There's a bunch of information out there on the Interwebs, but if anyone has questions, feel freel to ask away.
