How Do I Respect My Fullness?

Last week, I wrote about honoring your hunger. On the flip side, this week I will discuss how to respect your fullness. Feeling your fullness is principle number six out of the ten principles that make up Intuitive Eating. 

It is important that we honor our hunger, but it is also important for us to feel our fullness and listen to those signals that we are no longer hungry. Respecting your fullness is similar to honoring your hunger in that you rebuild trust with your body by listening to your internal cues. If you are not honoring your hunger there is a high chance that you’ll approach a meal in a ravenous state which raises your chances of overeating.

Many of us have been conditioned to ignore our internal cues because of dieting, thanks diet culture (sarcastic)! We suppress our hunger early in the day only for us to overeat at dinner time and eat past being comfortably full. We start these diets that make us apply rules to how much we eat, when we eat, what to eat, etc. and we begin to distrust what our bodies are trying to say to us. 

In addition to dieting, think of how you were raised. Were you allowed to leave the dinner table once your plate was clean? This is commonly referred to as the “clean plate club.” Now there is nothing wrong with finishing everything on your plate. The issue arises when that is what you do every time you eat without checking into your cues and how you’re feeling. There is an aspect of mindfulness that should be applied to help you not get to the uncomfortably full stage of your meal. No matter your past, you can feel your fullness. With patience and self respect you can get there. 

So what are some common signs of fullness?

• Pressure/discomfort in your belly.

• Begin to feel sluggish. 

• You lose interest in food. 

• Tight stomach. 

Here are some tips for how to notice and feel the signs of fullness:

Put the distractions away. 

How often do you eat while working, watching the tv or playing on your phone? I’m guilty of this too! While I was in school, we compared the American eating culture to the European eating culture. Most of the time our meals are rushed, sometimes even eaten in the car, and last about 20-30 minutes. In Europe, meals last for hours. You eat, drink and talk without distractions. You get to sit and taste and complement the food. It’s so different, and I wish our eating habits resembled more of the European eating habits. It’s so easy to tune out and unconsciously eat.  So, if we put the distractions aside, would we be able to tune in and genuinely enjoy the meal? That’s my goal!

Stop when you’re full. 

This sounds silly to say because it sounds so simple, but it’s not always the case. Fullness for each person is different. You should never compare how much you have eaten to how much your friend, family member, or boyfriend has eaten because everyone's needs are different. As I have said before, you are your own expert! So, how does fullness feel to you? Is it the absence of hunger, lack of interest in the food you’re eating or an expanded belly? The key is to stop when you are comfortably full and before you are uncomfortably full. There are no rules, so if you overeat, that’s okay! Have grace and self compassion. If you make rules around when you HAVE to stop eating, that could lead to restriction. The major cause of eating past comfortable fullness is restriction. Think about it this way, if you could have any food at any time, why would you need to overeat it?

If you are full and have a lot of food left, think about saving it for later and how great it will be to be able to eat that whenever you want. You are respecting your fullness! This was a big one for me. I used to overeat all the time, but once I got to the point where I was comfortably full, I would take a step back and remind myself that even though this meal is so delicious I can save it and have it again later without becoming uncomfortable. 

If you have trouble determining when you are full, you can refer to the Hunger/Fullness Scale I discussed last week. It’s recommended to stop eating around #7, but remember there are no hard rules when it comes to practicing Intuitive Eating. So that could look different for everyone depending on the meal. 

The Hunger/Fullness Scale:

1- Painfully hungry- physically ill, nauseated.

2- Extremely hungry- ravenous, gnawing in stomach, moody.

3- Very hungry- low energy, stomach continuing to growl.

4- Hungry- stomach slightly empty, ready for food. 

5- Neutral- Not hungry or full.

6- Mild fullness- Feel some sensations of fullness but can still eat. 

7- Comfortably full- Feel content and satisfied.

8- A little too full- Uncomfortably full.

9- Very full- Really uncomfortable, stuffed. Think of a meal like Thanksgiving.

10- Painfully full- Feel nauseated or sick, physically ill.  

Slow down. 

Before a meal, maybe take a few deep breaths before eating. Consciously chew your food before swallowing. Take a pause or two throughout your meal and assess where you are at. Not only will this help with your digestion, this will help you build back the trust that has been disconnected between you and your body. 

We are born intuitive eaters. We have the power to listen to our bodies, we just have to intentionally take time to get back in touch with ourselves. As I have said, it takes time and lots of patience but you got it! If that’s you, working with a dietitian can help guide you to successfully identify hunger and fullness cues. Click here if you’re interested in working with me!