For this intuitive eating principle, which was written by Corinne Denman with additions by Kelly, we are going to discuss what feeling your fullness means. Specifically, we want to listen and get in tune with our body signals letting us know when we are no longer hungry (the signs that show you are comfortable and full).1 You can do so by pausing for a moment while eating and questioning yourself what your current fullness level is.1
There are a variety of ways that make it difficult to experience fullness. Barriers can make it difficult to “hear” and sense your body’s signal of fullness.1 These barriers might be social pressure to eat past fullness. For some, they tend to overconsume when they get a chance to go out to eat with some friends or get invited over for a feast.
Distracted Eating
Some examples of situations that may distract you from eating would be watching television, texting, reading a book, surfing the internet, performing household chores, checking your email, etc.1
Yes, some of the simplest tasks can pose a distraction. While eating and getting distracted, you are still aware of what you put in your mouth and the general flavor, but you are missing out on a deeper level of sensory aspects of that food.1 This can be described as the flavor you are tasting, the texture (maybe it is crunchy? or smooth?), temperature (cool? or warm?), and smell (maybe it is a food with a hint of cinnamon, etc). Even though you are multitasking – eating and having a distraction, sometimes our brains tend to pay attention to one thing at a time.1 Given all of this, you may be too occupied with things other than eating, which can reduce the enjoyment of your meal time, but also diminish your sense of fullness until you eat more than you need, and end up feeling too full.
Boundaries
We can certainly set boundaries when we are eating a meal. For example, we might excuse electronics from the table and avoid answering or talking on the phone. Designating a spot in the house (kitchen table or dining table) can help create a pleasant environment free from electronic distractions. Another way to create a pleasant environment is playing background music, lighting a candle, and/or cute décor (such as flowers) on the table).1
Cleaning your plate
Did you grow up in a household where your parents/caregiver told you to “clear your plate?” Well, having that long-term mindset of cleaning your plate, regardless of how much is served, can disconnect you from your fullness cues. Our bodies can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis for hunger and portion sizes, especially for women just before their menstrual period (experiencing more carb-related cravings). With that in mind, the portion of food we give ourselves initially may fill us up before we can even finish it. But instead, your mind is fixated on the stopping point being when the plate is cleared.1 That is okay… so many people feel this way, but from now on we want to dive into those hunger/fullness cues to get a sense of what our body is telling us – even if we haven’t eaten everything on our plate. Think of packaged food – it is easier to eat the whole portion provided, but say you had a balanced snack 1 hour before dinner. It would not be surprising if you (after recognizing your fullness cues) do not finish the entire portion of that package. But you also may finish that portion – and that is okay! The idea of intuitive eating is to fuel yourself in a way that leaves you feeling satiated and happy; and not feeling guilty, uncomfortably full, or hungry. The only way to know is by looking for those signs of satisfaction.
Say No
Like many other things, it is okay to say no! If someone offers you food, especially common in social settings, it can be hard to say no. Or maybe the server is being polite and offering you more food to get the most out of what you are paying for (I work at Olive Garden, so constant breadsticks, salad, and soup are offered), but it is so important you take the lead in honoring what your body signals to you. Again, it can be hard to put off foods offered or in front of us in social settings, but it deters our ability to sense our fullness cues, and you should not feel uncomfortably full because of it.1
Tribole, E and Resch, E in theThe Intuitive Eating Workbook is a helpful guide for these principles. They point out some ways to politely say no:
1. “No, thank you”
2. No. Thank you. Really”
3. “I would love to eat more but I couldn’t possibly have another bite without feeling uncomfortably full.”
4. “Wow, your dish looks amazing. I am so full, but I would love to get the recipe if you are willing to share it.”
5. “I just ate dinner and did not realize you would be serving a meal at your party! Everything looks delicious, but I am really full. I would be happy to take any leftovers home if there are some left.”
A helpful tip mentioned by the two authors above for those who tend to be a clean plate eater, eating with others, but want to use a simple act to prevent unintentional nibbling on remaining food: Putting your utensils on your plate. This would be your conscious commitment to stop eating when you are full.
Detecting fullness
Now, what exactly can we look for when we sense our ability to feel full? This may look different for some, but the most common, or typical sign is your stomach. Our stomach may have some distention and heaviness, along with bloating. 1 In our head, we may experience fewer thoughts about food and eating – the desire to eat is gone.1 For our mood, we may have a shift to feeling relaxed. You may have heard of “food gives you energy,” which it does. A snack may be necessary to fuel yourself for physical activity. Some may feel more energized after eating, while others may feel drowsy after eating. This can depend on how tired you are, if you have eaten much for the day, when you ate, the type of food, etc. You may have heard of a “food coma” as well… not so much energy after being this full!
Some may stop eating once they are uncomfortably full, unintentionally. This can be due to, as mentioned, distractions and not getting a sense of your fullness cues. Extreme fullness can arise when not paying attention to these sensations, so it can be easy to miss if you are not checking in with yourself. You can minimize distractions, eat slower, and be mindful of how you feel while eating your meal.
Factors that influence fullness
Your initial hunger level. If you are not all that hungry, you may get full quicker.1
· Giving yourself “permission,” to eat a certain food can influence how much you eat of that food. If you have not made peace with food (principle 3), this can be a tough one to get past.1 You may find it hard to stop eating a particular food when you tell yourself you won’t eat it again. So, you give it that all-or-nothing mindset.
· I have mentioned this briefly, but timing can matter. Maybe you had a snack before dinner, so that could be why you experience fullness before you can finish your plate.
· Social influence. Studies have shown that social gatherings or the presence of people at a meal tend to increase the amount of food we consume, even if we are no longer hungry.1
· Type of food.1 Some foods are more nutrient-dense than others, so we may experience fullness sooner than expected, but this tends to give us sustainability. For example, a couple of slices of avocado toast with eggs may leave you feeling satiated (and leaves you feeling fuller longer). Now let’s say you have four rice cakes topped with hummus. This is a high-volume, lower-calorie option because of the rice cakes. The rice cakes take up more volume in your stomach, so you may feel as full as you would if you ate the avocado toast instead. However, the key difference is that avocado toast will likely leave you more satisfied and fuller for a longer period since you are getting a mix of fat, protein, and carbohydrates (and fiber if using whole grain bread) instead of just carbs and a little protein.
How to Use the Hunger Fullness Scale in Intuitive Eating
Using a hunger/fullness scale can be a wonderful guide to get in touch with your body and physical hunger cues. It’s a scale of 0-10, where each number correlates to a different level of hunger or fullness. It can help you identify physical feelings of hunger and fullness and help you better respond to your needs. Checking in to see which number correlates with how you are feeling and remembering that the descriptions associated with the different levels may not match exactly how you are feeling. It’s helpful to check in before you start eating, while you are eating, and after a meal.
I want to make a note and say not everyone may not be able to connect with their hunger and fullness cues and barriers can exist when you are dealing with neurodiversity, trauma, or an eating disorder. Having some structure such as a meal plan designed by a dietitian or a flexible eating schedule can be really helpful. The hunger/fullness can be adapted but if it doesn’t feel helpful or connect with you, that’s ok! A great resource on this topic is RDs for Neurodiversity.2
A good rule of thumb is to start eating when you are at 3 or 4. This level is not an uncomfortable level of hunger and your blood sugar isn’t too low so you can still make rational, intentional choices about food. If you are at a 0 (painful hungry) – 2 (extremely hungry) it can lead to eating past our fullness cues, feeling uncomfortable. Sometimes this can be difficult to avoid, life happens and you may hit a 1 or 2. Don’t panic and remember that it’s hunger and you have a solution for it. If this occurs at work, if you can, have a small snack if it is going to be some time before you can eat your meal, that way you aren’t ravenous when you reach your mealtime.
Fullness is not “bad.” It is a normal outcome of an eating experience. For fullness cues, it will vary depending on the situation and is individualized. My 7 or 8 on the hunger/fullness scale may feel very different from your 7 or 8. Aiming to stop somewhere between 6 and 7 is a good stopping place. That said, there may be times where you may eat till you are at an 8 (uncomfortable full). It could be because you are having a delicious meal at a restaurant and the food tastes delicious. Sometimes due to your schedule, you have to go awhile before eating again so you might eat more at the previous meal. And of course, there can be times when you end up feeling a little overly full and that’s OK too!
Questions for consideration:
When do you typically choose to eat?
When do you typically stop eating?
If you haven’t already, I would recommend going back and reading the first four principles of intuitive eating, especially the one about honoring your hunger (principle two).. Honoring your hunger ties in with feeling your fullness. The principles tend to go in order, so the knowledge you gain from previous principles can be helpful for the next! https://www.kellygoodsonnutrition.com/eat-when-you-are-not-hungry-what/
I want to emphasize that hunger/fullness scale is a tool in the intuitive eating toolbox and not a rule. This is an introduction to hunger and fullness and if you are wanting more guidance in learning more about hunger, fullness, and intuitive eating, I work with clients throughout the US providing intuitive eating coaching. Reach out to see if it’s a good fit for you and your needs.
Questions for consideration:
When are you satisfied but not overly full?
How do you feel about yourself when you are hungry vs. when you’re full?
Resources
1. Tribole E, Resch E. (2017). The Intuitive Eating Workbook – 10 Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food. https://amzn.to/3zxhARo*
2. Hunani, Naureen. RDs for Neurodiversity https://www.rdsforneurodiversity.com/
Kelly Goodson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the book listed above is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my efforts to promote a positive feeding environment.