Stopped Eating

non-scale-victories
#1

I made a delicious lunch for myself. A huge salad with avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon, steak, and cheese. I ate half of it and I was full. So I stopped eating.

That’s all. I stopped eating when I was full.

Just a small little victory for me. Seems obvious that one would stop eating when they are full; but not for this girl. I’ve always been a member of the Clean Plate Club. Less than a week in so this is my first little “woo-hoo!” moment. Also, a half of a salad filled me up, so that’s pretty cool too.

Thanks for all of your help and guidance thus far!

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

When we eat a high-carb diet, there are biochemical reasons for our constant hunger. For me, the sensation of satiety is one of the great benefits of keto. I stop being hungry long before my belly gets anywhere near full. I just don’t want or need more.

(Joey) #3

Interesting comment. I suspect that the reason we have to drill into our children that they need to finish their meals when they’re not eager to do so is because their metabolisms haven’t yet been screwed up - they’re still insulin sensitive and the grehlin/leptin cycles are still functioning properly.

Just a speculation on my part. :thinking:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

My mother was pretty good about letting us take very small quantities of food, but what you put on your plate, you had to finish. I always understood that to be a legacy of the Great Depression. Mom once said that if they hadn’t been living on a farm, they’d probably have starved to death. So when you had food, you simply didn’t waste it.

(Joey) #5

Waist not. Want not. :wink:

#6

I don’t know what could be your definition of fullness (everyone stops when their stomach gets completely full… Except maybe super extreme compulsive eaters who can eat even if it’s painful) but I can understand how odd it could be to stop before cleaning the plate just because you are satiated (or very satiated. really don’t know what your full means)!

It’s definitely a different feeling without all the interfering carbs for many of us. As I always could eat way over my needs with carbs, it was a welcome change when I just got a clear stop sign on carnivore (I didn’t have anything special on keto, just become able to eat at maintenance level but I had that before too, on low-carb). Food choices still matter, I can overeat like crazy without plants too but it’s significantly harder and most days are pretty okay.

I totally was the clean plate type but I don’t consider it bad at all. A plate is such a small amount (unless I am creative. one day I will test how big a plate I can make), eating some of it after satiation was usually okay with me. As a bigger satiation lasted more and easily meant less calories on average… But those times are over as I lost my ability to eat a ton more after satiation (without carbs or added fats, at least but I avoid those).
But I always was good at having not too much on my plate anyway. I used to have several courses and easily had 6 bowls of something (tiny bowls).

But not clearing our plate isn’t wasting… I put it into the fridge… I never ever ever ever would stand throwing out anything left on a plate, I saw it in shows and it’s so awful… It has nothing to do with anything (past, financial situation etc.) from my part (and my family’s when I was a kid), just Not. Wasting. Basic politeness especially in these modern times. So much energy and plastic and everything goes into our food and we are so many…

(I should think about it more and stop eating more I need then. I know. It’s not that easy all the time. Avoiding carbs and choosing good, satiating, protein rich food help the most.)

But no one in my family had that, ever… Looking at people they don’t seem hungry either. They eat. Our body recognize energy and uses it. Maybe not ideally with a bunch of carbs, I needed overeating but one can’t just stay hungry after eating not too badly (I mean, not low-protein, low-nutrient)…
Is it a HCLF stuff? I never knew anyone that had that weird style and I knew about it. Sometimes I wonder if I would be in constant hunger and misery on such a diet - probably not, I would find something. Even I know a few carby items with great satiating effect. Still would miss my fat and would feel in hell. I have nothing against that woe, each to their own but it’s horribly incompatible with me (and my whole family, I suppose. no one wishes to try it).

(Robin) #7

This is 100% fabulous news as long as you are eating “enough”.
Many of us gals especially were raised on the old starve yourself mantra. Twiggy was my idol. Anorexia was my middle name.
I yo-yo’ed myself to extremes all of my adult life.
It took a lot of trust and good advice to keep eating on keto.
Hopefully you too will trust the process.
Eat. Eat enough of the right food.
You got this!

(Caroline) #8

My mother went through famine in the Netherlands in WWII, so ever since she has had a different relationship with food.

This had an impact on us as kids. We always had to finish our plates and nothing would be wasted.

I have always (now 60) found it hard not to finish my plate, even when I’m no longer hungry.

Keto has helped me a lot in this. It’s easier to stop eating and I have no problems fasting. I’m not even trying to explain fasting to my mother (she’s in her 90s). She would be horrified after her experiences in WWII.