How do I know when I'm no longer hungry?

Dear Not Fully Aware, 

It's easy to get in a jam, not knowing when enough is enough. Many people find it hard to tell the difference between feeling stuffed and feeling satisfied after eating. Slowing down, tuning into your body’s sensations, and taking a moment to chew on what your body is asking for can help with recognizing when your body feels full. Read on to learn more about overeating, hunger and fullness cues, and how you can adjust your eating habits.  

What is overeating? 

Overeating happens when someone eats beyond the point of feeling full. Overeating occasionally isn’t the same as binge eating disorder. However, regularly overeating can contribute to weight fluctuations, health conditions, or the risk of developing an eating disorder. What overeating looks like varies from person to person.  

It can be helpful to reflect on why you think you might be overeating. Are you eating in response to emotions, stress, or simply out of habit? You might also want to pay attention to how your body feels after a meal. Common signs of overeating can include: 

• Bloating
• Excess gas
• Nausea 
• Abdominal pain or stomach discomfort
• Fatigue or sluggishness 

List adapted from Cleveland Clinic 

What are hunger and fullness cues? 

Typically, the body has built-in hunger and fullness cues. These cues are regulated by hormones that help maintain this balance.  

For example, when it’s been a while since your last meal, your body releases a hormone called ghrelin, which triggers hunger and motivates you to eat. This is your hunger cue. As you begin eating, your stomach stretches to make space for food, and nerves in your stomach send messages to your brain that signal fullness. At the same time, hormones like leptin communicate to your brain that you’re full. These hormones make up your fullness cues. 

The challenge is that these cues take time to register, typically around 30 minutes. By the time your brain processes them, you might have already eaten more than your body wanted.  

What factors might affect your hunger cues? 

There are a couple of factors that may affect these hunger and fullness cues, including:  

• Stress: When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, which is a hormone that activates the ‘fight-or-flight' response. Long-term stress often can increase cravings for foods high in fat, sugar, or salt.
• Emotions: Feelings like sadness, boredom, or exhaustion can make eating feel comforting. Because eating releases endorphins, it can become an emotional coping mechanism rather than a response to hunger.
• Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can induce food cravings, which can sometimes lead to eating more than the body needs. 
• Medical conditions: Some health conditions can interfere with hunger regulation and appetite. These conditions can include premenstrual syndrome (PMS), depression, and anxiety.
• Eating highly processed foods: Processed foods are often made to taste especially appealing through added fats, sugars, and flavorings. These ingredients can dull the body’s signals of fullness, encouraging eating for pleasure rather than need.   

List adapted from Cleveland Clinic 

What can you do to change your eating habits? 

If you’re interested in changing your eating habits, consider mindful eating. Mindful eating means slowing down, noticing your hunger and fullness cues, and making intentional choices about what, when, and why you eat. This can help you tune in to if you feel full. Instead of asking yourself whether you’re full, try asking if you’re still hungry. The goal isn’t to fill yourself completely, but to eat until your body feels satiated.  

Starting mindful eating with small steps can make a difference in how you relate to food and your body. Some ways to start can include: 

• Waiting until you feel moderately hungry, not extremely hungry, before eating. 
• Taking a few deep breaths before your meal can help you slow down and focus.
• Taking smaller bites and chewing slowly. 
• Paying close attention to how your body feels as you eat and stopping when you feel satisfied rather than full. 

List adapted from Medical News Today 

Additionally, choosing nutrient-dense foods can help improve your feelings of fullness 

If you find that you’re still concerned about not knowing when you’re full, you might want to speak with a health care provider or a dietitian. They can offer guidance and support to help you understand your eating habits. 

Hope this gives you a little food for thought!