Too *much* food?

[MariaLiz]

I'm on Day 2 of abstinence and very new to this program. The amount of food that I am supposed to eat for breakfast is way beyond what I used to eat. I feel full/satisfied (a rare feeling for me!) before I've eaten all the food and have to make myself eat the rest.

I've always done my bingeing in the afternoon and at night, and eating only a small amount in the morning. For some reason I'm just not very hungry in the morning.

I want to follow the guidelines as closely as possible; but it feels counterintuitive to make myself keep eating if I'd just as soon throw the rest away. The plan definitely says not to eat less than the amount listed.

Has anyone else had this experience? TIA for your feedback.

[oragold]

Hello MariaLiz,
Yes, many of us initially feel that breakfast is big. Your body will adjust. Give it more time and my experience is that that guideline is good and important.

Best of luck and congratulations on your abstinence!

Ora food addict CO

[Bronxsalsero]

I am going on week three and still struggle to fill my belly with all the food. I am never hungry anymore. Even for breakfast. That seems crazy to me.

[oragold]

Hi Bronxalsero,
Wait at least one month to see the result. That could be by weight or how your clothes feel. Then discuss with your sponsor. Every body is different and the food plan may need to be adjusted. I have seen several old-timer's panels where people explain that at one time they may have needed to eat more food than the plan in order to maintain their weight and after a few years they needed to reduce their food as their body changed. The important thing is to set a baseline of stability for at least a month and to make adjustments with a sponsor and/or nutritionist. Our bodies are so confused after so many years of binging and starving that it takes time to get stabilized.

You have done this almost a month already. Keep up the good work and don't lose faith. What is the worst that happens? If you actually are putting on weight then you will reduce the plan. If you are losing weight despite feeling stuffed then perhaps this is an indication that your appetite meter is not accurate. In a sense, it is "crazy". Part of the problem of food addiction is that the hunger gauge is broken. It can tell us we are hungry when we are stuffed to the gills and it can tell us we are stuffed when we are eating a calorie level that is perfectly fine. Nuts--right? But that is due to some hormones in the brain being out of whack and is part of the problem. Weighing and measuring will stabilize us and our bodies. Some of us will never have an appetite meter that works right -- I avidly weigh and measure everything after 16 months of doing this and feel a great deal of relief/peace of mind from doing that.

Thank G-d for a program that gives us the ability to find out exactly what amount of food is actually right for our individual bodies without having cravings anymore.

Sincerely,
Ora food addict CO