Current Events > I was feeling really awful after eating for a while, so I lowered my portions

(+) Yeah! (+)

This started a couple years back
I was just eating as usual every meal, but for some reason I felt uncomfy and bloated as fuck all the time
I wasn't sure why - I thought it was indigestion

One day I just decided to try eating less and see if that would help
It took a few tries to get to the right amount

Turns out I was eating way past the point of fullness
Like, a lot past the point of fullness
And part of it was because I would eat fast - I love to eat (it shows) and I love food and I love cooking, so you know how that goes
and it turns out your stomach takes time to let you know that you are full - that's why it's important to have socialization time at dinner too! You naturally slow your eating down when you eat with others - its also traditionally just good manners to pace yourself with others anyway

But man, it made a world of difference in how I felt throughout the day. Like, even if I ate post-midnight, I'd still wake up feeling not-bloated. It was great.
I went from being able to hog down on like 6 pieces of popeyes chicken, a whole large cajun rice, and most of a large fries

to eating a 3 piece meal, 1/4 of cajun rice, and still most of a large fries >_>
yeah im not losing weight very quickly
---

The older I get, the less of an appetite.
---

Bok_Choi posted...

yeah im not losing weight very quickly

That's alright as long as you're losing. 1 to 2 pounds is a healthy amount to lose a week. I suppose it does depend how heavy you are, though. If you're really obese it's not uncommon to lose even more than that.
---

Another thing: cooking for myself has made me realize how expensive being fat is.

I got baked the other day and almost ate through an entire value pack of chicken thighs

when that same value pack could have lasted me 4 whole meals, I almost downed it all in one

Luckily I exhibited an immense amount of self control (because nobody fat shamed me because I live alone) and put the rest of what I cooked away for another time (even if it ruined the delicious crispy texture of the chicken thigh skin)

Don't overeat guys
It's bad for you, the environment, your wallet, and your neighbors eyes
---

frogman_295 posted...

The older I get, the less of an appetite.

I figured this was a factor playing into it too - I am only 24 but already my appetite has severely reduced itself compared to myself at say, 16 (when i was more active, admittedly)

I'm sure if I started working out regularly again I'd start horking down 6000 calories a day (like I did junior year in HS to soph of College)
In fact for a while there too, I was still eating like an active athlete, but not doing active athlete things
I puffed up to 235 for a hot minute

I think I am back down to 215 now
---

It sounds like you eat a lot of sodium. That can make you bloated, even if you stay around the same weight.
---

Payzmaykr posted...

It sounds like you eat a lot of sodium. That can make you bloated, even if you stay around the same weight.

Doesn't matter, I balance it out with lots of potassium from leafy greens, pickles, and bananas
You reminded me I need to get a new jar of pickles and bananas tomorrow on the way home

Sodium amount doesn't matter as much as sodium to potassium ratio/balance

And I feel better now so
(don't get it fucked up i am still miserable because life is sucks)
---

Bok_Choi posted...

(don't get it fucked up i am still miserable because life is sucks)

sounds hard
---

DocileOrangeCup posted...

sounds hard

It was hard until I realized that my previous definition of "full" was "overfed"

I definitely still eat a lot, but not to the point where you'd call it harmful overeating, I think.

And I try to eat balanced meals if I can
but I do love my fried foods
---

@DocileOrangeCup
Heart attack waiting to happen get better cup

Bok_Choi posted...

DocileOrangeCup posted...

sounds hard

It was hard until I realized that my previous definition of "full" was "overfed"

I definitely still eat a lot, but not to the point where you'd call it harmful overeating, I think.

And I try to eat balanced meals if I can
but I do love my fried foods

I eat a lot less than I used to before I became Horribly Depressed in that time period I lost a lot of weight and was really dehydrated. I'm better now but I don't eat as much as I did before and I also fuckin gained half of it back

I eat too much cheese I think but that's the only thing I eat too much of probably
---

DocileOrangeCup posted...

I eat a lot less than I used to before I became Horribly Depressed in that time period I lost a lot of weight and was really dehydrated.

Ya when I was going through my break up I barely ate anything for like a month
It was pretty bad

It made me eat even less as a whole, I guess
---

Bok_Choi posted...

DocileOrangeCup posted...

I eat a lot less than I used to before I became Horribly Depressed in that time period I lost a lot of weight and was really dehydrated.

Ya when I was going through my break up I barely ate anything for like a month
It was pretty bad

It made me eat even less as a whole, I guess

Yeah. It lasted like 2 months and I almost went to the hospital a few times >___>
---

Well that's not good
You can't just drop your survival instincts
I'm glad you are better now
---

Bok_Choi posted...

Well that's not good
You can't just drop your survival instincts
I'm glad you are better now

Yeah I'm a lot better now, I was eating like 700 calories a day and barely drinking any water. Thanks :D
I was getting my ass kicked by the whole life thing so I guess survival wasn't on my list of things to do
---

DocileOrangeCup posted...

I was getting my ass kicked by the whole life thing so I guess survival wasn't on my list of things to do

If your body doesn't get a nice dose of dopamine and serotonin, oxytocin and shit once in a while
it kinda loses the ability to maintain it or something

that's why they say you have to work, have a hobby, and talk to people

rats who had serotonin blockers would just stop fighting to survive in water - they'd literally just give up and drown
---

A lot of people actually over eat, but they don't realize if they control their portions, their body will just adapt.

Bok_Choi posted...

If your body doesn't get a nice dose of dopamine and serotonin, oxytocin and shit once in a while
it kinda loses the ability to maintain it or something

that's why they say you have to work, have a hobby, and talk to people

rats who had serotonin blockers would just stop fighting to survive in water - they'd literally just give up and drown

Oh wow damn, I didn't know about all that. I was just laying in bed all day and didn't have enough strength to even get on my computer most days >__>
I guess that makes sense
---

I can give you something to live for cornboy

I saw a documentary some years ago where they did an experiment. They had people eat at some diner, measured how much they ate, asked if they liked it etc.
Then the next day they got to eat the same dish blindfolded. Turns out they ate a lot less before being full, they didn't like the food as much, etc. What the docu said was essentially what you're saying, if you eat too quickly you don't give your brain time enough to realize that you're full. Oh and if you don't look at the food, you don't "bias" your taste buds as much.
---

Well yeah, your sense of sight actually plays a TON into how your food tastes - that's why chefs even bother to make food that "looks appetizing."

You can try it at home yourself - the fewer sense you have available to you at the time, the less you'll be able to taste of your food

Obviously if taste goes that's bunk
Smell is like 80% of taste
and if you can't see what you're eating, your brain can't "expect" certain flavors so you won't taste them as strongly I guess
Hearing affects it less
IDK if texture is that important to anyone except certain people
---

Reis posted...

I can give you something to live for cornboy

Life has many holes head full of hair cornboy
---

Bok_Choi posted...

And part of it was because I would eat fast - I love to eat (it shows) and I love food and I love cooking, so you know how that goes
and it turns out your stomach takes time to let you know that you are full - that's why it's important to have socialization time at dinner too! You naturally slow your eating down when you eat with others - its also traditionally just good manners to pace yourself with others anyway

this is totally true. most americans don't understand this
---

Bok_Choi posted...

and if you can't see what you're eating, your brain can't "expect" certain flavors so you won't taste them as strongly I guess

What happened in the documentary was that they tasted things more strongly. Like, they were more sensitive to things being too salty etc, because their brain hadn't already told them what it would taste like.
---

so its more like they were able to taste the flavors
but not what it was?
---

I need to eat more tbh
---

Bok_Choi posted...

so its more like they were able to taste the flavors
but not what it was?

The way I understood it was that seeing the food essentially masked some of the flavor because of their expectations of what that kind of food is supposed to taste like. Whereas if they don't look, they have to rely completely on taste and smell to experience the food, so they get a "truer" sense of how it tastes.
---

Ah I see, that actually makes a lot of sense

I should try this again some time at home, blind taste test my own cooking
it's been a while
---