When you are full but still want more food...

It is very common to feel full without being satisfied, especially if you have been on and off diets all your life! And when you don't feel satisfied, you will just want to eat more food to try and find satisfaction even if you are not hungry.

Fullness is what happens when your stomach is full of a certain volume of food.

Satisfaction happens when you are mentally satiated, it is about desire.

If you aren’t happy or satisfied with the foods you are eating, it’s hard to develop a healthy relationship with food. Fullness alone is not always enough. If it isn’t accompanied by satisfaction, you will eat more, you will need to! This is why it’s so important to re-find the enjoyment associated with food and to think not only about what foods make you feel full, but what foods bring you pleasure and satisfaction as well. To find the unique balance between rich and volumous foods which can often take some time to figure out. Food satisfaction is a key component of intuitive eating and is always my favourite part of the journey I take my clients on.

Satisfaction is the result of chemical and emotional needs being met in both the body and mind.

It requires pleasure and relaxation as well as adequate nutrition by way of macronutrients and calories.

You can easily fill your stomach with food but if you are stressed, anxious or fearful of gaining weight, you will not feel satisfied.

Just as if you fill your plate high with lean protein and veggies but no fats or tasty food, you are only going to end up wanting more. This is something many clients report after following some well known diet plans!

True satisfaction requires making peace with all food as well as recognising that there is no perfect 'fullness' point, despite what diet culture has led you to believe. You will only feel it once satisfied mentally and emotionally. It is not about stopping yourself at a certain point, it is about no longer feeling deprived

The key is to stop trying to control and coerce yourself in to not overeating and start exploring foods you truly enjoy. Balance will then soon occur effortlessly.

Here are two really simple ways to find both fullness and satisfaction with every meal.

1. Focus on foods you REALLY enjoy the taste of

This can be really hard when you have been restricting or labelling foods as 'good' or 'bad'. When dieting for so long, we often lose touch with what our body really likes and desires.

Start by eating foods you have cut out or don't eat often, I often help clients create a list to work through over time. Then when you are eating them, really focus on the smell, texture and sensation - do you prefer crunchy or smooth? Hot or cold? Choosing foods that appeal will help you reach satisfaction much quicker.

2. Include protein, carbohydrates and fat at each snack and meal

There are 3 macronutrients for a reason. They release the right fullness hormones at just the right time to help regulate your blood sugar. This is why filling up on low calorie, volumous foods alone just doesn't cut it!

Make a start today, challenge yourself to try one food you wouldn't normally eat but love!