Weird overeating question (regarding my H)

anna.oskar · November 2011

We've been eating pretty healthy at home for months now. In the last 1-2 weeks, my H has been ravenous within an hour of eating dinner. He's not pleased about it at all. He says he's hungry enough to eat a complete second dinner (and has twice) and merely having a snack of a smoothie, peanuts, or even pie doesn't cut it.

I'm at a loss. I serve pretty large meals and I think they fill me up quite well. Average dinner put on the table and shared between the two of us:

*Marinated grilled chicken breasts
*four cups of steamed broccoli
*three cups of a rice-quinoa blend lightly seasoned
*bread for him
*light cranberry juice for both of us
*sugar-free pudding for dessert.

Any advice? I feel like he shouldn't be hungry so maybe it's a nutritional gap or something inciting cravings? He hasn't increased or decreased his activity at all lately, the only change has been that I'm using heart-healthy oils and keeping the heavy cheeses, milk, and butters to a minimum. The poor guy is getting pretty discouraged though and I suspect he's going to bed hungry which just breaks my heart.

AshleyNicole43 · December 2011

Exercise actually releases chemicals which hinders appetite. Also, many times cravings for food last about 20 minutes. If he waits out a craving to engorge it should go away after 20 minutes from when the craving starts, but if it lasts then it's genuine hunger. Along those same lines, he should eat slower. When you're hungry it releases ghrelin, and upon starting to eat the ghrelin urge doesn't go away until at least 20 minutes later, when leptin finally gets released. So if he eats fast, then he'll get really full really fast at one point when we could have been satisfied at the same point by eating slower.

However, it's also a matter of getting his body used to smaller portions. In a sense "shrinking his stomach size." For a while his body will expect larger portions like it's always been getting. If he sticks with smaller portions for a long time, then his body will react accordingly. Also, like others said, hydration.... and plenty of fiber as well.

By the way, the meal posted in your OP sounds delicious

Can you cook for me sometime? Haha.

kipnus · December 2011

You could also try higher volume foods, with more water content. Soups and fruits and veggies that are high in water can seem more filling. I agree with adding more fibre, protein (non-animal, try beans and lentils!) and healthy fats, as well. It's a shame he won't exercise, but that's great that you're cooking him healthy meals!

J&K10910 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_weird-overeating-question-regarding-h?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:49067fc6-c06b-402a-8d79-0a9065edeae8Post:c7a0284f-8aae-4c65-a1b8-c725e98e5022">Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H)</a>:
[QUOTE]You could also try higher volume foods, with more water content. Soups and fruits and veggies that are high in water can seem more filling. I agree with adding more fibre, protein (non-animal, try beans and lentils!) and healthy fats, as well. It's a shame he won't exercise, but that's great that you're cooking him healthy meals!
Posted by kipnus[/QUOTE]

I don't think this will work actually. It doesn't sound like he's overeating in one sitting, but rather is hungry a little while later. Foods like soups and stuff are more filling at the time, but leave you hungry in a short time.

anna.oskar · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_weird-overeating-question-regarding-h?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:49067fc6-c06b-402a-8d79-0a9065edeae8Post:f17fbba6-08ae-4840-b351-e4a5044bc21f">Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H)</a>:
[QUOTE]It seems silly, but maybe slowing down eating might work? I'm not sure how soon afterwards he's hungry again, but if it's essentially right away, he may be eating too fast to get the signal to his brain that he's full. Maybe you could attempt serving the food in "courses" of sorts? Just waiting a few minutes between each course could help. For example: Salad or Soup and bread...wait a few minutes Main course...wait a few minutes Dessert. Also, I noticed he doesn't appear to be getting much milk/dairy products? Those have shown to keep people full longer, so maybe a glass of milk at dinner?
Posted by dumdumfroggie[/QUOTE]

He doesn't gulp his food down. We sit, talk, and take about a half hour to finish our plates. As I said in earlier posts, he's not hungry after he eats. He's hungry an hour or so later.

Also, and this is not directed specifically at you. Your post just made me think of it. I am not going to control when and how my husband eats like he's a baby or small animal with no control. I'm not going to make my husband exercise. He's an adult. I'm not going to force him to track his calories. I'M on the diet. Not him. I am not starving him now, nor do I have plans to "shrink his stomach" by getting him use to smaller portions.

/rant

Thank you so much to all of you who answered after actually reading my question. I've switched up his granola bars for something a bit "meatier" and am offering bread at every meal (even though I can't eat it and am miserable craving it while watching him ;) Hopefully it will help.

J&K10910 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_weird-overeating-question-regarding-h?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:49067fc6-c06b-402a-8d79-0a9065edeae8Post:e14eb443-9125-4aa3-8e75-adc2e9f35bc9">Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H) : He doesn't gulp his food down. We sit, talk, and take about a half hour to finish our plates. As I said in earlier posts, he's not hungry after he eats. He's hungry an hour or so later. Also, and this is not directed specifically at you. Your post just made me think of it. I am not going to control when and how my husband eats like he's a baby or small animal with no control. I'm not going to make my husband exercise. He's an adult. I'm not going to force him to track his calories. I'M on the diet. Not him. I am not starving him now, nor do I have plans to "shrink his stomach" by getting him use to smaller portions. /rant Thank you so much to all of you who answered after actually reading my question. I've switched up his granola bars for something a bit "meatier" and am offering bread at every meal (even though I can't eat it and am miserable craving it while watching him ;) Hopefully it will help.
Posted by anna.oskar[/QUOTE]

But Anna, everyone knows that grown men are not capable of making decisions related to their healthy by themselves.

Or, decisions relating to anything else, either.

anna.oskar · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_weird-overeating-question-regarding-h?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:49067fc6-c06b-402a-8d79-0a9065edeae8Post:4020d87a-a213-4f57-8db8-0df6a3171127">Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H) : I don't think this will work actually. It doesn't sound like he's overeating in one sitting, but rather is hungry a little while later. Foods like soups and stuff are more filling at the time, but leave you hungry in a short time.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

He's not overeating at an individual meal at all. But he's not undereating either. It's just weird.

In response to the posts of others, I don't think it's a shame he's not exercising. That's a personal choice. I have absolutely no problem with how my H looks. I think he's pretty darn hot just the way he is. Some people just don't work out. It doesn't make him happy at all. Thank goodness the majority of weight loss and maintenance is diet related. He, like most of us, should be able to reach goals without forcing himself into a lifestyle that is not rewarding personally.

dumdumfroggie · December 2011

It seems silly, but maybe slowing down eating might work? I'm not sure how soon afterwards he's hungry again, but if it's essentially right away, he may be eating too fast to get the signal to his brain that he's full.

Maybe you could attempt serving the food in "courses" of sorts? Just waiting a few minutes between each course could help.

For example:

Salad or Soup and bread...wait a few minutes

Main course...wait a few minutes

Dessert.

Also, I noticed he doesn't appear to be getting much milk/dairy products? Those have shown to keep people full longer, so maybe a glass of milk at dinner?

Weird overeating question (regarding my H)

Re: Weird overeating question (regarding my H)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards