Another dietitian, who has done a lot of work in the area of mindful eating, explained it this way: It takes 20 minutes for the food in your mouth to make its full journey through your stomach and intestines, with absorption into your blood stream. Your brain then signals that you are done eating when it senses the change in nutrient level of your blood.
Okay that makes more sense. Like I said, I don't know how I missed that obvious explanation in school. Pondering on it in that light gives a better overall perspective as to why we eat- TO NOURISH our bodies. When our bodies need nourishment, our hunger kicks in to alert us. When we have been nourished adequately, our satiety kicks in to tell us we are satisfied.
Do you feel differently about your hunger/fullness cues understanding them to simply be biologic triggers for nourishment? Would you treat them differently recognizing their purpose? Might we choose to be more mindful of what we feed our bodies when we feel hungry, and keep from overfeeding our bodies when we feel full?
Next time you feel hungry you don't have to do anything else, except at least think "I need nourishment"- your choices from there are completely in your hands. Same goes with fullness. Once you have obtained a pleasant level of fullness- think "I have been nourished". Your choices from there are up to you. At least give an appropriate interpretation of the sensations you are feeling.
