The Hunger Experiment

So I have been doing the Beck Diet Solution. I got the audiobook from the library as I thought that it would help me focus more on my goals and get me back onto losing and towards my goals. I have gained over 10lbs and I am holding steady right now around 166lbs. This is a perfectly respectable number and I should be very proud that I have maintained a loss for over a year. If I am perfectly honest with myself I probably started my journey over 200lbs but I didn't step onto the scale until I was around 190 or so. Either way it is a significant accomplishment and I am very proud, but it is time to take it to the next level. I really want to lose the 20 some odd pounds I have left until my goal, and to be at a healthy BMI range.

On to today's topic. Today's step in the diet solution is to do a hunger experiment. The idea is to skip lunch in an effort to lose the fear of hunger and to help differentiate between hunger and cravings. I really do not like the idea of skipping a meal, and I like even less skipping my morning and afternoon snack. But one of the things that the CDs keep telling me is to not skip any of the steps so I am giving it a go. I don't think that I will find it all that difficult since I often have meal replacement shakes, but you never know.

I am going to report my feelings on here to document the experience.

So far this morning I woke up early and had a Vitatop bran muffin with my son. It was nice for us to take the time to have breakfast together. This is something I plan to do more. Then once I got to work I had a Vega shake, instant cream of wheat and a hot chocolate. I am not permitted to eat again until dinnertime, but I will be drinking lots of water. I will be eating dinner just before 6, I will be having some veggie samosas and I am looking forward to it. I will also be eating some almonds, then I will be heading to the gym for elliptical trainer and yoga.

It is now 11:06, I don't feel too hungry yet, but I am slightly dizzy. Nothing to be concerned about though. I don't feel panicked or concerned about my level of hunger at this time.  I am to check in every hour with my hunger discomfort level rating them from 0-10, 0 being fine 10 being terrible.

11:00 -  level 0

I will check back in at 12

12:24 - level 2-3. I am starting to feel it a bit, plus everyone is eating so the smells are making me hungry. My stomach feels empty and has growled a tiny bit. I need to fill up my water and have a big drink.

1:04 - level 2-3. Holding steady around the same. It is now my lunch break so it is a bit harder not to eat right now. I am hoping that I will not become too cranky this afternoon as I am working and I need to stay friendly.

3:15 - Level 1. Things have been very busy at work so I haven't had time to check in, but I haven't had time to be hungy either. I had a tea so I am feeling a bit wired as well. My stomach feels empty but I am not concerned. I am a bit tired, but this is pretty normal for me at this time of day. I am still going to work out later on (after a healthy meal of course) I may not be able to check in until later on since I am pretty busy.

4:04 level 2. Still feeling OK, all in all I think this experiment was unnecessary for me, but I am glad that I gave it a try. I am feeling tired and not wanting to go to the gym but I am going to have to fore myself to go.

5:29 I made it home, my level maybe made it to 4 but it's all done. I have dinner cooking and I ate some almonds.

My conclusion is that I over eat due to boredom and compulsion not a fear of hunger. I will continue to work on these types of over eating.