Now that we’ve covered the Hunger portion of the Hunger/Fullness card, let’s explore our YouTube video that talks about the Fullness portion. We’ll explore the different levels on the fullness spectrum, with an emphasis on the experience around eating disorders and disordered eating.
As with the Hunger portion of the Hunger/Fullness card, let’s start by exploring a Level 5, or Neutral. At Neutral, you are digesting or getting full. As you begin eating a meal, you are neutral.
At a Level 6, Slight Fullness, you will start to feel some food in your stomach, though not enough that the thought of food is no longer interesting. Oftentimes, clients with eating disorders or disordered eating will stop at a Level 6, because the hunger that they were feeling has disappeared. They feel food in their stomach, but they’re not actually truly full at this point.
If you continue eating past Slight Fullness, you’ll reach a Level 7, Subtle Fullness. Subtle Fullness means that you sense food in your stomach but not enough that there’s actually pressure on your abdomen. In other words, you sense food in your stomach, making the need for food less urgent but there isn’t any pressure on your abdomen yet.
Next, let’s explore how to know when you’re Full, or at a Level 8. Feeling Full means that there is actually pressure on your abdomen – the stomach is full and the thought of food is not as interesting as it previously was. If you think about continuing to eat, it’s less urgent and less interesting. For clients with eating disorders and disordered eating, the sensation of having a distended stomach can be quite uncomfortable, oftentimes making them want to stop eating before getting to true fullness.
Let’s say you’re at your grandparents’ house for dinner, and after the meal, your favourite dessert is brought out. Even though you might be full, it might be interesting to continue to eat because the dessert is a food that you love and you don’t always have the chance to eat it. Or maybe you were really hungry when you began eating so the dessert would help satisfy that hunger, or you might even choose to continue for emotional reasons. Regardless of the reason, let’s say you have some of that dessert and reach a Level 9, Uncomfortable Fullness.
Uncomfortable Fullness can be described as your stomach being distended to a point where you might want to unbutton your pants. You may feel a pressure at the top of your stomach, so that at your sphincter (where your stomach meets your esophagus), you might feel like you have to burp and/or have a sense of reflux. You might also feel a sense of fatigue coming over you, or even start to feel nauseous or sick.
When someone eats to a Level 10, or Painful Fullness, they have oftentimes started eating at a Level 0 or Empty on the Hunger/Fullness scale. Oftentimes, the body will want us to get to a level of painful fullness so that it feels a sense of safety and security. Sensations of painful fullness include, physical pain in the stomach, and feeling really sick or nauseous from the food eaten. Oftentimes, these sensations are all-encompassing, making people feel like they need to take a nap or physically remove themselves from the environment to feel better.
We hope this helps give you a better understanding of the Fullness portion of the Hunger/Fullness card.
At Sööma, we know that recognizing hunger and fullness cues is not always easy, especially for those living with an eating disorder, disordered eating, or a history of chronic dieting. Reconnecting with your body’s signals takes time and practice, and if you are looking for support with any part of this practice (or with any other aspects of exploring your relationship with food), reach out to our team at (514) 437-4260 or by e-mail at info@sooma.ca.
Written by
Registered Dietitian
