JUDDD and appetite: observations

[calichris]

Good morning!

So it's been about 5 1/2 weeks that I've been JUDDDing now. I've noticed some interesting appetite effects.

Down days, for me, are OK. I haven't yet experienced the energy surge mentioned in Dr. J's book (drat! Could it be coming later? ). I do get hungry at points, but most of the day I'm fine. I watched that great BBC video (BBC Horizon: Eat, Fast, and Live Longer ... it's on You Tube), and I remember the quote: "Hunger doesn't build and build, it comes in waves and passes" (or something like that). There's a couple of really hungry moments during the day, but mostly I feel fine. The "I can have that tomorrow" concept is very powerful in getting me through. It's very different from the "wait 30 minutes and see if the urge passes" diet tip, where you know you're really just trying to talk yourself out of having the thing.

One small down point is that I do fantasize about what I'm going to eat on up days on down days. It's usually carbs: cream of wheat, sticky rice, spaghetti .... The funny thing is, I tell myself I am going to have that thing for BREAKFAST, and then when breakfast rolls around on the up day, I have no interest in that thing at all. I could have it if I wanted it, but I don't. Interesting!

I am sure that JUDDD is shrinking my stomach. I wasn't sure if "stomach shrinking" was actually real, so I just googled it, and according to the New York Times health section, "studies have shown that significantly reducing caloric intake does produce measurable reductions in a person’s stomach capacity." I'm in a sweet spot on up days right now where I do want to eat (so I'm eating enough calories to avoid slowing metabolism), but I can't eat as much as I used to. I'm consistently doing weird things like eating 3/4 of a burrito. I would never not have not eaten that last little 1/4 before!

I'm doing 500 calorie down days, and "spot checking" up day calories. Right now I don't need to count every up day because my appetite puts me in the target calorie range. If that or my loss changes, I'll start counting every up day, but right now this has been working out really well! And one more fun point: every other day is a cause for celebration: it's an up day!!!!

[KeirasMom]

You're doing great Chris! A lot of us have noticed the same thing about wanting something on a DD, then having no interest in it when our UD rolls around. I think that's one of the things that shows just how healing this WOE is. We get to know that we CAN have it, but then choose whether or not it's worth it. We also learn a little bit about delayed v's instant gratification. My generation wants what we want, when we want it, and it's very interesting to me to see how just waiting for something can change our perspective about it. It's amazing.

I've been meaning to mention, I have a friend who teaches in Rocklin. I was wondering if you teach anywhere near there. Perhaps you know each other.

[calichris]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

it's very interesting to me to see how just waiting for something can change our perspective about it. It's amazing.

I've been meaning to mention, I have a friend who teaches in Rocklin. I was wondering if you teach anywhere near there. Perhaps you know each other.

It is amazing! And I do think it has something to do with both the power of delayed gratification along with the freedom to eat anything that somehow just works.

I know teachers in Rocklin! I teach about a 20 minute drive north of there. I commute 30 minutes to teach in an awesome school, which is worth every minute of the drive!

[Crazy Cat]

I've noticed I have more energy on DD. And I'm nowhere near as hungry on DD as I was in the beginning. Sadly, on UD I still want the food I fantasized about on DD. I think it's from feeling deprived all those months I was eating LC. But I need to stop using that as an excuse. All this sugar/white flour isn't good for me!

[marlamp10]

Originally Posted by lowcarbchris

One small down point is that I do fantasize about what I'm going to eat on up days on down days. It's usually carbs: cream of wheat, sticky rice, spaghetti .... The funny thing is, I tell myself I am going to have that thing for BREAKFAST, and then when breakfast rolls around on the up day, I have no interest in that thing at all. I could have it if I wanted it, but I don't. Interesting!

THIS. I had my fifth UD yesterday. I've been surprised to find that overall, I haven't enjoyed them as much as I fantasized that I would. I get up wanting, not cinnamon rolls, but FRUIT. And I don't start acclimating to eating whatever until mid-afternoon.

Before yesterday I was starting off with at least a 300-calorie meal, like a breakfast sandwich. But yesterday I finally gave in to the fact that I didn't want it. Breakfast was a glass of almond milk. It wasn't until just after noon that I really wanted to eat, and then my lunch felt too heavy.

The best part of my day was eating a piece of cheesecake for dinner--not dessert, but dinner. I did get my calories up sufficiently, but I just didn't want the volume of food that usually comes with those calories.

And today, I'm back to DD, and for the first time haven't wanted to eat anything until well after noon. Right now I'm having a bowl of cauliflower soup and I'm happy.

Somewhere in this, I suspect that kind of calories I eat on a UD has an impact on how hungry I will be on a DD. Still working on that one (but happy to be happy ).


Weird stuff...

Marla

[b_lou_who]

Originally Posted by lowcarbchris

The funny thing is, I tell myself I am going to have that thing for BREAKFAST, and then when breakfast rolls around on the up day, I have no interest in that thing at all. I could have it if I wanted it, but I don't. Interesting!

Totally my experience as well!
I give myself permission to have what I want the next up day, and never even think of it again. Shows how much of "food" is in our heads and not a need at all. I loved first experiencing that when I started JUDDDD in February. What a lovely revelation. Food really doesn't rule us unless we let it.

[wiiiifit]

I have noticed that meal planning is not as significant to me as it once was...in earlier weeks on the program. I would spend large amounts of my DD time planning for up days. (Meals at favorite restaurants or my favorite meals at home.) Now, it is more of a hmmm, what sound's good, what haven't we had in a while type of thing. Basically, it is more casual and less of a I NEED CHOCOLATE and PIZZA, type of thing.

[Crazy Cat]

Today I've had 1500 calories and I'm stuffed. I couldn't even finish my salad. This is unusual for me! I also noticed on my DD yesterday that my normal 500-600 calories didn't leave me famished, so I'm going to try and keep it to 500 tomorrow.

[sunday]

Originally Posted by lowcarbchris

Good morning!

I am sure that JUDDD is shrinking my stomach. I wasn't sure if "stomach shrinking" was actually real, so I just googled it, and according to the New York Times health section, "studies have shown that significantly reducing caloric intake does produce measurable reductions in a person’s stomach capacity." I'm in a sweet spot on up days right now where I do want to eat (so I'm eating enough calories to avoid slowing metabolism), but I can't eat as much as I used to. I'm consistently doing weird things like eating 3/4 of a burrito. I would never not have not eaten that last little 1/4 before!

I am in love with my shrinking stomach! It is wonderful to hear this report and happy to know you are enjoying JUDDD!

[JHoberer]

I have also noticed the shrinking stomach. I bought a groupon for Red Robin (an expensive burger place... but fries are all you can eat, excellent, with excellent assorted dips for them). I bought the smallest burger and after eating, I leaned over to my husband and whispered that there was no way I was going to be able to get my "free" serving of fries. I was DONE. I don't think I've ever stopped after one serving of something I really like that is all you can eat. I was kind of chagrined. That is not the Jen I know or anyone else knows. I had to laugh at myself.

I have noticed that I am SO MUCH HUNGRIER while TOM is around. Down days are so much harder then. Also, these past 10 days or so have been vacation so I have had more time to think about food. Busy working days are much better for DDs! The busier the better.

I also use the power of "tomorrow I will eat that... it's only one day" however most days I wake up and think immediately "YAY this is an UP DAY!" or "Oh no, this is a DOWN DAY!" Sets my mood right off the bat. So I am still a work in progress.

[stephdray]

Originally Posted by lowcarbchris

Good morning!
Down days, for me, are OK. I haven't yet experienced the energy surge mentioned in Dr. J's book (drat! Could it be coming later? ).

I'm almost to seven weeks and I don't have it either. I am looking forward to it though, by god.

"Hunger doesn't build and build, it comes in waves and passes" (or something like that).

I mostly agree with this. It comes for me in waves. However, it does build for me in the sense that each wave seems to get more intense so that on my hungriest days, by about 4pm, trying to concentrate through the hunger pangs is a little like trying to concentrate when someone is screaming, FEED ME!!!! in your ear. I am looking forward to this going away.

The "I can have that tomorrow" concept is very powerful in getting me through. It's very different from the "wait 30 minutes and see if the urge passes" diet tip, where you know you're really just trying to talk yourself out of having the thing.

Absolutely. Trust me, I always lost that battle. I still wanted the thing thirty minutes later. :P

One small down point is that I do fantasize about what I'm going to eat on up days on down days.

Now this, I totally relate to. At first, I thought it was something I needed to break myself of, but now I realize it helps me hold on. During my hungriest moments, the moments I thought I was sure to break on a Down Day, I would start planning my menu for the next day. And knowing that I could have anything if I just waited until the morning, meant that I would not eat now.

Sadly, I think anorexics do this food fantasizing too.

Sometimes, the next day, I no longer want whatever I fantasized about. But often my fantasies involve food I haven't been allowed to have for like a decade. I'm starting to get that out of my system, but I find it highly motivating at the moment, so I'm not going to change the behavior. Even if I do have a craving for KFC.

I am sure that JUDDD is shrinking my stomach. I wasn't sure if "stomach shrinking" was actually real, so I just googled it, and according to the New York Times health section, "studies have shown that significantly reducing caloric intake does produce measurable reductions in a person’s stomach capacity." I'm in a sweet spot on up days right now where I do want to eat (so I'm eating enough calories to avoid slowing metabolism), but I can't eat as much as I used to. I'm consistently doing weird things like eating 3/4 of a burrito. I would never not have not eaten that last little 1/4 before!

I was experiencing this too in my early JUDDD days. Not so much at the moment, but I'm having kind of a weirdly wildly hungry week, so this could be an anomaly. It's also possible that I no longer remember what my usual portion size was.

You're doing so fantastic and I'm so happy for you!