Are fullness and satisfaction the same thing?
There is often confusion about whether fullness and satisfaction are the same thing. I’ve heard advice to eat until you’re full or satisfied – as if the terms are interchangeable – but are they the same thing?
Have you ever felt quite full – maybe in your dieting days – when you ate a massive salad without dressing (maybe a bit of lemon juice or vinegar but no oil), but you were still ‘hungry’ even though you knew you were full? There’s that feeling that something is missing.
Or you may have had the opposite experience – maybe you ate just a small amount of something really delicious – and even though you didn’t feel full, you felt satisfied, and had no urge to eat more?
Fullness and satisfaction are separate experiences.
Fullness has to do with quantity in your stomach.
Satisfaction has to do with something else entirely.
What is satisfaction?
Satisfaction is actually hard to define. It isn’t one thing or another – but you do know when you feel satisfied, don’t you?
So what can make up satisfaction?
Eating according to your hunger signals
Food is definitely more satisfying when you’re hungry! Have you noticed eating when you’re not hungry? It just doesn’t taste as good! I know I get a kind of ‘blah’ feeling – hard to even describe it – if I eat when I’m not hungry.
Taste satisfaction
Taste is definitely one very important part of satisfaction. How often have you sat in front of the TV, or you’ve been involved in a deep conversation and not noticed the food you were eating? You get to the end of it and realise you didn’t taste it! And then you want more…
In order to achieve taste satisfaction, these are the components that help:
- slowing down (it helps to put your fork down)
- breathing in between bites
- using all your senses – what does it look like? smell like? feel like? taste like? sound like, when you bite into it?
- minimising distractions
There are other factors too
In order to feel satisfied, you might need a crunch; maybe saltiness. Often the absence of some good fats in a meal will leave you feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps it’s a sweet taste that will do the trick?
The importance of tuning in
What’s required is to tune in to your body and listen to the feedback. It will tell you whether you’re hungry or not; whether what you want is something really filling, or just something small to last an hour or so. By tuning in you will actually taste the food, and know when to stop. Stopping at the ‘right’ place (whatever that is) IS satisfying too! Giving yourself the kind of food your body wants in that moment, is also satisfying!
Tell me – how do you know when you’re satisfied? What information or feedback gives you that indication? Let me know! In the comments, on my Facebook Page, or anywhere you see this posted.
Sending love your way today!
Hi, I'm Vania.
I'm passionate about helping you break free from the exhausting cycle of yo-yo dieting, body shame, overeating, bingeing, and emotional eating.
For decades, I was at war with my body and food. It wasn't until I found an approach which didn't involve strict rules, diets and a focus on weight, that my relationship with food and my body transformed into one of ease and peace. There’s a lightness in living when food no longer holds power over your thoughts. If you're seeking that kind of freedom — where food becomes simple and life feels full — I’d love to walk that journey with you.
Work With Me Online Courses