Intuitive Eating: Feel Your Fullness
Have you ever been eating something while watching TV, reached back into the bag, and suddenly realized it’s empty? And you honestly don’t remember eating that much? 🙋♀️ I have definitely had this experience!
This is one of the most common ways people tell me they “miss” fullness.
Or maybe you’ve noticed halfway through a meal that your body feels pretty satisfied, but you keep going because the food tastes really good and you don’t know when you’ll have it again. 🙋♀️ Yup, done that one too!
Sometimes fullness doesn’t show up until later. You feel fine while eating, and then 15 minutes after the meal you think, oh… that was too much.
While these are all common experiences, they are also not that pleasant. Eating past the point of fullness can feel uncomfortable, leaving you feeling bloated and sluggish. Thankfully that feeling will pass. But learning to feel your fullness can be a helpful tool to minimize how often you are reaching that uncomfortable full level or in some cases not full enough. Intuitive Eating’s principle, Feel Your Fullness is a practice that helps you recognize when you’ve had enough food, guided not by external rules but by your body’s own internal signals.
Let’s Dig Into The “Feel Your Fullness” Principle
Like all of the Intuitive Eating Principles, this is about reconnecting with your internal cues and leaving behind the rules, perfectionism and self-doubt. This is not about controlling yourself or eating less, but rather a guide to help you tune into your body’s cues. This principle invites you to:
Notice physical sensations of satisfaction and comfort
Allow hunger to fade without rushing or pressure
Explore stopping when you feel comfortably satisfied
Trust that food will be available again
This is not about restriction or control. It is about awareness, permission, and trust.
The Science Behind Fullness
Understanding how fullness works biologically can help remove self-blame and increase compassion. Fullness is a coordinated process involving hormones, nerves, and digestion.
Key Players in Fullness
Leptin: Known as the “satiety hormone,” leptin helps regulate long-term energy balance. It communicates with the brain about stored energy and plays a role in reducing appetite once the body has enough fuel.
Cholecystokinin (CCK): Released in the small intestine during meals, CCK slows digestion and signals the brain that food is being processed. This contributes to the sensation of fullness.
Stretch Receptors: The stomach contains stretch receptors that detect volume. As food enters, these receptors send signals to the brain, helping you recognize when you are physically full.
The Vagus Nerve: Acting as a communication highway between the gut and brain, the vagus nerve transmits information about digestion, hunger, and fullness. Stress, distraction, or chronic dieting can interfere with this connection, making fullness harder to notice.
Why Feeling Your Fullness Matters
When practicing intuitive eating you are strengthening the brain-gut connection. By slowing down, noticing sensations, and removing judgment, you allow these natural systems to guide you. This is not about restriction or control, it is about trust.
Exploring the Barriers to Feeling Your Fullness
Recognizing fullness is not always simple.
A lot of people grew up hearing things like “finish what’s on your plate” or “don’t waste food.” So even when your body says it’s done, your brain says, just a few more bites.
Other common barriers:
A history of dieting or restriction
Food scarcity or uncertainty about when the next meal will come
Distractions such as multitasking or eating on the go
Emotional eating or using food as comfort
Pressure to “clean your plate”
Fear of not getting enough
These experiences are valid and can make intuitive eating feel challenging. Identifying your own barriers is a great first step towards strengthening your internal cues.
Take a moment to consider what your barriers are. And if you want to share, I’d love to hear from you!
Practice Feeling Your Fullness
This week, you might explore three gentle practices:
1. Identify barriers
Ask yourself: What makes it hard for me to notice or honor fullness?
Jot down patterns you observe, such as eating quickly or ignoring signals.
2. Pause for a body check-in
Take a moment during a meal to notice sensations in your stomach, energy levels, and overall comfort.
Ask: Do I feel satisfied, neutral, or still hungry?
This is not about judgment, but simply noticing what is present.
3. Observe without judgment
Notice your eating experience with curiosity.
Ask: What does fullness feel like in my body right now?
You might sit down to eat, take a few bites, and realize you have no idea what your body feels like yet. That’s okay. That’s actually very normal.
Remember, the goal is not perfection. It takes time, practice, and patience to reconnect with your internal cues.
Reflection Questions
What signals does my body give me as I approach fullness?
How does my pace of eating affect my awareness?
When do I feel most connected to my body’s cues?
How do stress or emotions influence fullness?
What does stopping at comfort feel like compared to discomfort?
Ready to Explore Intuitive Eating More Deeply?
Feeling full is not a problem to solve. It’s information your body is offering you.
It is part of the eating experience and a reminder that your body is showing up for you.
If connecting with fullness feels complicated, you are not alone. Feeling Your Fullness takes time and compassion.
I offer one-on-one support to help individuals and families build more peaceful relationships with food without shame or restriction.
Book a visit and take your next step toward trust and ease with eating.
