From skwigg's journal:
I inadvertently experienced "crazy hungry" today. I haven't felt that in ages. I ate my usual favorite breakfast and got home about two and half hours past when I would normally have eaten lunch. Physically, I still felt fine and comfortable, no blood sugar issues. My symptoms were that my stomach was roaring absurdly loudly, I was 100% food-focused, and there was zero chance I was going to eat slowly. I came through the door and made a huge sandwich on thick slices of homemade bread with turkey, cheese, mayo, and veggies. Wow, was that sandwich delicious! I briefly considered eating my typical sandwich sides like an apple and carrots but rejected them because they aren't very energy dense and couldn't be consumed fast enough. Instead, I had two big handfuls of Lay's potato chips and two fun sized Butterfingers bars. At the time, I felt like I could have easily kept eating all afternoon and into the night. LOL But I knew that if I gave it a break for 15-20 minutes my satiety signals would catch up with my speed eating. Sure enough! After that I felt fine. I forgot all about food for several hours until dinner time.
When I was dieting, I used to live in that "crazy hungry" state and try to contain it indefinitely. No wonder I thought I was a food-crazed maniac who had no off switch and couldn't be trusted!
It was strange to revisit that really strong hunger today, but it was fine because I'm willing to listen to and trust my body. My body wanted "energy dense food now" and my brain understood completely. If I'd judged my food choices harshly, or tried to meet that kind of hunger with some quinoa and sprouts, I may have contained it temporarily, but my eating would have spiraled out of control later tonight or tomorrow and I might not have reeled it in again for a week. That's what always used to get me, not the restrictive, portion-controlled, diet food itself, but the inevitable backlash from it. I make better choices and eat less overall if I enjoy my food and honor my appetite.