I find overeating to be quite simple if I am:

1)overtired

2)Stressed

3)in dire need of a cuddle

4)eating pseudo-paleo foods (like nuts or modern fruits or dairy or chocolate)

5)thirsty

6)recently (within a day or two) eaten any sugars or more carbs than usual.

I'm slowly (sloooooowly) gaining awareness of these causes every time I find myself in the symptom of overeating- 'what else could I fill myself with right now? A good talk? A nap? A glass of water? A hug?'

I'm at the point where I will probably keep eating anyway, but I believe this awareness will eventually lead to action.

I can put away some food.

I used to be a very small (quantity) eater. But since making the transition to Paleo, I can literally clear plates of food. I feel like a ravenous beast, and anyone who knows me well has commented on the difference.

Best part is? I workout less and walk around 30lbs lighter, one year later. Also, I always thought I was ripped... easily took 10% body fat off. I'm 5 foot 7, 158lbs.

Winning.

If I overdo the protein, I seem to keep eating more and more without ever truly feeling full. Adding more fat helps a lot.

I think I understand you, Michael. It's not about getting full. It's compulsive overeating, also known as bingeing. It's an eating disorder that I also suffer from. Paleo makes it slightly better, but only to a point. I would love to know someone else with this problem who is Paleo. Make a sort of support group. Let me know if you're interested. I think an accountability partner is the best way to overcome this.

I've found that on any whole foods type scenario (really, anything that excludes sugar and refined grain) makes it physically difficult of seriously over-eat (volume issues....). You'll feel ill before you overshoot as much as a soda would add to the day.

Meat is often the classic example of this. But it seems to be equally applicable to vegetables or even fruit (would you ever eat 4 apples in one sitting?), etc.

I get mixed signals on this. I AM NOT LOSING WEIGHT ON PALEO. And yet, I see people stating that they eat 1-2 pounds of meat daily PLUS several pounds of veggies and more if they work out that day.

I can put away some food, but I'm finding it difficult to reconcile that with the fact I'm not losing weight, yet others are slamming down food and losing 5 pounds a week.

In my previous life, I wasn't "satisfied" until I was ready to burst. I still have that urge but am able to resist pretty easily now. I have gorged at buffets since going paleo, but I kept it to paleo food.

I've said it before, y'all make me feel like a freak of nature sometimes.

I can definitely overeat on Paleo. I gain weight very easily. I recently gave not counting calories a shot, while continuing to eat low carb Paleo. I gained 5-7lbs in a two week period. If I don't stay under 1400/1500 calories I gain weight. I've proven this to myself OVER and OVER. I keep testing because I think I may have "fixed" my damaged metabolism from being formerly obese, but it's been 6 years now and I still gain that easily.

I also find I have to eat every 3-4 hours no matter how much I eat at one time. Coming from my eating disordered background, if I get too hungry, I overeat. I know it's not very Paleo, but it works for me.

On Atkins-paleo/primal I could see this being an issue, but not on a real paleo diet that consists of meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and roots.

Yes, it's possible to overeat on a paleo diet. Massive calories still = weight gain, even on strict paleo. It's less likely since most people are satiated more easily on a paleo diet, and high protein diets = fewer actual calories processed. However, people can still have psychological issues that cause binge eating.

I've always been monster at the table, but a heaping plate of ground beef and sauteed veggies will keep me satiated, not necessarily full, literally for a couple of days. The only overeating I do is not because I feel the hormonal or hypoglycemic need to eat but because I love the food I'm eating. The only noticable effect of this overeating have been that I've put on some muscle. Dammit.

I definitely overeat certain foods. I've averaged a pound of brazil nuts each day for about 3 days now. That sort of overeating seems pretty common for me. I'm not sure how to deal with it without making arbitrary rules like "no more that a cup of nuts per day".

I find myself wanting to eat more around my monthly cycle. Other than that, I can eat a large meal, and then skip several. I feel conflicted too, as I want to eat until I "feel good", but paleo is so new to me that I don't know if I an trust what "feel good" really is yet. I've discovered that nothing satisfies a craving for me like nuts do. Dark chocolate covered ones. :)

Good grassfed beef is just too tasty, i always end up eating more meat than i need to! I need to eat less meat and more marrow, tomorrow braising some beef cheeks in red wine marrow sauce!

I have always thought that if your body is craving food, and you're eating solid meals and not trying to lose weight, then it is deficient in some way. If the craving is for something specific (dark chocolate, pickles, etc) then it is probably significantly lacking in some vitamin or mineral, and doing its best to tell you so.

If you're constantly hungry, then you are probably missing some nutrients. I would try making a point of eating high-vitamin, high-fat foods. You might add (more) liver to your diet and take a flax seed oil supplement for example, or look at other nutrient-rich foods that you might be missing.

Sometimes when I finish a meal I have a craving for something sweet, which I interpret as the meal being lacking in some nutrient, or too low in fat. Usually 1-2 Tbsp of flax seed oil immediately quells the craving, and is a good way to work the flax seed oil supplement into the day.

It's not overeating if the food is biologically appropriate; it's simply eating.

I've found that my hunger isn't truly sated unless I'm eating substantial quantities of meat in a day. A typical day has 3 eggs, 2 pounds of lamb and some other miscellaneous meat-like thing like a can of sardines. On top of that there is usually 1-2 medium sweet potatoes and a fair amount of rice. A tray of berries and a red bell pepper work their way in here or there.

I find myself wanting to eat more (for a greater nutrient load) but simply being unable to due to the bulk of food in my stomach. Overall satiety seems to be better with 3-4 large meals and no snacking between.

There's a minimum threshold of food that will make an individual feel sated, however there may be a minimum level of activity required to match that. I'm lifting weights 6x a week and am just active quite a bit in general. There's no evolutionary precedent for consistent stretches of inactivity. I'm not interested in diets designed to not cause a comatose person to gain weight.

I've had days where this is true.

I'm struggling to work something out here. I've read in Loren Cordain's book that one cannot overeat on paleo, but reading this post contradicts this. I'm feeling great approaching the end of my 2nd week, my clothes fit a little better, and I look like I'm just a little slimmer. But the scales have not budged one iota. I cant find anything that definitively tells me how much i should or shouldnt be eating regarding portion sizes, or how to achieve the spectacular weightloss so many seem to be enjoying. Am I impatient or miss informed? Anybody able to shed some light on my confusion?

Often when you 'feel' slimmer but the scales dont budge you have gained muscle...you can gain muscle apparantly just from increasing your protein intake, so perhaps its that? I myself get no 'spectacular' weightloss from paleo, still have to watch my calories, guess maybe coz im a girl, and 46 so the old metabolism may be slower, but all in all so long as i dont eat too much i dont gain weight either...i went all meat and almost no veg for two weeks about a month back and lost weight from that, but i dont like excluding veges as i love em!! I think we need to eat what we naturally feel is the correct amount for us, and stop when done, and thats it...no one size fits all... Hope this helps. :-)