Always nibbling - how much is too much??

shellcarswell

i am trying to keep to my plan in losing weight using this app and recently joined Zumba.
I am in my early 30s and I have always been quite big, between size 18-20 and verging on 22 but I lost a lot (to a size 16) during a stressful period in my life and for the first time in years, I felt great about myself, but a new relationship meant I became comfortable and piled on the pounds, more than ever and now back to a size 20.

I was a BIG coffee drinker, drinks no between 5+ during the day and lost count during night and felt it quenched my hunger but I know it's bad for me.

So using this app I am trying to control what I eat by seeing how much I eat, but the problem I am having is, I am eating well, purchasing all sorts of fruit and veg to nibble on but I feel I am overeating and never feeling full.
I purchase "5 a day" platters of fruit and veg and it's gone within an hour and half an hour later I'm still hungry.

I am drinking loads of water, from 1-2 litres during work, sometimes more but I feel I need to eat every hour.

Has anyone experienced this or can suggest alternative snacks which I can try which can help me feel fuller for longer.
I can't eat nuts or pumpkin seeds sadly

zyxst

There's nothing bad about coffee unless you have some sort of intolerance/allergy to it. If it was helping you keep your hunger in check, I'd say go back to drinking it but log it and anything you put in it (creamer, sugar, milk, etc.).

Are you eating a lot of small meals a day? Some people can't be satisfied with that, so you might want to change your meal sizing. I tried the 5-6 meals a day and was never full, usually hungry. I eat a small breakfast, a decent lunch and dinner, and a small snack in the evening. You'll have to figure out what works for you.

I chew gum to keep myself from randomly snacking. Not sure if that would help you.

You might get more help if you opened your food diary. Sometimes it's what you're eating. Maybe you need more protein or more fat or carbs other than fruit/veg.

MireyGal76

When your calories in (consumed) are greater than your calories out (burned), then you've reached too much.

If you are logging your food, then look at your protein levels. If all your cals are going to veggies and such, your protein may be low... and I find that is directly related to my satiety.

I'm a snacker. I love to snack. I LIVE to snack. But I also try to get decent protein (which is often a struggle for me)

but... as long as you are at a mild deficit (to lose the weight you want to lose) and you are getting your protein... then snack away.

diannethegeek

These are my really general tips for hunger:

1. Make sure that your calorie goals are actually set appropriately. Don't skip this step. A lot of people set goals that are too aggressive and then wonder why they're having a hard time. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

2. Look for foods higher in protein, fat, and fiber. These help us stay full and more satisfied longer. If you're using MFP's default settings, try to consider protein, fat, and fiber as minimums to reach every day rather than maximums to stay below.

3. Drink plenty of fluids. Some people really do confuse thirst and hunger.

4. Get plenty of rest. This includes sleeping enough and taking rest days from the exercise. Sometimes our bodies look for food when they're exhausted.

5. Play around with your meal timings. Some people do really well on 5-6 small meals a day and others feel like they want to gnaw their own arm off eating like that. Skipping breakfast, eating breakfast, 16:8 fasting, 6 small meals, 3 larger meals, snacks, no snacks, meal timing won't make a big difference to your weight loss, but it may help your hunger levels, mood, concentration, gym performance, etc. throughout the day. Don't be afraid to try a different way and see if it helps.

6. Wait it out. If you know you're eating enough and the other steps above aren't helping, you may just have to wait it out. Our bodies send out hunger signals partially out of habit. If you eat at a certain time every day your body will start to get hungry at that time. The good news is that these signals can be retrained to stop telling you to be hungry all the time. The bad news is that you may just have to be hungry for a little bit while that happens.

7. I also think it's important to remember that there's a habitual component to hunger. This goes along with point #6, but if you eat because you're bored or you're used to eating in front of the TV or in the car or whatever it is, then you can replace those habits with others that are better for you. Things like keeping water on hand to sip instead of snacking or picking up hobbies that keep your hands busy or that get you out of the house more can help out a little while you're retraining your hunger cues. You might need to pay attention to why you're eating/hungry or what you're feeling when you eat and try to replace food with other things, but it can be really beneficial over time.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Try something with some fat and/or protein. Fruits and veggies are delicious but they really don't fill me up at all either. Maybe try cheese sticks, tuna, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Or try some fattier or starchier veggies like avocado (technically a fruit I know, but it's green. ), sweet potatoes, etc. Add some hummus to your raw veggies.

Just keep in mind that a lot of those things are calorie dense, so weigh them to make sure you're getting an accurate calorie count.

Wiseandcurious

You don't say how many calories you are eating a day and what your deficit is, which is the single most important factor - if you eat too little, you will feel always hungry; too much and you won't lose. If you're eating predominantly fruit and vegetables then it's very possible you feel full right after meals and hungry very soon after. Try eating enough protein and fat - the second important factor to satiety for most people.

Personally, at 220 lbs and with light physical activity, I find around 1750 cals distributed between three hearty meals and a good protein-filled snack keeps me really full for hours, not just the kind of I-just-filled-my-stomach-with-water-and-lettuce full. And I lose at a good steady rate.

DaveAkeman

Wiseandcurious wrote: »

I-just-filled-my-stomach-with-water-and-lettuce full.

I LOVE this line!!!

Liftng4Lis

Are you getting enough fat and protein? Also, are you over restricting?

cory17

I second the points made by Dianethegeek . Face similar issues as you, in that could easily snack all day and never reach satiety. My coping mechanisms are to have green smoothie (w/protein powder in it) in am, cut out most of the fruit as racks up calories fast (gotta snack on vegetables as everything else will add up and the fiber will help), keep the water in reach and try to drink that early in day, and examine when is my out of control eating time and plan other ways to destress. Also, SLOW DOWN the eating - don't stay in the same place/activity where the food is/move around, some of us are way too efficient at consuming food quickly.