Always Hungry

jacobs18201

So, just starting here...

Can anyone give me advice on how to handle always being hungry, even like 5-10 minutes after a me...

Thanks

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

I find I only get hungry if my protein or fibre is low. Are you getting near these macros?

DemoraFairy

Have you looked through this? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10207058/hungry-all-the-time/p1

jacobs18201

I'm honestly not sure.

If I eat a bowl of mini wheats for breakfast, I'll be hungry not long after. Or last night we had spaghetti & meatballs, 10 minutes later.... hungry.. and I mean tummy growling hungry.

jacobs18201

DemoraFairy wrote: »

Have you looked through this? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10207058/hungry-all-the-time/p1

Nope Lol. Thanks

al602338

Hi I have the same problems as u. But after every meal like 2 to 3 minutes after a meal I'm hungry like if I don't eat I'll throw up hungry

EvanKeel

We can't see your diary, but...

You could genuinely not be eating enough. I have no idea. Sometimes people set calorie deficit goals that are too aggressive for the amount of weight they want to lose.

You could try playing around with your macros. Lots of people will tout how much protein and fiber helps with hunger. I've found that upping my the amount calories I get from fat helps more. It's all very personal.

jacobs18201

Oh. Sorry. I didn't realize it was private Lol..
I Haven't adjusted calories from what MFP gave me..
Dieting should be easy.

_incogNEATo_

You're 35 years old and have roughly 43 pounds to lose. I think a daily goal of 1200 calories is too low. Maybe somebody with more knowledge can help here.

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.

EvanKeel

You could try reducing your carb goal and increasing your protein and fat intake. I'm guessing you're using the default macro distribution that MFP gives people, which many people find they prefer to change.

It may take some time and adjustment to find a setup that works for you.

jacobs18201

Thanks everyone for input.. I really do appreciate it.
The only way I was really ever to love any amount of weight in the past was to starve myself..
& I made myself sick once when I did that. I don't want this to be temporary this time, I want it gone for good & I know the only way that's going to happen is by retraining myself!

julieb47

The more refined carbs I eat the hungrier I get. I can't control my appetite at all. So you might be the same. try giving up the cereals, bread, spaghetti etc and see if that makes a difference with you. I notice that you talk about a growling tummy after eating these foods so you might consider whether you have a wheat intolerance, IBS or even celiac disease.

Mike02209

I have the same issue oftentimes. Drinking more cold water and increasing my fiber seems to help. I switched from eating snack chips with my sandwich at lunch to eating Sami's Millet and Flax chips, still gives me the satisfaction but keeps me feeling sated for much longer. Now if I can find something to do that at night in the hours before I go to sleep, that would be wonderful! Good luck to you and feel free to add me as a friend.

jaims224

I get that way if I eat too many refined carbs. If I have cereal for breakfast I am famished an hour later. If I eat plenty of protein and fat for breakfast then I am not hungry until lunch. Honestly, it sets me up to not get overly hungry for the rest of the day.

jacobs18201

julieb47 wrote: »

The more refined carbs I eat the hungrier I get. I can't control my appetite at all. So you might be the same. try giving up the cereals, bread, spaghetti etc and see if that makes a difference with you. I notice that you talk about a growling tummy after eating these foods so you might consider whether you have a wheat intolerance, IBS or even celiac disease.

Haha give up carbs?! No way man Lol that's why I hate diets.

jacobs18201

The rest of my response didn't post Lol... I also said that the growling isn't a sick or upset, it's yelling at me to feed it..

jacobs18201

Mike02209 wrote: »

I have the same issue oftentimes. Drinking more cold water and increasing my fiber seems to help. I switched from eating snack chips with my sandwich at lunch to eating Sami's Millet and Flax chips, still gives me the satisfaction but keeps me feeling sated for much longer. Now if I can find something to do that at night in the hours before I go to sleep, that would be wonderful! Good luck to you and feel free to add me as a friend.

Half a nag of chips at night does that for me.. I can eat a whole box of wheat thins in a sitting.. be nice if the crap food actually tasted like crap Lol.. Thanks for the input.. ☺

shadowofender

When I first started I felt hungry all of the time. It took a bit to realize the difference between true hunger and habit hunger. I spent a few weeks eating on a schedule so I could learn to break the habit. My brain would say I was hungry because I was used to eating, I wasn't really. I don't have that problem so much anymore but it took a while to train out.

Drink water. walk a lap, anything to distract your head from the "hunger".

MakePeasNotWar

I find that replacing a portion of my refined carbs with extra veggies helps me increase the volume of my diet and adds fibre without having to sacrifice protein or fats, which also help with satiety.

If you took, say, 200 calories that you would normally spend on bread, pasta, or cereal and replace it with non-starchy veg, your meals would get a lot bigger. It's amazing how much veggie soup, salad or steamed broccoli or crudités you can eat for just 100 calories. You'd still have room for some refined carbs, just slightly smaller portions with a huge side of veggies.

Play around with the food diary, and you'll see how you can stretch your calories so much further if you move even 1/4 of your carb intake from refined grains to veggies.

If it hasn't been mentioned yet, be sure you are meeting your protein and fat requirements, as being low in either of these can keep you from ever feeling satisfied, no matter how much food you eat. I love carbs, but I could eat a bowl of cereal or a fat free salad and still feel hungry even if my stomach was technically full.

kellyjellybellyjelly

diannethegeek wrote: »

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.

Great advice! I've lost 140-150 pounds & I still get hunger/thirst signals mixed up from time to time.

I also have to echo the comment about eating more protein & fiber. I find I stay fuller if I eat a lot of veggies for lunch & some kind of protein during the day. My favorite veggies at the moment are spinach, grape tomatoes, cauliflower, & different Birdseye microwaveable pouches. Birdseye released a new Protein blend that is pretty tasty & you could eat a whole bag for a meal & be pretty satisfied. They have Southwest, California, & Italian styled protein blends.

I find gelato like Talenti while high in calories is a great snack that can help keep you fuller.

Some other foods I find filling are peanut butter on a tortilla, cottage cheese, yogurt mixed with protein powder or fruit, & lean meats like tilapia/chicken.

jacobs18201

kellyjellybellyjelly wrote: »

diannethegeek wrote: »

These are my really general tips for hunger:


I find gelato like Talenti while high in calories is a great snack that can help keep you fuller.

Some other foods I find filling are peanut butter on a tortilla, cottage cheese, yogurt mixed with protein powder or fruit, & lean meats like tilapia/chicken.

I do like the Talenti gelato.. Do you know are most gelatos the same way and what about adding some Chia seeds to yogurt ???

cwilso37

Looking at your diary shows you average around for grams of protein a day. This is way too low. Eating more protein should help cut the hunger cravings.

I will also echo the sentiment that cutting back the refined sugar for more complex carbs might be a good thing.

bclarke1990

So I briefly looked through your diary. I know it's not as convenient, but perhaps try replacing your mini wheat meals with a more complex, fiber enriched carbohydrate. Oatmeal is great with some berries. Chicken and some greens is going to go a long way compared to a hot dog which I see you eat a lot too. A 600 calorie hotdog on a white bun is going to be twice the calories and half the satiation (from my experience) than 5 ounces of chicken, 100g of brown rice and some cauliflower/broccoli.

Drink some water before each meal. Snack on an apple and chew your food slowly so your body has time to recognize the food and tell your brain that you're not hungry anymore.

good luck

eileensofianmushinfine

For me, I find that having increased my protein and fat intake keeps me from being hungry.

gamesandgains

Not matter how much volume, fiber, or protein I add.. I'm always hungry while in a deficit. It's just part of the game/journey. I try to embrace it.

maillemaker

Not matter how much volume, fiber, or protein I add.. I'm always hungry while in a deficit. It's just part of the game/journey. I try to embrace it.

This is me, also. If I'm not hungry, then the scale is not moving. That's the way it has always been for me. Eating more protein helps a little, but when I'm losing weight I am always hungry. Often I go to bed early just to escape feeling hungry.

I'm also cold and get a funny taste in my mouth and my pee smells funny. Just like when I was on Atkins. I suspect the same mechanism is at play with keytones.

I can tell if I'm losing weight without even stepping on the scale.

rugbyphreak

Are you possibly confusing the stomach growls of a food allergy with the stomach growls you perceive as hunger? Maybe you aren't getting enough substance from your meals. 400 calories of beer is not as filling as 400 calories of salad or chicken, ya know? Protein and fiber help you feel full. Maybe re-evaluate your food choices and make sure they are giving your body what it needs.

ElJefeChief

Restating some of the things the others have said - refined carbs tend to jack up hunger for me. Also they tend to be the kind of food whereby you can eat mindlessly without feeling satisfied. I tend to avoid them. I eat pasta once in a blue moon. Cereal, only very particular kinds (example: http://www.amazon.com/Nutritious-Living-Hi-Lo-Vanilla-Almond/dp/B004K64GC8).

Also, it's OK to feel hungry. As long as you're not getting hypoglycemic, you'll be fine. Drink some water, or a cup of coffee or tea, and then do something else.

Ohwhynot

_incogNEATo_ wrote: »

You're 35 years old and have roughly 43 pounds to lose. I think a daily goal of 1200 calories is too low. Maybe somebody with more knowledge can help here.

I am 38 and had 45 lbs to lose. Obviously, I don't know your other stats, OP, but I am 5'8" and lose on 1600 if I don't eat back exercise calories. I am insanely cranky sad headachy HUNGRY on 1200 but satisfied on 1400-1600, depending on how much fiber and protein I eat. And I don't mean like scoop of metamucil fiber, I mean salads, hearty bread, fruit, etc.

try2again

You will see over and over again on MFP that to lose weight all you need is a calorie deficit and it doesn't necessarily matter what you eat, and that's true, but what you're discovering is that your choices make a big difference in how we feel and how satisfied we are. That doesn't mean we have to drop every treat or indulgence (I'm proof of that), but you do have to start looking at food as fuel and asking, "Is this going to get me through until my next meal?" The 70 calories in your coffee creamer could be a big bowl of fruit. 200 calories of candy, for me, could be a big tuna sandwich (on an 80 calorie roll) topped high with veggies. You don't have to revamp everything overnight, but you do want to become more mindful of the volume and substance of your foods. Have balanced meals throughout the day so you don't get overly hungry. I'm generally under 1500 and rarely hungry other than the normal meal time signals (except for the occasional day where nothing seems to satisfy.) You can do it