why is healthy food not enough?

chism21

I been trying to start eating healthy this week however, not matter what I eat, i always feel unsatisfy.
shared you stories and how you overcome the hard step that is eat to live, not live to eat!

chism21

anyideas?

GetSoda

anyideas?

You aren't eating satiating foods. You might have to experiment.
If I eat something rich in healthy fat and protein, I won't be hungry.
Half dozen eggs in the morning, and I won't want to eat the rest the day.


Or 12oz of chicken in a salad with half an onion, a whole bell pepper, and a bunch of other junk takes ages to eat.

Shetchncn1

it has only been a week- it will take a bit for your body to adjust- Patience

Iwishyouwell

it has only been a week- it will take a bit for your body to adjust- Patience

THIS

Shetchncn1

And you are not logging that I can see. Use the tools available to help you along!

MrsRobertson1005

i agree with both posters, your stomach needs time to shrink back down and you need to make sure you are getting enough protein, fat, carbs, and water to keep you full. Your ratio should be about 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat. each protein and carb calorie is = to 4 grams and each fat is equal to 9 grams.

Synapze

Protein.

jwdieter

If healthy food is just a bowl of wilted spinach, then it will not be enough. Add a couple eggs, chicken breast, and rice, and maybe it is enough.

cwolfman13

What is your notion of "healthy"...my guess is that it's pretty skewed. "Healthy" and nutritious doesn't have to be boring and unsatisfying.

I eat nutritionally dense and I eat like a king. If all you're doing is eating fruit and veg and eliminating all your fats and what not...that's not healthy.

Also...I recommend learning to cook up a storm.

waffleflavoredtea

It's important to remember that healthy food IS enough for your body... but for your mind and emotions? Well, that's a different story. In modern times food is so plentiful that it is used more as a comfort blanket than for nourishment. We eat to numb our feelings, or to reward ourselves.
The most important thing is to try to shift your mental focus from junk food = happy, to health food = happy.
You can do this by reading books on the subject, and try writing in your diary "junk food does this for me" (list good and bad, and "healthy food does this for me" (list good and bad). Do exercises like this as often as you can and you WILL slowly but surely start rewiring your brain to see healthy, homemade and nourishing foods as the best way to make you happy, plus you will get NONE of the negative side effects that eating a diet full of prepackaged foods full of sugar, chemicals, and over-processed carbs gives you, like lethargy, addiction, moodiness, weight gain, poor hair and skin health, and guilt!
Do your best, it's tough and there might be slip-ups, but never let that numb-and-guilt, guilt-and-numb process run your life and ruin your health!

AmberleyAngel

Are you unsatisfied because you're hungry or because you're missing the flavour/sweet/salty/richness of "unhealthy" foods?

If it's because you're hungry, there is a period of adjustment to go through when you start eating better portion sizes and low-calorie food. That's something that you just have to persevere with and your body does get used to it.

Other things to think about:

Have you got realistic calorie goals for your height, age, and weight? What are your activity levels like and are you compensating for that in your calorie goals? Perhaps you need to recheck and up your intake a little.

Plan your day so that there is room for a little indulgent treat. Dark chocolate is actually good for you, and I usually have 10 grams most nights. Make the best choices and it is all doable and doesn't have to feel like you're being deprived.

Whatever you do, don't give up. You just might need to finetune your goals/food choices a bit.

kathleennf

I agree with all of the above, but will add something else. One way MFP has really helped me is to show me how to add little things that satisfy me kind of mentally. For example, a Hershey Kiss has only 22 calories. And it's chocolate. Give yourself a little tiny treat once in a while. It will keep you sane.

Briargrey

My thoughts: because you're not balancing it out with some of everything. It depends on what you mean by 'healthy' eating. If you deprive yourself of lots of things, you'll always feel deprived, both mentally and physically. For example, low fat just makes you crave fat eventually. Low carb may make you crave carbs, etc. Maybe not immediately, but eventually, and then you get the mental issues of feeling guilty for 'breaking' your low/no taboo.

I try to eat a lot less processed foods because I feel that it is much healthier to avoid most of the crap in them. However, I don't deprive myself of them! I allow it within my calorie goals. However, I'm also always looking for items that will hit those 'cravings' in better ways. If I'm craving chips, Simple Truth Popped Parmesan Chips not just satisfy it, they are better to me than any other chips I could have, and the calorie count is way better. If I'm craving sweet, Honey Maid Grahamfuls get me a dose of what I'm looking for at better sodium levels than most treats and at a reasonable calorie count. I get thin crust pizza instead of thicker crust. I roast a ton of vegetables and bring lots of raw fruits and vegetables to work to snack on instead of what I used to.

But if I'm feeling bored or unsatisfied or just sitting there going "damn, I really want a burger" then you know what? Damn, I'm going to go get a burger.

I would look at the types of food you're depriving yourself of in trying to eat your definition of healthy -- are you going for low fat, low sodium, low carb, or what? And then research 'healthier' and 'more nutritious' foods that have those items in there. That way, you can reduce any true physical cravings for something your body is saying 'hey, give us more!' For example, I will eat an entire avocado without remorse and with great pleasure. It's a pretty awesome fat and it tastes fantastic. It will totally kill any physical cravings for fatty foods. Then, if I'm still craving 'fat', I pretty much know it's a mental craving, and then I decide if I want to go for it or not -- and I still keep it within my calories.

Eating right, eating better -- never boring and not about deprivation.

GetSoda

i agree with both posters, your stomach needs time to shrink back down and you need to make sure you are getting enough protein, fat, carbs, and water to keep you full. Your ratio should be about 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat. each protein and carb calorie is = to 4 grams and each fat is equal to 9 grams.

There is NO reason to eat that little fat. You -need- fat. Additionally, it's fat and proteins that make you full, and carbs that make you snacky.

Something like 35% protein, 35% fat, 30 carbs is much more balanced.

HeidiCooksSupper

Fat and protein satisfy, sugar and starch pique appetite. It takes a couple of weeks but if you lessen sugar and starch intake and increase fat and protein, you will start to learn to control your appetite. Some folks, I among them, react the same way to artificial sweeteners as I do to sugars -- they give me the munchies.

Understanding the science of appetite has done wonders for me. I feel really in control of when and what I eat much more than I ever have in the past. I still get the munchies -- last night I had two Diet Cokes and soon found myself in the bread box with a stick of butter in my hand. The difference is, now I know why that was and I know what to do about it for me -- avoid Diet Coke.

I'm not saying you will have the same triggers I do, just that if you not what you eat and how you react, you will start to better know how to sate your real hunger and prevent false hunger. I've been at this since March and am still learning but that's nothing compared to the many years I have eaten without self control.

zazielascaux

I did a blood test and found out I was intolerant to gluten, dairy and eggs. Cut these out and the weight just starting dropping off, even though I couldn't exercise due to a leg injury. If you eat something you are intolerant to regularly, it can damage your stomach lining so you cannot absorb the nutrients in your food properly, so you eat larger quantities. Plus you get a little shot of adrenaline when you eat something your body can't handle due to the intolerance (it's a fear reaction). But unfortunately you can get addicted to the adrenaline shot, so you crave the very food that is damaging you. Pretty bad vicious circle to get into. So my best tip would be find out what you cannot tolerate and your appetite will start to regulate itself better. Yorktest is a good blood test, or the Virgin Diet outlines how to do an elimination diet for the foods most likely to cause an intolerance. Or do something like a whole30.

darrensurrey

it has only been a week- it will take a bit for your body to adjust- Patience

Yep. Natural food lacks the processed sugar and extra salt your body craves. Cut down, not out. :-D