I can't stop eating

Sued0nim

hk7468 wrote: »

I'm trying to lose weight, but I have chronic daily migraines that are triggered by hunger/not eating (among other things). Because of this, I've become fearful of becoming hungry, because I don't want to end up in pain. Any suggestions to help keep me fuller, longer, thus allowing me to possibly lose weight?

I would imagine they are also stress induced

Make big vegetable stews with chunky root veg, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms and keep a vat in the fridge with salad leaves ..under 200 cals for a huge plate of food...top with 10g grated cheese for yum
Or big veg curries, or soups
Up your protein and fats ..egg white omelettes, 0% Greek yogurts
Drink to hydrate
Use your calories wisely so hunger that causes headache isn't a thing
Mindfulness meditation and get out and walk more

wendsg

I slam water like a beast. It helps curb my hunger. Before Lent I also drank Diet Coke to curb any hunger cravings between water bottles (I dunno, it works for me!), but I give that up annually so right now it's a touch of a struggle.

I also ensure that I eat all things in moderation - fruits and veg are big, of course, but I don't deny myself tasty meat and rice, breads and pastas. I also have started throwing barley in my soups to make them more filling, or chunks of potato.

bruhaha007

Extra Protein and sufficient fiber can curb hunger along with lots of water

Sued0nim

wendsg wrote: »

I slam water like a beast. It helps curb my hunger. Before Lent I also drank Diet Coke to curb any hunger cravings between water bottles (I dunno, it works for me!), but I give that up annually so right now it's a touch of a struggle.

I also ensure that I eat all things in moderation - fruits and veg are big, of course, but I don't deny myself tasty meat and rice, breads and pastas. I also have started throwing barley in my soups to make them more filling, or chunks of potato.

barley in soup is my nemesis

my mother did that once to chicken soup when I was really craving her home-made chicken soup

I cried a little

giantwisdom

What is your height, weight, and age? Do you know your bodyfat %? Without that info, there's no way to tell whether 1500 calories is a reasonable goal or not.

People generally get hungry for two reasons:
1. They are eating too little
2. They are eating foods that make them hungry (spike insulin, which makes you hungry soon after you eat)

Generally, if you are eating a reasonable amount, eliminating or dramatically reducing sugar will eliminate cravings after a couple of weeks of strict compliance.

DaphneSW

Larissa_NY wrote: »

I mean, there's really no other answer here than "Quit eating so much."

That sounds facile, but if you let yourself be hungry you'll find out pretty quickly that it's not the end of the world; do something to take your mind off it, and it's not even a particularly unpleasant sensation. Unless you live in pretty dire economic circumstances and are literally in danger of starving to death or going blind from malnutrition, you don't NEED food. You WANT food. There's a big difference.

Also, eating until you're stuffed is, as you seem to recognize, something you choose to do. You can also choose not to. After a while of stopping when you're satisfied instead of eating until you're overstuffed, you'll stop thinking of that overstuffed feeling as pleasant.

TL;DR: this too shall pass. You'll get used to eating less food - but only if you actually do eat less food instead of telling yourself you absolutely must have more.

The hard truth! I agree! Perhaps it's something i'll have to take time to adjust to

DaphneSW

firstplace21 wrote: »

The hunger that you're feeling might not be hunger at all but thirst. Drink lots of water. Think of yourself in a thinner sexy looking body everytime you feel hungry. That might prevent you from eating too much

I'm constantly drinking water so i know it's not that!D:

lookingoodgirl7

A book called the Volumetrics Weight Control Plan by Barbara Rolls, PhD had helped me. It's all about eating less energy dense food to feel overall satiated yet consuming fewer calories. Hope this helps!

poteatkd

For me, if I don't incorporate oatmeal into my breakfast, I get hungry before my allotted lunch time. I've found that the below breakfast recipe works great for me:


Your Food Diary For:
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 3 cup(s) 7 0 0 1 14 0
Chobani - Non Fat Yogurt - Plain, 175 gram 100 8 0 17 81 5
Fruit - Pink Lady Apple, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) 72 19 0 0 1 14
Honey - Local Honey, 1 tbsp 60 17 0 0 0 16
Quaker - Old Fashioned Rolled Oats - Dry, 35 gram 131 24 3 4 0 1
Add Food Quick Tools
370 68 3 23 96 36

I usually make it the night before so the sweetness of the apple permeates the yogurt because while the honey helps, the apple is much needed.

janejellyroll

DaphneSW wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Is your calorie goal from MFP? If so, it's designed for you to eat back exercise calories. Your calorie goal has a deficit built in.

Are you getting enough protein? Are you getting enough fat? When I don't get enough of these, I struggle with hunger. Are you eliminating too many foods you enjoy? There is nothing inherently bad about chocolate.

Indeed - the calorie goal is from mfp!
I understand that it is designed to eat back exercise, but it would still be ideal for me to not 'waste' all the calories lost from my exercise, you feel?

You do highlight a good point about protein and fat though. Based on my recent diary entries I tend to eat many carbs but not much protein so that is something I should definitely re think

But you aren't "wasting" anything if you eat them back. MFP's goal already puts you at a deficit. If you increase the size of the deficit through exercise, you run the risk of not getting enough to eat. This can lead to hunger -- as it has in your case. So if you want to address the problem (hunger, the feeling that you can't stop eating), try eating enough.

AmberSpamber

I know what you mean. It is brutal at the beginning but gets easier with time. Start drinking more water, especially before you eat. Often hunger pains are a sign that we need more water, but our body doesn't know the difference, so we need to just train it. I also drink water with a little ACV first thing in the morning and for some reason that curbs my appetite- but that's not for everyone. Hang in there!

ShrinkingScientist

Are you also physically hungry or are you "psychologically hungry"? Do you stop to make sure you're not bored, angry, lonely, or tired?

Chaagy

For me it was all about recalibrating. I was so used to eating until I was full (and even stuffed), that learning to just eat until satisfied feels like hunger. Satisfied is the feeling that you're not hungry anymore, but you still could eat a lot more. It's hard to get used to, because I don't think there's an emotional pay-off to eating until Satisfied. It doesn't feel complete like Full does.

It just feels OK, which is a miserable place to be if you are used to the full on happiness of Fullness (#EmotionalEating). Any way, as you start eating until Satisfied, you get used to it. It doesn't feel quite as bad as it does in the beginning. And you can still eat until Full on the odd occasion, but it's good to be able to recognize it.

I use a lot of tricks to maintaining satisfaction: High fibre, complex carbs, Protein, Lots of veggies for volume.

Also, you need to eat back those excercise calories - at least a good portion of them.

giantwisdom

It's hard to nail down the root cause of your issue from what you write.

Generally, if you are hungry all the time, you are spiking your insulin too much and often throughout the day. Sugar and processed carbs are the biggest culprits.

Eliminating or significantly reducing your sugar and processed carb intake will go a long way to eliminating or reducing your cravings.

benzieboxx

bwogilvie wrote: »

I found that after about 3 or 4 weeks of toughing it out, the hunger got much more manageable.

This, for me as well. It took me about 2-3 months to get used to not eating what I was so accustomed to eating. It's very strange when you realize how large your portions were before you started. I also try to keep myself busy if I'm starting to feel "hungry" because 9 times out of 10 I'm not actually hungry. Just bored or thirsty.

mommazach

Here's the best I have to support you. Take your body weight, divide by 2, and drink that many ounces of water a day. This keeps you fuller longer. Then.... Drink 20 ounces 30 minutes before a meal. Do not drink while eating. The reason behind this is that the liquids wash the food into the bottom of your stomach. If you don't eat during the meal the food stays at the top turning on the "full feeling" receptors earlier. If you have eating your portion, and are still hungry, stop anyway. Get another portion, and get up!!!!!!!! Go do something for the next 20 minutes. I generally clean up the kitchen, fold a load of laundry, check the mail... Whatever for 20 minutes. It takes the brain 20 minutes to realize it's full. If you are still hungry, then eat healthy. Fill up with Fiber. Ask yourself if you are really hungry still or if it's because it's what you are used to. I don't EVER eat back my exercise calories. It's good that they are there, but I lose more weight by burning. Best of luck.

Jeneba

hk7468 wrote: »

I'm trying to lose weight, but I have chronic daily migraines that are triggered by hunger/not eating (among other things). Because of this, I've become fearful of becoming hungry, because I don't want to end up in pain. Any suggestions to help keep me fuller, longer, thus allowing me to possibly lose weight?

I have the same issue, complicated by hypo-thyroidism and low cortisol. Besides the hunger itself, I have found that there are many wonderful foods that are actually migraine triggers - avocado, dried fruits, aged cheeses, gluten (of course, you KNEW that was coming)...

I have been following a gluten free vegan diet for about a month now, which was great initially. But after a recent trip abroad, I still can't shake the jet lag - it feels horribly familiar, like a migraine.

What has really helped me is a book by David Buchholz about which foods to avoid. There seems to be no easy way to do this.

I, too, would love some suggestions if anyone can help.

cariduttry

I can NOT have too many simple carbs because it starts a vicious hunger cycle in me. I am gluten free for many reasons, but even so, I have to carefully monitor how many servings of foods such as rice, corn, & potatoes I'm having.

A quick example: Doritos are gluten free, so technically I can eat them. But, if I have a handful, I notice that all of a sudden, I'm hungry for another, and another, and maybe some popcorn, and then a piece of cheese...soon enough, I've eaten in excess of 500 calories of nothing but fluff. When I stay away, I don't crave it and my hunger abates.

Like others have said, tons of water helps too (but you've said you do that already).

Good luck to you!!

vczK2t

I am learning to be a mindful eater. that means i am paying attention to my body queues. so, i noticed a pattern with my eating. i based my meals and snacks on my cravings. breakfast has to be a good source of protein, mid morning is something sweet. lunch is mostly carbs. mid afternoon is something crunchy. dinner is mostly vegetables and some carbs. before bed is something sweet. i eat until i am satisfied. i don't deny myself any foods or drinks. it's a recipe for failure, IMHO.

AliceDark

Didn't see if you answered this up thread...how much protein and fat are you averaging? (Not your goal; what are you actually consuming?)

Your profile says that you're transitioning to vegetarianism, and one of the most common errors people make when they first go veg is to replace meat (a source of protein and fat) with vegetables/fruits (not a source of protein or fat). For example, they'll turn a burger into a portobello sandwich, but that's not a good swap from a nutritional perspective. I've been a vegetarian for most of my life and it is absolutely possible to get adequate fat and protein without meat, but in order to do that, you need to be paying close attention to your macros. Eating an unbalanced diet can totally cause uncontrollable hunger and the feeling of not being satiated.