I am SOO hungry all the time.

2

Replies

  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    edited January 2017
    reneec257 wrote: »
    reneec257 wrote: »
    If you don't eat enough carbs, you will always be hungry.

    Some people find that carbohydrates promote satiety, others find they don't make much of an impact or they even make them hungrier. I love carbohydrates and eat a lot of them, but if I eat some fruit (especially dried fruit) by itself, it just unleashes my hunger.

    If I had to choose between overeating dates or having a controlled portion of dark chocolate (which I find very satisfying), I would choose the dark chocolate every single time. Why? Because maintaining a calorie balance is a key to maintaining weight loss (overeating will result in weight gain) and I find the dark chocolate to be much more satisfying.

    That isn't to say I won't enjoy dates or peaches as part of a larger meal or snack, but overeating is what led to my weight gain in the first place. Why would that be healthier for me than a reasonable portion of candy or cake?

    Most people that are overweight cannot eat just a reasonable portion of candy or cake, that is why they are overweight. It is better to learn to eat healthier foods than put yourself in a situation where you end up eating more than a reasonable amount. This forum is for opinions, not to bash other people's opinions....

    While I agree that it's good to learn to eat healthier foods, people are overweight because they consume more calories than they burn.

    I personally am overweight because of salty things like potato chips and crackers, not sweets.

    Also a few studies show that restricting foods can cause SOME people to binge/overeat on them later. With all the restrictive "diets" out there and so many people failing its good sometimes to remind folks that they don't have to be overly restrictive.

    Sometimes people think moderation means buying a family size bag of chips and bringing it home and then trying not to go back for more. Personally that doesn't work for me. Moderation for me means buying 1 single serving of chips to have with my sandwich or having whatever food when I go out to eat.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    I have lost 11lbs in the last 4 weeks, but I attributed that to the water weight that people initially lose when they try to clean up their diet.
  • FLBeachluvr
    FLBeachluvr Posts: 110 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    I think where I struggle the most is with eating fats; I am scared of them for no good reason.

    Can anybody please suggest some quick, low calorie snacks? I feel especially hungry at office between 5-6pm, I think. I am 23, by the way.

    String cheese, Greek yogurt, 100 calorie packs of almonds, a rice cake with a wedge of Laughing Cow light cheese are some of my favorite snacks.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    reneec257 wrote: »
    reneec257 wrote: »
    If you don't eat enough carbs, you will always be hungry.

    Some people find that carbohydrates promote satiety, others find they don't make much of an impact or they even make them hungrier. I love carbohydrates and eat a lot of them, but if I eat some fruit (especially dried fruit) by itself, it just unleashes my hunger.

    If I had to choose between overeating dates or having a controlled portion of dark chocolate (which I find very satisfying), I would choose the dark chocolate every single time. Why? Because maintaining a calorie balance is a key to maintaining weight loss (overeating will result in weight gain) and I find the dark chocolate to be much more satisfying.

    That isn't to say I won't enjoy dates or peaches as part of a larger meal or snack, but overeating is what led to my weight gain in the first place. Why would that be healthier for me than a reasonable portion of candy or cake?

    Most people that are overweight cannot eat just a reasonable portion of candy or cake, that is why they are overweight. It is better to learn to eat healthier foods than put yourself in a situation where you end up eating more than a reasonable amount. This forum is for opinions, not to bash other people's opinions....

    While I agree that it's good to learn to eat healthier foods, people are overweight because they consume more calories than they burn.

    I personally am overweight because of salty things like potato chips and crackers, not sweets.

    Also a few studies show that restricting foods can cause SOME people to binge/overeat on them later. With all the restrictive "diets" out there and so many people failing its good sometimes to remind folks that they don't have to be overly restrictive.

    Sometimes people think moderation means buying a family size bag of chips and bringing it home and then trying not to go back for more. Personally that doesn't work for me. Moderation for me means buying 1 single serving of chips to have with my sandwich or having whatever food when I go out to eat.

    I agree with this: an important part of moderation is understanding what purchasing/food storage plans make it easier for us to stay on plan. Moderation doesn't necessarily mean that someone is always okay with having big containers of favorite foods around (although it can mean that for some people).
  • DSNStratos
    DSNStratos Posts: 8 Member
    My two cents: you need to rethink the feelings of hunger as long as you're eating a good balance of protein/fat/carbs in an organized plan. Hunger is inevitable when cutting weight, embrace it, know that you're doing great on your plan, and check the clock -- the next meal is never that far away. Cut up fresh veggies are a great work snack...and a clementine has fewer than 50 cals. A tablespoon of "real" NSA peanut or almond butter will also help - 100 cal. Spread the almond butter on apple slices, even better... 200 cals - maybe that's two snacks. I bring the one tbsp with me, not the jar - too tempting.
  • highlightshadow
    highlightshadow Posts: 116 Member
    For me.... and i'm a 400lb er.... i'm finding it 10x easier this time eating my allocation of fat/protein but only around 50% - 60% of my carbs....

    Plus its certain kind of carbs that are better for slower digestion than others.... u need to experiment with different foods to find what works

    I'm finding it easier though keeping the sugar lower
  • futuresize8
    futuresize8 Posts: 476 Member
    edited January 2017
    [/quote]

    Most people that are overweight cannot eat just a reasonable portion of candy or cake, that is why they are overweight. It is better to learn to eat healthier foods than put yourself in a situation where you end up eating more than a reasonable amount. This forum is for opinions, not to bash other people's opinions....

    [/quote]

    Just wanted to say...I am overweight and I don't eat candy or cake. Moderation and portion control can be incorporated into any lifestyle where true food addiction isn't an issue. Being overweight and candy and cake are not necessarily the connection.

    But for the OP, I personally find that the incorporating a sensible balance of protein, healthy fat and carbs into every meal keeps me from starving and also reduces cravings. I eyeball the "zone" way of eating - I try to have a serving of lean protein the size of a deck of cards and fill the rest of my plate with vegetables and complex carbohydrates. I add a little butter, olive oil, nuts or cheese for fat.

    Some of my favorite go to snacks and mini meals -
    a small apple and one ounce of cheddar
    Half a baked sweet potato with half a cup of cottage cheese
    a handful of almonds or walnuts and veggie sticks

    All have that combo of protein and carbs. I hope that helps!

  • ianb64
    ianb64 Posts: 2 Member
    If you are anything like me, carbs make you hungrier. I love fruit but have reduced my daily intake significantly to just berries on some days. Greens, protein, and healthy fats are the way to go for me.
  • Watermelon_Crush
    Watermelon_Crush Posts: 170 Member
    edited January 2017
    I'm not sure if you have it where you are, but I have a couple of ryvita with flora spread and marmite for a snack.

    Yogurt with bits of fruit in is good (especially the extra thick ones you can get now as they're higher protein).

    I find anything more crunchy makes me feel like I've had more to eat LOL So carrots, or a couple of breakfast biscuits, mini cheddars, small portion of nuts.

    I had a friend who swore by two hardboiled eggs. Low cals but high in protein, so I see where she was coming from, but for me I'd have had to have one with something else not just two whole hard boiled eggs.

    Edit: I forgot, she also used to have tinned tuna as a snack, usually with something in it like chopped gherkin or a squeeze of lemon....I'm a vegetarian so I forgot about that one LOL
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    Just throwing this out there, it may work for you, may not.

    I have found my "best" meals (satiety, appealing and satisfying) are ones where my protein/carbs are balanced (I don't worry too much about fat). For me, that means that if I have a meal with 30 g of carbs, my protein needs to be at 15 g or higher. When my protein grams are at least half or more of my carb grams, it is a winner meal for me.

    So, I suggest always pairing your fruit with a protein. (Like an apple and cheese stick) You may find that by balancing your meals better you have an easier time with not feeling as hungry.
  • amyinthetardis1231
    amyinthetardis1231 Posts: 571 Member
    Some people are satiated by tons of carbs, others by more fat and lower carbs. Play with your macros and see what makes you feel more full. Increasing protein is usually a good idea too. Don't be scared of fat, fat is your friend!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Some people are satiated by tons of carbs, others by more fat and lower carbs. Play with your macros and see what makes you feel more full. Increasing protein is usually a good idea too. Don't be scared of fat, fat is your friend!

    Yes. Fat doesn't make you fat. Unless, of course, you eat too much of it.

    Something which also applies to every other macro. :)
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    I'm not an expert, does anyone think OP's chosen/stated calorie burn for steps is awfully high?

    I had the same gut feeling, but no facts to back it up. Anyone else want to take a look at the CO part of the math?

    Fat and protein would help, think. Test out eating different kinds of foods with different macros and see what works. I'd be ravenous if I ate mostly carbs.
  • birdtobe
    birdtobe Posts: 105 Member
    I agree with others regarding staying away from sugar and processed carbs if you have a problem managing them. Yes, I realize there are many people who will disagree with this approach, but, FOR ME, eliminating these things except for the very occasional treat, has dramatically reduced my cravings. I had the world's biggest sweet tooth, so it's kind of astonishing to me that I am able to pass up most sweets these days, but once I stopped having them all the time, I stopped needing them. I still indulge occasionally but, for the most part, I try to stick with nuts and cheese when I need a snack to keep me full.

    Also, I find that I have periods where the 1400 calorie goal is simply too difficult, so I go up by 100-200 for a few days. Then I find myself able to go back down again for a few days. On the whole, I have maintained a 1.8 pound per week weight loss (I love the Happy Scale app for tracking weight loss trends), so I guess this approach works OK!

    I think flexibility is such a huge key to this whole process. Good luck!
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    birdtobe wrote: »
    I agree with others regarding staying away from sugar and processed carbs if you have a problem managing them. Yes, I realize there are many people who will disagree with this approach, but, FOR ME, eliminating these things except for the very occasional treat, has dramatically reduced my cravings. I had the world's biggest sweet tooth, so it's kind of astonishing to me that I am able to pass up most sweets these days, but once I stopped having them all the time, I stopped needing them. I still indulge occasionally but, for the most part, I try to stick with nuts and cheese when I need a snack to keep me full.

    Also, I find that I have periods where the 1400 calorie goal is simply too difficult, so I go up by 100-200 for a few days. Then I find myself able to go back down again for a few days. On the whole, I have maintained a 1.8 pound per week weight loss (I love the Happy Scale app for tracking weight loss trends), so I guess this approach works OK!

    I think flexibility is such a huge key to this whole process. Good luck!

    To me this is not eliminating, this is moderating:).
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    birdtobe wrote: »
    I agree with others regarding staying away from sugar and processed carbs if you have a problem managing them. Yes, I realize there are many people who will disagree with this approach, but, FOR ME, eliminating these things except for the very occasional treat, has dramatically reduced my cravings. I had the world's biggest sweet tooth, so it's kind of astonishing to me that I am able to pass up most sweets these days, but once I stopped having them all the time, I stopped needing them. I still indulge occasionally but, for the most part, I try to stick with nuts and cheese when I need a snack to keep me full.

    Also, I find that I have periods where the 1400 calorie goal is simply too difficult, so I go up by 100-200 for a few days. Then I find myself able to go back down again for a few days. On the whole, I have maintained a 1.8 pound per week weight loss (I love the Happy Scale app for tracking weight loss trends), so I guess this approach works OK!

    I think flexibility is such a huge key to this whole process. Good luck!

    To me this is not eliminating, this is moderating:).

    Yes. We had a big long crazy debate about the difference between eliminating food and eating it in moderation and it came down to people defining it differently (for the most part). Some people believed that if you admit to yourself you MIGHT eat something some day THAT was moderation while others believed that if you cut a specific food out of your diet even for a defined short period of time THAT was eliminating it...temporarily.

    As usual, I think the truth is out there somewhere. Of course if you stop eating chips for 6 months and decide to see if you can eat them in moderation...that to me is eliminating them from your diet...for now. To you it's probably eating them in moderation. Potayto potahto.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
    jaymek92 wrote: »
    Looking at your food diary, I'm seeing you rarely have anything logged before 1 pm except occasionally some tea. If you're hungry all the time, you might want to try eating some solids for breakfast, even just a banana an egg or something some like that.

    I'm too lazy to double check this, but OP, if this is true that you aren't eating anything for breakfast this may be your problem.

    I know some people skip breakfast or practice IF, but when I don't eat breakfast by lunch I'm really hungry and by dinner I'm starving. It seems I can never eat enough to sate myself. I never 'feel' hungry at breakfast time, but I eat regardless and I find I'm not starving later then.

    Also, I think your calories are too low for your activity level.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Eat more protein and drinks LOTS of water.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    ogtmama wrote: »
    birdtobe wrote: »
    I agree with others regarding staying away from sugar and processed carbs if you have a problem managing them. Yes, I realize there are many people who will disagree with this approach, but, FOR ME, eliminating these things except for the very occasional treat, has dramatically reduced my cravings. I had the world's biggest sweet tooth, so it's kind of astonishing to me that I am able to pass up most sweets these days, but once I stopped having them all the time, I stopped needing them. I still indulge occasionally but, for the most part, I try to stick with nuts and cheese when I need a snack to keep me full.

    Also, I find that I have periods where the 1400 calorie goal is simply too difficult, so I go up by 100-200 for a few days. Then I find myself able to go back down again for a few days. On the whole, I have maintained a 1.8 pound per week weight loss (I love the Happy Scale app for tracking weight loss trends), so I guess this approach works OK!

    I think flexibility is such a huge key to this whole process. Good luck!

    To me this is not eliminating, this is moderating:).

    Yes. We had a big long crazy debate about the difference between eliminating food and eating it in moderation and it came down to people defining it differently (for the most part). Some people believed that if you admit to yourself you MIGHT eat something some day THAT was moderation while others believed that if you cut a specific food out of your diet even for a defined short period of time THAT was eliminating it...temporarily.

    As usual, I think the truth is out there somewhere. Of course if you stop eating chips for 6 months and decide to see if you can eat them in moderation...that to me is eliminating them from your diet...for now. To you it's probably eating them in moderation. Potayto potahto.

    elimination - complete avoidance
    moderation - avoidance of extremes

    At least by dictionary definitions.

    Seems simple to me, but what do I know:).

  • howmaster16
    howmaster16 Posts: 4 Member
    I know how you feel cause I feel the same way a lot! Try drinking lots of water to get that full feeling. Also, I found that chewing gum sometimes help. Sometimes you just want to eat, even though you may not be hungry, and chewing can help satisfy that feeling. Hang in there!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    well yesterday you ate 1273 calories and you burned 905(if thats a correct burn) so that means you netted 368 calories. if thats what you are doing often its why you are so hungry,. you are supposed to net your caloric intake,so if mfp gives you 1500 calories a day,you net that after exercise. which means you need to eat back at least 50-75% of your exercise calories. how many minutes did you workout to burn 900 calories,what type of exercise did you do? that would help people to figure out if your burns are high or not. as for steps an easier way to estimate how much you burn walking is take 0.3x your weightxmiles walked.10,000 steps would probably be for you closer to 400 calories,unless you are walking at a fast pace and on an incline it might be more, but to burn 1000 calories just walking would probably be more than 10,000 steps,its better to underestimate calories than overestimate calories. what are you using to get your calorie burns and count your steps?
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    ogtmama wrote: »
    birdtobe wrote: »
    I agree with others regarding staying away from sugar and processed carbs if you have a problem managing them. Yes, I realize there are many people who will disagree with this approach, but, FOR ME, eliminating these things except for the very occasional treat, has dramatically reduced my cravings. I had the world's biggest sweet tooth, so it's kind of astonishing to me that I am able to pass up most sweets these days, but once I stopped having them all the time, I stopped needing them. I still indulge occasionally but, for the most part, I try to stick with nuts and cheese when I need a snack to keep me full.

    Also, I find that I have periods where the 1400 calorie goal is simply too difficult, so I go up by 100-200 for a few days. Then I find myself able to go back down again for a few days. On the whole, I have maintained a 1.8 pound per week weight loss (I love the Happy Scale app for tracking weight loss trends), so I guess this approach works OK!

    I think flexibility is such a huge key to this whole process. Good luck!

    To me this is not eliminating, this is moderating:).

    Yes. We had a big long crazy debate about the difference between eliminating food and eating it in moderation and it came down to people defining it differently (for the most part). Some people believed that if you admit to yourself you MIGHT eat something some day THAT was moderation while others believed that if you cut a specific food out of your diet even for a defined short period of time THAT was eliminating it...temporarily.

    As usual, I think the truth is out there somewhere. Of course if you stop eating chips for 6 months and decide to see if you can eat them in moderation...that to me is eliminating them from your diet...for now. To you it's probably eating them in moderation. Potayto potahto.

    elimination - complete avoidance
    moderation - avoidance of extremes

    At least by dictionary definitions.

    Seems simple to me, but what do I know:).

    It seems simple to me too...and yet...
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    So, my maintenance is about 2150 cals, and estimating 100 cals burnt for every 2k steps, that would put me in a deficit of about 1000 cals. (If I take 10k steps everyday, but my weekly average is 60k I think).

    Not sure why you are hungry but I would be careful about estimating 100 calories for every 2K of steps. I have a fitness tracker and I get about 150 calories for 8k of steps. I'm 5'5" and weigh 160 pounds. Not sure what you weigh but I would be cautious about that estimate.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited January 2017
    well yesterday you ate 1273 calories and you burned 905(if thats a correct burn) so that means you netted 368 calories. if thats what you are doing often its why you are so hungry,. you are supposed to net your caloric intake,so if mfp gives you 1500 calories a day,you net that after exercise. which means you need to eat back at least 50-75% of your exercise calories. how many minutes did you workout to burn 900 calories,what type of exercise did you do? that would help people to figure out if your burns are high or not. as for steps an easier way to estimate how much you burn walking is take 0.3x your weightxmiles walked.10,000 steps would probably be for you closer to 400 calories,unless you are walking at a fast pace and on an incline it might be more, but to burn 1000 calories just walking would probably be more than 10,000 steps,its better to underestimate calories than overestimate calories. what are you using to get your calorie burns and count your steps?

    This! OP, you're starving because several days a week you are leaving alot of calories on the table, and not much protein and fat at all. Eat to your calorie goal, eat back at least some of your exercise calories, and make sure you are getting closer to your protein and fat goals more consistently.
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
    edited January 2017
    For me... I drink a gallon of water throughout my work day as well as eat every 2-3 hours until Dinner. A typical day looks like: oatmeal for breakfast with some kind of fruit or a protein shake with PB2 and bananna. 2 hours later I have a serving of nuts, then for lunch I have tuna on a multigrain wrap with spinach with a size of raw veggies with hummus and a fruit serving, afternoon snack is usually a rice cake with almond butter and dinner consist of primarily veggies and a protein. Our go to is usually a brown rice bowl with black beans, chicken/shrimp tomatoes, avocado with lime juice or a stir fry and I am usually around 1500 calories in... I do zumba twice a week and at least 45 minutes on the treadmill 4x's a week. I NET about 1200 calories on average after exercise. Sundays are my prep days... I measure out oatmeal put them in baggies for the week, I usually make a crock pot meal of some kind of either soup/turkey chili/stuffed peppers for the week. also plan out all my meals for the week as well as pre log my food and increase my calories on exercise days. I am 60 days in to this "lifestyle change" and I can honestly say I don't eat out of hunger anymore. With all that water in my belly it's hard to even think about being hungry LOL... 60 days, down 22lbs but most important to me than weight is I have lost many inches all over my body and I have gained more energy. Like a few others have said, incorporate lots of nuts, fruit, healthy fats, protein into your diet and drink lots of water. :#
  • patslitzker
    patslitzker Posts: 127 Member
    If you just have the urge to eat something try sugar free jello. 5 calories per serving. Another thing I do it fill up a big bowl of lettuce and and just put some fat free Italian dressing on it. Only 15 calories per serving so it won't make a dent in your total calories for the day.
  • jdwils14
    jdwils14 Posts: 154 Member
    Some people are satiated by tons of carbs, others by more fat and lower carbs. Play with your macros and see what makes you feel more full. Increasing protein is usually a good idea too. Don't be scared of fat, fat is your friend!

    "[fats] are friends, [and] food!"
    -Bruce
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    I would up your protein, protein makes you fuller for longer. I love snacks and have a sweet tooth so make sure I have calories for a mid morning protein bar (pretty much a chocolate bar, I'm not saying it's healthy), mid afternoon maybe a small chocolate (100cals) or raspberries, and after dinner I allow myself a 150 cal sweet snack like skinny cow mint chocolate chip lolly. My other meals after well calorie controlled so it works.

    Favourite snacks between 1 and 200 cals:
    Melba toast and cheese spread
    Peanut butter in yoghurt with cocoa powder
    Skinny cow mint chocolate chip
    Promax mint chocolate protein bar
    Coconut collaborative mini chocolate pots
    Ombar raw chocolate
    Graze chocolate cherry tart
    Graze fudge cookie

    Ice lollys and diet Fanta are low calorie says to satisfy my sweet tooth.

    Hope this helps

    Protein doesn't make everyone fuller. Protein makes me hungry.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    For the CO part, I wear an MI fitness tracker that syncs with an app called Google fit. I live in a hilly area,so all my walks are done on an incline. Apart from the walking,and going up and down the stairs,I do not do any exercise (yet). I do think the burns are overestimated as well; that is why I feel more comfortable not eating back the exercise calories(unless I feel the need to).

    Thank you everybody for all the gear advice and analysis.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    For the CO part, I wear an MI fitness tracker that syncs with an app called Google fit. I live in a hilly area,so all my walks are done on an incline. Apart from the walking,and going up and down the stairs,I do not do any exercise (yet). I do think the burns are overestimated as well; that is why I feel more comfortable not eating back the exercise calories(unless I feel the need to).

    Thank you everybody for all the gear advice and analysis.

    well cut the burned calories in half-75% at eat that back .and give it a month or so to see what happens.
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