Advice needed on getting and staying full

dk1215

I really struggle with staying full! I could use some advice on food and times to eat these foods to help me stay fuller longer. Thanks in advance!

janejellyroll

Satiety can be really individual, but many people find that getting sufficient protein, fat, and fiber helps them feel fuller. I can't see your diary, so it's hard to give more specific advice without knowing how you're eating now.

VioletRojo

Everyone is different, but I have great success with lots of protein and high-fiber vegetables. For other people, fat is what keeps them feeling full, and for others it's carbs. You really need to try different foods and figure out what works for you.

cwolfman13

Full? Or satiated? There's a difference.

IMO, being "full" all of the time isn't or shouldn't be normal. Satisfied and satiated IMO is normal...but you don't stay that way...I'm typically hungry when my next meal rolls around...again, normal.

It's ok to be a little hungry sometimes...that's normal...it's just not what most people are used to feeling because we've become accustomed to just eating whatever, whenever.

In regards to timing or what to eat to be satiated, there is no universal answer...some people do better with more carbs...particularly complex fibrous carbs...some people tend to do better with higher protein...some people tend to do better with a very high fat diet and virtually eliminating carbs.

Meal timing and frequency is also a very individual thing...some people do IF and have an eating window...some people eat three meals per day...some eat a few meals per day and a couple snacks...some people eat 5-6 times per day.

Figuring this out for yourself is part of the process...this whole thing is a process, not a flip a switch and go kind of thing. A lot of this stuff is individual specific...

Old_Cat_Lady

Protein. How much are you getting. Open your diary. How many daily calories are you getting, enough?

Maxxitt

VioletRojo wrote: »

Everyone is different, but I have great success with lots of protein and high-fiber vegetables. For other people, fat is what keeps them feeling full, and for others it's carbs. You really need to try different foods and figure out what works for you.

^^This. And also, make peace with feeling a bit hungry from time to time.

kshama2001

Understanding satiety: feeling full after a meal

...Tips on how to feel fuller

So how can we best try to enhance these feelings of fullness to help us control how much we eat? Here are some top tips for helping you feel fuller:

1. Foods high in protein seem to make us feel fuller than foods high in fat or carbohydrate, so including some protein at every meal should help keep you satisfied. Foods high in protein include meats such as chicken, ham or beef, fish, eggs, beans and pulses.
2. If you are watching your weight, opt for lower fat versions, using leaner cuts of meat, cutting off visible fat and avoiding the skin on poultry as this will help reduce the energy density of the diet, which can help to enhance satiety (see below).
3. Foods that are high in fibre may also enhance feelings of fullness so try to include plenty of high-fibre foods in the diet such as wholegrain bread and cereals, beans and pulses and fruit and vegetables.
4. Alcohol seems to stimulate appetite in the short-term and therefore drinking alcohol is likely to encourage us to eat more. Alcoholic beverages can make you forget about your intentions to eat healthily by making you lose your inhibitions. Alcoholic drinks are also calorific, so you should cut down on alcohol consumption if you are trying to control your weight.
5. The ‘energy density’ of food has a strong influence on feelings of fullness or satiety. Energy density is the amount of energy (or calories) per gram of food. Lower energy density foods provide less energy per gram of food so you can eat more of them without consuming too many calories. Low energy density foods include fruit and vegetables, foods with lots of water added when cooking such as soups and stews, and lower fat foods. Click here for more information on energy density.

Read more: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html

HeidiCooksSupper

You will probably need to do a bit of trial and error to see what works for you. It may take a while to notice a pattern and figure it out. For example, I am just coming to realize that if I have a bran cereal with raisins and almonds for breakfast I have real trouble avoiding the late night munchies. If I have eggs and cheese for breakfast, I'm good. You wouldn't think a breakfast choice would have such an effect on the end of the day but for me it does.

That's not to say eggs for breakfast is magic for everyone. It works for me. For you, it might be drinking a shake for breakfast really fills you up. If I eat or drink something sweet, especially calorie-free sweets like diet soda, I'm ravenously hungry afterwards. For others a can of Diet Coke fills them up for hours.

In general though, for many people, high fiber, high fat, or high protein seem more satisfactory than high carbs (sugar or starch) when it comes to snacks.

Ready2Rock206

You're not supposed to be stuffed full 24/7. That's how we get overweight in the first place. If you're losing weight it would be highly unlikely you can remain full all the time. Work on getting over the need to constantly stuff yourself silly and instead find a comfortable satisfied feeling. Also it is okay to be hungry sometimes too. Occasional discomfort won't kill you. Getting in tune with your body and knowing how to stop when satisfied can be difficult but will pay off in the long run.

LynnJ9

This realization was one of the biggest reasons I am consistently losing weight this time:
It is OK to be hungry, most of the world gets hungry and stays hungry for a time before they eat. Our fear of feeling hunger is a first world problem.
My hunger does not mean I am starving my body. I am simply allowing my stomach to have periods of time when it is empty. That is OK.
Just because I am hungry does not mean I have to eat right then. My body can store energy, in fact, all that extra weight is stored energy. My body can survive until my next meal.

debtay123

I also love many of the ideas in our high volume eaters thread- usually it is LOTS of fruits or vegetables with a protein of choices- so many different choices

Orphia

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread