What to do when I get too hungry?

jacobmattison

I try to manage my food schedule but sometimes something comes up and I can't eat until later than I planned. Sometimes I get so hungry after that that I can't seem to get un-hungry no matter what I eat, and it's really hard not to blow all of my calories for the day right then.

Any suggestions? The best I've come up with is 1) eat something with protein, 2) try really hard to wait for a little while before I eat anything else. This approach only sort of works.

kommodevaran

Eat, or don't eat. Whats your height and weight and calorie target?

seska422

Drink, both while you don't have time to eat and with your meal. That gives your stomach some temporary filling when you are busy, some extra filling when you eat, and dehydration may be part of the problem anyway.

shakachewbacca

Getting comfortable with feeling a hunger signal but not following a compulsion to act on it is power. Doesn't make you a starved martyr, just makes you in control of your habitual behavior.

jacobmattison

Thanks! I'm 5' 7" and 145 lbs; near the end of the weight loss phase (lost 25 lbs) and hoping to move to maintenance soon. Currently eating 1600 calories.

The suggestions are good, but I need to clarify what I mean by "too hungry". I think the issue is that my blood sugar has dropped. It's not just a matter of hunger pangs -- more like "bonking" while running. I get weak, dizzy, can't concentrate.

Thanks!

Millicent3015

You could try keeping a handful of nuts, seeds and dried fruit on you to nibble on in a long interval between meals. You could also keep a bottle of water with you, or drink some diet pop or sparkling water to give you a feeling of fullness until you can have your main meal.

kommodevaran

Are you eating exercise calories back, in addition to those 1600?

jacobmattison

@kommodevaran -- if I do an extra, strenuous workout I'll eat those calories back, but mostly I just go for walks and I don't eat those back (I figure they just go into my activity level).

Thanks, everybody.

romanicholas1997

Is it just calories that you’re following or nutrients as well? You can easily reach calories but you need to ensure you’re eating appropriate foods to get all your nutritional needs vitamins/minerals/calcium/zinc/magnesium etc otherwise your body will not be able to function properly. Have you found snacking helps? Could be worth looking into foods that increase longer times of satiety and adding them to your meals as well.