Always hungry - help!

gilbertfun
gilbertfun Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone :)

Really trying to eat healthy and I'm succeeding! But, I'm always hungry, leading me to eat bigger portions than I would like to.

I just wondered what ways people have found to combat this and how to cut the portion sizes down without starving yourself!

Replies

  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    How many calories are you eating a day? Only if you're calorie goal is too low then you will be hungrier than you need to be.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited January 2019
    manderson27 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating a day? Only if you're calorie goal is too low then you will be hungrier than you need to be.

    Not necessarily. Macros and volume can play an important role in satiety. For example, many people who love keto are satiated by fat. People who are satiated by volume eat lots of high volume, low calorie food.

    If I have a 400 calorie Thai Beef Salad on kale with a little rice, I am stuffed for hours, but if I have 1,100 calories of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, I am hungry again in a few hours.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    Have you set your calorie goal too low? are you eating back exercise calories? (at least half of them)?

    I have that issue though. I am a volume eater. i need to feel like i ate A LOT (mentally and physically). so i eat lots of foods with low calorie density - volumetric eating.

    a thread that may be useful
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1

  • chris02jaliyah
    chris02jaliyah Posts: 8 Member
    I started the Keto diet recently. I do find that it keeps me full longer and I’m not as hungry between meals. To combat hunger I eat. If u are eating healthy then try veggies between meals when u find yourself hungry. I’m definitely hungrier when I workout. So I’m still working on controlling my appetite on those days.
  • gilbertfun
    gilbertfun Posts: 5 Member
    I'm eating about 1500 calories a day and doing work outs that burn off around 300 calories, as 1200 calories is the goal that MFP has set for me. What is a keto diet? :)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    gilbertfun wrote: »
    I'm eating about 1500 calories a day and doing work outs that burn off around 300 calories, as 1200 calories is the goal that MFP has set for me. What is a keto diet? :)

    How many lbs are you trying to l9se, and how many lbs per week are you set to lose? Your deficit might be too aggressive.

    Otherwise, check if you are hitting (or close to) your fat, protein, and fiber goals. If you're low in any of those it can leave you hungry.

    You can also play around with your eating schedule. If there's a specific time of day you typically struggle, try cutting back somewhere else and saving a few extra cals for that time of day. :drinker:
  • skimninja
    skimninja Posts: 25 Member
    Almonds and dried lentil snack things are great hunger busters for me!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    1200 is potentially too low for you - depending on height/weight and current activity level (not including purposeful working out) - that is typically the bare minimum for a sedentary female
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    If your goal is too low, eat more... Lots of people start with aggressive goals, when really, it's better to stick to losing half a lb a week than trying for 2 and giving up...

    And food choices has a huge impact as well.
  • autumnsnow786
    autumnsnow786 Posts: 279 Member
    Drinking tea, more water has been helping me with feeling hungry too
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    For me when I started & was always hungry 3 things helped a lot.

    1. Drink more water. When you feel hungry drink a glass of water before you eat anything.

    2. Eat more often. I built in a mid morning snack & an afternoon to combat the hungry feelings. So I'd eat breakfast then have a mid morning high protein yogurt. I'd eat lunch then eat either some fruit, some carrots, or a bar of some sort, around 4-5 because we eat dinner after 8 pm. I struggled with getting enough fiber & craving chocolate so for me the answer was usually a 90 calorie Fiber One brownie.

    3. Eat more protein.

    What's helping me this time around is eating more fiber. I've become a big fan of overnight oats. Since it's winter I also make soups & stews with lots of veggies & beans for more fiber.
  • abbasrizvi918
    abbasrizvi918 Posts: 7 Member
    The state of hunger is controlled by the hormone known as the Leptin.
    If you reduce it's sensitivity then you won't be facing the issue.
    The good part is it's sensitivity can be decreased through various ways and you can read " reduce leptin sensitivity " here.
    No you are not biologically messing with hormones, you are jsut adjusting them to your needs. It's safe I tried it and look how veiny my forearms are. It works.
    Remember - Leptin, Testosterones and HGH. These three hormones regulate your entire fitness. Balance them

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