Hungry all the time!

skyhowl

aragalen wrote: »

First of all congratulations on doing so well on your weight loss routine! It may seem slow but that is the best and safest way to go to keep your weight at the level you want.

I would like to make a suggestion to help with being hungry. Protein is good for satisfying hunger but the calories can add up. I am currently on a low-sodium diet due to heart failure and also need to lose weight (was up to 99kg but now after 2 months at 94kg--and still have a ways to go!) at about 1200 cal. per day. Hunger was a problem but I discovered that upping my vegetable intake helped with that as well as keeping calories down. I like to roast vegetables, especially cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts sliced in half by putting olive or avocado oil (good fats) into a plastic sandwich bag, adding chopped garlic, and shaking it to coat the veggies. Then put on foil into the oven at 400 F (about 200 C) and cooking for 20-30 minutes. I make a lot at a time and save to snack on later. Eating 1-2 cups at a time fills me up with a minimum of calories, and I don't get hungry as much.

I will definitely try this . Brussels sprouts and broccoli aren't really a thing in my home country and when I moved, I tried to cook them but I just failed and never tried again. I like roasted veggies although I do a similar recipe with potatoes and bell peppers but potatoes are higher in calories than broccoli or Brussels sprouts. So I have to watch my servings carefully with potatoes. Thanks so much for your reply. I wish you all the best!

skyhowl

xtrain321 wrote: »

My suggestion is the same as @araglen. Increasing protein can keep you full longer, and adding a lot of veggies will fill up your stomach while keeping calories lower (bonus--lots of nutrients and fiber).

I have a pretty big appetite and use the concept of "volume eating" to make my meals feel satisfying while still keeping calories low enough to hit my target. There's an active thread on MFP about volume eating with lots of ideas for "volume" meals. See if this helps with the hunger:

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

I will look into the thread. I've been actually thinking about my protein intake since yesterday. I honestly struggle so much getting enough protein and I was thinking that it is something I will have to think about since If I am going to do recomp, I will have to get to my protein goal somehow. I was struggling even 3 years ago when I was eating more meat and dairy. But I am more plant-based now and I will have to research on how to do this consistently.

Thanks for the reply!

kshama2001

skyhowl wrote: »

xtrain321 wrote: »

My suggestion is the same as @araglen. Increasing protein can keep you full longer, and adding a lot of veggies will fill up your stomach while keeping calories lower (bonus--lots of nutrients and fiber).

I have a pretty big appetite and use the concept of "volume eating" to make my meals feel satisfying while still keeping calories low enough to hit my target. There's an active thread on MFP about volume eating with lots of ideas for "volume" meals. See if this helps with the hunger:

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

I will look into the thread. I've been actually thinking about my protein intake since yesterday. I honestly struggle so much getting enough protein and I was thinking that it is something I will have to think about since If I am going to do recomp, I will have to get to my protein goal somehow. I was struggling even 3 years ago when I was eating more meat and dairy. But I am more plant-based now and I will have to research on how to do this consistently.

Thanks for the reply!

My vegan friends made legumes a staple of their diet and included them in at least two meals per day.

I'm an omnivore, and I find rice and beans very filling. When it's colder I like hot meals, and I make up big batches of Cuban rice & beans or lentils & rice and have this for breakfasts. I keep 6 or 7 days worth in the frig and freeze the rest.

I made a huge multi-bean salad for the 4th of July picnic today.

skyhowl

kshama2001 wrote: »

skyhowl wrote: »

xtrain321 wrote: »

My suggestion is the same as @araglen. Increasing protein can keep you full longer, and adding a lot of veggies will fill up your stomach while keeping calories lower (bonus--lots of nutrients and fiber).

I have a pretty big appetite and use the concept of "volume eating" to make my meals feel satisfying while still keeping calories low enough to hit my target. There's an active thread on MFP about volume eating with lots of ideas for "volume" meals. See if this helps with the hunger:

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

I will look into the thread. I've been actually thinking about my protein intake since yesterday. I honestly struggle so much getting enough protein and I was thinking that it is something I will have to think about since If I am going to do recomp, I will have to get to my protein goal somehow. I was struggling even 3 years ago when I was eating more meat and dairy. But I am more plant-based now and I will have to research on how to do this consistently.

Thanks for the reply!

My vegan friends made legumes a staple of their diet and included them in at least two meals per day.

I'm an omnivore, and I find rice and beans very filling. When it's colder I like hot meals, and I make up big batches of Cuban rice & beans or lentils & rice and have this for breakfasts. I keep 6 or 7 days worth in the frig and freeze the rest.

I made a huge multi-bean salad for the 4th of July picnic today.

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I love lentils and i usually cook it with rice and it is so delicious. I never ate it in large quantities tho. But i will start to. Also chickpeas seem to have good amount of protein. So i will incorporate this into my diet more. I am not a big fan of beans on their own. I had weird symptoms eating a type of beans (don't remember which) when I was a kid so i developed fear of beans in general 😏. But i do like to eat some beans burgers and try to not think that there's beans in it.

bosque1234

I wanted to comment on something others haven't as they have given such good suggestions. Folks I know who have gone for their PhD have described VERY up and down and wild schedules and emotional rides. Very hard work, and the stress. If you feel this could be true for you, I'd factor that into your approach to your next steps.

You really want to be gentle with yourself because really, the academic goals have to come first before the fitness/weight goals. Unless you can manage them both at the same time. I'm not suggesting a lazy approach to your health and weight process. But I am suggesting a realistic strategy for success on your PhD and really looking honestly at what you think you can handle during this time. The weight can always 'wait' a little for your academic priorities.

Just a thought to give yourself a stable place from which to get thru the PhD and meet your health goals. Power on!