How to control your appetite
Options
kimny72
Posts: 16,013 Member
This is a question that comes up a lot, and I always do what @try2again asks me to do. So here is a rundown of ideas to consider if you are struggling with appetite, kind of a "greatest hits" from all the previous threads on this subject:
First, it's important to make sure you aren't trying to hit a deficit that is too large. Many users automatically choose 2 lbs per week, but that is really only realistic if you have a lot of weight to lose, 60+ lbs at least. So if your deficit is really aggressive, the way to control your appetite is to eat more.
Second, you should look at exercise. The MFP calorie goal expects you to eat back at least some of your exercise calories. If you aren't, you probably need to eat a little more.
If you are aiming for an appropriate amount of calories, it can take a couple of weeks for your body to get used to being at a deficit. If you can get through a few more days and see what happens, it might take care of itself.
In general, protein fat & fiber are filling in some combo for most people. So if you are consistently low on any of those three, bringing the stragglers up to goal can really help.
If volume is filling for you, adding lots of low cal veggies to your meals can fill them out for hardly any calories.
Some people find caffeine is a mild appetite suppressant. Others say drinking more water is, but I never found that myself. It certainly can't hurt to try drinking a glass of water when you are hungry between meals or before a meal, though.
Play around with meal timing so that you are eating less calories when you typically aren't hungry, and more when you typically are. It sounds simple, but lots of people get stuck in an idea of when they are supposed to eat, and don't even consider changing it up!
Sometimes hunger is nothing more than a psychological response to a habit. If your deficit is appropriate and nothing else is working, consider the possibility that your hunger isn't really hunger. You're just used to eating at this time, and you need to get your mind used to doing something else. Replace one habit with another - instead of going to the breakroom at 4PM and grabbing a snack, walk to a co-workers office to chat, make a cup of herbal tea, do a crossword puzzle.
If the problem is actually cravings, try fitting moderated portion of the foods you love into your calorie goal, at least every once and awhile. Satisfying your appetite is more than just eating enough sometimes
If you have been eating in a deficit for a while and are suddenly struggling with hunger, it's possible a regimented diet break might help. I'm not talking about just mindlessly going off the rails for a week, but a strategically planned specific type of break, which you can learn about here:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1
First, it's important to make sure you aren't trying to hit a deficit that is too large. Many users automatically choose 2 lbs per week, but that is really only realistic if you have a lot of weight to lose, 60+ lbs at least. So if your deficit is really aggressive, the way to control your appetite is to eat more.
Second, you should look at exercise. The MFP calorie goal expects you to eat back at least some of your exercise calories. If you aren't, you probably need to eat a little more.
If you are aiming for an appropriate amount of calories, it can take a couple of weeks for your body to get used to being at a deficit. If you can get through a few more days and see what happens, it might take care of itself.
In general, protein fat & fiber are filling in some combo for most people. So if you are consistently low on any of those three, bringing the stragglers up to goal can really help.
If volume is filling for you, adding lots of low cal veggies to your meals can fill them out for hardly any calories.
Some people find caffeine is a mild appetite suppressant. Others say drinking more water is, but I never found that myself. It certainly can't hurt to try drinking a glass of water when you are hungry between meals or before a meal, though.
Play around with meal timing so that you are eating less calories when you typically aren't hungry, and more when you typically are. It sounds simple, but lots of people get stuck in an idea of when they are supposed to eat, and don't even consider changing it up!
Sometimes hunger is nothing more than a psychological response to a habit. If your deficit is appropriate and nothing else is working, consider the possibility that your hunger isn't really hunger. You're just used to eating at this time, and you need to get your mind used to doing something else. Replace one habit with another - instead of going to the breakroom at 4PM and grabbing a snack, walk to a co-workers office to chat, make a cup of herbal tea, do a crossword puzzle.
If the problem is actually cravings, try fitting moderated portion of the foods you love into your calorie goal, at least every once and awhile. Satisfying your appetite is more than just eating enough sometimes
If you have been eating in a deficit for a while and are suddenly struggling with hunger, it's possible a regimented diet break might help. I'm not talking about just mindlessly going off the rails for a week, but a strategically planned specific type of break, which you can learn about here:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1
49
Replies
-
Great post!1
-
Great post! I have had to work through most of these points at some period in my weight loss and still have to remind myself of all of these occasionally.1
-
For me it’s not hunger I can’t control (that’s actually quite easy) it’s the cravings! Even after I give in to them I want more and more. Probably to do with my PCOS and insulin issues. Oh well I just have to accept I will have intense cravings and I can’t do anything about it.5
-
Great thread!!1
-
Very concise and insighful post! The only thing I will add is "smell" Sometimes it's difficult to control hunger when a co worker brings in fried chicken or french fries and wafts the odor all over the office. I can just be done and back from lunch and my stomach will start rumbling. Talk about conditioned responses. 3
-
Excellent.
In addition: So many people struggle with sugar and compulsions (I know you don't kimny72, but it's worth mentioning.) Until I got a handle on this part of my mind and body, it was really difficult for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
If you are someone who struggles with stopping once you start eating sweets or wheat products, and/or if you find you are really obsessing about treat foods, then maybe stop eating them for a while and see how that works for your eating compulsions. Some people really do have an issue this way and for them accepting that and working with cutting them WAY back is the best strategy.
When I eat a lot of sugar or wheat products, all I want to do is eat more. I could have 2000 calories of treats (such as cookies, candy, cake-type things, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, chips or dried fruits/trail mix) and still be thinking of what else I can eat.
It's a thing. Not everyone struggles with these compulsions - but enough of us that it's worth a mention in this kind of thread.13 -
cmriverside wrote: »Excellent.
In addition: So many people struggle with sugar and compulsions (I know you don't kimny72, but it's worth mentioning.) Until I got a handle on this part of my mind and body, it was really difficult for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
If you are someone who struggles with stopping once you start eating sweets or wheat products, and/or if you find you are really obsessing about treat foods, then maybe stop eating them for a while and see how that works for your eating compulsions. Some people really do have an issue this way and for them accepting that and working with cutting them WAY back is the best strategy.
When I eat a lot of sugar or wheat products, all I want to do is eat more. I could have 2000 calories of treats (such as cookies, candy, cake-type things, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, chips or dried fruits/trail mix) and still be thinking of what else I can eat.
It's a thing. Not everyone struggles with these compulsions - but enough of us that it's worth a mention in this kind of thread.
:drinker:1 -
Thanks for posting this! Adding it to my list of helpful links
2 -
cmriverside wrote: »Excellent.
In addition: So many people struggle with sugar and compulsions (I know you don't kimny72, but it's worth mentioning.) Until I got a handle on this part of my mind and body, it was really difficult for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
If you are someone who struggles with stopping once you start eating sweets or wheat products, and/or if you find you are really obsessing about treat foods, then maybe stop eating them for a while and see how that works for your eating compulsions. Some people really do have an issue this way and for them accepting that and working with cutting them WAY back is the best strategy.
When I eat a lot of sugar or wheat products, all I want to do is eat more. I could have 2000 calories of treats (such as cookies, candy, cake-type things, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, chips or dried fruits/trail mix) and still be thinking of what else I can eat.
It's a thing. Not everyone struggles with these compulsions - but enough of us that it's worth a mention in this kind of thread.
Thanks, your post just described me!2 -
Really great post! Wish this had been written 5 years ago as I learned most of these through a lot of trial and error throughout my years on MFP.
3 -
cmriverside wrote: »Excellent.
In addition: So many people struggle with sugar and compulsions (I know you don't kimny72, but it's worth mentioning.) Until I got a handle on this part of my mind and body, it was really difficult for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
If you are someone who struggles with stopping once you start eating sweets or wheat products, and/or if you find you are really obsessing about treat foods, then maybe stop eating them for a while and see how that works for your eating compulsions. Some people really do have an issue this way and for them accepting that and working with cutting them WAY back is the best strategy.
When I eat a lot of sugar or wheat products, all I want to do is eat more. I could have 2000 calories of treats (such as cookies, candy, cake-type things, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, chips or dried fruits/trail mix) and still be thinking of what else I can eat.
It's a thing. Not everyone struggles with these compulsions - but enough of us that it's worth a mention in this kind of thread.
Well this is me. I swear, if I thought about anything useful as much as I think about biscuits/cakes/chocolate I could solve all the world's problems by lunchtime.4 -
Thanks Kimny, great post.1
-
Thanks for this post. I like to eat a lot of food (I have a high metabolism as well), so I do volume foods to stay within calorie limit.
I don’t have much of an issue with sweets like I used to since eating this way.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »Excellent.
In addition: So many people struggle with sugar and compulsions (I know you don't kimny72, but it's worth mentioning.) Until I got a handle on this part of my mind and body, it was really difficult for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
If you are someone who struggles with stopping once you start eating sweets or wheat products, and/or if you find you are really obsessing about treat foods, then maybe stop eating them for a while and see how that works for your eating compulsions. Some people really do have an issue this way and for them accepting that and working with cutting them WAY back is the best strategy.
When I eat a lot of sugar or wheat products, all I want to do is eat more. I could have 2000 calories of treats (such as cookies, candy, cake-type things, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, chips or dried fruits/trail mix) and still be thinking of what else I can eat.
It's a thing. Not everyone struggles with these compulsions - but enough of us that it's worth a mention in this kind of thread.
Yep, I can eat and eat and eat certain things and never feel satisfied. What helped me get control over this was making sure I got enough:
1. Protein and fiber
2. Sleep
3. Exercise
I can usually moderate if I have the above dialed in, and only have treats after dinner, etc., etc. But I still cannot moderate pints of Ben & Jerry's
Some people may have to abstain completely. Many of us moderate some things and abstain from others.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-happiness-project/201210/are-you-abstainer-or-moderator0 -
diet breaks sound counter intuitive at first...at least for me. until i tried taking them. sometimes you gotta take 2 steps back to make a leap over the wall. great post, with a premature bump.3
-
This was excellent and very helpful, thanks so much1
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 389 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 919 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions