Tips for taming your desire to eat

joowelz
joowelz Posts: 172 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you do to help you control your appetite? If you had to shave off 200 calories a day, for example, how would you do so while still feeling like you have had enough to eat?

Replies

  • boilerdawg2009
    boilerdawg2009 Posts: 979 Member
    Drink plenty of water throughout the day! Your stomach will feel full and you'll be less inclined to eat too much.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Lots of water and fibery veggies keep me full.

    I average ~45 -50 grams of fiber -almost all from produce (think big salads and stir fries) and a gallon of water a day.

    Quickie craving trick when I get the night munchies knowing full well I've had my calorie allotment for the day: I guzzle 20 oz of water as fast as I can. Fills me up to the point I'm sometimes even uncomfortably full, and keeps my mitts out of the pantry.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Okay, so water doesn't work for you. Play around with meal timing and macros. Plan your meal times and include snacks when needed. Protein is filling for me, so I'm sure to include it at every meal.

    Are you wanting to eat because you are hungry or because of habit? I used to eat while watching TV, no more. Mindless eating can't be a thing. Instead I find something to do with my hands; crochet, solitaire, adult coloring books, whatever. Get your mind off food.

    Grazing after work was another habit. Instead I have an afternoon snack at work. This can be a piece of fruit a cup of chai tea (in the winter). I'm not ravenous when I get home from work, so I don't need a snack.
  • sweetdaisy13
    sweetdaisy13 Posts: 357 Member
    I try to get as much nutrition out of the foods I eat so that I feel satisfied and full.

    But at times where I feel the urge to snack, just for the sake of it, I tend to have a cup of tea and usually this prevents me from snacking.
  • Viktoria2022
    Viktoria2022 Posts: 16 Member
    I add chia seeds on top of my smoothies (or make chia pudding). That works, since it expands in the stomach and it is nutritious too. Never eat without something fluid though.
  • age_is_just_a_number
    age_is_just_a_number Posts: 630 Member
    tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »
    Find the foods that keep you satisfied for longer. For some that may be protein, for others that may be high fibre foods or low calorie high volume foods. Some find dairy foods may keep them satisfied for longer.

    Also making sure you stay hydrated, some people mistake thirst for being hungry.

    I agree!!
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    SnifterPug wrote: »
    Water does not stave off my hunger but a hot drink does. If I feel hungry and it's not close to a meal time I will drink a green or black tea, or a black coffee. I promise myself that if I still feel hungry half an hour later I will allow myself a snack. 9 times out of 10 I completely forget about feeling hungry about 20 minutes after the hot drink so long as I busy myself with something else.

    I drink boullian sometimes and it helps. It does have a lot of sodium if that is an issue, though

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    Plenty of sleep, plenty of protein and fiber, caffeine as needed.
  • Beautyofdreams
    Beautyofdreams Posts: 1,009 Member
    Have you tried chewing a stick of sugar free gum. Most is around 5 calories. Mfp gives me 1300 calories a day to lose .5 lb/wk. For this goal, I use 0 calorie Walden Farms dressing, 45 calorie light bread. I don’t drink diet pop because it leaves a sweet taste in my mouth that makes me crave chocolate. I substitute Built protein bars for chocolate bars. They have 130 calories and 6g fiber plus they are chewy. I also have a high fiber and protein rich breakfast that keeps me full until lunch. I do not waste calories on sauces, most condiments(except herbs and mustard) or most fried foods or cereal. If I am still hungry after eating 3 meals and a snack(all within calories), I just tell myself no and focus on doing something else that is more productive.
    It is fine to be hungry when starting a new way of eating. Most hunger pangs fade over time. When you eat, chew slowly and throughly. Take a sip of water between bites. Eat only at a table and not standing up, in the living room, or in the car. Focus on the food or your dinner mates conversation and don’t mindlessly eat in front of the tv. Eat your meals before you are ravenous so that you don’t overeat or make poor choices. Eat until not empty but not until feel full or stuffed. Many times we mistake stuffed for full and our bodies have to get used to what is actually enough.
  • joowelz
    joowelz Posts: 172 Member
    Thanks all. I am actually hungry so its not in my head. I have realized that i can switch my Truvia with Cane Sugar to 100% stevia for my coffees and will need to stop putting 1 tbs of ground flax in my yogurt. This will save a total of 127 calories. It really sucks that some of us can’t make use of the benefits of flax and other nutrient packed foods/nuts because of our low calorie needs. :( My friend really wants me to take flax daily for its effect on estrogen levels.
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
    joowelz wrote: »
    What do you do to help you control your appetite?

    I have binge eating disorder, so I get ravenous. And yeah, I never understand when people say use water. It makes my belly feel distended, but not full, these are totally different sensations in my book. I still feel hungry cause water is not food, and my body knows it. A few things I do:
    • I use air popped popcorn when I am hungry but I know I shouldn't be. It is 60 calories for 2 cups, it is bulky so it takes up room in my belly, and it is actual food so my stomach acknowledges it. A little sprinkle of Kernals Seasonings makes it feel like something yummy too.
    • You can also use sugar free jello to help make a meal feel bigger. This is good if I have had a healthy snack/meal, but it wasn't big enough; I can add on some sugar free jello to make it heavier in my stomach.
    • Other low cal snacks that feel a little more like real food for me are (campbells condensed) chicken noodle soup and vegetarian vegetable which are both low cal. I am not vegetarian, I just like that one better and it is low cal..
    joowelz wrote: »
    If you had to shave off 200 calories a day, for example, how would you do so...

    Remove sugar, and remove bad fats. That is what I did.

    Without knowing your actual diet, here are some tips that might help cut out some cals. I personally don't do all of these, but without knowing your diet, advice has to be pretty broad.
    • Go nonfat on diary.
    • Switch cow milk for almond, or cashew milk.
    • Go sugar free.
    • Replace your usual lunch with a real big salad or big bowl of broth based soup (either at 300 calories or less).
    • Eat less bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Carbs are not bad, but these ones tend to stack on the calories quickly. So be careful how much of them you eat.
    • Be picky and sparing with fatty foods (e.g. cheese, some meat, butter, margarine, nuts, nut butter, mayo, avocados, oil etc.). You need healthy fats so best to choose those, but you don't need not a lot of them either. I focus on only eating the ones I really love so no calories are wasted.


    Personally I made my main 3 meals a day all be 300 calories. This left me room to eat in between meals so that I wasn't starving waiting for my next meal.

    Good luck. :)
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Oatmeal has about 150 calories per 40 gram. Make it with extra water, add some fruit. Voila! A filling meal for 200ish calories.

    Yes, extra water. This is basically my breakfast half the week. Let it sit for a few minutes and it soaks that water up so it's a good sized bowl. Love oatmeal for feeling full!



  • yweight2020
    yweight2020 Posts: 591 Member
    joowelz wrote: »
    Thanks all. I am actually hungry so its not in my head. I have realized that i can switch my Truvia with Cane Sugar to 100% stevia for my coffees and will need to stop putting 1 tbs of ground flax in my yogurt. This will save a total of 127 calories. It really sucks that some of us can’t make use of the benefits of flax and other nutrient packed foods/nuts because of our low calorie needs. :( My friend really wants me to take flax daily for its effect on estrogen levels.

    Take the flax and find something else to cut back on, if you eat 4 Oz of chicken make it 3 oz, if you eat 2 eggs eat 1 . You get the point you can find a way to fit it in, do a little extra exercise that will burn a little to compensate for the slight calories in the flax. Hope you found the fix, lots of good advice here.🤗
  • joowelz
    joowelz Posts: 172 Member
    [quote="ChaoticMoira;c-46164166"
    • You can also use sugar free jello to help make a meal feel bigger. This is good if I have had a healthy snack/meal, but it wasn't big enough; I can add on some sugar free jello to make it heavier in my stomach.

      @ChaoticMoira What kind of jello do you have? When i hear jello, i think of that red jiggly stuff.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    joowelz wrote: »
    Thanks all. I am actually hungry so its not in my head. I have realized that i can switch my Truvia with Cane Sugar to 100% stevia for my coffees and will need to stop putting 1 tbs of ground flax in my yogurt. This will save a total of 127 calories. It really sucks that some of us can’t make use of the benefits of flax and other nutrient packed foods/nuts because of our low calorie needs. :( My friend really wants me to take flax daily for its effect on estrogen levels.

    What is your goal with cutting calories and what is your calorie budget right now? If your aim is weight loss and your calorie deficit is pretty narrow, it might be best to go a little slower, or look to increase exercise if you can - the burn isn't huge for those things but when a deficit is small every extra burned calorie helps.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,964 Member
    For me it's just learning how to eat a little less of EVERYTHING to conserve calorie intake. 25-30 here and there adds up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • joowelz
    joowelz Posts: 172 Member
    Thanks!
  • Walkywalkerson
    Walkywalkerson Posts: 456 Member
    I stay away from sugar and processed carbs
    They keep me constantly hungry and unsatisfied.
    I don't do Keto because that's too restrictive and faddy for me.
    I just try to keep my food fairly clean no 'sugar or fat free' garbage, fairly low carb etc ..
    It's working so far 👍
    I do IF as well because it really helps me to draw a line under my last meal of the day.
    I obsess over food otherwise.
    Just as long as I'm in a calorie deficit and don't feel hungry it's all good.

  • Anya_000
    Anya_000 Posts: 725 Member
    To lose one pound a week, my allotment is 1300 calories a day + 1/2 exercise calories. Not much, but I'm 60. To do it, and not feel like I'm starving, I gave up wine, learned to drink coffee black, eat smaller slices of bread, smaller portions of rice. Before I quit the wine, I was so hungry because there weren't enough good food calories to keep me full.

    I have three meals a day, and three snacks, and lots of water. I eat legumes, fish, eggs, cheese, veg, fruit. Snacks are plain yogurt w honey, or fruit, or toast w butter. I really have to plan it out, if I let myself get hungry, I lose it. Also added extra mile walk, so I could earn food. Yeah it's boring, but it's working.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    MargaretYakoda wrote: »
    joowelz wrote: »
    Thanks all. I am actually hungry so its not in my head. I have realized that i can switch my Truvia with Cane Sugar to 100% stevia for my coffees and will need to stop putting 1 tbs of ground flax in my yogurt. This will save a total of 127 calories. It really sucks that some of us can’t make use of the benefits of flax and other nutrient packed foods/nuts because of our low calorie needs. :( My friend really wants me to take flax daily for its effect on estrogen levels.

    Is there a medical reason you need estrogen? (No need to answer, just consider it)

    If I took all the supplements my friends suggested for all my physical issues I’d probably be 500 calories in the red on a daily basis. And not one bit healthier.
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    More estrogen is not always a good thing. Why do you (or your friend) feel you need it?

    Not just ovaries produce estrogen. Among other sources, fat cells make estrogen. That's speculated to be one reason why obesity creates higher risk for things like breast cancer. (I had estrogen-fed breast cancer. It was sub-recreational, as a hobby.)

    *I'm not saying you'll get breast cancer.* Not. Not. Not. I can't know that.

    I'm simply saying that it may not be necessary or desirable to increase circulating estrogen, unless you have a specific situation that makes that a good idea . . . which you may.

    While this article is somewhat ambiguous, my understanding is that the point of taking flax is to REDUCE estrogen levels, as phytoestrogens can be ANTI-estrogens.

    https://www.oncologynutrition.org/erfc/healthy-nutrition-now/foods/flaxseeds-and-breast-cancer

    I had 1 T of ground flax per day for years with no noticeable affect on my fibroids. However, reducing saturated fat (and increasing fiber) can also reduce circulating estrogen levels. I've been doing that since late December and HAVE noticed positive results with my fibroids with that. I'm adding fiber mostly with legumes, berries, and chia seeds, but may add flax back into the rotation due to this discussion.

    As a bonus, not spending as many calories on fat, which I love but don't find particularly satiating, allowed me to create a calorie deficit and after being in a rut for four years I am finally able to maintain a calorie deficit and as of the end of July lost 30 pounds.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    joowelz wrote: »
    What do you do to help you control your appetite? If you had to shave off 200 calories a day, for example, how would you do so while still feeling like you have had enough to eat?

    1. Fuss with my macros until I find the foods that satisfy me the most for the last amount of calories. For me, that's reducing fat, and hitting my protein and fiber goals.
    2. I shoot for 500 exercise calories daily. Mild to moderate exercise also works as a mild appetite suppressant for me. I would really struggle to stay in a deficit without exercise!

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