Psychotropic meds and controlling hunger

lorib642

I am on an antipsychotic and antidepressant that are associated with weight gain. I gained weight when I started taking them, but with calorie counting I was able to lose weight. But, since June the scale keeps hovering around 160 I am 57F 5’5” with abdominal fat. The problem is my hunger. I have trouble sticking to my calorie goal because I am hungry. I am doing keto and eat enough fat. I don’t always hit protein goal, I have been logging elsewhere because it links to my devices but came back here because I find forum and groups helpful. I have stopped snacking after dinner. I have been trying to eat meals instead of grazing; thinking that might keep me fuller longer and I can remember what to log easier.

If I hit protein goal and cut back on fats will that help with hunger? Are there foods that are more filling?

I can ask my psychiatrist about the meds, but I am doing well mentally and don’t think I want to make changes.

penguinmama87

Have you seen the volume eaters thread before? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1

I don't know that I fit exactly in this category, but I have used some of these ideas to increase the bulk of my food. For things like increasing proportions of veggies, you're getting a really nice boost of micronutrients but with a very low increase of calories.

In my case, I feel like eating enough fat makes my mouth and brain happy, but enough protein makes me feel physically full.

I also try to prelog rather than remember after the fact; then I can roughly figure out my macros ahead of time and know what I'm looking forward to, which for me at least makes anticipation part of the enjoyment, and I avoid annoying surprises. (If I have to adjust then I do.) Doesn't necessarily work for everybody but another option you could try if you haven't yet.

lorib642

penguinmama87 wrote: »

Have you seen the volume eaters thread before? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1

I don't know that I fit exactly in this category, but I have used some of these ideas to increase the bulk of my food. For things like increasing proportions of veggies, you're getting a really nice boost of micronutrients but with a very low increase of calories.

In my case, I feel like eating enough fat makes my mouth and brain happy, but enough protein makes me feel physically full.

I also try to prelog rather than remember after the fact; then I can roughly figure out my macros ahead of time and know what I'm looking forward to, which for me at least makes anticipation part of the enjoyment, and I avoid annoying surprises. (If I have to adjust then I do.) Doesn't necessarily work for everybody but another option you could try if you haven't yet.

Thank you!

AnnPT77

Unfortunately, satiation tends to be somewhat individual.

I agree that trying to work protein upward to goal (or 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight daily, as a minimum), since many people do find protein filling.

Volume is also fairly common as a filling thing.

Many people find that (so called) whole foods or less processed foods are more filling than more highly processed foods.

Some of the strategies or foods will be more difficult on keto. (Please don't take that as a criticism of keto. I'm neutral on it, as a dietary choice for others. All I'm saying is that some common foods that some people find filling - beans, large volumes of a wide variety of veggies/fruits, oatmeal, baked potatoes, and that sort of thing, tend to bring higher carbs along with them. You may need to be more selective, within things that others suggest, that's all.)

There is a research-based list of foods that surveyed people commonly found most filling here:

http://ernaehrungsdenkwerkstatt.de/fileadmin/user_upload/EDWText/TextElemente/Ernaehrungswissenschaft/Naehrstoffe/Saettigung_Lebensmittel_Satiety_Index.pdf

I hope you won't be put off by the German link. The document is a PDF in English. There's a list of those perceived especially filling foods at top right, and down below textual info, most sections in English, that talk about various aspects of satiety.

Even the timing aspects of satiety seem individual: I do best if I nip hunger in the bud early, if I'm starting to feel hungry when a meal isn't in the reasonably near future. I have a small snack, if that happens, usually protein-y. If I let the hunger develop, I'm more likely to over-eat at the next meal, or later in the day. However, I've seen other people here say that they do best with a very rigid eating schedule, essentially getting in the habit that "I only eat when it's a scheduled time to eat".

There's the same individual variation around other aspects of timing, i.e., how many meals/snacks, at what time of day, at what relative size, with what nutrient composition or specific foods, etc. . . . anything from all-day grazing to OMAD work best for different people.

Others can make suggestions for you to experiment with, but not everything that works for others may work for you.

Another thing to consider is non-food factors that can contribute to hunger/cravings. Consider that when we get fatigued, our body's likely to seek energy, and energy is food. That means that a huge variety of things can contribute to hunger via fatigue: Less than ideal sleep quantity/quality, too-intense exercise for current fitness level (or too long, too frequent etc.), sub-ideal nutrition, stress (the cumulative load of all-source physical and psychological stressors, with lengthy or extreme calorie deficits possibly among the stressors), and more.

If the root problem isn't food, the best solution isn't in eating. It could be in improved sleep, more appropriate exercise load, improved nutrition, stress management, or other areas.

One thing to do, if you aren't already, is to pay attention to whether there are days that you feel either hungrier than usual, or less hungry than usual, for part or all of the day. What may've made the difference? Consider experimenting with things you think may contribute. (Consider, also, that something about the previous day may matter, for example, some people are extra hungry the day *after* intense exercise of some particular type.)

You can use your food diary as a tool for that, especially if for a time you note relevant things like how hungry you felt & when, how much you slept, etc., in the notes; or you can jot some of that on paper if it helps.

It's not unusual to find that some overall routine works really well for a while, then requires tweaking to keep working as we get thinner, have lowered calorie needs because of weight loss, have some cumulative stress from how long/hard we've been dieting, etc.

In the "how long/how hard we've been dieting" connection, that's where maintenance breaks or refeeds may help, if that's not something you've considered. More information about that (including the science basis) in this thread:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

Apologies for the long ramble: Just some random thoughts to consider.

Hoping you find so strategies that will improve things for you!

kshama2001

lorib642 wrote: »

I am on an antipsychotic and antidepressant that are associated with weight gain. I gained weight when I started taking them, but with calorie counting I was able to lose weight. But, since June the scale keeps hovering around 160 I am 57F 5’5” with abdominal fat. The problem is my hunger. I have trouble sticking to my calorie goal because I am hungry. I am doing keto and eat enough fat. I don’t always hit protein goal, I have been logging elsewhere because it links to my devices but came back here because I find forum and groups helpful. I have stopped snacking after dinner. I have been trying to eat meals instead of grazing; thinking that might keep me fuller longer and I can remember what to log easier.

If I hit protein goal and cut back on fats will that help with hunger? Are there foods that are more filling?

I can ask my psychiatrist about the meds, but I am doing well mentally and don’t think I want to make changes.

Hitting protein goal and cut back on fats does help ME with hunger, but YMMV.

How much fiber are you getting? I realize fiber is more challenging whilst on keto - are you prioritizing carbs that contain fiber, like berries?