What do you find filling?

lorib642

I have trouble staying within my calorie target because I get too hungry.

I have heard protein helps you feel full longer. Is this true? That is the macro I probably don’t get enough.

I find fat satisfying but so calorie dense. If I don’t measure I could eat too much.

Some people say volume. Eat lots of veggies. I do eat them.

I am working on increasing protein.

gpanda103

I found the best strategy for me is to find a way to volumize a high fat meal. A little bit of a fat source can go a really long way in my meals

AnnPT77

IMO, from reading many people's posts here, satiation is quite individual. Experimentation can uncover our individual needs, which can involve not just macros, but sometimes timing of food (or macros) and possibly individual food choices. I know, that's complicated . . . and it would be nice if it were simple.

On top of that, some people feel more sated when they overall hit solid nutritional goals (macros, fiber, micros), or when they eat mostly traditional, simple foods (what some people might call whole foods, like meats/fish, dairy if not sensitive/allergic, whole grains, plenty of varied and colorful veggies/fruits).

If you're not getting even the MFP default level of protein, that would be a good thing to chip away at improving. It may help satiation, and it can be important for health and body composition, among other things.

Look at your diary: Are there foods contributing relatively many calories, not really paying off in terms of nutrition, tastiness, satiation? Reduce or eliminate those to free up some calories. Use those calories to add foods you like that have more protein, such as those high on the spreadsheet linked in this excellent thread:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

Use that review/replace strategy to gradually get your protein to a better level eating foods you like, see if you feel more full.

In a sense, successful weight management is a process of experimentation and adjustment, analysis and problem-solving. If you keep experimenting, you can gradually improve your tactics, I think.

One concerned-internet-auntie comment: If your calorie deficit is too aggressive, satiation will be out of reach . . . and weight loss rate may (probably will) need to slow as fat reserves get smaller. Most bodies resist too-fast loss, though "too fast" is also a bit individual.

My personal satiation formula is a solid breakfast with plenty of protein, then adequate protein spread through the day; high volume low calorie foods at some point (usually a boatload of veggies at dinner, literally many hundreds of grams); small protein-y snacks if appetite spikes when a meal isn't on the schedule soon. On top of that, I do better if my day includes my beloved oatmeal, some prunes (usually about 30g +/-), and some small treat food (not nutrient dense - like a small piece of good chocolate, some dried mangos, . . . ).

That will not be your formula, I'd pretty much guarantee. But you can find yours by experimenting, while not cutting calories too, too far.

sijomial

"What do you find filling?"
Starchy carbs mostly but for me taste is also just as important as macros.

"I have heard protein helps you feel full longer. Is this true?"
For some people yes, for some no. Pretty sure my son could eat a whole cow if nicely cooked.
The whole this or that particular macro is satiating is pretty much over-generalised and over-stated. When you look at published lists of top ten most satiating foods all macros tend to be represented. Often with mashed potato at #1.
Water and fibre content has a big impact. As is having to chew.

"That is the macro (protein) I probably don’t get enough."
On its own that's a good reason to experiment with increasing protein.

"I find fat satisfying"
I don't at all in very palatable forms such as nuts and cheese, can eat a mountain of those delights!

Perhaps look at foods and meals rather than macros to find your personal best choices?

Also worth looking at timing, eating less (or nothing) early in the day means I get to eat more in the evening when I tend to get far more hungry. Breakfast for me is completely optional but I feel very deprived restricting in the evening.

yirara

Today I made pilau with lots of veggies and a few shrimps. I know many people will eat their arms off from so much veggies and rice. I feel full from it. So yeah, it's very individual.

lorib642

Thanks everyone. I will have to look over the list of high protein foods. I am 5'5" 170 lb and lucky if I hit 60 g protein. I do eat meat, mostly poultry and eggs.

sollyn23l2

lorib642 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I will have to look over the list of high protein foods. I am 5'5" 170 lb and lucky if I hit 60 g protein. I do eat meat, mostly poultry and eggs.

I would argue that 60 grams is sufficient nutritionally (I think the recommendation is, I think, .5 to 1 gram per pound of lean (muscle and bone not including fat) body mass. But yeah, I've found increasing it definitely helps with staying full.

lightenup2016

As far as filling foods, protein does fill me up the most effectively. Things like eggs, yogurt, shrimp, turkey, etc. That being said, there is some produce that can be filling as well, like bananas, and higher volumes (but relatively low calories) of carrots, cauliflower, etc. Drinking a glass of water before or while eating can also be filling.

naturallykat

Out of interest, what's your starchy carb and sugar intake like? I find that I'm far less hungry when I eat less than 30g added sugar per day, and keep my carbs away from white potatoes,pasta and rice and more towards moderate portions of buckwheat, quinoa and root veggies.

cmriverside

lorib642, are you getting any exercise? If I don't take a walk for an hour, I cannot stay in calories - and believe me - in the 15 years since I've lost my weight I've tried every possible permutation of food.

Hang on, keep playing with it.
I'd also say if you haven't taken a Maintenance Break in a while, try that.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

For me it's: hit the macros. Get the right amount of micros, too, like potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, fiber. It's all important. If I stay away from [my] treat foods, I'm good. If I start in on them, no amount of exercise or good nutrition helps. I'm just not able to eat some foods in reasonable portions. The end.

If I don't take that walk, all bets are off.

Chef_Barbell

Fats fill me up the most. Protein rarely does.

allaboutthecake

Carnivore here. If my Fat and Fiber macros are low, I'll get hankering for something else. Fast food places, Processed food, sugary foods like treats, "white" starchy like rice, will leave me craving big time. If I eat 4 different veggies at an early dinner then that stuff stays with me lots longer. So.... add a bit of corn to your beans and/or peas to your salads, etc. I'll get 100 gms of veggies in at breakfast, too. Definitely get your fat grams in, too. I personally like to "see" my fat so I like the butter to sit on the top!

cbiggs1861

I have been adding chia seeds and an egg white (stirred in once taken off the heat) to my oatmeal and hemp hearts to salads for boosts of protein. I also like the Good “whole” % cottage cheese with some berries in it. It does have some fat but also protein. Beans and lentils are a good source of protein too

sybillabryson

I add nuts or nut butter to whole fat greek yogurt. I feel full for several hours after eating this. I agree with others who said this is highly personal, also probably changes for the individual day-to-day as well. Sometimes i wont feel satisfied until Ive eaten a bunch of salt. haha. Dont be scared of fat though, i started feeling much better losing weight when i added fatty foods back in.

perryc05

Boiled eggs are quite filling and not many cals. Try having a few of those in a row. I think they need some salt.

sonofray

I kind of have a “kit of tools” that slowly develop for certain situations in my new way of eating (I realize now that especially at my age my body has changed and whatever changes I make are gonna be forever. Sigh)

If I want something sweet it grab some sugar-free gum or a diet soda (i know, don’t say it) and just as importantly - distract myself with a task

If I’ve eaten well but I’m still hungry - air-popped (or microwave popper) popcorn is my jam. 3 cups+ is around 100 cal and that’ll appease me. Tons of raw veggies or a can (52 cal) of green beans work too (my kids make fun of me sitting there with a cold can of GBs and a fork).

Throughout the day if I need protein bump I grab half a Pure Protein bar (100 cal), a boiled egg (60ish cal - I have tons ready all the time) or one of my favorite sausage sticks (40 cal)

… and distract myself! The meals I used to look forward to and honestly built parts of my life around are gone and I’m slowly getting my head around that!

cwolfman13

I can't say that any one particular things "fills me up". I'm pretty satisfied with three balanced meals per day and an afternoon snack. All of my meals generally have a protein, some fat, a starchy carb, and either fruit or a vegetable and I'm usually in the neighborhood of around 30+ grams of fiber per day.

rosebarnalice

I'm Team Volume, but as a vegan I also keep an eye on my protein as well. I average about 60-70 g of protein a day (usually from soy-based products or legumes), and 8-10 servings of veggies for about 45 - 60 grams of fiber a day.

Ari_ofAthens

Protein tends to be the most filling for me, I have found that a can of tuna can go a long way, especially combined with a nice big salad. Eggs are pretty filling for me as well.

Countandsubtract

Lima beans

COGypsy

Protein and carbs are the most filling for me. Fat doesn’t satisfy me much at all unless I eat a ton. My go-to breakfast is wheat crackers with some kind of sliced deli meat and a thin cut slice of cheese cut up Lunchable-style and it keeps me going until about 4 o’clock or so most days.

VegjoyP

These are pictures of things I eat that are very satiating.
I also make green protein smoothies that keep me full for hours