Help with hunger!

Lovethebeach2023

I am trying to lose weight and was given 1500 calories. I seem to do pretty well during the day, but after dinner I want to snack on EVERYTHING. I don't know if I need to adjust what I eat during the day and eat more in the evening?

brouillette

I’m having the same issue

tomcustombuilder

Try having dinner a little later. That can mean starting eating in the morning later and pushing your meals later in the day and evening or use Intermittent Fasting. Food choices are also important. When you’re low cal satiety is a huge factor with what you’re eating and be sure not to drink your calories.

The things you snack on just don’t buy anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.

AnnPT77

It's potentially complicated. Ask yourself why you want all the snacks: Physical hunger, emotional soothing after a hard day, habit of evening snacking, social/context triggers (like "I snack when watching TV"), compensation/reward for getting through a tough day, boredom, fatigue?

Finding the root cause is really helpful.

If it's hunger, make sure you're not going for too-low calories for your current size. Slow loss that's more tolerable can get us to goal weight in less calendar time than an aggressive plan that's hard to stick with long enough to get there.

Also, experiment with eating timing, food choices, and nutrition. Treat it like a fun, rewarding science fair project. Notice days you feel relatively more full or less crave-y, and notice what was different. Use that insight to change your habits.

Different people do best on different eating schedules, anything from one meal a day (OMAD) to all-day grazing on small mini-meals. If the calorie total is the same, the long-term results will be the same. If a particular schedule helps you stick with calorie goal, that's a bonus. Experiment. Relative size of meals may matter, snacks may matter (positive or negative). Many people will find so-called whole foods stick with them better, and if that's you, reducing highly processed foods may help. If your nutrition is sub-par (like short on protein, fats, fiber, micronutrients), then tuning that up helps some people. Even saving up a few calories for an evening snack is fine, if that keeps you happy.

If there's a stress/compensation piece to it, seek other stress management or soothing habits. People use meditation, prayer, warm bubble baths, mild exercise, journaling, calming music, coloring books, etc. as stress management or self-soothing techniques.

If it's boredom or snacking habit or context triggered, seek a replacement habit (usually easier than going cold turkey). One option is new/resumed hobbies. Especially good are ones that require clean hands (sketching, needlework, playing a musical instrument, etc.) or create dirty ones (painting, carpentry, gardening, etc.). Zero/low calorie snacks like raw veggies, hot herb tea/broth, etc., would also be an option.

If your sleep quality/quantity could be improved, work on that. We're usually more fatigued by evening, and fatigue can trigger energy-seeking behavior. Food is energy.

Losing weight and keeping it off permanently is a long series of analysis and problem-solving opportunities. Figuring out your evening snacking is one of those things.

All of that said, I'd observe that - as a wise MFP-er who's not me said here - learning new eating habits is a bit like training a puppy. If we're firm with sticking to reasonable new habits, we (our bodies and brains) will learn and adapt. If instead we give into impulses, we're training our puppy/self to repeat the impulsive behavior, and the learned adaptation isn't going to happen.

Best wishes!

benhmorris63

I found that by adding more calories and moving more (walking, then running), I lost the weight I wanted to lose and began feeling better without starving. I started out looking at calories. Fewer calories in than out, right? But exercise is a key component that a lot of folks want to skip. But here's the thing...the more you move, the more you can eat. For my food intake, I try to focus mostly on micronutrients for a healthy diet. You can lose weight on a diet of Twinkies. Just eat fewer calories than you burn. It will work and you will lose weight, but your body will suffer in the long run. You can also focus on macros, but I can easily hit my macros on a diet of bacon and potato chips. Again, not a good long term plan for my body. But aiming for the micronutrients, I get the macros and calories I need almost automatically and my weight stays where I want it. But I have to keep moving. Our bodies have needs and calories alone do not define or satisfy those needs. Calories, macros, micronutrients, and exercise have to all be a part of the plan. It's a lifestyle choice. Exercise and diet go hand in hand for maintaining a healthy weight and body for life.

RMcCabe3174

I have been eating 1500 calories since mid January. I did 1200 calories for the first two weeks to see modify my habits. I allow myself 1800 calories on Date Night with my bride of 37 years. (It’s usually Friday night but it’s flexible).

I stay away from white flour as much as possible. Whole wheat pasta or brown rice - no more than twice a week. (I love my low carb flour tortillas!)

High Glycemic Index foods cause a sugar spike for me which is great for my craving short term, but when that falls a short time later - I stay hungry the rest of the day!

I break my eating into five sometimes six sections. Three meals and two snack periods. The snack periods are between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. Snacks usually consist of high protein 100-125 calorie snacks. (Hard boiled egg in a 20 calorie low carb wrap is my afternoon goto!)

The sixth snack is an occasional late treat if I have calories remaining. It may be a low carb beer, a glass of wine, or a bowl of strawberries and blueberries.

As of this morning I have lost 53 pounds since January and 75 since this time last summer. From a 46 waist pants to a loose 36 waist - tried on some 34 waist this week, but not quite comfortable yet.

Don’t diet! Change your lifestyle

Drug addicts stop taking drugs.
Alcoholics stop drinking alcohol.
Food-aholics can stop eating! We have to train.

neanderthin

Yeah, calorie restriction is problematic over the long haul for sure, otherwise it would have shown better efficacy than around 5%. Most of that is hunger signaling effecting our satiety which is mostly hormonal, and snacking on "everything" generally means "junk" and the food industrial complex has had that covered for decades, they win, we lose.

I would suggest moving to a diet that focus's more on protein than what is normally recommended and quality protein, also to replace as much of any processed food with whole foods which plays a big role in those hunger hormones I mentioned. Basically the goal is to be in a caloric deficit, while feeling generally pretty satiated. I would probably consume mostly protein and veg only and lots of them for that last dinner meal which allows for more of the thermic effect to take place which should quell hunger hopefully up to bedtime. cheers.

kshama2001

jgonder914 wrote: »

I am trying to lose weight and was given 1500 calories. I seem to do pretty well during the day, but after dinner I want to snack on EVERYTHING. I don't know if I need to adjust what I eat during the day and eat more in the evening?

We will be able to give you the best advice if your food diary was set to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings In the app, go to Settings > Diary Setting > Diary Sharing > and check Public.

Also, how tall are you and what is your current and goal weights?

If you exercise, how many exercise calories do you earn on average and how many of them do you eat back?

gininthegym

Who gave you 1500 calories?

The best way is to calculate your TDEE and then work out how much you need to amend this -to gain or lose weight.

MFP tends to allocate a standard amount of calories which is not always suitable.

liz_ann13

This has happened to me before and what worked to break the habit is moving dinner back by an hour or two, and then when my craving for snacking would get really bad I'd move to bed where there is no food allowed. The change of scenery also helped since my habit was to snack in front of the TV.

I also agree with some of the other advice of looking into what you are eating and seeing if you can replace some foods with more protein, complex carbs, and veggies. A satisfying dinner really helped me turn down a snack that would send me over my calorie goal.

135by60

1. Make sure you're consuming enough protein throughout your day as protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
2. Don't consume empty calories. If it doesn't have a decent amount of protein and/or other nutrients, don't consume it. This goes for everything you drink too. And don't forget about gum, hard candies, etc. Log everything you put in your mouth and see what you can cut out.
3. High protein does not have to mean high in calories. Choose high protein foods that aren't super calorie-heavy.
4. Don't eat if you aren't hungry. Are you eating breakfast just because you've been told you should but you aren't hungry? Maybe a protein bar or a piece of fruit is enough to get you through to lunch time.
5. Eat slowly. Not, like, slow motion but take your time, chew thoroughly and actually taste the food.
6. Stop eating when you're full, even if there is food left on your plate. Wrap up what's left, put it in the fridge and if you're hungry later, eat that instead of an empty-calorie snack.
7. Don't eat as soon as you feel hungry. Sit with the feeling for awhile and drink water. I find that when I stop and think about it, I notice that my mouth is hungry but my stomach isn't. Find something very low-cal that can satisfy your mouth-hunger.


Overall, just make all your calories count. Don't waste calories on un-nutritious crap.

One of my favorite treats is a fruit-flavored yogurt with cool whip (I keep the cool whip in the freezer). A decent sized bowl is 80 calories and very yummy. I like Source yogurt as it's 0% fat, no sugar added and it's got a nice little protein hit along with some other nutrients.

yirara

If you say MFP has given you 1500 calories, then it's because the choices you made. Your calorie goal is calculated based on gender, age, size, weight, and the weightloss goal you chose. You can't change the others, but you can change your goal. If 1500 is too little for you then chose a less severe loss goal. Simples. Or just eat 100 calories more each day and have a snack after dinner.