OK, maybe this is obvious...

I'm not educated on what foods make you feel full, so bear with me if this seems obvious. Yesterday I had Special K cereal with skim milk for breakfast, and vegetable noodle soup with tofu for lunch. By 2pm I was so ravenous I thought I'd chew my eraser off my pencil!

Today, I had a hard boiled egg for breakfast, and for lunch I had a wrap with pita, two thin slices of turkey, one slice of swiss cheese, cucumbers, and a little spread of fat free cream cheese. It didn't seem particularly filling, but it's 2:30 and I still feel full.

Can anyone educate me on what foods are healthy and make you feel full? This could work for me if I knew what to eat. Thanks!

Replies

  • SugarBearRetired
    SugarBearRetired Posts: 76 Member
    I'm not educated on what foods make you feel full, so bear with me if this seems obvious. Yesterday I had Special K cereal with skim milk for breakfast, and vegetable noodle soup with tofu for lunch. By 2pm I was so ravenous I thought I'd chew my eraser off my pencil!

    Today, I had a hard boiled egg for breakfast, and for lunch I had a wrap with pita, two thin slices of turkey, one slice of swiss cheese, cucumbers, and a little spread of fat free cream cheese. It didn't seem particularly filling, but it's 2:30 and I still feel full.

    Can anyone educate me on what foods are healthy and make you feel full? This could work for me if I knew what to eat. Thanks!
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    I do know that protein takes longer to digest so it sticks with you longer thus helping you feel full. Stick with the LEAN protein!
  • pamelawh
    pamelawh Posts: 162 Member
    i do know there is a lot of value to eating six small meals each day. 1) your body says don't sweat it she will feel me again in two hours so you don't get them i could eat anything in my path kind of hunger 2) by keeping small amounts of the right foods in your stomach your metabolism kicks on high 3) you burn more fat. you can put foods that burn fat into your browser and it will give you a list.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I second the protein vote.

    For me, it helps to incorporate a small amount of good fat with my meals. (think 6 or 7 almonds, a small amount of olive oil as your calories allow) This helps them to stick with me.

    Also, for feeling full and having no grumblings between meals, fibre is your friend. This is a Dr. Oz on Oprah trick, I aim for 25 grams a day. The eraser on your pencil may have fibre, but other sources are probably better. ;)

    I also notice that my hunger level just plain fluctuates...somedays I'm ravenous and some days I'm not...I know that stress, hormones and lots of other things might figure in this.
  • oatmeal makes you VERY full

    so do foods with lots of fiber!
  • phrn255
    phrn255 Posts: 39
    I agree with the protein!!!

    Also...if you do eat five to six small meals a day and stick with the protein and fiber, you will keep your sugar level pretty even throughout the day, avoiding the rollercoaster. This is great for diabetics and athletes and will help with feeling of fullness and give you energy too! Check out doing a search on the glycemic index...it tells ya all about carbs....check this out for some protein info....

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/protein.html
  • nbuehrmann
    nbuehrmann Posts: 47 Member
    I think this can mostly be explained by your body's chemistry.
    Basically, when you eat foods high in sugar or high in processed carbs (such as white bread, pasta etc..) or foods that are easily digestable such as noodle soup, your stomach and GIT break this down very easily and it causes a surge of sugar in your blood. Basically all processed foods are, such as white pasta or bread, is long chained sugars which break down easily into simple sugars.This blood sugar level spike causes your pancrease (which regulates your blood sugar level to keep it at its optimal range) to release insulin. Insulin lowers your blood sugar level by causing you body cells to uptake the sugar and store it as fat. Once it's done it's job, your sugar level will be normal for a while and then drop sending messages to your brain that's your hungry and you'll eat again even though you've already consumed adequate amount of calories.
    The best way to avoid this is by eating foods higher in fiber, like whole wheat, veggies and by adding in a bit of good fats, unsaturated fats which have actually been proven to keep you full longer and help you lose weight (along with other benefits). Adding fiber and good fat to your diet slows down the digestion so instead of spiking your blood sugar level, sugar is released slowly... less insulin is released (so less sugar is stored as fat) and you feel full much longer.
    So your breakfast of eggs, which is full of protein and fat kept you full longer, as well with the pita with veggies (good fiber) and light cream cheese (good fat), explains why you felt less hungry.
    Try making sure that you add a bit of light cheese (good fats), or some meat or eggs for protein to your meals, as well as some good whole grains while trying to avoid processed foods and easily digested foods and you shouldn't feel so ravenous.
    Hope this helps!
  • nbuehrmann
    nbuehrmann Posts: 47 Member
    Oh I thought I would also add incase this helps, something in liquid form (soup, juice, etc) is easier digested that something solid. Also something cooked, like cooked brocolli is faster digested that raw brocolli and keeps you full longer. If its instant, like instant oatmeal or minute rice, it's digested alot faster than it would if you made oatmeal on the stove, unprocessed.
    The same when you looking at things that are labelled light or fat free, take a look at the label, most light foods or fat free foods compensate the taste with more sugar which is either just as bad or worse for you.
    I would recommend checking out the south beach diet book, even if your not interested in following the diet, the book explains alot about your body and how it deals with the food you feed it.
  • bigdane321
    bigdane321 Posts: 233 Member
    six times a day 123456 that's the ticket oh and don't forget to up your calories if your exercising.