Do hunger pains go away?

tracylbrown839

Here's another really, really good one. Try making a turkey bolonaise for dinner.

Spaghetti squash - baked in the oven, instead of pasta - it's delicious and it's like strings, so it's like pasta. You bake it in a shallow baking dish with a bit of water in the bottom (poke some holes in it - like a baking potato before you bake - or it will blow up if the steam from inside can't escape), then open it, scoop out the seeds and then use a fork to scoop out and make the spaghetti-like strings of the squash.

For the sauce use, ground turkey, a can of diced tomatoes, finely chopped onion, carrot, green peppers, celery, perhaps a touch of garlic and either thyme or oregano for spicing. Make the sauce while your squash is baking.

This is highly nutritious, delicious, and you can eat a large volume of this and feel really full without breaking the calorie bank. Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese on top - or not.

(You can google baking spaghetti squash for a video, I'm sure)

lorib642

I have trouble feeling full. I give myself time for it to register that I have eaten, but unless I overeat I don't feel full. I am trying to choose foods with protein. Yesterday I binged, I just couldn't feel full. Is it something you get used to or that goes away? Does anyone even know what I am talking about?

For me, personally, I have a pretty good appetite and I like to eat a fairly large volume of food. I find this satisfying. As such, I'm careful about the food choices I make. For example. You can make a great stir fry with mounds and mounds of fresh veggies, an appropriate portion of meat, and an appropriate portion of rice or noodles and be super full.

So, my first rule of thumb is.... double the veggies.

Another example
5 oz of pork tenderloin
3 cups of broccolini with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms stir fried with some garlic, ginger and soy sauce
1/2 a cup of baked sweet potato

This is a huge dinner with a tremendous volume of food.

or

5 oz of grilled chicken
1 cup steamed broccoli
1 cup of steamed cauliflower
1/2 cup of steamed carrots
1/2 cup of brown rice with sliced green onion and perhaps a bit of pinapple

For breakfast why not a baked egg dish
two eggs with a bit of milk. use a small flan dish and bake in the oven with sliced colored peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms and a bit of cheese (goat or maybe parmesan) grated on top. Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes. (it's like a baked, open-faced omelet)
serve with a side of sliced tomatoes on a bed of arugula and a small drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.

The long and short of it is, veggies are your friends! Learn to cook them in many ways with many spices and herbs and incorporate them at every meal to provide huge volumes of food at very little calorie cost and huge vitamin benefit.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will save those.

I had my diary open and got some very helpful feedback but I was getting self-conscious (my issue). I did notice when I switched out sugar for fiber that I don't eat much fiber.

KristinaB83

It gets better! Hang in there OP!

PRMinx

If I'm feeling like a bottomless pit, it's usually a dinner thing. I'll have salad first before dinner...

tiffany5446

Yes, your stomach definitely does shrink. I started dieting and exercising about 3 years ago. I used to eat a huge amount of food. For example, I love Panda Express. I used to be able to eat a whole two entree plate and an order of pot stickers PLUS we would go to Cold Stone Creamery afterwards and I would eat a whole big dessert on top of it. Now I eat a panda bowl and a lot of the time I don't even finish it. It will get A LOT easier, you just have to stick with it.

Hearts_2015

Is this something you noticed only after modifying your eating pattern? Or was the inability to feel full something you noticed before you decided to lose weight?

If it has only been since changing your eating pattern, and if you are eating a smaller volume, I would guess the hunger will abate as your stomach shrinks. Try high-fiber/low-caloric-density foods (e.g. vegetables) and hang in there. If this is something that has been with you for a while, try googling "leptin resistance." Leptin is the hormone that tells your brain you're full. People with more fat have higher leptin levels in their blood, so they should always feel more full--right? Unless there is a problem with their leptin receptors (not sensitive enough). I think there are steps to increase leptin sensitivity. Lowering sugar levels (eating low glycemic) lowers insulin which helps. Triglycerides can block leptin transport from blood to brain, so lowering triglycerides helps, too. Maybe another poster has more details or a good reference.

I found this helpful, thank you!:flowerforyou:

tracylbrown839

PS - if you have a slow cooker - stews are really cheap, both in terms of price and in terms of flavor and calorie count.

When you think of how our grandparents used to eat, it was often economical, full of flavor, but also, we were thinner then, too.

Think of a simple chicken stew.

A little bit of chicken, don't go over-board Maybe 1 pound, boneless, skinless thighs
Onions, lots 2 cups or so
Carrots, lots 2 cups or so
Mushrooms, 2 cups or so
Celery 2 cups or so
Potatoes 1 cup
Some chicken broth
A bunch of fresh thyme on top, while it's stewing.

Cook in your slow cooker for a long time, then at the end, add 1 cup of frozen peas, just in the last 15 minutes.

The beauty of old fashioned cooking like this is that the meat flavors all those veggies while they cook, so the taste is delicious! So, our grandparents made the meat really stretch their food dollar and a big stew like this fed the whole family for not very much money. But it was nutritious and delicious.

So, do not under-estimate the value - calorie wise or dollar wise on two old fashioned things... stews and Soups!!

Good, old fashioned stews are calorie cheap. Good old fashioned soups are the same way. If you start your dinner with a cup of soup and then a small salad, you don't need a bit dinner.

There is a great, very inexpensive cookbook called 500 soups. This is an excellent cookbook with a lot of great and often hearty soup ideas (soups that are like stews), full of flavor and you can have one of their hearty soups, a large fresh salad and a fresh bun for dinner, really cheap. (You never thought soups could taste so good!)

The other great thing about stews and soups are that the freeze well, or also provide adequate food for dinner and then lunch the next day so it cuts your total cooking time and time you spend in the kitchen, too.

VioletSauce

whey protein shakes and oatmeal usually kick the hunger pains and help me feel comfortable.

brick_house1

Eat vegetables ...... raw, steamed, sauteed, roasted ...... they'll fill you up ..... with little extra calories :flowerforyou:

lorib642

whey protein shakes and oatmeal usually kick the hunger pains and help me feel comfortable.

Thanks. I have been drinking shakes but I will try oatmeal.

brick_house1

this really works for me...I often grill or roast some just to have around in case i am hungry in the evening- sorry, trying to make this attached to the eat more veggies quote! Obviously, I don't know what I am doing :blushing:

lorib642

PS - if you have a slow cooker - stews are really cheap, both in terms of price and in terms of flavor and calorie count.

When you think of how our grandparents used to eat, it was often economical, full of flavor, but also, we were thinner then, too.

Think of a simple chicken stew.

A little bit of chicken, don't go over-board Maybe 1 pound, boneless, skinless thighs
Onions, lots 2 cups or so
Carrots, lots 2 cups or so
Mushrooms, 2 cups or so
Celery 2 cups or so
Potatoes 1 cup
Some chicken broth
A bunch of fresh thyme on top, while it's stewing.

Cook in your slow cooker for a long time, then at the end, add 1 cup of frozen peas, just in the last 15 minutes.

The beauty of old fashioned cooking like this is that the meat flavors all those veggies while they cook, so the taste is delicious! So, our grandparents made the meat really stretch their food dollar and a big stew like this fed the whole family for not very much money. But it was nutritious and delicious.

So, do not under-estimate the value - calorie wise or dollar wise on two old fashioned things... stews and Soups!!

Good, old fashioned stews are calorie cheap. Good old fashioned soups are the same way. If you start your dinner with a cup of soup and then a small salad, you don't need a bit dinner.

There is a great, very inexpensive cookbook called 500 soups. This is an excellent cookbook with a lot of great and often hearty soup ideas (soups that are like stews), full of flavor and you can have one of their hearty soups, a large fresh salad and a fresh bun for dinner, really cheap. (You never thought soups could taste so good!)

The other great thing about stews and soups are that the freeze well, or also provide adequate food for dinner and then lunch the next day so it cuts your total cooking time and time you spend in the kitchen, too.

Thanks, I should hit my dad up for some recipes. He used to make pretty good lentil soup and split pea. He has vision problems now and doesn't cook anymore but I am sure he remembers the recipes. And my father in law made a good turkey stew. I have a chicken stew recipe but it is pretty high calorie. I would have to make some changes.

SabrinaLily

There are a couple of scenarios and I'm not sure how much help it is but...

1) Yes, they can go away. If you just started dieting, there may be an adjustment period where your body has to get used to eating less. However, food choices can have a lot to do with it too. Learn to spend the calories wisely. While 4 candy bars may, for example, may give you your daily allowance, they won't keep you full. A diet rich in chicken, veggies or other low cal foods will give you more bang for the buck and keep you fuller longer. I used to be hungry all the time but I found a way to eat smart (and not just veggies, which I'm not personally a fan of) and stay full *most* all of the time.

2) No. There's always the possibility that there's emotional or medical issues going on, of which you may not even be aware. Personally, I'm an emotional eater so if something stressful is happening, I'm going to mentally feel the need for food but believe it's a physiological desire when, in fact, I may not even really need to eat at all.

independant2406

Here's what I do to combat hunger:

1 gallon of water per day (tough at first but it gets easier!)
100g protien per day
45g healthy fats (from lean meat, nuts, olive oil etc)
less than 75g of carbs (from veggies, fruit and nuts)
25+ grams of fiber (I took out the sodium calculation on my MFP and replaced it with fiber to track this. I get my fiber from things like raspberries, beans, whole wheat bread, whole kernel corn etc).

By the time I cram all of that into my day I'm more than full usually!

Here's the science I've used from Harvard School of Public Health to understand why this combination makes me feel fuller longer. Its long but soo worth the time. I promise.

Processed foods will make you hungrier faster because they're "broken down" and easier/faster for your body to digest. Whole foods like fresh fruit (with the skin) and nuts (whole) will digest more slowly and keep you feeling full longer.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/

The Glycemic index is a great way to know what foods will leave you feeling fuller longer:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

I still have cheat days and eat a bite or two of yummy stuff off my husband's plate...Its important to keep myself happy and kick cravings. However, this combination really is working for me. Hope some of it is helpful.

mercedesguy

Hey Lori:
This may sound simplistic but the short answer is..."NO". Hunger is up there with sex drive and what keeps us from starving to death. Unfortunately, it is what keeps us fat. I wish there was a 'Silver Bullet' answer I could give you but we all (well most of us anyway) have to constantly battle to keep the weight off for this reason alone.
Imagine holding your breath for as long as you can. Eventually, you cannot continue and have to breath. Even if you hold your breath until you pass out, you will resume breathing after you are out. The desire to eat is as basic as breathing. Sorry.
The fact that we have to work around this basic instinct is what makes it so difficult to lose weight but it can be done, it just means we have to burn more calories than we take in so adjusting the food intake (down) and the exercise (up) is really the only equation you need for success!
Hope this helps Lori.

lorib642

Hey Lori:
This may sound simplistic but the short answer is..."NO". Hunger is up there with sex drive and what keeps us from starving to death. Unfortunately, it is what keeps us fat. I wish there was a 'Silver Bullet' answer I could give you but we all (well most of us anyway) have to constantly battle to keep the weight off for this reason alone.
Imagine holding your breath for as long as you can. Eventually, you cannot continue and have to breath. Even if you hold your breath until you pass out, you will resume breathing after you are out. The desire to eat is as basic as breathing. Sorry.
The fact that we have to work around this basic instinct is what makes it so difficult to lose weight but it can be done, it just means we have to burn more calories than we take in so adjusting the food intake (down) and the exercise (up) is really the only equation you need for success!
Hope this helps Lori.

Yes, that does help.

I am pretty sure it isn't a psychological or medical thing.

I can make better food choices and resist overeating

gramarye

I have trouble feeling full. I give myself time for it to register that I have eaten, but unless I overeat I don't feel full. I am trying to choose foods with protein. Yesterday I binged, I just couldn't feel full. Is it something you get used to or that goes away? Does anyone even know what I am talking about?

Sort of? I mean, there are lots of time I recognize that I've eaten enough, but the part of my brain that goes, "Eh, I could eat more," is always there. Whereas before I didn't feel 'done' unless I was bursting-at-the-seams full, now I actually feel more comfortable long before then.

I hope that helps. It stops sucking eventually.

lorib642

I have trouble feeling full. I give myself time for it to register that I have eaten, but unless I overeat I don't feel full. I am trying to choose foods with protein. Yesterday I binged, I just couldn't feel full. Is it something you get used to or that goes away? Does anyone even know what I am talking about?

Sort of? I mean, there are lots of time I recognize that I've eaten enough, but the part of my brain that goes, "Eh, I could eat more," is always there. Whereas before I didn't feel 'done' unless I was bursting-at-the-seams full, now I actually feel more comfortable long before then.

I hope that helps. It stops sucking eventually.

Yes, it does help. Thank you.

girlviernes

I struggle with hunger as well, although lately I've felt good most of the time. I'm eating about 1800-2100 calories per day. Some days I'm 1500 and that feels okay too. Things I think have helped me:

I upped my calories and increased my exercise this month
I eat moderate carbohydrates and a good amount of fat and protein. I think the fat in the diet helps a lot. I'd say I'm about 40-30-30.
I eat a good sized breakfast and lunch every day (400-500 kcals), and try to have them around the same time every day.
I keep healthy snacks readily available and eat them if I'm hungry. e.g. almonds and coconut chips which are both super easy
I eat more when it is leading up to that time of the month because I'm hungrier
I try to stay away from "highly palatable foods" aka foods very high in salt, sugar, and fat. I'm not so great on the salt and fat part, especially because I love sausage, but I've definitely cut sugar way down.
I also minimize processed foods, and I mostly eat home cooked for every meal. Again, sausage doesn't fit this :P
I aim not to eat after 7:30 pm. I find that although I may get somewhat hungry in the evening, it is OK not to eat. I'll have hot tea perhaps with coconut milk if I'm hungry. Of course, if I didn't have time for dinner I'll eat later than that and I'm not super strict on this. It's something I do because I try to keep my eating in a 12 hour window.