I'm always Hungry!

KKFITJOURNEY

Hey everyone! I'm new to MFP and I'm really enjoying it so far but I need some help. I would love some suggestions for healthy filling snack and meals. I am restricted to 1200 calories a day and I find I've used them all by lunch. I hit 3 in the afternoon and I have a hunger headache! I have been working out to earn more calories but the heat in Wisconsin has kept me indoors lately. Any suggestions for yummy snacks would be much appreciated!! Thanks!

poseyj88

My personal suggestion would be to raise your activity level or lower your weight loss per week. By looking at your profile it seems like you really don't have the much to lose, and it can actually be beneficial to have more calories.

I started out wanting to lose 13 pounds, 1 pound per week, at a sedentary fitness level. It gave me 1380 calories. I was SO HUNGRY all the time, I switched my activity level to lightly active. It gave me 1510 calories per day. I was so much happier.

And I've still lost 7 pounds in about 8 weeks. Not too shabby!

With so little to lose, your body needs more than that or it will hold onto every bit you give it.

Being hungry all the time (if it's true hunger, which it sounds like it is) is not normal or healthy. Being constantly hungry is what leads us away from making healthy, sound decisions about the food we eat.

So as counter intuitive as it is, try having more calories in a day.

Good luck!

ETA: Good filling breakfasts have good protein and fiber. Try two eggs and whole wheat toast or oatmeal with peanut butter in it. Good breakfasts for under about 300 cals each.

vinnichka

Hi,

What are you eating for breakfast and morning snacks that you go through 1200 by lunchtime??

Cheers,
D.

spennato

Breakfast on the go nuts and berries.....180 calories , and a banana 105 calories usually hold me off till lunch....I don't know how you can make it through the day on only 1200 calories....I am at 1965 a day that is just perfect if I don;t eat any sweets...Keep up the good work!!!

Devani34

Hi! I'm new here also and that's what I'm trying to figure out myslef but I want to cut back on all the salt/sugar intake. Wish you the best.

ambie35

Trick I have used:
Cold glasses of water (have 1-2 and wait 20minutes),or hot tea in the winter
More carbs in the am,
high fibre food for snacks this includes anything from apples,to high fibre granola bars (search high fibre snacks for a whole bunch of ideas
Also high protein snacks,this could be nuts if you have the calories for them,or cheese or an egg.

RosiePie25

I LOVE baby carrots with hummus or triscuit crackers with hummus as a snack!!! And not sure if you do this, but before eating a meal try and drink a big glass of water!! It should help fill you faster too. Also, when craving chocolate or a snack I bought those Quaker Oat Square Bars. They have different flavors and are 120 calories. But they hit the spot when I need a taste of something goodddd

photorific

You can check out my diary if you'd like - I'm at 1280/day and never hungry. I will say that I've cut out grains and sugars, but you can still get some good (and filling) meal ideas even if you don't want to go to that level.

darconnor

If you have been exercising, you should be 'earning' extra calories. It is important to eat your exercise calories back; at least some of them; I would say as a rule of thumb - at least half. I find that protein rich foods are pretty filling - nuts, greek yogurt (Athenos and I think Dannon, have a 100 calorie package), fish, cheese, etc. Also, fiber rich items are good. Oatmeal, whole wheat pastas, and breads. The trick there is to watch your portion and pair it with a protein. I aim to get my protein with the lowest fat (or no fat). Always drink a glass of water before you eat. That will let you eat less at a sitting and save some of your portion of food for later. Lots of tricks. I hope this helps; it's been advice that was passed on to me and has helped me get a great start to a new life.

QueenHanifa

i eat 3 real meals and a couple of snacks on 1200..feel free to take a look at my dairy omit today cause i was out of the house without planning for it

KKFITJOURNEY

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I changed a few of my goals and allowed myself a few more calories per day! Just have to eat more of the right foods. I would love more friends to keep me on track! Thanks again!

fastbelly

Breakfast on the go nuts and berries.....180 calories , and a banana 105 calories usually hold me off till lunch....I don't know how you can make it through the day on only 1200 calories....I am at 1965 a day that is just perfect if I don;t eat any sweets...Keep up the good work!!!

You're a male your intake is greater then a female so is your burn. The average male would burn about 2500 calories per day while a female would only burn about 2000. To achieve the same deficit the intakes are very different.

As to the OP:

If you have used all your calories by lunchtime then you can't be eating "healthy". There's some serious habit changes that you need to address. Instead of having for instance butter, try light spread, instead of using butter and cheese try using only light spread cheese or white soft cheese.
Instead of White bread use Brown Bread, this is richer in fibre and will keep you feeling fuller for longer then the white despite having marginally more calories. Look for protein rich foods, especially after extensive or intensive exercises. Incorporate protein shakes or bars after workouts as these will help regenarate your muscles while giving you a feeling of being full.
Each person's body reacts differently to different foods and situations, experience with different foods, see what works for you and what doesn't, make small changes at first and big changes once the small have become second nature.
Whatever you do make sure you have fun doing it.

Don't take my word for it, read a lot about nutrition and how different nutrients affect your body, try to find out which foods pack the types of nutrients your body is craving for and try to eat these. MFP will let you track most of the Macronutrients and some of the Micronutrients.


Good Luck!

babyblake11

My normal sandwhich for lunch hasnt been filling me up enough lately so i added a few extra things and it tastes GREAT.

2 pieces wholemeal sandwhich bread
1 serve sliced turkey breast (3-4 slices)
1 boiled egg
1 cup iceberg lettuce
3 slices tomato
1/2 cup cucumber with peel
1 thick slice onion
Dijon mustard
Bulla onion and chives cottage cheese
Salt and pepper

It's so simple but amaaaazing! i loved it and it filled me up good (:
Also only 342 calories

Jemmuno

I'm new as well and also restricted to 1200 calories per day, but what I have been doing that works well for me is eating a carb breakfast which is about 300 calories, then I go and work out come back and have lunch, which is about 400 calories. Then for the afternoon I snack on fruits and vegetables ex. sugar snap peas, carrots, apples and bananas are my favorite. Then for dinner I eat about 300 calories. Also, drinking water throughout the day really helps. I drink more what in the morning then that keeps me decently full, and keeps the cravings at bay.

Breakfast foods - Fat free plain yogurt, oatmeal, honey, then if you want your choice of fruit and/or nut, my favorite is grapes and walnuts. Another, is a whole wheat bagel with hummus. Smoothie with soy milk. Waffles and pancakes are good breakfasts as well, but just watch how many you eat and what you put on them. Peanut butter is full of fat so be careful when using it. Then to get your breakfast protein you could have turkey sausage or bacon. I find the Eating Right kinds tastes and feel more like normal bacon.

Lunch/Dinner - I usually eat the same foods for lunch as I do dinner. I make my boyfriend and I Turkey burgers which are about 400 calories including bun, patty, ketchup, and miracle whip. I buy the lean ground turkey, whole wheat buns, and measure out the ketchup and miracle whip to 1/2 a serving. Also, we've been on a veggie pizza kick, which is a whole wheat crust, onion, Boboli sauce, peppers, mozzerella cheese, tomatoes and we sprinkles freshly chopped basil over the top. Only eat about 3 pieces, then you can save the rest for dinner and lunch for a few days.

These are just a few of my favorites that keep me between 1000-1200 a day. The things that used to really get me where the sauces and dips I added to my meals, so definitly make sure to look at the nutrition facts for everything you eat and you will get a good idea of how much of it you should be eating, especially with hummus, peanut butter, yogurts, cheeses, and condiments.

I hope this helps you!

kimberly130

Hi, so Ive found that the best thing for me is a high fiber cereal for lunch like kashi or fiber one. the calories are relatively low and with skim milk it sustains my hunger longer. (7-8am) than around 10 I have a quick snack like 1/2 piece of fruit or veggie like peppers (my fave is orange pepper raw) or I will have a weight watcher string cheese just to tide me over until lunch. than at 12-1pm I eat either a small salad with 1/2 a turkey sandwich with mustard (no mayo) and cheese. midday snack is either a greek yogurt 0-2% fat depending on my calories from earlier in the day eaten, and dinner is more greens with about 3 oz of meat. I drink and drink and drink WATER! it curb my appetite and if i start to feel hungry in between my eating and despite the water I go for a quick lap around the office (at work) or the block (at home) the exercise is good and I usually get side tracked in my eating and find something else to do!
Hope this helps!

AmberYZ

Fats. Natural fats like nuts avocado and even meat are always filling to our body. Don't be scared of them!22

Kristinapedia

If you've JUST started, you're going to be STARVING the first week or two until your body gets used to eating less. I was prob. eating about 2000-2500 calories a day with no exercize. When I started MFP in March, I dropped to 1200. Talk about a shock to my body, lol. It took about 1-1/2 weeks before I got it right, and I'm not hungry anymore until dinner time.

Did you normally NOT eat breakfast before you started your diet? I normally don't eat breakfast. (Except for coffee w/ International Delight and 2% milk) When I started my journey, I decided to do what is "recommended" and eat 3 meals a day. BIG MISTAKE. I was STARVING by 11 am. By eating a meal I never normally ate, I must have upped my metabolism so I was hungrier. After a few days, I went back to not eating breakfast and just having 12-16 oz of tea with two splenda and (at the time) 2% milk. Once again I wasn't hungry until 1-2 pm. When I'm working, I can go until 3 pm until eating lunch.

So, if you normally didn't eat breakfast and now you are, cut breakfast out.. Have coffee or tea w/ low fat milk (I have finally switched to skim milk) or no milk at all. That'll save you 1200 calories for lunch and dinner. I eat a LOT of salad and healthy cereals. Most times I'll have cereal for lunch, following recommended servings. Cereals I eat are: Fiber one cereals, Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Great Grains. That's about 200-250 calories for Lunch, leaving me with 1000 for dinner. HOWEVER--- w/o exercising, you don't want to eat 1000 calories for dinner then go to bed. I'm planning on switching my meals and eating a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner.

As for exercise, I didn't start exercising until I lost 18 lbs. And that's only walking 3-9 miles a week. I recently started jogging, weaving it into my walking, but I still like walking better. I do eat a bit more when I exercise, like someone else said, about 1/2 more. One day I got a small fry w/ my McDonald's salad-- I felt so guilty! hahaha.

You are welcome to look thru my diary as well. (except yesterday, I splurged and had a bagel but it was sooooooooooo yummy!! ) Most days I eat less than 1200 calories without exercise. I've been losing about 2 lbs a week. I'm almost pre-pregnancy weight! (my son is 9 BTW, rofl!)

Good luck!

silkysly

You should open up your diary so we can see what your eating. Go take a looksie at mine. Maybe change WHAT you are eating. Just a thought...

aippolito1

Definitely try to eat things higher in fiber & protein and lower calorie. For breakfast, try scrambled eggs (190 factoring in butter substitute), 1 cup fruit (60), greek yogurt or nonfat yogurt (120-160). For lunch, tuna sandwich (140 bread 70 tuna 100+/- for mayo) and nuts (170-190 almonds/pistachios/walnuts). For dinner, chicken breast (90-110), green beans (40) and multigrain pasta (210). For a grand total of: 1250

jeremy7287

1. Breakfast should be the largest meal of the day. Set aside approx. 500 calories for breakfast.
2. Drink water! this will fuel your metabolism if you drink water consistantly throughout the day.
3. Eat slow! Take your time and enjoy your food. I know it's hard!
4. Portion control. Know how many calories that you are going to consume before you begin eating. If you are still hungry after you are finished eating wait at least 15 minutes before eating anything else. Your body may actually be full but your brain isn't telling you that yet.
5. Lastly exercise!!! A good spin class at your local gym will help you gain some extra calories if you just can't stop yourself from eating.

Susie_Bee

If you are hungry, you probably need more protein. If you are not vegetarian, ry to make most of your meals consist mostly of meat/fish/poultry and vegetables.

Example:

Breakfast: eggs (maybe 1 whole egg + egg whites, which are lower in calories) - scrambled, omelet with veggies, etc. + 1 slice high fiber toast or an english muffin + 1 fruit

Morning snack: yogurt or fruit or protein bar

Lunch: Meat/fish/poultry/egg + salad (low calorie dressing or homemade oil & vinegar dressing) + 2 cups veggies (try to avoid/limit carrots, squash, corn, peas)

Mid-afternoon snack: hard-boiled egg white or cooked ham slices (no sugar, low sodium) and dill pickles

Supper: Same as lunch

Evening snack: have something with protein in the evening - milk, yogurt, a protein bar or shake

Do not drink calories! Drink only water (minimum 8 cups per day), coffee, tea
Limit milk to 2 portions per day
Limit sugar/sweeteners

Switching to sea salt can help reduce bloating

Good luck!

MinnieInMaine

Not sure if this will work for you but I found eating a breakfast high in protein (either 2 eggs or a protein shake with my oatmeal and banana) really keeps me full for the day. I really put that to the test this week because I had a stomach virus and had to avoid the protein and go with the BRAT diet - I was so hungry all day with just carbs and fruit, it just about drove me nuts! Thanksfully I'm just about back on track and so glad I can eat protein again!

Glad you upped your calories a bit to give you some wiggle room too!

vinnichka

Hi again, thanks for opening your diary

Ok, just a couple of suggestions:

- 500 kcal for breakfast is too much if you are trying to stick with 1200 per day. You need to drop it to 300-400.

- waffles with syrup are tasty, but they are not filling and certainly not low-GI, which is what you need to feel full until lunch. It's better to have cereals (natural, very low in sugar!) or porridge.There are plenty of cereals you can have as porridge (oats, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, etc), add a teaspoon of sugar if you feel the need for something sweet.

- have a large salad or salad sandwiches for lunch - 2 thin slices of bread, some lean meat for protein, and as many vegeis as you want (not pumpkin or potato or starchy vegetables). It's very satisfying and you won't get a sugar crash (what you called a "hunger headache") in the afternoon.

- Yoplait yogurt is loaded with fat and sugar. Replace with low-fat (2%) natural yoghurt - it's about 50 kcal per 100 g, instead of 170! Add a bit of honey or berries or cinnamon, or grate half a cucumber into it.

- In general, your diet is very unbalanced. You are eating lots of high-calorie foods that don't fill the stomach (almonds, sweets, junk food), but at the same time you are eating tiny amounts for breakfast and lunch, it's no wonder that you are hungry all the time! You are skipping meals and then bingeing on junk food, that's a very bad habit.

You need to eat a LOT more vegetables and lean protein, especially at night. For example, a lean steak (150-200 g) or fish or chicken breast, grilled with only a little bit of oil and a large garden salad (without oily dressing or mayonnaise) is about 300 kcal, but much more filling than a 500 kcal MacDonalds burger, right?

If you want to keep the weight off, you need to completely overhaul your entire diet and possibly even lifestyle, sorry about that... Otherwise, you might lose the extra kilos, but as soon as you stop this diet, you WILL pile the kilos back on, there is no doubt about that.

Read up on low-GI diets, it might help you to understand what steps you need to take to reduce your calorie intake but still stay full and eat healthy. Another book that really helped me personally to do the full overhaul was "French women don't get fat". The main principles in it are very sensible and sound.

Good luck!

V.

amoffatt

Bump!

I have the same issue as well, some days worse than others:grumble:

tatipose

Hhhhmmm what ARE you eating? My guess is that you're probably filling up on complex carbs. I would try eating more fruit and veggies. The fiber will go a long way towards filling you up.