I never feel full

PammyB3130

I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem or could give me some suggestions. I have a really hard time limiting my portions when I eat because I never feel full. I can eat a huge meal that may be two times the recommended portion size and I'll still be hungry. sometimes I feel like a bottomless pit. on the rare occasion that I do get "full" I usually feel hungry again 30 minutes later. I only drink water with my meals now and I try to eat slowly but none of that seems to be making a difference. I drink water throughout the day whenever I feel hungry and have several small healthy snacks, but even then I'm constantly feeling hungry. I'd appreciate any tips anyone could give me.

PammyB3130

I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem or could give me some suggestions. I have a really hard time limiting my portions when I eat because I never feel full. I can eat a huge meal that may be two times the recommended portion size and I'll still be hungry. sometimes I feel like a bottomless pit. on the rare occasion that I do get "full" I usually feel hungry again 30 minutes later. I only drink water with my meals now and I try to eat slowly but none of that seems to be making a difference. I drink water throughout the day whenever I feel hungry and have several small healthy snacks, but even then I'm constantly feeling hungry. I'd appreciate any tips anyone could give me.

borjanap

try foods with fiber.There is a post cereal called grape nuts and that fills me up quicky.Its kinda tasteless but if u can get over that .Try eating warmer foods such as soups or drink tea without sugar instead of water. I read somewhere that warm foods tell your brain that you are getting full.

Razboo

It was worst for me the first few weeks. Always starving! After that, either I didn't feel as hungry or just didn't notice it so much. I can tell you that the amount I can eat at a time has really dropped, so I figure I just learned to be having less in my stomach.

kistinbee

The only advice I can offer, is to stick with it. It may be a case where your body just needs to get used to consuming less. I have found that after a couple weeks of limiting the calories I eat, it takes less for me to feel full and then I couldn't eat more even if I wanted to. How long have you been doing this? Do you try to balance the food groups? For snacks I will have like a cup of grapes and string cheese. Or an apple with peanut butter. Stuff like this makes you feel fuller. And drinking lots of water helps, which you said you already do. I'm sorry I don't have better advice, but hopefully this helps a bit. Just stick with it and it should get easier!!
Good luck!:bigsmile:

*Kistinbee*

yoginimary

I'm kinda the same way. Until I retrain myself to eat smaller meals, I always think I need more food. I was hungry for a few weeks when I started. I haven't felt full in a very long time, but usually I'm not hungry after I eat now.

Eating healthier foods does help but not completely.

Anna_Banana

Just stick with it and keep the portions small and eat often. Your stomache will eventually shrink to acccomidate the smaller meals.

PammyB3130

Thank you everyone for the hints. I've only seriously been at the "dieting" for a few days now. I tend to do the yo-yo dieting and I always give up cuz I'm just so hungry all the time. I will try these new tips and try to just hand in there.

icandoit

It does take time for your stomach to shrink. Keep drinking the water and slowly make your portion sizes smaller. Eat lots of salad. Watch out for the dressings. I find that when I cook, I serve my food on a smaller plate and I do not put food in the middle of the table . Too tempt to take more. Eat slow and chew a lot. When you are done with your plate, walk away.

saratompkins

I always find the same problem when I am embarking on a healthy eating programme (I try not to call it a diet!) I think the problem is psychological as much as physical because as soon as you start limiting your portions you feel like you are being deprived of food and always want to eat more. You could try snacking between meals constantly on grapes and other fruits or vegetable sticks to ward off the hunger. The fact is though that to lose weight you have to get used to eating less and that might mean feeling hungry all the time for a week or so. Once you've got through it it is worth it because your stomach will shrink and be satisfied with less.

Anna_Banana

Soup is also a great way to fill up and most broth based soups have little calories.

Cloe

Another really good thing is to eat slowly. It takes awhile before your brain gets the message you're full so sometimes we over do it before our brain gets the message we are full. This really works.

diannholland1965

This is a normal problem, so do not feel that you are the only one that this happens to.
You might not be drinking enough plain water. :drinker:
The reason that I say this is.
The body does not know if it is hungry or thirsty. The brian reads these two feelings the same way.
When I get that "MAN I HAVE TO EAT SOMETHING!" feeling I drink a glass of water. Wait 5 minutes for it to register. and then if I still feel hungry then I eat.
You might also have too much caffine in your body.
Yes caffine rasies your metabolish and that is VERY GOOD, but a nasty little side effect to it is that you get hungry.
Which is why most of the doctors that I work with say.
DRINK YOUR COFFEE EVERY MORNING! Then for each cup of coffee, drink as much water.
Now you could also be eating too fast.
It takes a good 5 to 10 minutes for your body to process what you have eaten. So when you eat, eat about 1/4 the food, put your fork down and wait then eat another 1/4th put your fork down and wait.
this gives your body time to digest your food. and you will feel more full at the same time.
Good luck, I hope this helps.:flowerforyou:
--Diann...

dinosgirl

It is going to take some time. You stomach is used to the large portions you have been consuming for so long and has stretched to accomodate them. In time, your stomach will shrink and you will begin to feel full with less food.

Also, the PPs have some great suggestions. Eat slowly, drink more water, fill up on fiber rich foods. Protein also helps you feel fuller longer. Try eating peanut butter on a slice of toast with fresh fruit for breakfast. Have a handful of almonds for a snack. Toss some beans in a healthy salad. A little bit of protein added to each meal might help.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

DanielleG

I know this may sound really strange but I have found that if I brush my teeth after I eat I am less tempted to eat more. I guess it is the fact that I just cleaned my mouth and don't want it dirty again...lol. Plus depending on what you try to eat after you brush your teeth , the toothpaste makes the food taste funny.

songbyrdsweet

Hunger is a complicated, uncomfortable, diet-ruining phenomenon :mad:
It's important to understand that there are different types of hunger and they're caused by different things, and of course just being hungry doesn't always mean you need more calories, but sometimes it can.
The two types of hunger are limbic (mental) and somatic (physical). Basically, if you're in a large deficit and your stomach is empty and you really need nutrients, that's somatic; if you've already eaten but you're craving something else and you're not 'satisfied', that's limbic.
So, step one is taking a look at how many calories you're eating compared to how many you're burning. If you're burning 2000 calories a day, do NOT eat anything less than 1500 calories. You shouldn't have more than a 500 calorie deficit (without the supervision of a doctor); if you do, that is real hunger you're feeling, and you need to eat more.
Step two is waiting. After you've eaten, it takes 20 minutes for your stomach nerves to send a signal to your brain saying "I'm full up!" So always wait 20-30 minutes and drink a full cup of water before you decide that you're indeed in need of something else, and make it small and very high in protein, fiber, and/or fat (like PB, nuts). You won't be able to eat as much, but it will help regulate your blood sugar and promote feelings of fullness.
If you are eating enough and you are still hungry after step two, step three is realizing that your hunger is limbic, and you should just stop thinking about the food. Go for a walk, do the dishes, have a conversation in another room. If you stop thinking about what food you're craving, your limbic hunger won't be causing false sensations.

kj9999swim

I agree about the toothbrushing trick. And, remember, when you're hungry, your body is going to go for those reserves (i.e. fat). Also, maybe come up with a hobby to get you through the hungry times. How about knitting?

Good Luck!

Cowboy

Hello,
Songbyrdsweet is absolutely correct. When I was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago, the change in my eating discipline was just monumental. I NEVER felt full because of the serious limiting of carbs and fats. Fat helps slow down the absorption of other foods, most fiber is in carbohydrate rich foods so it was a double whammy. Remember to balance ALL of the different kinds of foods, Proteins, carbs, small amount of fats, etc.
I can tell you that it DOES get better. Take Songbyrdsweet's advice regarding making sure your hunger is truly a need for calories, and then if it is, eat something that is really good for you and then just enough to satisfy. Hang in there. It WILL get easier and better if you hang in there.
Cowboy

littlespoon

So many times I have gone to recommend the teeth brushing and thought I was too strange - only to find there are other strange people here too!
:laugh:

debuckl

I brush my teeth ALL the time. It really helps! I think the mint helps as much as the cleanliness.

debuckl

I also used brushing my teeth for morning sickness. It just has some great effect on the stomach...

Nich0le

A change in eatting habits can do this, it was hard the first few weeks. I had to set times to eat and I drank water like a dehydrated camel in between. I eat every 3 hours and I do it a bit backward because I am not a huge breakfast fan I eat snack, breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Eventually your body will get used to the "feeding" schedule and some of that hunger will start to ease up.

Stick to it, you have made a decision to get yourself healthy and it isn't always comfortable to change but we are stronger than we think. Stay positive! :happy:

PammyB3130

thanks for the help. I know it will take a little bit longer to adjust to eating changes, but I'm already starting to get used to it. and now that I'm seeing progress on the scales it's all worth it.

MissMe9669

try foods with fiber.There is a post cereal called grape nuts and that fills me up quicky.Its kinda tasteless but if u can get over that .Try eating warmer foods such as soups or drink tea without sugar instead of water. I read somewhere that warm foods tell your brain that you are getting full.

Hey! Try eating Grape Nuts mixed in flavored yogurt! It is quite a treat!!

flachix

Try drinking a glass of water 20 minutes before you eat. I always thought it took the body 20 mins to register food. get a journal and write everything down. you may not be getting as much food as you think you are, or are eating empty calories instead of the right food. food with fiber is a wonderful thing. and protein gets digested more slowly than carbs. and there is 4 calories in a gram of protein and 4 calories in a gram of carbs. so maybe more protein. I know those things work for me. a hand written journal for me is a must. good luck.

pam0206

Pam-If you feel hungry and need something to get you through to your next meal/snack, you can always snack on water heavy vegetables without any guilt. Cucumbers, radishes, cabbage and celery all count. I also made a "smoothie" today with only frozen fruit and lemonade. I used about a cup of fruit (peaches and strawberries) and covered them over with lemonade and blended. It was only 100 cals and I totally felt indulged. Good luck and don't quit now! The first few weeks ARE the hardest. :flowerforyou:

jessjess

Try eating a small meal every 3 hours. That's what I've been doing the past 4 monhts - lost 17lbs so far. I feel like I'm ALWAYS eating, so never really OVER-eat from being hungry.

onehotmama1

Hey I know how you feel accept with me it is like I freak out when I get hungry. Especially right before dinner. That is a crazy time at my house anyway. But between my sone screaming "mommy, I'm gonna die, I gotta eat" and the pain in my stomach, I always start to eat while making dinner. Anyway the hungry all the time does begin to wane. Good Luck and God bless.