Question for the masses

farmers_daughter

1. I understand that you are supposed to ONLY eat when you are hungry, that keeps you from overeating, right?

2. Also spacing out your meals/snacks helps to create a consistency and less change of binging. right?

So how do you keep the hungry monster from tapping on your shoulder and reminding you that 10:00 snack is coming up soon, and he counts it down like now it's only an hour and 1 minutes away, now it's only 42 minutes away 16 minutes away.....and on and on.... until snack time is finally here. And those thought completely consume your mind.

I'm seriously considering one of two things. I'm actually crazy, or I'm gonna cave in and do prescription diet pills again. I just get so mad that I can't control myself, seriously, ...myself. I can "Dr. Phil" EVERYONE else, but I can't do it to me. WTF?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/ advice. And I apologize for the last paragraph vent.

Justkeepswimmin

I break up my 'mini' meals as you posted (at least usually). I try to focus on the food I am getting to eat at the time and tell myself/body that there will be more later and this isn't the last time you're ever going to eat. (Unless you die in which case food wont be an issue)

Now I get a craving monster sometimes where I 'want' to eat but spacing my meals out I don't get the 'hunger' monster. So first decide if it's actual hunger or not.

Also, there was a post somewhere about how if we're overweight the chemicals in our body that tell us we're hungry are out of whack, so it could just take a while to retrain those.

Lastly, make sure your morning breakfast has some protein. I find that is key to NOT being hungry before my actual breakfast. Pre-breakfast is around 6-7 AM for me (usually a protein bar), and breakfast is around 9-10 (usually an egg substitute sandwich), both of these have protein. I think that's really really important.

And LOTS of water.

kakes80

Whenever I am hungry I eat something like baby carrots or any other raw non starchy veggies. I eat 3 meals a day, 3 snacks that are very small. and then space out other snacks throughout the day and night. Goldfish, Jello sugar free snacks, veggies.... Not sure if that answers your question but I seem to do alright with the hunger that way.

DaniJeanine

I've heard quite the opposite: don't let yourself feel hungry, because then you risk overeating. It is usually recommended to eat 5-6 "small meals" which usually equal out to breakfast, a small morning snack, lunch, a small afternoon snack, dinner, and a small evening snack (if needed). Some people claim to "never feel hungry" and the result is them eating only once or twice per day. Studies show that eating only 1 or 2 times a day is very counterproductive for weight loss and can even put your body in starvation mode, causing weight retention. Eat 3 meals a day with 2 or 3 small snacks and you should feel satisfied all the time :-)

Also, don't take diet pills. I'm sure you know how bad they are for you. Not to mention, the day you stop taking them you'll crash your metabolism, shock your system, and gain the weight back PLUS more. Just don't do it.

keljo05

i keep low cal healthy snacks around for emergency hungry moments, lol.

things such as apples, bananas, protein shakes, veggies and dips... all in portion controlled servings.

I don't let myself get over hungry because then I will eat more then i should.. if i'm hungry between a planned meal i have a small (100-150cal) snack and then go back to what I was doing, lol

Egger29

The answers to your questions are often given out of context without any clear breakdown of WHY you do certain things.

Rather than write out a long-winded answer here, I would advise you to cehck out the following article on the purposes and principles of Nutrient Timing.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-nutrient-timing

Basically, you space your meals to keep your blood glucose and insulin levels at optimal levels that allow for breakdown of fatty acids, protein synthesis and glycogen storage/conversion. These processes go up and down depending on when and what you're feeding yourself, along with your activity levels through the day, including your workouts.

Pfauxmeh

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I went through the same thing during the first two weeks of my big diet change. I watched the clock meticulously, and my body begged me for food. You just have to hang tight and be tough about it. Things I did that also helped me:

1) Chew gum. Some are less than 1 calorie, some are 5 calories, but all in all it's very, very, very low calorie and it tricks your body into thinking that you're eating something thus distracting your brain and your stomach from those cravings.

2) Almonds. If I'm excessively hungry, I grab maybe 5 almonds and chew slowly. Sometimes I don't even finish them all...they're filling!

3) Lots of water. Self-explanatory.

4) KEEP BUSY! The more active you are in a hobby or exercise, the least you'll think about food. Easier said than done, but...you get my drift.

Hope this helps at all.

ItsTerriC

I don't schedule my meals and snacks. My schedule is erratic and so is my appetite. My diary is broken down my 3 - 4 hour increments. I eat when I need to, or have time to and log it during the correct time. Some days one or two time slots may be fuller than others. Some days they are nice and even. I do tend to graze a lot, so I make sure to bring plenty of "good" food to work every day. That way I can eat when I want and still have enough calories left for dinner. Try not being so strict with your times. Have plenty of veggies and fruits around and eat when your body needs it.

Edit - make sure you drink your water! It does help.

Edestiny7

I think it is that you should eat many small meals. So when you are hungry, it is time to eat your next small snack/meal. I usually have a smoothie for breakfast around 8 AM and am hungry around 10 which is when I have a serving of raw almonds. If I have almond butter & jelly on whole grain toast for breakfast, I am not hungry again until 11:30. So it depends on what you are eating. Don't hold out for a 'time' to eat. Eat when you are hungry. Just make smart choices.

jarrettd

When I went through this, I realized I wasn't balancing protein/sugar/carbs. You will burn through simple sugars almost before you get up from the table. Go for complex carbs, like whole grains. And make sure to have a little protein to keep you feeling full longer. Cereal and fruit for breakfast? Sure, but also eat an egg.

liftingbro

1. I understand that you are supposed to ONLY eat when you are hungry, that keeps you from overeating, right?

Sort of. Generally you can eat even when not hungry if you are counting calories and not over your calories for the day. It's just important to eat enough as it is to not eat too much. So, in order to keep the fire burning you have to throw some fuel in it. If you are not counting calories then eating when you are hungry is a decent but not good tool.

2. Also spacing out your meals/snacks helps to create a consistency and less change of binging. right?

This totally depends on the person. There is no metabolic advantage to eating several small meals, that's a myth. However, if it help keep from getting hungry too much, then by all means do it that way. Some people eat one meal a day (a big one) and that works for them too.

So how do you keep the hungry monster from tapping on your shoulder and reminding you that 10:00 snack is coming up soon, and he counts it down like now it's only an hour and 1 minutes away, now it's only 42 minutes away 16 minutes away.....and on and on.... until snack time is finally here. And those thought completely consume your mind.

I'm seriously considering one of two things. I'm actually crazy, or I'm gonna cave in and do prescription diet pills again. I just get so mad that I can't control myself, seriously, ...myself. I can "Dr. Phil" EVERYONE else, but I can't do it to me. WTF?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/ advice. And I apologize for the last paragraph vent.

Sometimes what you eat is what causes you to feel hungry. Foods high in protein, fat, and fiber tend to make you feel less hungry and make you stay that way longer. So, meat,veggies,fruits and whole grains are the way to go. Sprinkling some flaxseed oil on food can also help.