Help with hunger

Schmiegelette

So, I'm looking for advice to curb my hunger... I currently want to lose about 15 lbs, MFP has me eating 1390 cal/day and I probably eat 80% of my workout calories. I'm female, 5'4" and weigh around 138. I know I put the weight on after my second child when I was diagnosed with PMDD and put on Zoloft. I have since stopped the Zoloft and I'm taking St. Johns Wort to cope with the anger. For those who don't know, PMDD is like PMS on steroids, I have extreme anger issues during the last 2 weeks of my cycle so I only take the St. Johns Wort during that time of the month. I notice that on the days I take it, I'm significantly more hunger than the days I don't. Anyway, I'm looking for ideas to keep the hunger monster at bay. I generally eat the recommended % for protien, carbs & fats within +/- 3%. I also know that I sometimes have low blood suger; I get sick if I don't eat breakfast, so I hate feeling hunger. Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.

mallory3411

Are you drinking enough water? A lot of the time our bodies confused hunger with thirst.

Eat more protein and fibre along with more water.

mallory3411

Also, what do you have your weight loss goal set at (How many pounds)? You may be eating too little for what you have left to lose.

zgdsmith

I find that if i eat more than the recomended amount of protein it keeps me from getting hungry. This also keeps my carbs & fats down.

I eat alot of chicken, chobani fat free greek yogurt, & egg whites.

SueInAz

Find some low calorie snacks you can munch on all day long and keep them portioned for serving size and readily at hand. Things like baby carrots, unsweetened breakfast cereals (Kix, Cheerios, etc.), sugar snap peas, veggie straws, celery sticks or whatever you like. I'll grab my scale and those little snack sized baggies and make up a bunch of single serving sized treats and keep them in my pantry. I can then easily grab a few bags for my work day or throw one in my purse before I leave the house to run errands or even just take one back to the sofa while watching TV. It's better than taking the whole bag and I know exactly what to enter into MFP.

Schmiegelette

I drink about 2 liters of water a day. I'm trying to lose 15lbs or wear a size 6 whichever comes first. Other than pregnancy this is the most I've ever weighed and it's really getting me down.

rgunn02

I too suffer with PMDD and my Dr has put me on prozac (sm dose of 10mg/day) - but only for the 10 days or so leading up to my period. So, I usually start it around day 17 and I stop the first full day of my period - guess it's been used "off label" for a while to treat PMDD. I also have tried St. John Wart and didn't like the side effects. The prozac has really helped me and I find I don't get crazy hunger binges. Check out some of the stuff on line about it and maybe have a discussion with your Dr.

Add me if you like!!

SoDamnHungry

You could try bulking up the mass of your food by eating veggies with it. It will feel like you ate more.

morganadk2_deleted

Are you eating enough?

Here is a guide I use to set weekly weight loss goals:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

butterfly10398

Drink more water than just the 8 recommended glasses a day, eat less food more often, it will help to keep the hunger at bay. Eat more fiber and protein as they will help to fill you up for longer.

Schmiegelette

I too suffer with PMDD and my Dr has put me on prozac (sm dose of 10mg/day) - but only for the 10 days or so leading up to my period. So, I usually start it around day 17 and I stop the first full day of my period - guess it's been used "off label" for a while to treat PMDD. I also have tried St. John Wart and didn't like the side effects. The prozac has really helped me and I find I don't get crazy hunger binges. Check out some of the stuff on line about it and maybe have a discussion with your Dr.

Add me if you like!!

Ohh, didn't know prozac is an option... I might ask about that.. I know Yaz was approved, but my family history involves all kinds of heart disease so the increased risk of stroke makes me avoid it (that and hubby has a vascectomy so it isn't needed to control pregancny) What were your side-effects for St. Johns Wort?

emisu2

I feel ya, sister. Fighting that hunger battle myself and actually have my own thread going. I've been told to get in an eating routine so your body knows to expect food at specific times. Helps a little. Still hungry all the time but maybe less-so.

Maybe you could rethink your hunger, too... If you are hungry it probably means your fat stores are going to be raided.

NoAdditives

Also, what do you have your weight loss goal set at (How many pounds)? You may be eating too little for what you have left to lose.

^^This. When you only have a little to lost you need to eat more. Your weekly weight loss goal shouldn't be above 1 pound and might even need to be at 1/2 pound. If your caloric intake is too low your body won't burn the fat.

Schmiegelette

Are you recommending raw veggies? I can probably make up some snack bags to try. As an fyi I'm vegitarian (life long, yes, I've NEVER eaten meat) with vegan leanings. My youngest is allergic to dairy so we basically eat vegan at home except eggs & honey (and I love fat free chobani w/ cereal).

Schmiegelette

Oh, forgot to add it's set for 1/2 lb loss per week... but apparently last week I gained 2 lbs. (didn't record that, it was too depressing).

MarincicS

I have found that eating a huge lunch of a fresh salad with a whole cucumber, tomato, cup of chopped broccoli, cup of chopped celery, either half a can of tuna or several slices of lean deli-meats chopped up and a small handful of almonds keeps me feeling full for hours and has just over 200 calories. It amazes me how much fresh veg i would have to eat to get all of my calories in during a day. So i think making one meal a huge veggie meal might help a bit. Or even eating that same meal twice a day, plus your breakfast and dinner would probably not exceed your calorie count.

SarahSwimmer

Are you getting enough iron? You mentioned you feel hungry when you're on you're period, and I think women lose iron around that time of the month, It can make you feel weak and lethargic. I find lean red meat helps, but theoretically a multi would too. I have had MAJOR issues with hunger in the past. I went from a 2,000 greasy calories a day diet to 1200 calories a day. I also started working out heavily and that just jacks up my metabolism to carb-craving heights (I, like you, eat most but not all of my exercise calories back). What I find keeps me satiated is a diet where my sole goal is pretty much to eat as much protien and fiber as I can and keep under my calorie alotment. I largely eat: oatmeal, pop-corn, chili, greek yogurt, turkey patties, other whole wheats, raw kumquats, raw broccoli, carrots, alfalpha, spinach, and apples. I eat a bit of chocolate for my fat intake, but I am converting that to avocados and almonds because they have more nutrients. These foods are either high in protien or fiber and the effect is that they linger in my stomach longer and release energy slower. If you're in Weight Watchers many of these are "free" points or very low because the program is teaching you to eat foods with staying power. This is probably a good regimin for those looking to restrict sugar, like diabetics, as well. These foods also tend to be high in vitamins and all that stuff, but to be honest I just eat them because I'm a raging hunger machine if I don't.

I'm really not a "foodie" so I kind of like the simplicity of raw food and easy fast food (Mcdonald's oatmeal no fruit, Hardee's turkey burger no mayo, and Wendy's chili no cheese). Its easy and I'm not hungry.

SarahSwimmer

I have found that eating a huge lunch of a fresh salad with a whole cucumber, tomato, cup of chopped broccoli, cup of chopped celery, either half a can of tuna or several slices of lean deli-meats chopped up and a small handful of almonds keeps me feeling full for hours and has just over 200 calories. It amazes me how much fresh veg i would have to eat to get all of my calories in during a day. So i think making one meal a huge veggie meal might help a bit. Or even eating that same meal twice a day, plus your breakfast and dinner would probably not exceed your calorie count.

I totally agree! I load up my plate in the garden area of a buffet restaurant when I go out with my in-laws, but I take so much longer to chew all that food! I think they think I'm the world's slowest rabbit!

rgunn02

I too suffer with PMDD and my Dr has put me on prozac (sm dose of 10mg/day) - but only for the 10 days or so leading up to my period. So, I usually start it around day 17 and I stop the first full day of my period - guess it's been used "off label" for a while to treat PMDD. I also have tried St. John Wart and didn't like the side effects. The prozac has really helped me and I find I don't get crazy hunger binges. Check out some of the stuff on line about it and maybe have a discussion with your Dr.

Add me if you like!!

Ohh, didn't know prozac is an option... I might ask about that.. I know Yaz was approved, but my family history involves all kinds of heart disease so the increased risk of stroke makes me avoid it (that and hubby has a vascectomy so it isn't needed to control pregancny) What were your side-effects for St. Johns Wort?

It made me really sluggish feeling - and I was still really *****y!! haha! My Dr had suggested I try the st johns wart and when I went back to him and told him it wasn't helping, that's when he suggested the prozac - and it has honestly made a world of difference for me and my family
I didn't know that yaz was approved, but I would be inclined to stay away from it as well, for a variety of reasons too.