New to the Boards and ALWAYS hungry

susiek80

I have been logging my info on MFP on/off for the last few months, with these last few weeks taking it seriously.
MFP tells me to net 1200 calories a day to lose 1 1/2 lbs a week. (Does that seem too few?) I am eating tons of veggies and lean meats but am always hungry.
Where can I look for nutrient dense foods that will keep me full!

supermodelchic

i always eat oatmeal & egg whites for breakfast. I try to eat protein at every meal. after my workout i have 1 scoop of whey protein powder 130 calories 30 grams of protein. The higher protein diet keeps me full and I eat smaller mmeals ,i am never get super hungry, hope this helps:):bigsmile:

Darlingir

Hi there!
maybe start off at 1400 calories...the extra makes a big difference and you will still lose. also, I manage to take the edge off with veggies that are flavorful.....My fav is simmered cauliflower in low fat chicken or veg broth. I also roast my vegetables in the oven...makes them much more tasty.

Llyrian

I'm eating 1300 myself and I've been eating a lot of 0% greek yogurt with my own added fruit, which has tons of protein and since it's so dense, it really keeps me sated for hours.

scorpiorlr

Are you eating them all in one sitting or are you spreading them out through out the day? The big key for me is Water. I drink tons of it! It keeps the hunger urges away and keeps my system clean.

downhomechik

I have been logging my info on MFP on/off for the last few months, with these last few weeks taking it seriously.
MFP tells me to net 1200 calories a day to lose 1 1/2 lbs a week. (Does that seem too few?) I am eating tons of veggies and lean meats but am always hungry.
Where can I look for nutrient dense foods that will keep me full!

I have struggled with this too! I've been eating under calories (not really on purpose) so I'm bumping up intake and I've actually bought some protein shakes to fill it. I feel better eating a big more. A boiled egg helped me too.

susiek80

Oh, if only I like Greek yogurt. I try and try but... no luck.

susiek80

Are you eating them all in one sitting or are you spreading them out through out the day? The big key for me is Water. I drink tons of it! It keeps the hunger urges away and keeps my system clean.

I try to spread them out through the day, but then I feel like I just sit at my desk grazing all day... at least it's fruit and veg. And I drink 2-3 full Nalgene bottles a day.

susiek80

Hi there!
maybe start off at 1400 calories...the extra makes a big difference and you will still lose. also, I manage to take the edge off with veggies that are flavorful.....My fav is simmered cauliflower in low fat chicken or veg broth. I also roast my vegetables in the oven...makes them much more tasty.

But I am afraid of over-eating... and gaining weight.

verbalriot

Try adding beans to your diet - chickpeas, black beans, white beans. They have a lot of fiber and protein to keep you full and are low in fat.

If you're still hungry, try changing your loss goal to 1 lb a week rather than 1 1/2. This will give you more cals to eat and may be easier.

Good luck!

Expialidojess

For me spreading my calories out works the best, so I try and eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3. Have you tried green monster shakes? There pretty good and sometimes I get so full I can't even finish the whole thing. It's just spinach, a banana, a little bit of peanut butter and some milk and/or yogurt.

susiek80

Try adding beans to your diet - chickpeas, black beans, white beans. They have a lot of fiber and protein to keep you full and are low in fat.

If you're still hungry, try changing your loss goal to 1 lb a week rather than 1 1/2. This will give you more cals to eat and may be easier.

Good luck!

Thanks! I just get so frustrated because I am doing all the right things...

susiek80

For me spreading my calories out works the best, so I try and eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3. Have you tried green monster shakes? There pretty good and sometimes I get so full I can't even finish the whole thing. It's just spinach, a banana, a little bit of peanut butter and some milk and/or yogurt.

That doesn't sound bad, but I heard that banana's were not a friend to those trying to lose weight...

Jenjaz1910

From my personal opinion I think you should be upping your cals! Find out your BMR & TDEE and make sure you're netting at or above your BMR x

myfitnessnmhoy

Thanks! I just get so frustrated because I am doing all the right things...

A few tips, some may be review of what others have already said.

1. Start tracking your calories by type (Carbs and Sugars, Fats, and Proteins). Make sure you are eating as close as possible to the BALANCE of these three sources, in addition to the quantity of calories. If you eat your calories, but don't eat enough of one of the Calorie Trinity, you will be hungry a lot.

(a note on sugars - if most of your sugars come from fresh fruit, you'll go over no matter what you do. Watch the refined sugars, white bread, and other processed foods).

2. I found that a strongly-flavored gum really helped me get over the "hunger bump" (that first week or two when I dropped my calories until my body adjusted to it). Resist the urge to "binge" or eat a lot in a specific day, because it just extends that adjustment period - BE CONSISTENT.

3. If you've been at this for a few weeks and you're still hungry, back off on your target. Target a little lower weight loss each week and eat a few more calories. This is a long-term effort, not something you should do a quick slapdash job of. Don't make it miserable.

4. If you are also tired as well as hungry, and you haven't lost any weight, set the site for a target of losing nothing for a while (weight maintenance). You might find that the site has underestimated your caloric needs at the moment.

5. Up your exercise (and eat your exercise calories!). I find that a good workout makes me less "snacky" and more "hungry for solid healthy foods".

myfitnessnmhoy

That doesn't sound bad, but I heard that banana's were not a friend to those trying to lose weight...

I've found the opposite, but I only eat them after a good workout to quickly replenish my potassium and give me a nice little sugar boost to make the post-workout high even better. For a sedentary eater, I agree - they aren't an optimal snack.

pstaceyca

For me spreading my calories out works the best, so I try and eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3. Have you tried green monster shakes? There pretty good and sometimes I get so full I can't even finish the whole thing. It's just spinach, a banana, a little bit of peanut butter and some milk and/or yogurt.

That doesn't sound bad, but I heard that banana's were not a friend to those trying to lose weight...

I really don't think anyone has gotten fat from eating bananas!!

susiek80

For me spreading my calories out works the best, so I try and eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3. Have you tried green monster shakes? There pretty good and sometimes I get so full I can't even finish the whole thing. It's just spinach, a banana, a little bit of peanut butter and some milk and/or yogurt.

That doesn't sound bad, but I heard that banana's were not a friend to those trying to lose weight...

I really don't think anyone has gotten fat from eating bananas!!

LOL!!! I have a friend who is a doctor and told me to go easy on the banana's because they are so high in carbs/sugar.

TheTrimTim

Greetings! I'm in a similar boat - relatively new and feel hungry much of the time but I'm sure you'll get some good support and friendships here to help you. Feel free to add me if you wish (open to all).

cutchro

I net my BMR + 200 so usually 1709 give or take and I don't stress if I miss it by a hundred or so in either direction.

And... I am NEVER hungry!

jeepwidow01

How much fiber do you take in per day? Women should aim for 25 g per day while men should aim for 35. Making sure that I'm getting in that amount of fiber has helped me tremendously over the past month since I upped it. Make sure that if you do start taking in that much fiber, you drink plenty of water too!! :laugh:

PinkberryCream

I always feel really hungry towards the night time-ish...idk why. I try to keep my mind off food by doing some cleaning (aka my bedroom is ALWAYS a mess since my 2yr old daughter's bed is in the same room & is super messy) but i still always keep thinking about food or that i'm hungry. I even try drinking lots of water to get my self feeling 'full' but no luck.

jcomley1

Why dont you try adding more protein to your diet. Instead of just having a salad, add in half a can of Chick Pea's. Low in fat, high in protein, good for energy, they are GREAT fillers. Try and eat food like Oats which are full of fibre and will keep you full for the entire morning. I am highly active and always on the go, and by eating food such as this, i struggle to hit my 1200 calorie intake for the day because they do such a good job of keeping me full.
Good luck!

SuffolkSally

Seconding an earlier point - calculate your BMR and TDEE. MFP sets 1200 as a default - I struggled to until I realised that actually I need to be eating 1700! Which is comfortable. And do log your exercise and eat back about 50% of those calories (if MFP was accurate you'd eat all of them, but it overestimates calorie burn for some reason).

MoooveOverFluffy

From my personal opinion I think you should be upping your cals! Find out your BMR & TDEE and make sure you're netting at or above your BMR x

^^^THIS. i know it sounds counterproductive, but please, please, please search the forums for topics like "success with eating higher calories" and " BMR/ TDEE"................

here's a link that may explain things a little better....

http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html

GOOD LUCK!

ChitownFoodie

You're diary is private so I can't see what types of foods you are eating, but I find eating a whole grain English muffin when I am hungry will curb that for hours. Also, you are allowed to eat your exercise calories back.
Not to sound negative, but you might be setting yourself up to fail by committing to 1,200 a day. I eat roughly 2,100 calories a day and maintain and I am only 4'11" and weigh in at about 101 pounds. I was losing weight when I would be about 1,500 a day.

jr1985

Flax seed... loaded with fiber I started adding it to my foods about a week ago and notice I'm quite a bit fuller for longer than before I added it to my food... 1TBS of ground flax seed dietary supplement only has 70 calories... You can't really taste it, it just adds texture... try mixing it in with your food once or twice a day

MoooveOverFluffy

oh, and eggs, greek yogurt, almonds, and fish (sardines, tuna) keep me feeling full the longest.........

cfriend71

Protein is definitely more satisfying so if you can add a little more protein you might find that you're not as hungry. Good luck!

cfriend71

If you don't love greek yogurt, try adding truvia or splenda to it, and maybe some fresh strawberries. The sweetener takes the bitterness/sour taste away. I have done this with the plain since there isn't much flavor, but I like it because it's the lowest in sugar.

myfitnessnmhoy

I always feel really hungry towards the night time-ish...idk why. I try to keep my mind off food by doing some cleaning (aka my bedroom is ALWAYS a mess since my 2yr old daughter's bed is in the same room & is super messy) but i still always keep thinking about food or that i'm hungry. I even try drinking lots of water to get my self feeling 'full' but no luck.

If you're hungry at night, you aren't eating a protein or fat late enough in the day. Save a couple hundred calories during the day and have a slice of cheese or glass of milk something as an evening snack.