are you hungry?

laduena74

I'm a new member to this site, I joined about a week ago, and I must say its so easy to keep track of my calorie intake.

I've been eating my three meals a day, drinking at least 5 glasses of water and I snack in between meals.....however I find myself still hungry!!! I am keeping under my calorie max or pretty much close to it.

My question is, how do I avoid from being hungry all the time?! Is there certain food I should be eating more of?? Maybe food that keeps me fuller longer?

Any ideas or help would be MUCH appreciated! Thanks!!

melaniecheeks

Welcome to MFP!

One of the most useful things you could do if you want suggestions is to make your diary public - then we can see what you are actually eating, and give ideas based on your own foods.

As a general guide, foods that are high in protein (eggs, cheese, meats, fish) help you feel less hungry than those higher in carbs (cereal, breads, pasta, rice)

Vicstar1977

For a while after I started eating less I was hungry to, now Im used to it. I generally only feel hungry when Im really hungry, not just when I want to eat. Hang in there

angiechimpanzee

You're not eating the right foods.
Making permanent changes to lose weight AND keep it off basically forever, isn't about just eating less, its about increasing the quality & nutrient density of the foods you eat. 200 calories of grilled chicken breast will fill you much more than a 200 calorie fried drumstick for example. A bowl of cold cereal (easily 300 calories+ if not measured correctly) will leave you much hungrier than a bowl of oatmeal would (150ish calories depending on serving size).

So just analyze WHAT you're eating and make changes based on nutrient density. Chances are you didn't become overweight from eating high volumes of nutrient dense foods, you became overweight by eating nutrient deficient foods.

nxd10

Choose foods that are satisfying (proteins and fats) in small amounts. I eat a few (3 or 4) cashews when I'm hungry. Avoid carb loads that fill you but make you hungry an hour or so later.

And drink water before you eat - you may actually be thirsty.

Finally, save calories for snacks so you never let yourself get too hungry.

nxd10

You're not eating the right foods.
Making permanent changes to lose weight AND keep it off basically forever, isn't about just eating less, its about increasing the quality & nutrient density of the foods you eat. 200 calories of grilled chicken breast will fill you much more than a 200 calorie fried drumstick for example. A bowl of cold cereal (easily 300 calories+ if not measured correctly) will leave you much hungrier than a bowl of oatmeal would (150ish calories depending on serving size).

So just analyze WHAT you're eating and make changes based on nutrient density. Chances are you didn't become overweight from eating high volumes of nutrient dense foods, you became overweight by eating nutrient deficient foods.

Best advice ever.

Nix143

You're not eating the right foods.
Making permanent changes to lose weight AND keep it off basically forever, isn't about just eating less, its about increasing the quality & nutrient density of the foods you eat. 200 calories of grilled chicken breast will fill you much more than a 200 calorie fried drumstick for example. A bowl of cold cereal (easily 300 calories+ if not measured correctly) will leave you much hungrier than a bowl of oatmeal would (150ish calories depending on serving size).

So just analyze WHAT you're eating and make changes based on nutrient density. Chances are you didn't become overweight from eating high volumes of nutrient dense foods, you became overweight by eating nutrient deficient foods.

Totally. Since I upped my protein and fibre level I am rarely hungry which is a massive turnaround for me - I used to be ready to gnaw the leg off a donkey about an hour after eating my dinner, now I toddle off to bed still satiated from the meal I ate at 6pm. It really does make a massive difference.

PNJB796

I will second that!

stuffinmuffin

This is very much open to debate and people will also have their own opinions and experiences on what keeps them satiated.

Firstly it's hard to give you a personal opinion without your diary being open and knowing how many calories you are netting in a day. It could be simply down to the fact that you are not eating enough in a day.

Things that keep me satiated are....
Higher protein meals (though I am a huge -wholemeal- carb fan so you wont find me skipping carbs often!)
Low calorie soups (about 300cals for a giant pot) make quite a filling and substantial soup. One recent one that I tried was the Covent Garden Potatas Bravas one.
Avoiding sugar and refined carbs.
Working out.

JesterMFP

I don't know how many calories you're on, but when I started out on 1200 calories, I was pretty hungry. I got through it by drinking a lot of fluids, eating a lot of veggies, eating plenty of protein, eating plenty of fat and trying not to overdo carbs. I find soups are great to take the edge off. When I was starting out exercising more, being hungry was a big incentive to exercise to get more calories. An extra couple of hundred can make a big difference when you're only on 1200.

In the end, I realised that 1200 wasn't enough for me, I was just feeling too tired and having dizzy spells, plus as I got fitter, I noticed that I didn't have enough energy to complete the workouts I wanted to. So, I upped my calories and cope a lot better now. I get hungry now, but only when it's time to eat. I eat 1500 calories at the moment, plus exercise calories, and I have different motivations to exercise. Instead of exercising to get those extra calories, I eat well to fuel my workouts.

One last thing - whatever your goal, don't always aim to come under that. Try to reach it, or a little over or under. Don't aim to be significant;y below it though.

laduena74

oh my! THANK YOU so much for all your wonderful advice! I had a feeling I wasn't eating the right foods, and not enough. I appreciate all your help and support!

gailmelanie

Well, I agree with all that's been said, but I do that most of the time and still get hungry. Yes, drink water each time you feel a hunger pang and see if you forget about the hunger. If you do, you were thirsty. Remember that. Thirst is sometimes experienced as hunger, so drink first. I need to remind myself of that most days. Sugar free gum can help occupy your mouth and give you some flavor, too, if your hunger isn't physical.