Not feeling full on 1800-2000 cal

WaterBunnie

I'd suggest hunting out lower fat options (bratwurst is probably high fat and sodium) and using the calories you save for carbs and lots of fruit and veg. It's not unknown for me to chomp through a whole cauliflower with my dinner on hungry days!! It does get easier, you learn how to pace your food and what times of day you can cope with being a little hungry - and when you most definitely cannot.

Exercise to earn more calories and don't feel like you have to leave your calorie balance too far in the green each day.

Failing that, drop your loss goal a little for a week or two until you are used to cutting back and then reset it to where it is now.

Good luck. We've all been there!

juditanne

it takes some tome getting used to that is for sure. for me it took almost two weeks to be able to tolerate such a low intake and now i think back to what i used to consume and it turns me stomach. i know it sounds too soon to feel that way, but i am so focused on being healthy and losing this weight that i do not even think twice about it.

focus and moderation is what it is all about.

you can do it!

MaraDiaz

Try this. Get 1800 calories worth of steak. Rib eye has a good fat/protein ratio, I recommend that.

Now eat that in a couple of sittings with one vegetable (not french fries or any other potato!) and a small piece of cheese. No bbq sauce or anything else with carbs in it.

If you still don't feel full and satisfied go to the doctor, clearly you have a dimensional portal in your belly that needs removing.

rickyll

I don't know if this has already been said or if you even said it in your post (I read the title and first line and had to write this) but what you usually probably stuff your face with is simple carbs. This includes white sugars, pasta, white bread, white rice, POTATOES! etc.
These simple carbs pass through your body in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the person. These are TOO FAST and even if you eat lots, you can feel hungry again quite quickly. Stick to whole wheat pasta, whole wheat breads, brown rice, sweet potatoes and stay away from sweets (they're addictive!)

Complex carbs like whole wheat breads etc. are the largest molecules your body ever has to break down and digest so they can take up to 4-6 hours depending on the person.

Now, since you've built a habit of eating lots, simply switching to complex carbs won't solve the problem alone. You gotta include some will power in there too to keep you from eating the simple carbs and sugars.

Keep in mind that whole wheat options tend to have slightly higher calorie counts (like 30-50 calories more than their simple carb cousins from my experience) but it also keeps your metabolism working longer. (ideally you want to keep your metabolism running as much as possible!)

Hope this helps

WBB55

I looked at your diary, and in my opinion, if you're having trouble with feeling not full, you should add more whole grains and beans. Bread, pastas and snacks that are made from 100% whole grains (and says "100% whole grain x" in the ingredients) are more filling than breads made with bleached, enriched white flour.

I know some people think carbs are bad, but 50 grams of carbs per day on 1800 calories probably won't get you enough fiber. Try to get at least 25g of fiber every day, preferably more. If you do, you'll feel fuller, I bet.

Richie2shoes

I keep myself to 2000 calories a day and I am rarely hungry. Feel free to send me a friend request and view my diary. I should warn you that I only count 6 days a week. Sundays I eat whatever I want, so you might see some high calorie days.

Edit to add: Also, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

angieleighbyrd

It depends on what types of foods you are eating. Protein and fiber will help keep you full through the day.

bkknauer

I am new to my fitness pal but have been on a weight loss journey since jan 2011 when i had bariatric surgery. I started at 336 lbs and now weigh 173. my low was 166 last april and i am striving to get back there and hopefully below. I dont know what you eat but one thing that helps me alot is to not drink any calories i have been water only for two years. Also i eat a lot of protein (80 plus grams a day). My favorites are syntha 6 protein powder and pure protien peanut butter bars. Then fruit/veg and then i try to eat very few empty carbs otherwise. Your english muffin digests in your mouth and will not fill you up very long. At night I save enough calories to eat an apple with fresh ground peanut or almond butter.(so I don't have to go to bed hungry). Actually in the morning I often log i plan on eating that day so i know where i a have to make cuts or can afford to add. Like yesterday morning i had a power packed smoothy but it used a lot of my calories so i decided to not have a taco shell at dinner so that i would have enough calories for my apple. If i had wait until after i ate to log i would not have know that. I would try reducing your calories by 50 or 100 a week until you are losing 1 or 2 pounds a week and then stay there for a while. For me that is around 1500 but i do 6 days a week of intensive workouts. BTW I fight a raging food addiction every day so i know how hard it is. It does get easier when the drastic lifestyle changes become your new normal. Good luck!

sondrajarvis

The main thing you need to do is not look at this as a diet but a lifestyle change. If you are eating in a way that you can't sustain, there is a good chance you won't sustain a weight loss. Also, make sure you "move it move it".

mrssim

I agree with the more water and swapping out simple carbs for complex ones. It helps A TON! I also agree you should go for high fiber/high protein. On days where I'm eating well I'm always fuller and rarely hit my 1300 cal goal. After looking at your diary it'd probably help to have bigger, healthier breakfasts. It helps throughout the day. If you have scrambled egg whites instead of full eggs and throw in TONS of veggies you'll end up much more full on much less calories than you will on scrambled eggs and toast. It's a learning process and your body has to learn you aren't always hungry when you don't feel "full". Just keep at it It'll get better with time

cwolfman13

A couple things...and feel free to check out my diary (ignore the weekends as I tend to indulge a bit and drink too much).

1.) I'm basically on an 1,800 calorie plan though I've upped that to 2053 to account for my exercise (I'm using the TDEE method). If you want to eat a bit more, move a bit more and then log and eat back those calories (I did that for quite awhile before opting for the TDEE method...I didn't opt for the TDEE method until I was well into a routine of regularly working out and even then I've gone back and forth between the MFP and TDEE methods when I've had a bad run of exercise...like at christmas).

2.) There is somewhat of an adjustment period when you're used to stuffing yourself...just have to deal with it; eventually your stomach will shrink and you'll eat a big meal and wonder how in the hell you used to do this for every meal.

3.) Find the foods that are lower in calories but nutrient dense...you can eat more of these and they leave you feeling fuller, longer. Opt for leaner cuts of meat, poultry, etc...these are very nutrient dense and high in protein, but lower in fat and thus lower in calories than their fatty counterparts (not that you can't indulge in some bratwurst on occasion). Limit the highly processed carbs...refined sugars, white rice, white bread, etc...these metabolize quickly and leaving you hungry shortly after you've finished eating them. They also seem to trigger a "you need to eat more" mechanism in your brain...at least my brain anyway. Opt for whole grain breads, whole wheat pastas, brown rice, etc. More hearty veg (I love greens like kale and spinach...I also find broccoli and brussels sprouts to be quite filling...and fruit. Basically make sure that a good amount of your carbs are "wrapped" in fiber and try to eat them in conjunction with a protein...always lots and lots of protein.

4.) It may help you to set your macros to a desired goal...it really helped me when I changed my macros to 40c/30p/30hf...with the protein and healthy fats making up 60% of my diet, I'm rarely hungry and the body processes these a lot slower than carbs (that's a good thing).

5.) Try to eat more frequently throughout the day....I do every 2-3 hours. I don't think it does anything in RE to helping me lose weight, but it keeps me properly fueled throughout the day. Always some protein with that snack.