Frustrated because I stay hungry

KimberlyAndrews1

I stay hungry, I don't know what to do to feel full. I had a green smoothie for breakfast along with two hard boiled eggs, then for lunch I had a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. For snacks in between both, I had like 15 Special K Cracker Chips and 6 Tricuits. Thank god it's almost dinner time because I feel so hungry, but if I ate anymore I would go over my calories for the day.

KyliAnne26

It would help if you would make your diary public so we can see what you're eating. How many calories are you eating per day? What kind of calories are you eating per day? Are you exercising? Are you eating those calories back?

Eating a lot of low-fat, fat-free, low-cal weight-loss food will inevitably leave you hungry because there's very little nutrition in these things. Try to eat full fat cheese, yogurt, dressing, etc... and things like peanut butter, avocado, high-fiber foods....these will help you feel fuller. If you're at 1200 cals per day, maybe this is too few for you. You could try starting at 1700 or 1500 and working your way down. If you're exercising and not eating your calories back, you need to be. Hope some of this is helpful

thisismeraw

Up the fiber, fats and protein! Maybe instead of the sandwich for lunch have a big salad with cut up chicken on it. Instead of the crackers and cracker chips as a snack have some celery with peanut butter, greek yogurt, apples with peanut butter, etc. Instead of the smoothie eat the actual fruits.

How much water are you drinking? Far too often we are actually thirsty when we feel hungry. Sometimes the body sends the wrong signals.

Also, ensure you are eating enough calories.

Dewdropps

How many calories are you eating each day? Your diary is private, so I can't look myself. Just based on the simple bmr calculator, your body burns 1544 calories just to do nothing. That means no getting out of bed etc. I would re assess your caloric needs, because you shouldn't honestly feel hungry. Add a bit more protein in your diet, too. This will help loads with keeping you feeling satisfied.

krickeyuu

Protein and fiber help you feel full. Good fats help you feel satiated. Fluids keep you hydrated.

Make sure you are netting enough calories for your height, weight, age and activity level. Also, the less-processed your food is, the more you can eat and stay within your calorie range.

Gramps251

Replace some of your carbs with lean protein. I find I stay full longer when I eat lean, protein rich foods like chicken breast, pork tenderloin, flank steak, tuna.

For example, your peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be replaced by a chicken breast and have less fat, carbs and more protein. Pair it up with a nice salad or green veggie and you'll eat more food by weight and take in fewer calories and not spike your blood sugar with simple carbs.

AmyRhubarb

I agree with the others, you need to eat "real food" and more of it. Ditch the diet stuff! Also, what goes into your green smoothies? Besides spinach, of course. Any protein?

Also agree with the others that it would be easier to give advice if you could make your diary public.

MarisaDLS2

When you blend fruits into smoothies, the fiber is manually broken down, and you get decreased benefits from the fruit fiber.

Fiber slows down digestion of the glucose in fruits.

The glucose from the fruits goes into your blood stream a lot quicker when you take your fruit in the form of a smoothie.

Your pancreas reacts to this flood of glucose by pumping out a lot of insulin.

Insulin allows your body cells to take up the glucose but if there is is excessive glucose the fat cells store the energy.

Your blood sugar goes down and you feel hungry a lot sooner.

Fruits/vegetables are not equal in terms of glycemic index (how much they stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin).

There are low glycemic fruits/vegetables (strawberries, berries, lettuces, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes) and high glycemic fruits/vegetables (pineapple, mangoes, potatoes, peas, corn).

Increase your nonstarchy vegetable intake and lean proteins at every meal, I guarantee you will feel fuller.

fighttheurge39

more veggies and fruit do the trick for me. I eat cooked frozen mixed vegetables with some spices on them and i snack on 1 grapefruit all day too. Protein works wonders as well. I eat egg whites and spinach and breakfast and that fills me until my 1st snack in the morning. Drink loooots of water too

bettebadass

I would maybe add a piece of fruit or salad to your lunch like others have said, that will give you fullness without adding a bunch of empty calories. But also keep in mind, especially if these are new changes in your lifestyle (you know the dreaded "D" word), that your body will need some time to make some adjustments. For lack of better description your body goes through withdrawals when you cut your calories. Stay with it, it may take a couple of weeks for the body to get used to it, but it will.

DivaMaria225

The only "filling"foods you ate were the hard boiled eggs and PB.Stay away from crackers that wont fuel you up! Eat greek yogurt too and some lean meats!

macantrell

HI, how is your water intake? I find more filling food like Oatmeal hold me over longer, eggs do not keep me full. I eat fruits and raw veggiesthat help too! Friend me if you like I too am 48 yrs old.

quiksylver296

When you blend fruits into smoothies, the fiber is manually broken down, and you get decreased benefits from the fruit fiber.

Fiber slows down digestion of the glucose in fruits.

The glucose from the fruits goes into your blood stream a lot quicker when you take your fruit in the form of a smoothie.

Your pancreas reacts to this flood of glucose by pumping out a lot of insulin.

Insulin allows your body cells to take up the glucose but if there is is excessive glucose the fat cells store the energy.

Your blood sugar goes down and you feel hungry a lot sooner.

Fruits/vegetables are not equal in terms of glycemic index (how much they stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin).

There are low glycemic fruits/vegetables (strawberries, berries, lettuces, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes) and high glycemic fruits/vegetables (pineapple, mangoes, potatoes, peas, corn).

:ohwell: Where are the experts? Is this true?

tolygal

When you blend fruits into smoothies, the fiber is manually broken down, and you get decreased benefits from the fruit fiber.

Is this for real? I know that juicing removes those benefits, but I thought that if you use the whole fruit, not just the juice, you get the benefits. Obviously you are mixing everyting up into a drinkable form, but everything is still in there....isn't it? I've never heard this before. I have a smoothie almost every day with fruit (frozen), plain greek yogurt and flax seed. Its the main way I get my fruit nutrients, especially berries, in.... Am I wasting my time?

candicane32081

I used to be like that, but now I eat more protien. Things like fish and boneless, skinless chicken are super low in calories but leave you feeling full longer.

Linda_Darlene

It's about choices. I would be starving on the food you described. I avoid drinking my food. I like to eat! You can eat a huge healthy salad until it is coming out your ears and have less calories than a PB&J and be satisfied. Crackers? No way. It is recommended to eat some good protein for your breakfast.

cwaters120

Bread and crackers are wasted calories. Have a quinoa salad with fruits and veggies or a salad topped with baked chicken breast and healthy dressing. From what you listed, you basically don't get much by way of whole, unprocessed foods - increase them. There should ideally be little to no processed stuff in your diary. The more processed stuff you eat, the longer you will remain hungry and the higher your sodium intake.

That being said, what does your water intake look like? How much exercise are you doing, what kind and do you eat the calories back? What is your caloric goal vs your expenditure?

marsellient

I'm the same height as you, and a few years older. I've made steady, albeit slow progress on 1500 cal/ day. Sometimes I don't eat all of them, sometimes I eat back exercise calories and sometimes I don't. I'm rarely hungry and when I am I usually need to eat. If you'd like to see my diary, send a friend request.

herblackwings39

When you blend fruits into smoothies, the fiber is manually broken down, and you get decreased benefits from the fruit fiber.

Is this for real? I know that juicing removes those benefits, but I thought that if you use the whole fruit, not just the juice, you get the benefits. Obviously you are mixing everyting up into a drinkable form, but everything is still in there....isn't it? I've never heard this before. I have a smoothie almost every day with fruit (frozen), plain greek yogurt and flax seed. Its the main way I get my fruit nutrients, especially berries, in.... Am I wasting my time?

I don't know the truth behind the statement, but if you're eating ground flax seed that's providing some fibre.

AbsoluteNG

This is just my theory. Most people get hungry after eating breakfast because when you start eating, you release a hormone that makes you want to eat until your stomach is full. Your body and stomach does not have a calculator built inside of it to divide your calories throughout the day. When you eat a small breakfast, it's only natural for you to want to eat until you are full. Most fitness pros that eat 5 meals a day get around this natural urge to eat until you are full by drinking 1 or 2 full glasses of water before every single meal, no exceptions. However, there is something else you can do that doesn't require you to forcefully shove water down your throat every few hours. It is simply, skipping breakfast and lunch or just skipping breakfast. Eat a bigger meal later in the day so you can avoid being hungry all day long.

MarisaDLS2

This information is from the book "Fat Chance-Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease" by Robert H. Lustig MD who is "an internationally renowned pediatric endocrinologist....spent 16 years treating childhood obesity and studying the effects of sugars on the central nervous system, metabolism and disease. He is the director of Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health Program at UCSC (University of California at San Francisco) Benioff Children's Hospital, and member of Obesity Task Force of the Endocrine Society.

So, yes I would say he is an expert.

This is a direct quote from the book:

"One current fad is to juice the entire fruit into a "smoothie"." "The problem is that the shearing action of the blender blades completely destroys the insoluble fiber of the fruit. The cellulose is torn to smithereens. While the soluble fiber is still there, and can help move food through the intestine faster, it now does not have the "latticework" of the insoluble fiber to help form the intestinal barrier. The sugar in the fruit will be absorbed just as fast as if the juice were strained with no fiber at all. You need both types of fiber to derive the beneficial effects."

He also has a 90 min YouTube video called "Sugar: The Bitter Truth".

Garlicmash

i have big salads with colour to them and now i'm finding cause of the brightness is waking me earlier some days i have realised i need 2 breakfasts instead of just one cause i too these last few days have felt more hungry.
I've made them a bit smaller than the one on it's own would be. or you could just class the 2nd as a snack

KimberlyAndrews1

My eating hasn't been that great. I just started slowly trying to ease into eating healthier, little at a time. I have a Green Smoothie (love my smoothies & they make me feel better) and two hard boiled eggs (for protein) for breakfast or lunch. I'm thinking of just adding flax seed or chia to them. Usually lunch is a tuna, ham or PB & Jelly sandwich. And I eat what I want for dinner in moderation. Usually a meat with two veggies. Unfortunately Chicken Breasts are not one of my favorite things. I've tried them every which way and have yet to like them. Hate fish, except of the Crispy battered fillets. I do like chicken in my salads or a chicken salad sandwich. Not to fond of yogurt but I can tolerate it occasionally. And I drink nothing but water throughout the day, except I have two cups of coffee every morning. I could stand to drink more water than I am though. Thanks for all your great suggestions, it really helps. If I can figure it out, I'll make mine public.

ChristiSykes

more fruits and veggies! I love PB&J, but it's high in calories. Bananas are good for a filler. Protein definitely helps keep you full as well.

2aycocks

Eat more protein for snacks instead of carbs. Keep some unsalted nuts and seeds in a baggy and munch on those. Great for you!

KimberlyAndrews1

Yes, I think I need a little more protein and water.

likitisplit

I get hungry if I need more of one of carb/fat/protein trifecta. Keeping them in balance is what works for me. Also, eating bunches of calories.

KimberlyAndrews1

Are sunflower seeds good? I love those. I go over a little each day...not by a whole lot, but still I go over. My calorie limit is set at 1340. I walk my dog 5 days a week for 3/4 mile, then also 3 of those days I also walk 2 miles. I'm a work in progress, just trying not to get overwhelmed. I do LOVE my food so that's really hard. Hubby won't eat healthy, he wants what he wants for dinner so that's what I fix, but I like having a least one meal that I really want and love, otherwise I feel totally deprived.

onwarddownward

When you blend fruits into smoothies, the fiber is manually broken down, and you get decreased benefits from the fruit

Bull. Does chewing decrease fiber? Does digestion?

KimberlyAndrews1

I changed my calorie limit to about 1460 a day because it was too low...1300. I used a fitness calculator based on my height, weight activity level and age and how much weight I wanna lose by when, it says 1460.

beachgirl172723

You are getting some really good advice in here. Except, yes, when the body does the chewing and digestion, that is the very point we want--our bodies to do the work and for it to take some time for the sugars to be released slowly rather than instant sugar high (and triggered insulin release) from processed foods or foods that are ground up already. That said, there are a lot of people who really love the smoothies, so if you enjoy them, have at it. It's certainly not unhealthy, but it might be one trigger for your hunger. Experiment and see. My own experience is that they do make me hungry, and I like something substantial to chew, rather than drink.