How to eat within allotted calories and feel satisfied

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  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    I feel more satisfied if I eat more protein and fibre. Also, getting healthy fats - It surprisingly helps me feel satiated. Fat is not evil.

    Also, I found that adding a lot of veggies to the above ^^^ allowed me to get a lot more food for a low calorie count. Get a reasonable serving of proteins and healthy fat on your plate and then pile on the veggies.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    I agree with the others....protein and fiber. And if you aren't eating back your exercise calories then your body isn't getting 1400 calories.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
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    oh yes! In case someone else hasn't said it (I didn't read everyone) - make sure you really balance your meals. For instance, a new fave is a greek salad with quinoa. The quinoa is higher in calories however, you only need a little make you feel full...FOR HOURS! Another example is a tsbp of chia seeds in greek yogurt. Again, full all day.
  • djtessatessa
    djtessatessa Posts: 54 Member
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    eat more veggies!

    make lower calorie healthy substitutions in recipes (for instance - use avocado in place of butter when baking, use cauliflower in place of potato for many recipes, unsweetened almond milk in place of 2%)

    Lower the fat you add in recipes and cut down on sugar. Use more spice in their place (I find vinegar also works really well for olive oil in many recipes, especially when sauteeing).

    Drink a lot of water with your meals, and in between. When you get hungry, drink water (or green tea), then have a low calorie (under 100 cals - not store bought junk packs).

    And then, eat more veggies!
  • LindsayLL30
    LindsayLL30 Posts: 154 Member
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    I snack ALOT!!! otherwise by meal time I am starving! I try to remember to bring greek yogurt and fresh veggies and dip with me to work...so by the time meal time rolls around I am not completely starved, and then over eat!
  • _AllieCat_
    _AllieCat_ Posts: 515 Member
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    Lots of protein, fiber, whole foods. Exercise and eat those cals back! You've got this.

    Steer clear of refined sugars and processed grains. They are calorie heavy and boost (my) appetite.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories? Add more protein, it will help you stay fuller longer. Other than that just make sure you are eating over your bmr.

    Honestly I don't understand how that works. If I exercise and eat my allotted calories, shouldn't I lose weight? How does eating more to make up for what you burned, right? Am I looking at it wrong?
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Have a small piece of protein with each snack to help stay satisfied longer. ...I was starving all day long before someone told me the protein with snack trick, and it has helped me tremendously.

    I would agree with this. I recently added free weights to my routine, and am trying to up my protein as well to encourage good muscle health (still working on this) . I am finding that I am not hungry, to the point of having to remind myself to eat. A few days there I was under net 1000 cal at the end of the day unintentionally (which I do NOT recommend!!).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    1.) More protein

    2.) More protein...yes, I realize I said this twice

    3.) More fiber

    4.) More nutrient dense foods like veg and fruit...more heart healthy fats.

    5.) Fewer simple carbs like white bread, white rice, pasta, simple sugars, etc (replace with some whole grains, but still should be pretty minimal). These things are calorie dense and don't offer a lot of bang for your calorie buck...they get metabolized very quickly and leaving you feeling hungry shortly after you consume them.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I think there's a difference between full and satisfied... while veggies and water and other high-volume foods will make you feel full, the feeling doesn't last too long, and you start thinking about delicious food again. I suggest if you're having problems feeling satisfied, up your dietary fat. Have a spoonful of peanut butter and put the jar back. Doesn't it feel good?
  • nturner612
    nturner612 Posts: 710 Member
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    eat tons of fruits. sigh. realllly sucks BUT if you eat bananas, apples carrots (ok i know thats a veggie) ittll keep u filled up
  • GoTeamMeaghan
    GoTeamMeaghan Posts: 347 Member
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    I find that if I emphasize protein and fiber I seem to stay better satiated.

    Also, you may want to get a second opinion on your calorie intake. Find your TDEE and go from there.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    ^^ this! I eat anywhere from 130-160g of protein a day and 40-60g of fiber a day. I would definitely reconsider your calorie goal-I would have trouble being satisfied on 1,400 calories. Feel free to check out my diary for ideas.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    More protein, more fat, more fiber. Fewer carbs.

    And more veggies.

    You can have a filling, delicious meal for under 400 calories with a piece of lean meat and a whole lot of veggies.

    Yes, that. My measurements are almost identical to yours, though I opted for a slower loss so I'm eating 1610 a day. I feel like I'm eating a huge amount of food most days, but I'm eating tons of roasted veggies, fresh veggies chopped up on green salads, and lots of chicken, turkey breast, yogurt, and eggs for easy protein. I'm also finding crispbreads, like Kavli and Wasa to be very satisfying replacements for regular bread.
    Also, are you throwing away calories on drinks? Switching to water only made a huge difference in how satisfied I felt with my calorie goal.

    Actually and surprisingly for me, I have been able to successfully switch to water. The only other thing I drink is wine. There is the occassional (once in about a month) soda.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I need to go home and figure out my TDEE. I don't know what I just did on here when looking at my goals, but now my intake says 1370! Ugh! I don't think I am ready for that.

    I cut out most breads, pastas, rice, potatoes, etc. For most dinners we make a protein and vegetables. I know that carbs are not bad but it is easier for me to eat the meat and veggies. I do incorporate potatoes baked in the oven with spices when I want that carb.

    Along the same lines....how long/frequently should I exercise. If, at a minimum, I walk on the treadmill for 30 mins each day is that enough to start? I am starting with the jogging program, my Wii Fit, and I have taken up yoga. I just want to accomplish my goal this time. Tired of being tired/unhealthy all of the time.
  • mrincredible93
    mrincredible93 Posts: 146
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    Ditto on the higher protein and lower carbs. Any calorie you eat should be the highest quality calorie possible. White refined grains, sugars, etc. are the lowest quality calories you can eat. Their energy will be used up quickly and leave you hungry for more. Five to six smaller meals a day works well for me. That gives me about 250-300 calories for each meal at 3 hour increments. If I stick to this schedule and have at least a little protein at each meal, I rarely get hungry.
    You have to search out substitutes to lower your calories. For example, I like the flavored creamers in my coffee. The regular creamer can be 50 calories a tablespoon. The fat free is 25 per tablespoon and the sugar free is 15. I used to refuse to use the fat free because I thought it lacked the flavor I wanted. Problem was that my 2 cups of morning coffee could be 250 calories by itself. If I wanted more calories available for more substantial foods later in the day, I needed to accept the lower calorie substitute of fat free creamer. I got used to it.
    Also, if I want to eat more, I do more activity.
  • mrincredible93
    mrincredible93 Posts: 146
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    ALSO...MFP's default settings for carbs/protein/fat is not the best, especially if exercise is part of your plan. You should try custom setting the protein higher and carbs lower.
  • hintc
    hintc Posts: 15
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    Yup. I eat a lot of protein .... but i also recently got some chia seeds . They are Very healthy - and help fill you up !! Grind some up and add to / sprinkle on your food - will help you feel more satisfied :)
  • mrincredible93
    mrincredible93 Posts: 146
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    There are people with differing opinions about whether to eat back calories. In general, I think that if you have a lot of weight to lose, you should be able to eat back only a small part of the calories you burn in exercise and it will drive a faster weight loss. If you are looking for a slower weight loss (which I think is more sustainable), then you would want to eat a higher portion of the calories burned. You need to fuel your energy use. While less food can be good, even lesser food can be bad. You body can respond to too few calories by holding onto everything that it receives which will result in actually gaining despite a very low calorie count. You can tell this is happening if you cease to have regular and sufficient bowel movements. Nothing is getting wasted and everything is being held. It's the same with water and hydration. If you don't drink enough water, your body will retain it to make sure it doesn't run out. Drink more and your body retains less. It seems counter-intuitive, but with a sustained low calorie count, you may need to eat more to encourage weight loss.
  • bitsyland
    bitsyland Posts: 49
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    I'm new to all this...but what I have been doing is putting "fillers" in my foods...such as ...my tuna salad wrap...instead of just mixing tuna with a little mayo I ad onion, radishes, fresh mushroom, chopped pea pods or anything else low cal to bulk it up and i end up eating half the tuna i used to and am very full from a hearty wrap :) I do this with a lot of my meals to keep me from feeling deprived of that full feeling and now I am trying to cut back on my portion sizes because i find myself TOO full after eating now.
  • bitsyland
    bitsyland Posts: 49
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    Oh I know the feeling.... I do feel better though just after a month of healthy eating....I make my goal every time I lose a little weight....last i lost was a few days ago and I am stuck in this 270 to 270.04 or .02 ...it's making me crazy...but I am determined to get to 269!!! Small goal but attainable :) I don't exercise yet as for me personally my weight is too great and I needed to lose some weight to be able to get physical. Almost there....just be proud of each accomplishment...they are hard gotten and well deserved ...don't beat yourself up over not going fast enough....it will come off in due time

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