ALWAYS hungry. HELP

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  • ReneeCK
    ReneeCK Posts: 63 Member
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    Nicotine withdrawal feels like hunger. It creates an "empty" feeling in your stomach area. When you quit smoking it can also affect your blood sugars, which is why I recommend stoppers (because you aren't a quitter) to try to regularly take sips of fruit juice. If you are curious as to what other effects stopping smoking has on the body try reading The Easyway to Stop Smoking by Allan Carr, even though you have already purged the nicotine from your body there are still some lingering affects.

    And, congratulations on THAT milestone! :flowerforyou:
  • melaniecmajors
    melaniecmajors Posts: 39 Member
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    Try the paleo diet. it's high in fat and protein. Keeps you full for longer and you can stay on your calories. it eliminates grains and dairy for the most part so if you're eating those and like it, then it won't work for you. I find that when I drink water I'm actually hungrier but I guess you're just going to have to gauge that.
  • rachempoo
    rachempoo Posts: 134 Member
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    I know in the morning what helps me get through the day is oatmeal made with almond milk and a little protein powder topped with cinnamon & blueberries. Sometimes I put sliced almonds in it. It keeps me full for hours!
  • Run4Me2Day
    Run4Me2Day Posts: 344 Member
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    When I was going through that, I had to seriously evaluate my calorie intake and up it. I also drink alot (gallon) of water a day. When I found that I was building more muscle it was taking more for my body to function properly.....It definitely is a personal journey and no two people are alike. There is a lot to consider...Good luck and if I can help you let me know or add me as a friend...
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    Try to up your fats and proteins, whether you get it from meat or oils (avacado, coconut, olive).

    And to echo the others above me, open your diary to public: Settings - Profile Privacy Settings - MFP members only or Everyone

    Amen to more fat and protein. Especially fat. I promise you there is no need to struggle with hunger to lose weight. Fortunately, you've already discovered that "filling up" on water and low cal foods don't work. Nutrients. Get some.

    FYI: I had binge eating disorder now cured by eating lots of fat, moderate protein, and low carb. And that's a permanent dietary change for me, and I LOVE it.

    Yes quitting smoking may be a factor and it's even more reason to eat nutrient dense food.
  • Derpina7
    Derpina7 Posts: 552 Member
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    As mentioned by other people - I would say up the protein and fat in your diet, and drink more water. Something that helped me take in more water was buying a 1L water bottle for work, I drink 1 bottle in the morning and 1 in the afternoon so I'm at least getting my recommended intake. I love herbal teas as well (I drink them clear - no sugar/honey/cream) when I want something sweet. Another thing that has really helped me curb my cravings/eating when I'm not hungry is intermittent fasting twice a week. I understand not everyone supports it, but it made me a lot more aware of what I was eating and what sometimes set of 'snack triggers'.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    what about weight watchers ?

    WTH^ ???

    MFP is far superior and FREE.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    I'm eating quite a few less calories than you but I always feel full. I keep my protein level much higher, 88-120g daily. My carbs are around 100-120g daily. I know you have issues with fats but increasing your protein will probably help you feel more full. There are also a lot of empty calories in your diary. Things like a McDonald's frappe will eat up a huge chunk of your daily calories and not help you feel full or satisfy any macros (or even micronutrients).

    If it were me, I would focus more on adding lean proteins and making sure that a lot of my carbs were fruits and veggies. You can eat a whole bunch of fruits and veggies for the same number of calories but add a lot more nutrition and bulk to your daily diet.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    Your protein seems low. I would also remove transfats or saturate fat and replace it with carbs. I have a feeling your carbs are really high.

    Also, don't worry about buying cinnamon pills, they wont' really do anything.

    I will see if I can find some other substitutions for protein since I cannot have very much fat in my diet.

    My carbs average around 300g per day; which is normal.

    300 grams of carbs per day might be "normal" these days but so is diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, autoimmune disorders, etc.

    I don't know about pancreatic issues specifically, but I can tell you without reservations that low fat diets are NOT healthy. The "fat is bad" madness needs to stop.
  • aldousmom
    aldousmom Posts: 382 Member
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    I didn't read most of the other plentiful posts, so likely this has been mentioned.
    Don't eat anything that isn't nutrient dense: stick with nutrient dense foods for your calories and you'll likely not find yourself hungry for what's missing. Try to get more bang for your buck with your calories. And, if you're hungry, please eat.

    some examples of nutrient dense foods: green leafy vegetables, fruits, sweet potato/squash/pumpkin, beans (any beans and legumes, but not string beans or snap/sugar/snow peas). Avoid using your calories for refined foods and added fats and sugars.

    Good luck!
  • slenderash7
    slenderash7 Posts: 3
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    Fiber and Protein are keys in making you feel full.
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
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    what about weight watchers ?

    WTH^ ???

    MFP is far superior and FREE.

    I wondered if this person meant weight watchers snacks?
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
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    Do you drink coffee? A cup around mid-morning helps me make it to lunch if I don't want to eat something.
  • phoenix7039
    phoenix7039 Posts: 32
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    I actually cannot eat peanut butter but love cinnamon on my toast in the mornings so will try that.

    are you allergic? peanut butter is awesome.

    more protein. honestly. also porridge for breakfast is boss. you shouldn't need to eat special pills - i.e cinnamon, probably just up your protein and fibre.

    eat carrots. i found this handy. carrots have a lot of fibre, and low cals so when i feel hungry in-between meals I have a large carrot and it will literally make you not hungry.

    I also used to eat a large carrot before eating a snack bar, as when you want the snack bar you are trying to satisfy hunger, and it doesnt work cause its just a processed bar of carby sh^t. haha.

    CARROTS TO SAVE THE DAY! its natures candy bar.

    but yah, I was hungry a lot before I started eating more protein and fibre. thats a universal thing I'd say.

    No I am not, but my dr told me to avoid it; there is a concentrated amount of fat in just a tablespoon. I really do miss it; especially on celery.

    As I mentioned before, my fiber is in normal range for an average diet. I do love carrots though so will see what I can do.

    Have you heard of PB2? it's powdered peanut butter. much less fat. all you have to do is mix it with a little water to get peanut butter or you can put it in smoothies and stuff.
  • litlrun
    litlrun Posts: 2
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    From the diary day that I looked at it seems you eat a TON of calories in the morning and then have lighter stuff through the day. Also you have a lot of carbs in your diet which are the fastest to digest leaving you hungry sooner. Protein doesn't always equal fat and cholesterol. Fish provide much needed omega 3 fatty acids, also chicken and beans are good. Green leafy vegetables and brown rice or sweet potatoes are good carbs for people with glycemia problems. If push comes to shove you can always go to xyngular.com and order some cheat pills which contain water soluable fiber that expands in your stomach making you feel full. Hope this helps.
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    Why did your doctor recommend a low-fat diet, if you don't mind me asking?
    300g seems high for carbs for me. Although I enjoy my carbs and sugar, they do nothing to fill me up. If you can't have fat (which is very satisfying to me), increase your protein. There are a lot of protein sources with low or no fat like greek yogurt.

    The reason I am on this diet is due to my pancreas not functioning properly. I love Greek yogurt and have been working on adding beans and greens to my diet.
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    I am curious too about why you have to limit fat unless you have current pancreatitis attacks. My wife had pancreatitis but once we got it under control she was able to increase her fat intake. In fact, based on her heart condition, she needs a diet high in fats and protein and needs to limit carbs. It's been about 1.5 years since her last attack. Maybe something to revisit. But a diet high in carbs will lead to hunger.

    I generally get flareups a few times a year. My assumption is that the diet/lifestyle change is because my condition is chronic.

    I will be starting to monitor my carbs and protein and see if that helps.

    Did they say why your wife's pancreas inflamed?
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    Your protein seems low. I would also remove transfats or saturate fat and replace it with carbs. I have a feeling your carbs are really high.

    Also, don't worry about buying cinnamon pills, they wont' really do anything.

    If you really want to try cinnamon just buy ground cinnamon spice and mix 2Tsp with 2Tbs peanutbutter and eat it on celery. This way you also get a fat and protein boost that will keep you sated to go with it.

    I actually cannot eat peanut butter but love cinnamon on my toast in the mornings so will try that.

    Maybe almond butter. It helps to have something to mix it with if you are going to get the 2 tsp that is recommended to help with appetite.

    Thanks I will check into it but offhand I know almonds are high in fat.
  • rich347
    rich347 Posts: 508 Member
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    I drink a lot of water
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    You may want to see the doctor about the hypoglycemia. If that's part of the problem seeing the doc will help!

    Anecdotally, I know when I started on MFP I was hungry ALL the time. That's gone away now. Maybe my body just got used to it? How long have you been counting calories?

    Yeah I will make an appointment to have my blood sugar checked. I have a feeling that may be part of my problem since th pancreas produces insulin.

    I have been watching what I eat for about two months now but have regularly been updating my diary for two weeks now.

    At the moment I am focusing on the amount of fat and protein I consume. From this thread it sounds like I should also be tracking carbs and fiber. Although looking weight is a goal of mine along with bring active physically, adapting to these new eating habits is my priority at the moment.

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