I'm not hungry but...

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flitabout
flitabout Posts: 200 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I can't be the only one out there that has this problem. I eat a good meal like last night yummy grilled chicken breast marinaded in olive oil and spices, sweet potatoes with cinnamon and a bit of butter and steamed green beans. It leaves me full but not satisfied. Within the hour I am craving crap. Ice cream chips and candies are all I can think of. Again I'm not hungry. A glass of water, a walk after dinner does nothing to solve it. I hate living with with this feeling. Does it ever stop?

Replies

  • kgoodman0108
    kgoodman0108 Posts: 158
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    How many carbs are you consuming? You should have a column for that in your diary. Carbs are not nearly as filling as protein and fat. I noticed one day last week you only got 25 grams of protein? They say you should get between 0.8 and 1g of protein for each pound of lean body mass. Eat more fat, and definitely more protein.

    Are you exercising? How many calories are you burning a day/week?

    edit: Pizza Rolls? Frozen Yogurt? Dairy Queen? This is your problem. These kinds of foods lack nutritional value. They are FULL of carbs, giving you a sugar spike and leaving you wanting more.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    If you're craving sweets, maybe some fruit or some dark chocolate? Or maybe fruit AND dark chocolate?
  • alsunrise
    alsunrise Posts: 386 Member
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    How many carbs are you consuming? You should have a column for that in your diary. Carbs are not nearly as filling as protein and fat. I noticed one day last week you only got 25 grams of protein? They say you should get between 0.8 and 1g of protein for each pound of lean body mass. Eat more fat, and definitely more protein.

    Are you exercising? How many calories are you burning a day/week?

    edit: Pizza Rolls? Frozen Yogurt? Dairy Queen? This is your problem. These kinds of foods lack nutritional value. They are FULL of carbs, giving you a sugar spike and leaving you wanting more.

    Did you look at her whole diary or just the few items of junk food? She's eating rather healthy. Eating half of a small DQ blizzard is not her problem....

    Way to go OP!! I would have never ate just 'half' of the small blizzard. lol I'm actually going to give the opposite advice. If you are craving certain things, then don't deny yourself them. When you deprive yourself of all the 'junk' that you like, then you're going to crave it even more.
  • lee91356
    lee91356 Posts: 330 Member
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    No lol...I think that is part of the struggle many of us, the want for nummy foods. I've been at this weightloss things for over a year and still I get that "I'd rather have..." feeling. Its not because I deprive myself, like you I also have a treat now and then, but its because it just taste better, abet its lack of nutritional value. Sometime the urges are weaker and other times stronger. Just part of the long term game I guess :grumble:
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
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    The pizza rolls that was just a bad cheat day! We were gone almost all day and that was just not good. But it was fast and it made the kids happy. I only do that a couple of times a year. The rest well, on my good days that when I lose it. It's not a hungry issue. I'm not hungry I know how to kill that it's cravings that get me. It doesn't help that DQ is literally right next door.
    I set my lifestyle as sedintary There are days where I don't stop moving and there are days when I am hard pressed to move off my but I have so much office work. But I generally walk about an hour a day although I rarely log it. In the summer I am out in the garden for a couple of hours a day. I have 4 small kids and 2 adult ones in the house so I have plenty of house work to keep me moving. 2 dogs that need walked. So I move but lately I have been so busy I am lucky if I can get to the gym once a week.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
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    I am guessing it has something to do with your carbs. If you are used to having a sweet treat every evening, you will crave those carbs. I have to remain vigilant or my carbs will start creeping up and up and up until it starts causing a problem (cravings and constantly "hungry").

    What is sustainable for you? Could you fit in a small treat every few days? Do you want to? Would you rather not be eating sweets at all? Would a more healthy treat work? Once you figure out your goals it will be easier to find a solution. If you are truly not hungry, then it's a habit problem, not a food problem, and you can deal with it as such (The Power of Habit is a really good book).
  • jqh23
    jqh23 Posts: 311 Member
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    From what I can see in your diary.. you are eating a lot of processed foods. You need to develop a distaste for refined sugars and that isn't going to happy by eating processed foods which are chock-full of it.

    White breads and pastas can easily be replaced with whole-grain and whole wheat versions.

    Your sweet tooth can be satisfied with sugar-free pudding, frozen greek yogurt cups or bars, dark chocolate and/or fruit. You are eating cookies, candy, chocolate, ice cream everyday - it is SO easy to replace these with healthier options. I understand a sweet tooth!

    Replace sugary, processed cereal in the morning with oatmeal, or organic granola mixed with greek yougurt and fruit.

    Make your own smoothie instead of buying one filled with excess sugar from chocolate. You can make your own chocolate smoothie with a square or two of dark chocolate.. i recommend buying a bar of organic, fair-trade, dark chocolate and using that.

    Reduce your alcoholic intake... when you drink, try something not as sweet as boxed wine.

    Eat something more than just black beans for a meal - add the black beans to a salad - romanine, cucumbers, tomatoes, a little cheese.. such a better meal.

    Eliminate processed meats like hot dogs, premade hamburgers, sausages... you can buy organic, all beef hotdogs and eat one for 80 calories instead of 200+ with who knows what inside. Hamburgers can easily be made with egg whites, whole wheat breadcrumbs and ground turkey. Sausage can be replaced with chicken sausage.

    You need to make big changes to WHAT you eat all day, everyday in order to get rid of those feelings and it is very possible, I have given you a good start here. I know all of this sounds like a lot, but it really is not. I am happy to provide you with help for shopping lists, recipes, and any other support you need.
  • jqh23
    jqh23 Posts: 311 Member
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    I really don't mean to sound rude in any way.. I only went back through your dairy for the last month.. but I am very surprised you have managed to lose as much weight as you have if that is any indication of how you eat everyday. Do you exercise a lot? I have to be missing something here..
  • lacrirozi
    lacrirozi Posts: 7
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    I feel like this, too. I am never satisfied with what I eat, and nothing helps. The only time I don't crave junk is if I haven't eaten all day (but then around 3/4 PM, I go crazy), and I don't even like junk food... I like salads :(
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
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    From what I can see in your diary.. you are eating a lot of processed foods. You need to develop a distaste for refined sugars and that isn't going to happy by eating processed foods which are chock-full of it.

    White breads and pastas can easily be replaced with whole-grain and whole wheat versions.

    Your sweet tooth can be satisfied with sugar-free pudding, frozen greek yogurt cups or bars, dark chocolate and/or fruit. You are eating cookies, candy, chocolate, ice cream everyday - it is SO easy to replace these with healthier options. I understand a sweet tooth!

    Replace sugary, processed cereal in the morning with oatmeal, or organic granola mixed with greek yougurt and fruit.

    Make your own smoothie instead of buying one filled with excess sugar from chocolate. You can make your own chocolate smoothie with a square or two of dark chocolate.. i recommend buying a bar of organic, fair-trade, dark chocolate and using that.

    Reduce your alcoholic intake... when you drink, try something not as sweet as boxed wine.

    Eat something more than just black beans for a meal - add the black beans to a salad - romanine, cucumbers, tomatoes, a little cheese.. such a better meal.

    Eliminate processed meats like hot dogs, premade hamburgers, sausages... you can buy organic, all beef hotdogs and eat one for 80 calories instead of 200+ with who knows what inside. Hamburgers can easily be made with egg whites, whole wheat breadcrumbs and ground turkey. Sausage can be replaced with chicken sausage.

    You need to make big changes to WHAT you eat all day, everyday in order to get rid of those feelings and it is very possible, I have given you a good start here. I know all of this sounds like a lot, but it really is not. I am happy to provide you with help for shopping lists, recipes, and any other support you need.
    I do move a lot but I joined here a month ago the massive weight loss has been over the last 2 years so it's not that massive. Trying to get in to why's of my diet over the last month at this point is rather pointless. Let's just say I have stress ups and downs normal stress is for me eating bad stress means I can go days without eating all of which has hit me in the last month. This is not an excuse just stating the whys of it.
    I am definitely going to try a few of these ideas. I have just had such a hard time getting a handle on it this last couple of months
  • jqh23
    jqh23 Posts: 311 Member
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    I am not trying to judge, so I hope I did not come off in such a way.. I do not need to personal details.. and like I said, I am happy to be of any help. It took me many years to realize proper eating habits.

    I hope I have given you some ideas of easy changes to make.
  • iysys
    iysys Posts: 524
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    i have this problem. i keep frozen fruit on hand. mango is my current favorite though it used to be red grapes. mango is creamy and rich and since i was always a fruit ice cream person it really substitutes pretty darn nicely!
  • ddky
    ddky Posts: 381 Member
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    I don't know if it ever goes away, but it definitely gets easier. Just hang in there.
  • Klydo
    Klydo Posts: 2 Member
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    Any carbonated drinks with a "MEAL" even diet drinks will cause you to feel full until the gas is gone...then you will feel hungry again. I drink one in the evening. Sugar...even fruit makes me hungry all day. LOL .
    Try snacking on rice cakes ...yuk. Quaker makes a variety of them.
    I eat something every two hours. That's three regular meals and two snacks and nothing after 6:00 pm...except the occasional diet coke but never with a meal.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    I always get the muchies in the evening so to combat it, I save most of my calories until the end of the day. Also, to keep away from the foods you don't want to snack on or have low will power consuming wtihin reason, banish them from the house. There's a reason I don't keep Oreos in the house... but I do stock things like peanutbutter, dark chocolates etc.

    Good luck finding a solution and don't give up, especially if you stumble.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
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    Without looking at your diary, maybe just try switching up the types of foods you cook. Maybe your pallet is getting bored. Experiment with Indian food, or pick a new ingredient to try. I know I'm less likely to crave chips and popcorn when I built crunch (like veggies) and interesting spices into my meal. If I'm craving sweet, I grill some pineapple with my fish, or whatever. I do still indulge in the the junk food from time to time, but not every day like I used to. The more I vary my meals, the more satisfied I feel.
  • TX_Aggie_Dad
    TX_Aggie_Dad Posts: 173
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    I have quite a sweet tooth. I've found that after the first few weeks of eating very clean (no processed junk, etc.) that the cravings do subside some. With that said, there are evenings (always in the evenings for some reason) that I'm just craving something sweet. I buy dark chocolate chips in bulk and just grab a handful (only a handful) when i'm having a sweet craving. It is *always* enough to satisfy and make the craving subside.

    At the end of th day though, you have to realize that this isn't easy. If it was, everyone would be thin and fit. You have to come to that realization with yourself that eating crap everyday is no longer worth it and you are done with that life.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I satisfy my sweet tooth by saving 400 Cals to spend on '4th Meal', which is whatever I happen to be craving late night after dinner. I eat dinner early. What I had last night:

    - a toasted waffle (I use whole grain, but no reason you can't use regular)
    - a serving of fruit (dark cherries, yum :) )
    - 2 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese
    - 1 tablespoon of unsweetened almond/chocolate/espresso butter (before I had this, I used 1 tablespoon of dark choc. chips, melted)

    Yummy and filling. For me, the cheese is a requirement to get that really satisfied feeling. If you don't have quite enough spare Cals, ricotta is a lower calorie substitute, or you can cut out the waffle.

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