I'm a bulk eater.

thefewsteps
thefewsteps Posts: 201 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It's getting to be a problem. I have to eat a GIANT plate of something, rather than just a normal size meal. For example, I need 3 plates for breakfast instead of 2 pancakes. 300 calories in 2 pancakes could never satisfy me. I'm a clean eater for the most part and eat a lot of low calorie veggies, so this works out. BUT, it's ridiculous the amount of food I go through. I could eat a bag of baby carrots per day. Or a bunch of celery, a bag of frozen veggies, etc. I just need to constantly be eating (I need like 8 small meals a day) and in big portions. I don't know why. I have cereal every night and need to buy low calorie cereal (I actually like dry, plain cereal) and eat like 3 cups of that instead of 1 cup of a regular cereal with 150 cal/cup. I don't know, anyone else like this? Any way to change? I get enough protein and fiber.

Replies

  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    Either gradually decrease how much you eat to train yourself to eat less, or overeat on lower calorie foods.
  • pds06
    pds06 Posts: 299 Member
    The more carbs I eat the hungrier I am. I like more protein.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Maybe look in to intermittent fasting and see if that approach could be helpful to you, particularly the Warrior variety one. Basically you fast most of the day, and eat all of your calories within a short window of time. It works well for people who prefer large meals.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Are you going over your calorie goal eating this way? Sorry I was unclear on this. If not, there is not an issue eating large meals as long as you stay within your calorie goal.
  • thefewsteps
    thefewsteps Posts: 201 Member
    no, my calories and macros are fine. It's just 1) a pain to eat 10x more than everyone else 2) constantly be eating and 3) the money issue. I already eat pretty cheap but it adds up.
  • fultimers
    fultimers Posts: 153 Member
    I have considered myself a bulk eater but I don't eat the quantities you are eating. However, I'm thinking that when we eat large quantities of food--even if it's healthy things likes low-carb veggies, we are stretching our stomach and when and if those low-calorie veggies aren't available, it would be easy to eat too much of high calorie foods just to fill up. Since I've been on MFP this go-around, I've gradually tried to eat less bulk than I used to.

    I can't speak for you but for myself I really think it's a good idea to get the stomach used to less bulk. Take a look at my food diary for what a typical day would be like eating "semi-bulk."
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Meh. I'm a volume eater as well and am almost never full. I just finished dinner, which was 16 oz (cooked weight) of chicken breast, 1/2lb white potato, & 1/2 lb of spinach. I'm following that up with a cup of fiber one, three pieces of banana bread, a couple of pop tarts, & a pint of ice cream. Lunch is almonds, cottage cheese, 1/2lb of chicken, 1lb of veggies, & a couple ounces of pasta. Never full. This is my deficit diet.

    If you're hitting your goals have at it.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    same

    8974_1_500_Forever-Hungry.jpg

    IF is key for me.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I also eat a lot of volume....I choose lower cal options (vegies) on purpose!!

    Do you eat plenty of fat? I eat massive salads, but have them with dressing made with homemade mayo and apple cider vinegar, and plenty of protein. This helps keep me satisfied between meals. I actually found that eating less meals makes me less hungry inbetween.
  • munchkin0518
    munchkin0518 Posts: 32
    i am, too, and if you're a tiny 5-ft-2 woman, trust me it's a pain. My calories are blown over in a blink of an eye if I'm not tersely careful. GAHHHHH.
  • Kauczuk
    Kauczuk Posts: 14 Member
    You can try to cheat yourself... Buy smaller plates, smaller cutlery. Sometimes it helps.

    It's not a joke, I know some people who did it and it worked for them. Thanks to smaller fork you will eat slower and this is better to feel full stomach.

    I hate restaurants because they always use too big platea and my mind thinks that I will by hungry after every meal ;)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I think it's a habit you can break. If you're used to eating to 'stuffed', that's what you're used to. There are books about how to eat more mindfully, which causes you to be satisfied on less food and to be more in touch with your body's signals about hunger and fullness.

    You've probably heard the tips-- eat slowly, at the table with no distractions, prepare your food yourself and present it nicely, think about your food while you're eating, chew thoroughly, set the fork down between bites, drag out your meals, don't munch throughout the day, etc. I can get in a LOT of food or I can fill up on very little, depending on how I go about it.

    You can also add bulk without much calories by adding a lettuce salad course and a vegetable soup course.
  • SnoopysBitch
    SnoopysBitch Posts: 41
    I'm an over-eater in recovery. Here are my two fixes:

    -Start meals with a vegetable. Eat a filling veggie before anything else. You can eat as much carrots and celery as you like! Then you won't eat as much of the less healthy parts of your meal.

    -When I was a teenager trying to prevent over-eating, I ate a lot of pre-packaged meals (like Lean Cuisine) along with a salad or spinach. Pre-packaged meals aren't always the best nutritionally but they will help you figure out portion sizes.

    Cutting down portion sizes will leave you hungry for a while. It just will. The first week is the hardest. But your stomach with adapt to this and it will be easy.
  • thefewsteps
    thefewsteps Posts: 201 Member
    i am, too, and if you're a tiny 5-ft-2 woman, trust me it's a pain. My calories are blown over in a blink of an eye if I'm not tersely careful. GAHHHHH.
    I'm little too! glad i'm not alone.

    Will look into IF and retraining my body.
  • soupandcookies
    soupandcookies Posts: 212 Member
    A volume eater, or a binge eater?
  • kjarvo
    kjarvo Posts: 236 Member
    You can try to cheat yourself... Buy smaller plates, smaller cutlery. Sometimes it helps.

    It's not a joke, I know some people who did it and it worked for them. Thanks to smaller fork you will eat slower and this is better to feel full stomach.

    I hate restaurants because they always use too big platea and my mind thinks that I will by hungry after every meal ;)

    This does work for me. We bought smaller plates and only used those. We would fill the entire small plate and I would think it was an big meal, we have since stopped using them and use the bigger plates, but put more on. I totally agree about the plates for me.
  • Shellz31
    Shellz31 Posts: 214 Member
    I'm the same way. Not trying to change though. I think a huge reason "dieting" hasn't worked is because I tried in vain to eat less food. Going against a basic instinct like hunger is setting yourself up to fail, imho. Now I just eat tons of produce so I'm not hungry and I'm within my calories. I see it as the best of both worlds.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Maybe all the low cal stuff makes belly confused.
  • thefewsteps
    thefewsteps Posts: 201 Member
    A volume eater, or a binge eater?
    I'd say more volume. I'm not unable to control myself or doing it out of emotion.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    If it's a problem for you increase your fat and the calories of your meals. I opt for high calorie meals with lots of fat. The portions are large and satisfying but not outrageous and I usually only eat two meals a day. I could eat carbs all day long and never feel full.
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    If it's a problem for you increase your fat and the calories of your meals. I opt for high calorie meals with lots of fat. The portions are large and satisfying but not outrageous and I usually only eat two meals a day. I could eat carbs all day long and never feel full.

    ^^^ this
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    no, my calories and macros are fine. It's just 1) a pain to eat 10x more than everyone else 2) constantly be eating and 3) the money issue. I already eat pretty cheap but it adds up.

    then what is the problem?
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    I am a volume eater too. It's not unheard of for me to eat 3lbs of salad vegetables in one sitting :-)
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    Some people eat one large meal per day rather than several smaller ones. That's part of the "it's not fair when skinny people can eat a lot" myth. Those people only appear to eat a lot because they do eat a lot per sitting but they don't eat as frequently as other people.

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