Always hungry?

mom2aeris
mom2aeris Posts: 98 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey there. My hubby and I are trying to lose weight. I have been adjusting pretty well, but he's been having some very serious problems, including being hungry literally every moment of every day. MFP suggested he be on a 1750 calorie diet, and so we've been working very hard to get him down into that, which is hard due to the fact that there are many foods he simply will not eat (something that we've been working on, trust me). But what do you have for suggestions to solve the problem that he is always hungry, every moment of the day? He is often *so* hungry that he is in pain. Do you have any tips for hunger that are 0 calorie or very, very low in calorie? We've been trying to increase his water consumption, but he's even picky about the flavors of his water. (As a Super taster, it is very very hard for him because he tastes everything.)

Help!

Replies

  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I find when I keep my processed carbs and sugars lower, then my hunger is a lot lower. This means eating more protein, healthy fats, and lots of high fiber veggies. I have a feeling that the last item is probably a problem with him, so just try to find any veggies that he will eat and have him bulk his meals up with them. The fat and protein is the key with a lot of people. Don't cut out all his fats, as that will keep him fuller longer. Whole eggs, olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, etc, are good sources.
    Good luck.

    And if he is a super carb junkie, you might want to look into a 1-2 week induction stage of South Beach Diet, or Atkins. That will help him break that cycle of always hungry for carbs. He will also drop a lot of water weight, which will be encouraging for him.
    Best of luck.
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
    IMHO - The best way to combat hunger is to increase the protein consumption. I had and still occasionally have the same battle.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    He may also be able to eat a little higher than that and be able to lose. Shoot for 1 pound a week instead, and see if that gives him more calories.
  • CorazieLovesTea
    CorazieLovesTea Posts: 3
    I top up on veg, trying to have at least three different types (and at least 1 portion of each) with most meals.

    I'm often stuffed and virtually never hungry unless it's my third consecutive day metabolic training and then no matter what I eat I'm starving all day.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Lots of veggies and lean meats, or plain Greek yogurt. with fruit as snacks. Sorry but if he's serious about losing weight, he's going to have to compromise. We all do.
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    I agree with many of the above posts. And we all need to change those old habits. Explore new vegetables and ways to prep. Roasting with a bit of olive oil and s&p does wonders for nearly all vegetables. (I love eggplant, asparagus, onion & garlic) Raw 'slaws' have tons of fiber. Dress with a dressing made of EVOO and a tasty balsamic. or add jalapenos, cilantro with lime juice.

    Add some flavor via onion/garlic and fresh herbs. Parsley is amazing. Ditto for lemon juice.

    Think volume! A broth based veggie heavy soup will fill you up. And sometimes we have to try those healthy foods more than once.

    Don't give up!
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    Rethink artificial sweeteners and flavors. Those flavored waters probably have one or both - go natural. Try the real thing: Cucumber, mint, berries, lemon or lime added to sparkling water for fizz or regular filtered. Plus you will save money!:smile:
  • mom2aeris
    mom2aeris Posts: 98 Member
    I don't mean flavored water, I mean the flavor of the tap water. He has to filter it and keep it ice cold before he even thinks about drinking it.
    But thanks for the advice, keep it coming. I am an awful cook, so new ideas are welcome.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    1750 seems kind of low for a man. I am a 132 pound woman and I lose netting 1800.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    1. Work your way down to 1750 gradually - lower it 100 or 150 cals each week. Your stomach will shrink over time.
    2. Water, any which way. Flavour it with lemon, slices of cucumber, cinnamon sticks and apple. Google "infused water" for lots of inspiring pictures. Have a mug of hot water. Or sparkling with a dash of balsamic vinegar. Herbal tea - camomile or peppermint especially- are very soothing to a grumbly tum.
    3. Hot tea, bouillon, miso soup, Bovril type drinks (if he has a savoury tooth) are great for tiding over a hunger pang.
    4.Does he notice that hunger comes in waves? Sometimes it can just be a matter of waiting for 20 mins (do something distracting, go for a walk, fiddle with a motorbike, scub the patio.)
    5. Protein and veg are your friends. The protein will fill him up (grilled chicken breast, steak, fish), and you get mountains of veg for very little calories (steamed leeks, strifried brocoli, roast asparagus, kale, courgette ribbons....)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    He may also be able to eat a little higher than that and be able to lose. Shoot for 1 pound a week instead, and see if that gives him more calories.

    This is my take on the situation too. Better to lose less each week , consistently , and not be miserable than to set your weekly weight loss target really high and be turned off from the whole process. When you learn enough to cut calories down that much, you can always set your weekly loss target higher if you want.

    Also exercise. Does great things for the body, the most important of them all being that it gives you more calories to eat per day :bigsmile:

    I've made single servings of treats I like. Some were actually mug cake recipes but others were full blown brownie recipes that got scaled down. You can always experiment with things you like and find ways to enjoy them without wrecking the calorie bank
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    I agree that 1750 seems really low for a guy. My husband (granted, he's 230lbs) is losing at 2200. So 1750 might just not be do-able over the long term.

    High-volume low-cal foods that I can think of are eggwhites - as many as you have time to break open, and make a spinach and cheese omelet (1oz most cheese = 100 cals) or just scramble it all up together. I like mine with ketchup :)

    Personally, hubby & I have mainly been staying on the same 'diet' we were on before, just cutting portions. We used to eat until we were stuffed and in pain, but now we enjoy the yummy foods and keep everything within our calorie budget. It helps me with the hunger because I don't feel mentally deprived. I'm the same about tapwater too. We have a big gallon-sized dispenser with a filter in it that I must keep filled, because I can't drink it straight from the tap. I can't even stand the SMELL of tapwater lol.
  • ashleylynn39
    ashleylynn39 Posts: 58 Member
    does he eat celery? I used to HATE it but I started eating it anyway to fill up when I hungry and increase veggie intake... now I crave it!!! I like it better than carrots (which I used to eat all the time)...

    I used to be a picky eater, but i found that most foods that i didn't like were just an acquired taste... i mean, take coffee for example, most kids hate coffee, but most adults drink it... we acquire a taste for it... sometimes just giving yourself time to acquire a taste to things like boiled eggs (which i used to think were gross because of the smell) and celery or other raw veggies just take time to be adjusted to...

    i would maybe start offering small portions of healthy low calorie things and get him to at least eat a couple bites... it's a start but he may end up liking it!!!

    also, i feel him on the water thing... i find i drink more water when i drink it with lemon, ice, and sometimes cayenne pepper to give it a kick... i had to make an effort to get off only drinking bottled water (too expensive) and now i just refill my filtered water pitcher :)

    i would give it time and just keep up positive encouragement! :)
  • kinmoratree
    kinmoratree Posts: 125 Member
    Several people have said this, but 1750 seems too low. No wonder he's starving all the time.

    MFP is great, but it's not the be all, end all. Try putting him on 2500 calories. If he doesn't lose weight after three weeks, drop to 2400 and wait three weeks again, etc. Keep dropping 100 calories a day every three weeks until he starts losing. Stay at this calorie count until he stops losing for three weeks and then drop it 100 calories again. This will be easier on him even if he initially gains a pound or two. At 2500 calories a day, he won't gain 5 pounds a week or anything ridiculous and if 1750 is making him miserable, he's going to just give up.

    Also, remember that this is not a quick fix. Unless you have 20 pounds or less to lose, you can expect this to be an up and down process for several years. Even once you are at your goal weight, you are going to have to watch your portions for the rest of your life.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Remember that it's 1750 plus exercise calories.
  • writergeek313
    writergeek313 Posts: 390 Member
    I agree that 1750 seems low. Put his stats in here and see what his recommended calories are for his activity level: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • nicolemontagna22
    nicolemontagna22 Posts: 229 Member
    And what did he put for activity level. Alot of people undershoot it and put sedentary when they aren't. Most people put that when they need lightly active
  • mom2aeris
    mom2aeris Posts: 98 Member
    Hmmmm... I think I will up his calories a bit, as that website it says 2193 for daily... This is very confusing for me, so I just don't know. But we will talk about it. He is finally losing some weight, but I do worry about him. He says he feels weak, which scares me. >.<
  • swaggityswagbag
    swaggityswagbag Posts: 78 Member
    Not eating enough protein, probably also not enough fat, probably way too many carbs, if he's hungry and weak.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Give us a typical days food?
  • mickey9694
    mickey9694 Posts: 74 Member
    I agree with increasing the fat and protein intake while cutting down on the carbs. That's how I broke out of being constantly hungry

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