Controlling Hunger

Hello all! I'm a brand new member to MFP but not new to the challenge of weight loss. One of my biggest set backs is trying to control my hunger. I have a problem of over-eating (like eating an entire footlong sub in one sitting!) and I guess my body is just used to this lifestyle. Even though I'm only on day four of my journey, I'm already noticing how hungry I get in-between meals. Do any of you have any suggestions for snacks that wont' take up all my calories but also won't leave me with the ravenous feelings of hunger? This is what caused me to stop the last time I attempted to regain control of my out of control self so I would definitely appreciate any input!

Water.

and lots of water.
I start the day with two big glasses of water, and then routinely during the day.

If you eat footlong sub.....eat half in one sitting, save the other for later. Easy, AND cheap!

Stay busy and sugar free gum with the water helps.

Instead of snacking, I started eating more at meals. Specifically breakfast. I started eating more fats and protein at breakfast, and noticed my hunger for a snack didn't roll around at 10 am like it used to. As long as I hit my calorie goal, I don't worry about fat grams. Fat increases satiety, whereas eating low fat can mean you run out of fuel sooner. For me, at least, eating heavier at breakfast and then progressively lighter at lunch and dinner is working great. I eat anywhere between 400-500 calories at breakfast, about 300-400 at lunch, and 300-400 at dinner, depending.

That said, I still snack sometimes in the afternoon. I like a brown rice cake spread with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light cheese, along with a handful of baby carrots. If I'm hungry in the evening I like greek yogurt (i like nonfat) mixed with berries and some chocolate syrup. It hits that "ice cream" tooth I've had since I was a kid. And I make sure these snacks fit in with my calorie goal. If I'm feeling wild and crazy, some dark chocolate chips mixed with almonds is delicious.

Hardboiled eggs are a good snack, too--protein and fats. Add some apple slices and there's some carbs.

You probably need to make your diary public for people to give you good ideas of what you could be eating or how you could be eating to help you not become hungry all the time. Just a suggestion...

Well, I'm 21 and 5'1" and my current weight is about 185. I have a goal for 140, but I'm mainly sticky towards body goal, like being able to fit into a certain size jeans and what not. My lifestyle was sedentary but I've started working out and plan on 30 minutes 6 days a week and i plan on amping it up as I get more into shape. I'm currently set at 1200 calories a day.

is your weekly weight loss goal higher than 1lb? if so change it to 1lb or less.

If not then choose more filling foods as suggested such as protien and fiber rich foods.

Working out does give you extra calories to eat as your deficit is already built in...but you have to eat them back.

I plugged your numbers in to a calculator and based on it you could be eating as much as 1500-1600 calories a day and losing weight (this includes exercise calories) and I only put in exercise 3x a week...so that leads me to believe you are under eating if you are hungry.

Try to find a balance between treats and satiating food. Foods like granola bars are tasty but, at least for me, they aren't even remotely satiating. I could eat 1000 calories of granola right now and still eat a big dinner later tonight. Try bumping your protein macro a bit higher and eat a bit more chicken/fish/shellfish. Veggies are also excellent when it comes to volume/calorie. I had a huge bunch of kale with dinner last weekend (I literally had to mash the lid down onto the pan, as it was overflowing) and yet we're talking about a trivial number of calories.

And I'll agree with the others, 1200 is probably a bit too aggressive. Slow down a bit, eat more food and try to find a way to stay happy and satiated on a daily basis.

Lots of tea. Making it distracted me, and drinking it helped with water consumption.

I second this, I have a cup of hot tea with each meal, the hot liquid makes me feel very full

Grapes always tend to fill me up. You could also try a cut up apple with some peanut butter.
Maybe you need to pack in more fiber or protein with your other meals to help curve this hunger too.
For example, I've been having a bowl of oatmeal with half a cut up banana and a few chocolate chips for sweetness for breakfast 3-4 times a week and it wasn't until I mixed in a spoonful of peanut butter that I noticed I wouldn't be hungry until 5 hours later. Small changes can work wonders.

Things with protein!

I didn't try it for ages.

It does work!

The more that I gave up "junk" food, the more I found myself craving fresh, healthy, low calorie foods. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I always hated celery and would pick it out of my fattening foods (like stuffing/dressing) but now I crave the stuff. Instead of eating candy, cookies, cake, pie for dessert.. I crave a few blueberries or grapes or some cubes of cantaloupe. I also drink loads of water. I get in over 100 oz a day.

Greek Yogurt mixed with Kashi GoLean cereal lasts an amazingly long time. I only put 1/2 cup of the cereal into a Chobani 100 cal greek yogurt cup. That breakfast has only 170 calories, but 19 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber. It's a filling, satisfying, and easy way to start off the morning. I premeasure and bag the GoLean so I can walk out the door with that and the yogurt in hand.


It also sounds like you're in the mentality of saving your calories for mealtimes. Other posters have suggested this, but it does help to get out of that mentality and eat several small satisfying meals throughout the day. I used to think exactly like you and wanted to save calories for meals, but now that I've started having an AM, PM snack that has around 150-200 calores, I won't go back.


Long story short, go for high protein and fiber choices. If you're looking for low calories fillers, snacking on crunchy veggies goes a long way. I always have baby carrots in my fridge for this reason.

Lots of tea. Making it distracted me, and drinking it helped with water consumption.

I found the "hunger" pangs went after about 2 weeks. First week was the worst.

I have spent so long being overweight I don't trust my body to tell me what it really needs, and I always felt the pangs when I was reading a recipe or planning meals...

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