Oatmeal....really a filling food???

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libertyj77
libertyj77 Posts: 35
in Food and Nutrition
I need advice. Ihave a new love for Oatmeal and eat one serving for breakfast. It is suppose to be a filling food but within an hour or so I am starving hungry. What can I do to feel full. I end up having to eat again before lunch and feel like a pig! Not good!
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Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Really? I have a hard time even eating one serving of oatmeal. I can put away a whole plate of eggs and potatoes, but I have a hard time with oatmeal. Maybe it depends on the person? Maybe you need to eat protein for breakfast instead to keep you full?
  • dawnkitchen
    dawnkitchen Posts: 161
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    I have the same problem with oatmeal! It is delicious and everyone says they feel so full for hours.. not me! Every one is different, I guess.

    Try yogurt and/or fruit for your snack before lunch again? That's what I do if I have oatmeal.
  • 1FitMomof4Girls
    1FitMomof4Girls Posts: 202 Member
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    I believe it is good to eat every 2-3 hours. Small amounts, low calories, more often. It keeps me from getting too hungery in between meals and then over doing it~ Hope this helps!
  • hungrymarathongirl
    hungrymarathongirl Posts: 444 Member
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    I add fruit - usually half a banana or an apple. I also replace the water with milk (skim or Almond Breeze).
  • imperfectlyhere
    imperfectlyhere Posts: 87
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    i find it filling! I also add fruit!
  • holly0623
    holly0623 Posts: 66
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    wow i have have trouble eating more that a 1/4 cup of oatmeal.
    Maybe you could try putting some nuts or fruits in it. And add some protein to the meal like eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt?
  • lkm111
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
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    I think it depends on what kind you are eating. If it is instant with a lot of added sugar, that will increase cravings. That's why you hear so much about steel cut oats. They have not had anything removed from processing. There are recipes that call for sweetening with a little honey or fruit.
  • beasy22
    beasy22 Posts: 41 Member
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    I put a lot of water with my oatmeal, i think the more water you put with it the slower it takes to break down, leaving you feeling satsified for longer.
  • divasoul
    divasoul Posts: 2
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    Try adding some cinammon and some agave syrup or natural maple syrup. This is how I eat it and it tastes great! Also try eating some egg whites with your oatmeal and you should be full for couple of hours.
  • Econonut
    Econonut Posts: 5
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    I mix one quarter cup of oatmeal with a bit of protein powder + blueberries. If that is not enough, increase to half a cup... it used to keep me full until lunch. I now resort to a good protein shake in the morning (muscle milk light) and drink tons of water until lunch.
  • mixmastermolly
    mixmastermolly Posts: 272
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    Oatmeal is filling at first but usually doesn't keep me as full for as long as other breakfast options. But, I do make it with pure pumpkin sometimes and that makes it a little more filling. I've also read if you use more liquid than it calls for and do half water and half milk (I use almond milk) then let it sit for awhile it will absorb more making the portion a lot more. The protein from the milk helps keep you full, also.
  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
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    I agree with an earlier poster: it depends on the kind you're eating. I eat Coach's Oats (steel cut, but toasted so they cook faster -- I get them at Costco). I always add either a banana, an apple (that I microwave separately to make it soft), or berries, and I often add a spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter.

    I'm still hungry a couple of hours later, but I try to eat that often anyway. You could drink something hot along with it, too -- coffee or tea. That might help.

    Personally, I'm pretty much ALWAYS hungry, just to varying degrees! I drink a lot of water and chew a lot of gum to keep from devouring the whole pantry every day!
  • MonsteRawr
    MonsteRawr Posts: 95 Member
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    I eat oatmeal every morning made with milk with a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter mixed in. Best breakfast ever! Cereal leaves me feeling hungry in an hour or two, but oatmeal keeps me going good for much longer. But as a previous poster said, stay away from those instant packets. So much processed sugar!

    That being said, I find that I have to eat every three to four hours to keep from getting hungry and cranky. I usually need a snack about mid-morning, and another in the late-afternoon or early evening a couple hours before dinner. As long as you're making smart choices and picking good snacks, there's absolutely nothing wrong with snacking!

    Best of luck!
  • carolyng66
    carolyng66 Posts: 18 Member
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    Maybe breaking your meals down into several small meals per day will help keep you on track. Have your oatmeal but between meals eat an apple or other peice of fruit to get you through to lunch. A trainer also recommended eating a handful of Emeralds Chocolate almonds. They're only dusted with cocoa, no sugar added to them. That and a lot of water should stave off the hunger pangs. You don't want to starve yourself, it's not healthy and it'll slow the metabolism making it harder to loose weight. Good luck.
  • Kaylasmom
    Kaylasmom Posts: 116 Member
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    I'm hungry, practically starving, within 2 hours after eating my oatmeal. I started putting a tablespoon of peanut butter in it after its done and it has really made a difference. That protein is a wonderful thing!
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
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    My breakfast is my biggest meal of the day, so is generally just over 450 calories. I do use instant oatmeal (and I eat two packets, so 2 servings), so it's plain, but I mix it with ground flax seed, chia seed, cinnamon and vanilla protein powder. I eat at 5:30 in the morning and eat lunch with the kiddos that I teach at school in the first lunch slot at 10:20. So, I go almost 5 hours between those two meals (I generally eat every 3 hours for the rest of the day) and don't have any problems with hunger issues doing so.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    I'm the same way. I love oatmeal, but it doesn't fill me up at all. I've tried it with almond milk instead of water, I tried it with twice the amount of liquid as normal and letting it cook longer so it expands more and creates a larger ending portion. Nothing makes it any more filling.

    I really only have it on days that I know I'll have more exercise calories to eat or it's a higher day within the calorie shifting so that I can have an extra snack or something somewhere along the way.
  • Marianna194
    Marianna194 Posts: 145 Member
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    I can never eat oatmeal plain, so I add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 to 1 cup sliced strawberries, a dash of cinnamon, and 1/8 cup sliced almonds. The fruit and almonds give it taste and make you feel fuller for longer.
  • TheGreatKhan22
    TheGreatKhan22 Posts: 4
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    You have to spice it up. My oatmeal:

    1/2 cup dry oatmeal
    1/2 cup water
    1/2 cup fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt
    1 scoop vanilla protein powder
    Cinnamon and nutmeg
    Half a handful of dried cranberries or raisins

    It's quite filling and delicious. If you're worried about the calories, it only adds about 150 to it.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    have a muesli bar, fruit or yogurt with it. one of them with one serving of oats keeps me til lunchtime

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