When you are done but still hungry?

Options
2»

Replies

  • harleygurl72
    harleygurl72 Posts: 15
    Options
    either drink a lot of water or exercise to burn off calories so you can eat a snack.

    I drink the water
  • cuerpito
    cuerpito Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    I don't have those cravings late in the evening - I have them when I come home from work :) If I eat late (after 6 p.m.) I have bad nightmares and don't sleep well, that really keeps me away from foods in the evening. The idea of a bad night is awful.

    Try exercising. I never feel like eating after exercise.
  • Laurenkscott
    Laurenkscott Posts: 2
    Options
    May I suggest that you take a look at what you are eating at try to re-evaluate. Perhaps you can switch out certain food items for similar food items that have few calories, less carbs, more protein and/or less fat. One of my tricks is to drink a no/low carb whey protein isolate shake around 10:30 and/or 3:00 (these are often the times when I am starving!). If I have planned my day well and have enough calories to do so, I might add in 1/2 of a banana and 1 TB. (or less) of raw peanut butter to the protein drink. This will usually keep me satisfied without having to sacrifice too many calories. Then, by dinner time, I don't feel as though I need to eat a horse. This is just an example of one trick you can try. When you find some tricks of your own, make sure you share =] Good Luck! Lauren
  • Laurenkscott
    Laurenkscott Posts: 2
    Options
    Drinking water is good and the right thing to do. HOWEVER ... the reality is sometimes you just want food. That's why, as I mentioned before, try to get a few tricks under your belt regarding what you eat, as well as the timing of your snacks and meals. A trainer once told me, "Never forget to eat a snack at 10:30 and 3:00". This will hopefully keep you ahead of the hunger pangs. Timing is the key. =]
  • tatiana_13
    tatiana_13 Posts: 325
    Options
    For the folks who say, drink water and ignore it. If that works for you, that is fabulous. But for most people who struggle with weight...being hungry is not a long term solution. And this is all about a long term solution. For most of us, if we go to bed hungry too many times, by week three, we start to feel deprived and a binge just might sneak out! And then, we'll feel bad, and quit. So...I'd advise trying to figure out a long term solution.

    First, diagnose your hunger.

    Are you really hungry? Or just knoshy? If just knoshy, I eat low calories snacks. My favorite is cucumber with salt. However, if I'm actually hungry, cucumbers just make things worse...

    Are you the kind of person who feels better with low volume but high satiety foods? That's me. So, if I eat low fat, sugary foods, even if they are "the right" amount of calories, I inevitable end up HUNGRY. A small handful of almonds will kill my hunger pains while buckets of fat free yogurt will just make me hungrier (and slightly nauseous)...

    But some people will only feel "full" with enough high volume foods that literally fill up their stomachs. If you are one of those people and are finding yourself hungry, you are probably "wasting your calories" on high calorie but low volume foods like nuts and cheese...or twinkies. Which have tons of calories, but have low volume. If this is you, you'll want to make low calorie but "bigger" foods a larger part of your diet...primarily vegetables and fruit (people talk about how filling grains and beans are, but they are pretty high in calorie, so eat them if you already are, but don't increase your intake).

    And, of course, as one poster said, you may be hungry because you simply aren't eating enough. Calorie counting isn't always exact for all kinds of reasons..and MFP seems to recommend 1200 for a lot of women (I'm 4'10, not muscular and *I* lost at 1200 when I was at 125 lbs)

    I know you asked for snack ideas, but if being hungry is not just a random event, I encourage you to figure out why. You really shouldn't find yourself regularly hungry--not true, physical hunger. Even at a calorie deficit.
  • heatherann76
    heatherann76 Posts: 24
    Options
    I did grab water and a piece of SF gum but it really hadn't done a thing for me. Tried reading no luck. I gave up and went for a small container of yogurt. Cured it for me. We ate supper rather early tonight because of a school concert and I think that may have been my issue. Thanks for the great ideas and I am going to look for some 100 cal popcorn!

    Oh and I love Blue Bunny yogurt too they make it 10 miles from here YUM!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Options
    Water. If still hungry, I'll eat something.
  • TheCeleste
    TheCeleste Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Everyone says drink water, but I really don't like to drink water. Trader Joe's has really good non-sweetened iced tea. 0 calories, 0 everything. Try that in a glass full of ice and a slice or two of lemon and you are SET. It will have just enough natural sweet and tart, plus fill up the stomach. Do that before and after your meal. Little sips, just enjoy it slowly like you would your favorite drink.

    My other tip is if things that should be or used to be filling are giving you the most caloric grief-- try to find substitutes rather than just smaller portions. Instead of white rice, try another grain like quinoa or wild brown rice (still keeping the portions as usual). Instead of ice cream, a yogurt chocolate bar. But the most important thing is that you find something that is still delicious to you. You shouldn't have to deprive yourself, but look for something else to love, even if you have to learn to love it.

    Basically (tl;dr): It's totally possible to be full with low calories. Look for low cal recipes that are satisfying and you'll see a difference.
  • nikki_zav
    nikki_zav Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    Try to eat more complex carbs and fiber during the day. Drink a lot of water too.

    Good luck!

    2nd this one!! Avoiding processed foods which break down quickly in your system will help. I think someone up there mentioned water....not sure though. So, just in case....water. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies - fiber will help fill you up and keep you full.
  • HartJames
    HartJames Posts: 789 Member
    Options
    20 grapes kill my beast and eating a sliced and baked sweet potato in my last meal helps as well. After that, brushing my teeth and if all else fails- sleep!
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 480 Member
    Options
    I try to always leave about 100-200 calories after dinner just in case this happens. They make pop corn for 100 calories. Or I'll just have a small snack and a whole bottle of water. Fills me up.

    I do exactly this. It's about 10:30pm right now and I'm about to have a 1/2 cup of fat free yogurt that'll add 90 calories for the day. I don't get to sleep until around 2am so its all good...
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
    Options
    I agree with the water, as we sometimes confuse hunger with thirst, but 3oz of baby carrots = 35 calories :)
  • CraigIW
    CraigIW Posts: 176
    Options
    Celery is really good for munching on and practically zero calories.
  • paulyarwooduk
    paulyarwooduk Posts: 109
    Options
    Hey :happy:

    I know just how you feel, really! The thing is that is the start of losing weight and what you do about it will determine how successful you'll be. I once lost 5 stone with Weight Watchers but put it all back on. At the time though I read in a Men's Health magazine a phrase that has always stuck in my mind;

    "An empty tummy at night is a flat tummy in the morning".

    I always kept this in mind when I was losing weight before and after just a short while my tummy got used to me eating less, more healthily and at different times of the day. When it came to the evening it was used to not eating after 8pm.

    Drinking lots of water is great and can help but unfortunately there isn't really a fantastic low calorie way of satisfying that evening hunger - for me no amount of water, dried fruit or salad is going to help. It will be your pure determination to fit in to that smaller pair of jeans that will do it.

    Good luck :happy:
    Paul x

Categories