Life balance/heavy appetite

Options
So I have been trying everything and I am very frustrated. Despite trying to control my portions each day to only end up binging at some point during the day and counting it at a loss for the day. I also keep telling myself I have to workout but struggle when it's 9pm before my kids finally go to sleep and 4am I wake up. Help me! Any suggestions or experience are GREATLY appreciated.

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    Have you tried eating lots of fruits and veggies?

    I say this all the time, but they're vitamin, mineral and fiber-packed yumminess for so few calories! You get stuff you need without stuff you don't and you can eat so many of them for so few calories!

    Whole grain breads are more filling than white.

    If you want to eat a lot and stay full, you can! :)
  • jennaalyssa
    jennaalyssa Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Have you tried eating lots of fruits and veggies?

    I say this all the time, but they're vitamin, mineral and fiber-packed yumminess for so few calories! You get stuff you need without stuff you don't and you can eat so many of them for so few calories!

    Whole grain breads are more filling than white.

    If you want to eat a lot and stay full, you can! :)

    I hate the taste of wheat. I have tried several different brands and either I just don't like wheat or haven't found a brand I like yet.

    I have eaten fruits and veggies to the point snacking and grazing that I almost wish to never see another one again. I even tried going to our local farmers market trying to find different things to try with little luck.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    You need to mess around with your diet a bit. Some people feel fuller longer on high fat, some on high protein. Some, like me, like high VOLUME. I eat low calorie foods, but meals so big I eat them out of a mixing bowl. Think about what would work for you.
  • jennaalyssa
    jennaalyssa Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »
    You need to mess around with your diet a bit. Some people feel fuller longer on high fat, some on high protein. Some, like me, like high VOLUME. I eat low calorie foods, but meals so big I eat them out of a mixing bowl. Think about what would work for you.

    That is something I actually haven't thought of before! Do you have any low cal foods in particular or types that you like?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »
    You need to mess around with your diet a bit. Some people feel fuller longer on high fat, some on high protein. Some, like me, like high VOLUME. I eat low calorie foods, but meals so big I eat them out of a mixing bowl. Think about what would work for you.

    That is something I actually haven't thought of before! Do you have any low cal foods in particular or types that you like?

    One meal I make is 200 grams of each zucchini and squash, 4-6 oz of ground turkey (depending on how lean it is and how much I can fit in), onion, tomato, mushroom, chipotle hot sauce, mixed with a laughing cow cheese that makes the whole thing become a creamy/cheesy mess...this can fill a huge mixing bowl for 300ish calories.

    I also do this spaghetti style with the shirataki noodle (made from a Japanese yam) which has zero calories (I allot 10-40 anyway), 60 grams of tomato sauce, etc. I can get this with two of the cheeses for around 400.

    If you look at my diary, I did it tonight but with an extra ounce of ground turkey, and 3 slices of bacon lol. But that was made with two BAGS of macaroni "noodles" for 525.
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    Options
    I also have a problem with having an enormous appetite. If I wasn't watching what I ate, I would probably eat ~ 3000 calories before I felt REALLY full at each meal. I think I have to gradually adjust what feels right - I'm slowly getting used to being less full at every meal than I used to.

    I've had a lot of success making GIANT salads in a mixing bowl. I don't make cold salads with bottled dressing - for some reason those make me feel cold inside, and still a little empty feeling. I do use about a head of romaine lettuce, but then throw in LOTS of vegetables, often given a quick stir fry in a pan with minimal oil or roasted. I add a lot of protein, usually cooked chicken or shrimp (so those are hot). The butter or oil that I cook the meat in is enough dressing, usually, although sometimes I add maybe 1 T of seasoned rice vinegar. I'll also add some spice like tandoori spice or turmeric or some thai spice mix I picked up. All of those help me feel warm and full.
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    Options
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    piheart wrote: »
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg

    Really? How much oil did you use?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    khh1138 wrote: »
    I also have a problem with having an enormous appetite. If I wasn't watching what I ate, I would probably eat ~ 3000 calories before I felt REALLY full at each meal. I think I have to gradually adjust what feels right - I'm slowly getting used to being less full at every meal than I used to.

    I've had a lot of success making GIANT salads in a mixing bowl. I don't make cold salads with bottled dressing - for some reason those make me feel cold inside, and still a little empty feeling. I do use about a head of romaine lettuce, but then throw in LOTS of vegetables, often given a quick stir fry in a pan with minimal oil or roasted. I add a lot of protein, usually cooked chicken or shrimp (so those are hot). The butter or oil that I cook the meat in is enough dressing, usually, although sometimes I add maybe 1 T of seasoned rice vinegar. I'll also add some spice like tandoori spice or turmeric or some thai spice mix I picked up. All of those help me feel warm and full.

    Ditto. Though I can do cold salads. I laugh at other peoples salads. I like lettuce I can eat a head of it or a "bag" of salad mix as just the base. No need for dressings really. I like hot sauce on mine!
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    edited September 2015
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg

    Really? How much oil did you use?

    About half a tablespoon for a full cookie sheet size - a little goes a long way when you massage it in to all the nooks and crannies of the leaves. Also, baking them slowly really adds to the crispness. In my oven at 300F* I do ten minutes, turn, then another ten to fifteen minutes. So delicious especially with nutritional yeast "cheese" sprinkled on them before baking, but I'm out!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Options
    If you don't like the taste of wheat and you are getting sick of fruit and vegetables, what are you filling up on?

    For breads, try the ryes and sourdoughs.

    Air, water and fiber are low calorie. So the low calorie options will be mostly made out of these.

    Air - rice cakes, puffed cereals, air popped popcorn.

    Water - water, diet sodas, tea, watermelon, celery.

    Fiber - the above mentioned shirataki noodles, all your veggies, beans.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    piheart wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg

    Really? How much oil did you use?

    About half a tablespoon for a full cookie sheet size - a little goes a long way when you massage it in to all the nooks and crannies of the leaves. Also, baking them slowly really adds to the crispness. In my oven at 300F* I do ten minutes, turn, then another ten to fifteen minutes. So delicious especially with nutritional yeast "cheese" sprinkled on them before baking, but I'm out!

    But do you use a whole serving of nutritional yeast? The oil and that would be 130...I'm sorry I'm not being a jerk I just want to make this and have always thought kale to have more calories than what you have left over. Do you weigh it? :)
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    edited September 2015
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg

    Really? How much oil did you use?

    About half a tablespoon for a full cookie sheet size - a little goes a long way when you massage it in to all the nooks and crannies of the leaves. Also, baking them slowly really adds to the crispness. In my oven at 300F* I do ten minutes, turn, then another ten to fifteen minutes. So delicious especially with nutritional yeast "cheese" sprinkled on them before baking, but I'm out!

    But do you use a whole serving of nutritional yeast? The oil and that would be 130...I'm sorry I'm not being a jerk I just want to make this and have always thought kale to have more calories than what you have left over. Do you weigh it? :)

    Haha no worries I get ya. I haven't made it with nutritional yeast since starting MFP... So I'm not sure, but that would definitely put it over the 198 cal serving I posted a pic of. And yes, I weigh it! I use a measuring cup for the oil, and measure in ml. So, what I just made today was 147 g of purple kale (~78 cal), 1 tbsp of olive oil (~120 cal), and some salt and pepper (didn't weigh those...). I could have even used a little less oil as the kale didn't completely cover the cookie sheet twice.

    ETA: the most satisfying part besides the amazing flavor is the crunchiness!! so worth it for me as I used to eat alllllll the chips.
  • VykkDraygoVPR
    VykkDraygoVPR Posts: 465 Member
    Options
    jgnatca wrote: »
    If you don't like the taste of wheat and you are getting sick of fruit and vegetables, what are you filling up on?

    For breads, try the ryes and sourdoughs.

    Air, water and fiber are low calorie. So the low calorie options will be mostly made out of these.

    Air - rice cakes, puffed cereals, air popped popcorn.

    Water - water, diet sodas, tea, watermelon, celery.

    Fiber - the above mentioned shirataki noodles, all your veggies, beans.
    Rye bread is amazing. I can't go without a loaf of Jewish rye at work. With all those delicious caraway seeds, all I need to do is slap on some meat, and I have a tasty sammich with nearly zero work.


    I don't eat a lot at once, so I haven't much to add there. I kinda graze from about 10 am, until supper. Carrots help. So do fruit smoothies (with a raw egg) for breakfast. I either need fiber, or protein to stay satisfied. So my breakfast for the past few days hasn't helped.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Options
    piheart wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    piheart wrote: »
    Enormous servings of kale chips as well! Only 198 cal for these. jodov93b3ylw.jpg

    Really? How much oil did you use?

    About half a tablespoon for a full cookie sheet size - a little goes a long way when you massage it in to all the nooks and crannies of the leaves. Also, baking them slowly really adds to the crispness. In my oven at 300F* I do ten minutes, turn, then another ten to fifteen minutes. So delicious especially with nutritional yeast "cheese" sprinkled on them before baking, but I'm out!

    But do you use a whole serving of nutritional yeast? The oil and that would be 130...I'm sorry I'm not being a jerk I just want to make this and have always thought kale to have more calories than what you have left over. Do you weigh it? :)

    Haha no worries I get ya. I haven't made it with nutritional yeast since starting MFP... So I'm not sure, but that would definitely put it over the 198 cal serving I posted a pic of. And yes, I weigh it! I use a measuring cup for the oil, and measure in ml. So, what I just made today was 147 g of purple kale (~78 cal), 1 tbsp of olive oil (~120 cal), and some salt and pepper (didn't weigh those...). I could have even used a little less oil as the kale didn't completely cover the cookie sheet twice.

    ETA: the most satisfying part besides the amazing flavor is the crunchiness!! so worth it for me as I used to eat alllllll the chips.

    Awesome. Thank you for the break down, and nice to see someone else who weighs their leafy greens. I might try this tomorrow, especially if I can get away with half a tablespoon of oil.
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »

    Awesome. Thank you for the break down, and nice to see someone else who weighs their leafy greens. I might try this tomorrow, especially if I can get away with half a tablespoon of oil.

    You are very welcome :) Also if I follow the tips here they always come out perfect!! http://ohsheglows.com/2014/03/12/6-tips-for-flawless-kale-chips-all-dressed-kale-chips-recipe/
  • mlboyer100
    mlboyer100 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    So I have been trying everything and I am very frustrated. Despite trying to control my portions each day to only end up binging at some point during the day and counting it at a loss for the day. I also keep telling myself I have to workout but struggle when it's 9pm before my kids finally go to sleep and 4am I wake up. Help me! Any suggestions or experience are GREATLY appreciated.

    It may be more about "what" your eating as opposed to how much your portions are. If you're high carbs, you're going to get a lot of highs and lows that create cravings. Try lowering carbs, especially refined flour, baked goods, pasta and bread. Increase protein, it slowly releases energy into your blood stream. Also, eat some quality protein every 2 hours between meals to curb cravings and binging. Drink lots of water! Flushes out your system and is filling! You can Friend me so I can see your diary for more suggestions.