Rarely feel full

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siamesekat
siamesekat Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Something I have noticed is that I rarely feel truly full. Sometimes I do, but often I don't.

I eat a pretty good diet. I eat more of a higher fat, lower carb, diet, but with my fat coming from sources like olive oil, cheese, 2% milk, etc. I eat a good amount of protein, although I am not a fan of most protein foods. I eat one egg and one egg white every day for breakfast.

Interestingly, I had had some stomach problems for a few years, and I got a scan of my torso. They said that my stomach appeared "quite enlarged."

I have about 10 pounds to lose in order to be in the upper end of a healthy & normal weight range, so I am not grossly overweight. But now that I'm in my late 30s I find it VERY hard to lose weight. Any time I overeat slightly, my body gains weight and seems to hang on to it.

I know about tracking, but what about hunger? What and how do I need to eat so I can feel more full?

Replies

  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
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    Usually higher fat foods, high fiber/ high volume things such as vegetables are good for satiation. But I know I'm in the same boat. I'm only 19 but still I have an insatiable appetite. I never truly feel full and it's annoying at times. I've had a couple full on cheats days where I actually felt full, and it took ALOT!!! I stick to high volume foods and make sure I'm getting in my healthy fats. Sometimes you just gotta deal with it, especially when dieting/: it's all part of the process
  • earth_echo
    earth_echo Posts: 133 Member
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    I've found it helpful to distinguish between "full" and "not hungry". If I'm full, I've eaten too much. Try to keep yourself in a state of not hungry. Drink enough, eat more fiber, protein and fat.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    To feel full I need:
    1. For about 30% of my calories to come from protein and 30% from fat
    2. To eat veggies and fiber
    3. To earn and eat a few hundred exercise calories
    4. To drink plenty of fluids
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Maybe adopt the Chinese saying, "Hara hachi bun me"
    “Eat until you are eight parts (out of ten) full”[3]

    Start a meal with a large glass of water.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    What about protein? Fats and protein for satiety.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Protein keeps me full. I know you said you don't really like those foods, but there are plenty of protein rich food sources besides eggs and meat. I would investigate that more.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I have the same issue. I'm rarely full. You just have to deal with it.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Fruits and veggies are great because they have lots of fiber, which hangs out longest in the stomach, so helps many people feel full for longer periods. They're low-cal, so you can eat a giant bowl of veggies for like 200 calories. They also have vitamins and minerals that we need.

    They're good all the way around! :)
  • RSavage83
    RSavage83 Posts: 15 Member
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    I had that problem at the start of my journey... but after 30 days, it seems to take a lot less for me to feel "full". I try to drink a lot of fluids throughout the day... mostly water... and I always drink water before a meal to help that full feeling happen faster, with less food (you could try infused water, with lemon, etc., so that it has some kind of taste, if that helps). I tried drinking protein shakes for breakfast and didn't find them helpful. "Real" food helps me more... oatmeal, rice pudding, yogurt with fruit/berries... for lunch I have a large bowl of soup and lots and lots of veggies and I save my larger meal for dinner as I find it helps me snack less in the evening (I also wait to eat dinner around 6-7pm). A lot of the initial hunger was my body thinking it was starving because I was always so used to over-eating... and a lot of my "hunger" was also just habit... I'm sitting around, bored, so I go to the fridge or cupboard... I've been trying to re-train my brain and I focus on food a lot less throughout the day... I'm busy at work and have to make myself stop for lunch most days... sometimes I'll feel a bit hungry during the early part of the day, but I ignore it and don't keep many snacks at work (unless it's fruit/veggies) so that I can't eat. Every time you feel hungry, try water as a first choice to see if that helps? If not, perhaps eat foods that are supposed to be natural appetite suppressants, like almonds, avocados, apples, dark chocolate, coffee/green tea... apparently some spices like cinnamon and ginger are supposed to help, as well as hot sauces like Tabasco or even cayenne pepper... (try adding them to your eggs, or something else that's more "appropriate"?). Check out some lists of high protein foods also... you may be surprised at some of the foods on the list... yogurt, cheese, milk, peanut butter, mixed nuts... it's not all about the meat! :) Are you at the beginning of a diet, and so you're more food-focused and in the process of cutting down from your "norm" or has this been an on-going thing?
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Today was the first time in a long time when I felt "full" after eating dinner. I needed a few calories after dinner to reach my minimum protein, but I drank those calories because the thought of EATING more was in no way interesting. I DONT EVEN KNOW MYSELF ANYMORE!! WHO AM I?!?

    Is it a coincidence that this was my highest fiber day I've had in a long time, too? I don't know for sure.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    pinggolfer96 wrote: »
    Usually higher fat foods, high fiber/ high volume things such as vegetables are good for satiation. But I know I'm in the same boat. I'm only 19 but still I have an insatiable appetite. I never truly feel full and it's annoying at times. I've had a couple full on cheats days where I actually felt full, and it took ALOT!!! I stick to high volume foods and make sure I'm getting in my healthy fats. Sometimes you just gotta deal with it, especially when dieting/: it's all part of the process

    A 19 year old male with an insatiable appetite. Who'd have thought! :wink:
    It doesn't help you right now, but eventually your body will have fully matured and you shouldn't feel quite so ravenous.

    OP, if you lurk around the forums a bit, you'll find that what is satiating to one person is not satiating to all. Afraid you're going to need to do some experimentation and see what works for you. Some do better with more protein, some with higher fat, some with higher carb (usually complex carbs, high fiber foods). Some do best eating bulky foods like leafy veg, others need a certain texture or taste and find small amounts of the food they really want beats large amounts of something bland or otherwise not interesting. Some do better with many small meals, others with fewer large meals. You can see how variable it is.

    For me, personally, rich creamy foods work best. A small amount of really decadent and gooey mac and cheese is better than a large mixing bowl full of salad. Yes, I've done the comparison, and yes I still felt hungry after all that salad though my stomach was very uncomfortable. I also do better skipping breakfast, having a light lunch and a heavier dinner. I also find that hot tea can be a life saver when my stomach is growling and cramping but I don't really need more food. The hot liquid seems to relieve the cramping.

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