UK: always hungry, what to eat.

yirara
yirara Posts: 10,076 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Moved from the Middle East to UK and am having problems with getting a grip on my diet.

In ME I'd have flatbread with fresh goats cheese or chicken and labne for breakfast and I was full enough until lunch. Here two slices of bread and cheese, salami or ham, 60kcal more and I'm starving come lunch.

In ME rice and usually a vegetarian Indian curry for lunch. Here no microwave or canteen, hence 3 sandwiches with above. 150 more calories, and I'm very soon hungry again even though I munch about 2 bell peppers in the hours after lunch, like before.

I'm so hungry when I come home that I'm not able to work out as I used to do. I always used the two hours btw end of work and cooked dinner for sport and a bit of relaxing. Here I need to have dinner right away. And as I cannot work out on a full stomach and as it gets dark and moist (my lungs don't like cold and humid) every evening I'm not running anymore later that night. As I live in a tiny flat with wooden floors I cannot do much of a strength workout either. Still moving boxes everywhere anyway.

I just don't know how to get a grip on it. I'm losing my fitness and am gaining weight. I'm fairly small and female, thus I can't eat too much to stay on weight anyway. It's just... the food seems so unnorrishing even though I eat more.

Any advise for me? I tried different kind of bread but it's just not as dense and probably faster to digest as a good flatbread. Haven't seen flatbread here yet - and no gym apart from expensive hotel spas without free weights. Tourist resort in a total rural area.

Replies

  • TrickyDisco
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    I'm in the UK too and at under 5ft tall trying to lose a few more pounds eating around 1200 cals. I absolutely hate feeling hungry so try to eat mainly filling foods with a few treats here and there. I have a serving of porridge oats or oatmeal for breakfast (around 250 cals) and that keeps me going till lunch, then something like a slice of wholemeal bread with spread, some nuts and seeds, dried and fresh fruit, some salad veg (e.g. sweet pepper and celery) and often a sweet biscuit (around 400 cals, can easily be packed in foil the night before to take to work next day), the remainder is for an early evening meal (which varies more), snacks and soya milk for teas/coffees through the day. But of course everyone has to find the foods they like through trial and error. I've never eaten flatbread but sure you can buy it here somewhere, or maybe try something like a wholemeal pitta bread with your favourite fillings. There are also plenty of tasty cold dishes you could make or buy - pasta, cous-cous or bean salads etc., shop-bought ones often sold with cheese, chicken or tuna for extra protein. For me, bananas and yoghurts are filling snacks that keep my energy levels up too, often eat one before/after exercise. If there's no gym nearby maybe you could buy a set of weights to use at home, I spent about £30 on a set with weight combinations between 6lb-14lb, not much cost compared to gym membership, though I know there's so much more at a gym than weights. It's an option, though, if you're unable to get to a gym or on a budget.
  • lavipoo
    lavipoo Posts: 2 Member
    Hello yirara,

    A great way to increase your feeling of fullness would be to incorporate foods rich in fibre. Instead of a sandwich for breakfast why not try porridge and incorporate some fruits to boost the amount of vitamins and fibre which should keep u feeling fuller for longer. It's also been suggested that Consuming water during a meal can help in feeling full.

    Coming to a new country can be difficulty especially when diet is involved it's important that you like and not feel you have to completely change your diet. Wholemeal Pitta and wraps are a great alternative to your everyday bread and can be packed with a number of different ingredients I think you should try incorporating salads into your Pitta or bread along with your proteins (chicken) and fats (avocado) to give u a good balanced lunch.

    Wholemeal pasta would be great for lunch and is still enjoyable cold to give you some variation to ur lunch. E.g. Tuna with red and yellow peppers and sweet corn which can be accompanied by a salad. Also cous cous or potato salads
    Which can all be made at home to save you money!

    Snacks such as bananas, carrots and humus or even dried fruit can also help to tide you over until lunch if your still hungry. However remember when snacking not to go overboard and to snack healthy!

    Hopefully by incorporating more wholemeal, whole grain, vegetables and drinking more water u should gradually start feeling satisfied after meals. In terms of exercise if you have no time after work what about before or on ur days off? You could also do little things like taking the stairs getting off the bus one stop earlier which will all add up. Even when watching TV during breaks boxing, lunging and squatting.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,076 Member
    Gosh, I really thought this thread did not get posted as I could not find it anymore! *blush*

    I'm now sure the problem is that I wake up far too early, but can only start working at 8.45. Thus I have breakfast at 09:00 as I'm used to. Lunch a bit later than in the Middle East, which means I'm already really hungry then. And then I still have 5 hours until 17:00 to go until I'm going home while in the ME I'd return home at 15:00. It's bound to go wrong. It's just too big a gap to bridge. In the ME I usually do my sport between 15:30 and 16:30, and then eat at 17:00.

    After a month here I should be used to the local time zone. But I still wake up at 6 *sigh* Breakfast at around 09:00 is perfect for me though. My stomach needs a few hours and a few big mugs of tea before I can eat anything. And while my brains work until then, I unfortunately don't have the energy to do sport in the morning.

    I eat quite a bit of green and yellow bell pepper each day. I thought it was not completely without fibre. I find it more filling than most fruit anyway.
  • needtolosethatweight26
    needtolosethatweight26 Posts: 89 Member
    You could buy flat bread in an Asian store perhaps? Frozen ones. Just need to microwave it for 30 seconds. Why not have a filling sandwich or a wrap for lunch?with onion,tomatoes, bell peppers and lettuce? Add some baked beans as well? Omelettes are a Good option too for breakfast. Top it up with some cheese and have a slice of toast to go with it.
  • Numberwang22
    Numberwang22 Posts: 213 Member
    Not sure where you are but it sounds like you just need to explore a bit shopping wise. There is a huge choice online that you can get delivered. I use Asian Supermarket a lot that carry a lot of regional choices, there are hundreds of specialist food companies out there.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,076 Member
    Yep, I'll explore some food delivery options over the weekend. Thanks. Locally, there's nothing available. Fairly rural area with mainly white Brits. Most boring place ever for someone who's always lived in the multicultural neighbourhoods of town, wherever in Europe *sigh*.
  • TrickyDisco
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    As a white Brit ... your words ... living in a fairly rural area I'm finding it hard not to take offence at your last comment. I lived in London (about as multicultural as it gets) for years before moving here and yes it's a different way of life but definitely not boring. Almost wish I hadn't wasted my time trying to help you on your duplicate post now *sigh*
  • smotheredincheese
    smotheredincheese Posts: 559 Member
    TrickyDisco wrote: »
    As a white Brit ... your words ... living in a fairly rural area I'm finding it hard not to take offence at your last comment. I lived in London (about as multicultural as it gets) for years before moving here and yes it's a different way of life but definitely not boring. Almost wish I hadn't wasted my time trying to help you on your duplicate post now *sigh*

    Fellow Brit here, and I totally agree with this. I think it's her attitude and reluctance to try anything new that's the problem, not the lack of a specific type of flatbread.
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
    Welcome to the UK! I'm not offended by your statement about boring, I've lived in many boring places around the world so know how it feels. I would try making my own flatbread in the oven. Feta cheese and olives are available in most medium sized supermarkets.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,076 Member
    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Welcome to the UK! I'm not offended by your statement about boring, I've lived in many boring places around the world so know how it feels. I would try making my own flatbread in the oven. Feta cheese and olives are available in most medium sized supermarkets.

    Thanks a lot. It was not my intention to offend anyone. This area is, I guess a bit like the area I grew up at: very rural, lots of retired people, and very little to do. Only the landscape is nicer, much nicer :smile: I'll cope, especially once I bought a car and can get around. Besides, it's better than being unemployed. I need to have a look into making my own bread indeed. Not only flatbread, but generally different types of bread that are a bit denser than what's available here.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Modern/western diets are typically less nutritious and tasty than traditional/ethnic diets. (We have the same problem in Norway.) Take this, and add boredom from being unemployed, sadness form being removed from family and friends, overall stopping your usual activities, eating fast food to try to get some pleasure, and you have an explanation for immigrants' often massive and sudden weight gain.
  • tayloralanj
    tayloralanj Posts: 137 Member
    Eat meat.

    #myfoodpoopsonyourfood
  • TrickyDisco
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    tayloralanj wrote: »
    Eat meat.

    #myfoodpoopsonyourfood

    So you ONLY eat meat? :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories