Always Hungry, Despite Increased Levels of Protein/Fiber

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rosestring
rosestring Posts: 225 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I have been on MFP for years now. I think I have a food addiction. On top of that, I am on several medications that are notorious (my own psychiatrist's words) for weight gain/increased appetite. I am currently 164 at 5' 3". I work and am out of the house a lot. As a result, I eat out multiple times every day, draining both my wallet and calorie allowance. I have looked into plans such as Eat to Live, South Beach Diet, etc. but cannot seem to stick with anything... Mainly due to eating out and not having a lot of time to cook.

I need so much help. I exercise, but really need to get my diet under control. There have been times when I started the day eating literally 40 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber within two hours and am starving just two hours after that. Even when I eat in a "healthy manner," I still find that I am hungry all of the time. Vegetables and beans never seem to fill me up.

I just don't know what to do. Anyone have success stories about being/becoming a very healthy weight on meds? For what it's worth, I am on Abilify, Lexapro, and Lamitrogine. Birth control pills, too. Ultimately, I am looking for a lifestyle change that has a diet including the following traits:

1) Keeps me full.
2) Easy and/or quick to prepare.
3) Contains plenty of take-along-friendly meals for going out.
4) A meal plan that keeps me at a calorie deficit so I can still lose weight.

Thank you so much, and please respond with anything at all.
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Replies

  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
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    Why not find a meal delivery service so that you always have healthy food at the ready? You'll probably find that the money you spend on fast food equates to a healthy delivery service. Besides that, always have bottled water on hand and drink frequently. Healthy, portable snacks in the car, your purse, or at the office are also good ideas so you're not tempted by unhealthy choices.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    Learn to cook and get serious about dieting. It really comes down to that. If you are truly pressed for time then you can cook on the weekends and refrigerate or freeze your lunches for the week. I generally pack for lunch the leftovers from the night before, and that works quite well with some added snacks such as apples, oranges, cheese, and Greek yogurt.

    As for always being hungry, yes you will be when you first start getting serious about dieting. I found (and still find) that I want to eat when I'm sitting aroung bored. It makes a big difference when I'm truly busy at work or if I get out of the house and exercise more on the weekends. If you have foods that you binge on then get them out of the house and only allow yourself a set portion by buying that set amount once a week. You have to figure out these personal things yourself because there is quite a bit of difference when it comes to cravings and triggers.
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
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    You're going to have to buckle down and make meal prep a priority. Where there's a will, there's a way.

    As for feeling full, drink A LOT of water. Aim for 1/2 your body wt. In lbs. In oz. Of water. E.g. you weigh 164 so 82 oz of water a day. This is the most important thing.

    I have the same problem in the morning. Consuming a large breakfast doesn't help. Have a balanced breakfast in the 400 calorie range and Eat a nice snack in between breakfast and lunch.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,124 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Looking at your diary you are not eating that much protein or fiber over the past 3-4 days. I didn't go beyond that. You overall protein goal seems rather low as well and you fiber goal doesn't seem that high either. You still need how much of both you eat up before we could say that increasing protein and fiber is not helping.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    What does fill you up?
  • mygigahurts
    mygigahurts Posts: 5 Member
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    I load up on tons of fruit, and that keeps the hunger and cravings for sweet things away. Every morning, I make a large smoothie batch (enough to get me through the day). Generally, the smoothie alone takes me over my recommended sugar intake, but all my levels are fine, and I'm losing weight at a satisfying pace.
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
    edited March 2016
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    zyxst wrote: »
    What does fill you up?

    Chicken and meat in general fills me up, for the most part. Carbs like pasta and bread do, too.

    Rileysowner: Yeah, I have not been eating as much protein/fiber as of late. When I do though, it takes SO much to fill me up.

    What kinds of filling meals can you prepare for the week? That is a good idea, I can't believe I did not think of that.

    Thank you for the ideas, everyone!
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Water? How much are you drinking a day?
    I know a lady at work that carries her gallon water jug with her (true story).
    I drink glass 30 minutes before a meal, with a meal, and after a meal.
    Try to stay away from fast foods. I honestly think they put chemicals in them to make you want to come back.
    How often do you eat dark green salads, broccoli, apples?
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
    edited March 2016
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    JanetYellen wrote: »
    Water? How much are you drinking a day?
    I know a lady at work that carries her gallon water jug with her (true story).
    I drink glass 30 minutes before a meal, with a meal, and after a meal.
    Try to stay away from fast foods. I honestly think they put chemicals in them to make you want to come back.
    How often do you eat dark green salads, broccoli, apples?

    Very rarely do I eat salads. I can't stand them without those heavy sauces, so therefore I rarely eat them. Not a vinagerette fan, either, so it is difficult for me to eat them. Any ideas or advice as to how to make them more tolerable?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    It takes me 10 minutes to cook some meat and heat up some frozen veggies. Much less time than going to the restaurant and waiting for my food to be ready.

    'no time to cook but time to eat out' is just excuses.
  • Savannahmiamaddie
    Savannahmiamaddie Posts: 54 Member
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    Try packing your lunch instead of eating out. Replace the morning smoothie with something like boiled eggs, plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, cheese, or cottage cheese.
  • BhangraPrince
    BhangraPrince Posts: 123 Member
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    Really does sound like a whole lot of excuses..
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    'no time to cook but time to eat out' is just excuses.

    Well, when you work in a mall with no fridge or microwave available to you... It is more convenient. Obviously not the better choice; just convenient. As far as excuses go, asking around for solutions to my problems is my way of trying to make those "excuses" go away.

    On a serious note, I think cooking on the weekends might work out well. Just need the right recipes. I'll find some in another thread.

    Thanks!
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
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    HazelTrisEverdeen wrote: »
    rosestring wrote: »
    JanetYellen wrote: »
    Water? How much are you drinking a day?
    I know a lady at work that carries her gallon water jug with her (true story).
    I drink glass 30 minutes before a meal, with a meal, and after a meal.
    Try to stay away from fast foods. I honestly think they put chemicals in them to make you want to come back.
    How often do you eat dark green salads, broccoli, apples?

    Very rarely do I eat salads. I can't stand them without those heavy sauces, so therefore I rarely eat them. Not a vinagerette fan, either, so it is difficult for me to eat them. Any ideas or advice as to how to make them more tolerable?
    Francl27 wrote: »
    It takes me 10 minutes to cook some meat and heat up some frozen veggies. Much less time than going to the restaurant and waiting for my food to be ready.

    'no time to cook but time to eat out' is just excuses.

    Frozen veggies are a good option. Or, if you don't mind carrots, just 1/4 cup (according to MFP) gives you all the vitamin A you need for a day.

    I do like carrots and frozen veggies that are cooked up. Thank you!
  • cpalumbo89
    cpalumbo89 Posts: 71 Member
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    I'd suggest a lunch box with a frozen water bottle inside! We never had fridges or microwaves at school either. What did you pack for lunches for school and how did you keep them cold? I tend to aim for 5 small meals a day and I agree with everyone that enough water makes a big difference. I find too that I have to snack according to my cravings. If i want something salty and I eat something sweet I'm still craving the sty afterwords. Listen to your body. Are you shaking hungry? Talk to your doctor and get your thyroid checked. Good luck!
  • cpalumbo89
    cpalumbo89 Posts: 71 Member
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    I would also really suggest using pinterest. Take the time to build your spice rack and find things that you really like and are healthy, and pin them to a specific board. It's helped me immensely. When it's time to go grocery shopping I pick 4-6 recipes and write down the ingredients I need. At first it was expensive but eventually I knew what I liked to eat and had a fairly good stocked fridge and pantry. Then I make a few servings and save some to eat throughout the week. Invest in ziplock bags and Tupperware. Invest in a good lunch box. And I'd really recommend the app Plant Nanny for water consumption. It calculates how much water you should drink, and you water your plant when you drink a full glass. If you don't drink enough your plant eventually dies.
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
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    I usually had PB&J and oreos when I was in school, but I like where you are going with this; it is possible to bring relatively healthy lunches with you (no oreos, of course). It is totally possible! I will absolutely follow your pinterest advice.

    Oooh, I'm actually excited to start trying out recipes and make real food! Thanks so much everyone!
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    In the "healthy snacks" section at Wal-Mart yesterday I saw a variety of dried fruits, kale chips, and various yogurt-covered nuts, none of which need refrigerators or microwaves to eat. That and jerky might be what you are stuck with. Do you think an insulated lunch box with an ice bag inside would help with keeping your food safe?
  • MinmoInk
    MinmoInk Posts: 345 Member
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    When I used to work at the airport with no way of bringing liquids I searched high and low for restaurants that served dishes you could alter, get a discount, etc. menus aren't set in stone. Secondly, try thinking outside the box in terms of food and meals while you're out. Maybe bring a variety of power snacks as above poster suggested like dried meats , fruits, snacking cheeses, veggies. Portion out these healthy foods religiously. Make sure they meet your needs. It's really easy to get dehydrated working in a mall so the moment you feel "hungry" drink a huge cup of water. Like JUMBO size. Try to bring some benifiber with you too. Try chewing gum as well, keep your mouth minty fresh. Then you can slap together a delicious 1 serving dinner like meat n veg with a sauce or seasoning of your choice. As for for the meds, mind over matter. Just think how they don't effect you. You'll overcome it when you get your noggin to work with ya. Also lets not forget that eating less calories for weight loss will trigger hunger, I mean that's what your doing right? So just think to yourself that the hunger isn't something you have to quell with food, but quell with willpower. That's how we achieve great things! With a fight.
  • rosestring
    rosestring Posts: 225 Member
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    MinmoInk wrote: »
    When I used to work at the airport with no way of bringing liquids I searched high and low for restaurants that served dishes you could alter, get a discount, etc. menus aren't set in stone. Secondly, try thinking outside the box in terms of food and meals while you're out. Maybe bring a variety of power snacks as above poster suggested like dried meats , fruits, snacking cheeses, veggies. Portion out these healthy foods religiously. Make sure they meet your needs. It's really easy to get dehydrated working in a mall so the moment you feel "hungry" drink a huge cup of water. Like JUMBO size. Try to bring some benifiber with you too. Try chewing gum as well, keep your mouth minty fresh. Then you can slap together a delicious 1 serving dinner like meat n veg with a sauce or seasoning of your choice. As for for the meds, mind over matter. Just think how they don't effect you. You'll overcome it when you get your noggin to work with ya. Also lets not forget that eating less calories for weight loss will trigger hunger, I mean that's what your doing right? So just think to yourself that the hunger isn't something you have to quell with food, but quell with willpower. That's how we achieve great things! With a fight.

    Thank you to you and the last poster before you. I do like those little snack packs that have things like fruit and cheese in them. I will have to make some like that at my house.

    To the next poster, yeah, I eat while bored a lot. Since I take the bus, I tend to catch periods of time where I am stuck at a mall for 30 minutes waiting for the next bus. It sucks.

    Thanks again!

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