How much protein?

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alexistexas33
alexistexas33 Posts: 121 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi-
I am on the last leg of my journey (almost 2 years now) and I recently started using protein powder to help curve my appetite. Each scoop has 16g of protein and I use two scoops a day.

Issue being it never fills me up? I am hungry always an hour after. I do also eat with it, smoothies or something small like an apple. I tried to switch to just basic chicken at night to help give more 'natural' protein (8 oz or so of that) and I'm still hungry regardless after an hour??

I drink 96oz of water as well. My calorie intake is 1370. I also run most days a week.

Any suggestions? I am not a big meat eater to begin with either, my diet is mostly fruits.

Replies

  • shagerty777
    shagerty777 Posts: 185 Member
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    I find that veggies and whole grain carbs work the best to keep me feeling full. Fat, protein and fruit are a recipe for me to eat the whole house in one sitting when I slack on the others.
  • Jules_farmgirl
    Jules_farmgirl Posts: 225 Member
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    Can I ask what kind of protein you are having? Also, have you tried adding a mix in fiber into your shake? A females body will take longer to break down the two and keep you feeling "full" much longer. I am a mom on a budget so I stick with like a Metamucil into my shakes when I have them.

    Another option, even though most on here will not agree, is a meal replacement shake. These are not all protein, but they are designed to help satisfy hunger better. I honestly like the Slimfast ones and can find them on sale as a pre-mix for my lunch kit at work.

    I say, what ever is going to be advantageous to you reaching those goals and keeping your body healthy is worth a try.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    Hm, 16 grams for a scoop is kinda puny. Try Iso Pure Zero Carb - 50 grams per serving! Plus low calories so it will fit into your deficit nicely. Figure out what fills you up. For me, bread and fruit don't really do the trick - I stick to seeds, cheese, yogurt, veggies and chicken/tuna.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    It's not suprising as liquids don't stay in the stomach for a very long time.

    I suggest you swap it out for a solid product like:
    fage greek yogurt (100-140 cals, 18-20g protein)
    Protein Bar (150-200 cals, 20g protein)
    Protein Powder mixed in with Oatmeal

    And then pair it with a very high volume, low calorie food. In general, for satiety, high volume, high fat, and high fiber are the best. Because ghrelin (the hormone produced in the stomach) stimulates appetite when the stomach is empty.

    So something like a cup of raw baby carrots with a greek yogurt. Or a protein bar with a cup of melon. With your meals something like a chicken breast along with a couple cups of veggies (like broccoli, cooked carrots, cooked sweet potato, etc.).

    Something you can also consider is that "always feeling hungry" is a pretty common sign of acid reflux. I know when i had issues with that i felt hungry no matter what I ate or how many calories i ate.

    Best of luck to you!
  • chastity0921
    chastity0921 Posts: 209 Member
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    Have you thought about upping the calories or taking a maintenance break? I'm not sure your stats, but I feel like you could eat higher calories and still lose, even if it's not 1-2 # per week. With the exercise, your body might just want more fuel.

    Just a suggestion ☺️
  • kissoflowers83
    kissoflowers83 Posts: 3 Member
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    Good morning! If you increase your overall protein intake for the day, you should notice a difference in your hunger. Shoot for consuming your weight in grams of protein, unless you have a LOT of weight to lose. If so, then go for your goal weight in grams of protein.
    I beef up my nutrition shakes with tons of protein that's made a HUGE difference for me.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Try increasing your fat intake along with the protein
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    im not sure of the ingredients in your protein powder, but what about eating an advacado or peanut butter? a lot of powders have fillers/sugars..etc..that dont keep you full long....atleast that has been my experience. we eat about the same # of calories and i do much better staying on target if i eat more fat:)
  • yoderpl
    yoderpl Posts: 7 Member
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    I agree with Toad, try adding some fat. Your best option is coconut oil--a tablespoon is all you need. It will add to your calorie count, but don't let that scare you off. Coconut oil is full of multi-chain triglycerides which are processed in your liver immediately and not readily stored as fat. MCT oil or coconut oil is a very good option for a preworkout fuel if you are looking to limit your carb intake. Also, think about going with a casein protein. Casein digests much more slowly so it will keep you feeling full longer--especially so with the added coconut oil.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    yoderpl wrote: »
    I agree with Toad, try adding some fat. Your best option is coconut oil--a tablespoon is all you need. It will add to your calorie count, but don't let that scare you off. Coconut oil is full of multi-chain triglycerides which are processed in your liver immediately and not readily stored as fat. MCT oil or coconut oil is a very good option for a preworkout fuel if you are looking to limit your carb intake. Also, think about going with a casein protein. Casein digests much more slowly so it will keep you feeling full longer--especially so with the added coconut oil.

    I'd go peanut butter personally! :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    yoderpl wrote: »
    I agree with Toad, try adding some fat. Your best option is coconut oil--a tablespoon is all you need. It will add to your calorie count, but don't let that scare you off. Coconut oil is full of multi-chain triglycerides which are processed in your liver immediately and not readily stored as fat. MCT oil or coconut oil is a very good option for a preworkout fuel if you are looking to limit your carb intake. Also, think about going with a casein protein. Casein digests much more slowly so it will keep you feeling full longer--especially so with the added coconut oil.

    I'd go peanut butter personally! :)

    @TavistockToad I think you hold the MFP record for the most posts mentioning peanut butter :lol:

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