How to deal with hunger while dieting?

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  • jdwils14
    jdwils14 Posts: 154 Member
    edited March 2017
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    noecharo wrote: »
    GauchoMark wrote: »
    Stay busy and drink plenty of non-carbonated zero calorie liquids. The busier I am the less I eat, but if I sit around the house and veg, then I get hungry.

    Also, you say you are eating a balanced diet, but you might need to tweak your diet some to find what combo keeps you satisfied longer. For me, carbs are a big no-no, but protein and a little fat helps. Carbs just make me want more carbs.

    I find it rlly hard to avoid eating carbs, what foods would you recommend to avoid/eat when trying to reduce your carbs intake ?

    using oils in cooking, while calorie dense, can aid in this. As I sit here, I have a plateful of bacon, eggs, and asparagus, about 700 calories worth (70% of calories are from bacon) (my "sedentary" daily goal is 1900cal, and I am far from sedentary). I cooked the bacon first and then I cooked eggs/asparagus in it. Its 6:30 am, will keep me full til past noon.

    some particular foods you might consider:
    eggs
    avocados (they go on sale, and you can stock up. They last about 3-4 weeks in the fridge, give one day to let soften)
    veggies with ranch dip (carrots, broccoli etc)
    nuts
    tuna sandwiches with mayo and cheese (pick a good bread that has mostly fibrous carbs and protein....Dave's Killer Bread is my favorite, but it is a bit pricey---its my only splurge)
    You could also try putting butter on stuff.
    Full-fat yogurt with fruit

    Good luck!
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Hunger is a normal response to being in a calorie deficit.

    Yes, that's true too. But sometimes it is excessive and can be mitigated.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Hunger is a normal response to being in a calorie deficit.

    I don't quite agree. Depends how big of a deficit. I've never been hungry (talking genuine hunger, not chocolate cravings and such) since I started to lose 13 months ago. My deficit is quite small admitedly (between 100cal and 300cal per day and not every day). But I would never increase it if it makes me hungry. I can do this forever if I had to, it doesn't bother me. I still lose. I've lost 25lbs so far.
    Why would one torture themselves with hunger if they can lose without any?
  • midpath
    midpath Posts: 246 Member
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    My guy does better if he eats higher carb. I definitely stay fuller if I nix carbs. You have to find your personal balance
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,039 Member
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    noecharo wrote: »
    Hi everyone!
    I'm new to the weight loss and healthy lifestyle world, and something that I've been struggling with is hunger. Yes, I eat all my meals and I try to have a balance or carbs,proteins and fats, however sometimes I STILL get hungry, how can I stop this craving for food? Any hacks??

    FWIW, there's nothing wrong with being hungry between meals. We weren't really meant to be sated 24x7.

    But, drink water. Many people think they are hungry, when in fact, they are thirsty.
  • Harbin2017
    Harbin2017 Posts: 32 Member
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    Once i drastically reduced grains, bread, pasta, pizza, sugar, alcohol and eliminated any juices or sodas from my "diet" i am a lot less hungry although i eat about 1300 cal per day. As ppl say it is individual for everyone, for me those things make me more hungry or trigger cravings, so i stay away from them. I do have a piece of dark chocolate almost everyday. I never feel hungry although my daily intake is more than 500 cal below my tdee.
  • daniel_parrett
    daniel_parrett Posts: 30 Member
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    I would say find a go-to low calorie snack/meal to get you by. for me, 2 eggs with a mini torilla and a small strip of ketchup puts me around 250 calories, so i'll start with that. if im still hungry in 30-60 minutes i'll make another. I would also add a bag of frozen vegetables to the mix to make you feel fuller, but after a while your body will get used to it and you will be eating just enough to take the edge off without feeling full
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    coreyreichle wrote: »
    FWIW, there's nothing wrong with being hungry between meals. We weren't really meant to be sated 24x7.

    But, drink water. Many people think they are hungry, when in fact, they are thirsty.

    I completely agree. I surely have times where I was not able to eat according to my normal routine. I wind up in a meeting that runs 3 freaking hours, or I end up staying at the hospital all day (elderly parents) or whatever, and sometimes I find myself listening to a growling tummy. I usually have a couple of bars with me in my car, so I know I can grab one if I really need it. But if I have lunch waiting for me back at the office, or something I had planned for dinner, I certainly am not going to screw that up by eating something else. I drink some water, chew some gum. I know food is not too far away and I will probably live. ;) Seriously, I think it's just discipline. And getting used to not being completely full all the time. No one needs to be full ALL the time.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    gebeziseva wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Hunger is a normal response to being in a calorie deficit.

    I don't quite agree. Depends how big of a deficit. I've never been hungry (talking genuine hunger, not chocolate cravings and such) since I started to lose 13 months ago. My deficit is quite small admitedly (between 100cal and 300cal per day and not every day). But I would never increase it if it makes me hungry. I can do this forever if I had to, it doesn't bother me. I still lose. I've lost 25lbs so far.
    Why would one torture themselves with hunger if they can lose without any?

    Hunger doesn't have to be torture. I have run massive deficits without hunger pangs but it is the normal human response caused by leptin and grehlin.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Hunger can be just a psychological trick that your mind (and body) are trying out on you. If you think you are hungry, (at least, this is the exercise I try), ask yourself what would satisfy you? If its a carrot, or a salad, or a chicken breast, then that sounds like real hunger. If my head is telling me that my "hunger" will only be eased by eating a doughnut, or a calorie dense something or other that I think of only as a treat and for which I havent planned for my day, then maybe its not really hunger. I know this wont work for everyone, but its something that makes you stop and think and examine your feelings a little more intensely before deciding whether or not to act.

    The other thing is the emotional component - a struggle for lots of people, myself included. Am I hungry or bored? Happy and wanting to celebrate? Sad and wanting comfort? Stressed and looking for an escape? Again, it comes down to the unplanned doughnut or the chicken breast kind of thing.

    Habits are hard to break, but discipline and will power (and wanting to reach your goals more than wanting the unplanned doughnut) are important too.

  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    In my experience, the hunger from first starting our a diet or calorie counting generally goes away after the first two weeks or so.
  • lifeandleaves
    lifeandleaves Posts: 97 Member
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    I drink five to six cups of white or green tea every day. Sometimes when I am feeling hungry, I will do another task that needs doing, i.e. take a shower, brush my teeth, put on a clay mask, do some homework, sweep the floor - anything that will occupy five minutes of my time.

    I have found that eating high-protein foods (for me this is tempeh) also keeps me fuller longer.

    I do not avoid carbs - my daily goal is 50% carbs. Carbs are a necessary source of energy for our brains, which need glucose. I do avoid heavily-processed carbs, i.e. sugar, white bread. I still eat potatoes, brown rice, all kinds of vegetables, some fruit, etc.

    For the past 8 years I have eaten a relatively high-carb diet and have never had a BMI of more than 22 in this time. Different methods work for different people, but villainising a whole macronutrient group has been proven never to be the answer.

    Adjusting to a lower calorie amount that usual is not easy going! For me, drinking loads of tea and water, eating a sensibly balanced set of macros throughout the day, and distracting myself from cravings with productive activities is the magic combination to losing/keeping extra fat off.

    Best of luck on your journey to a healthier body and mind, however that looks and however you get there!
  • BlueSkyShoal
    BlueSkyShoal Posts: 325 Member
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    Sleep. When I would get really, unbearably hungry . . . I'd go take a nap. (Obviously this one doesn't work when you're at work, lol.)
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I read a review on a protein supplement site, a woman said that she kept zipper sandwich bags containing 1 serving of the protein powder in her purse, at her desk, in her car, etc for those occasions when she couldn't eat proper meals. She simply added a little water to the baggie and had protein pudding.
  • DietPrada
    DietPrada Posts: 1,171 Member
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    I spent 20 years trying to diet and failing because of the hunger. I'm never hungry now, and I've lost 80 lbs. But I eat low carb, high fat. Contrary to what people on here will tell you, I am not missing out on anything, my diet is full of great healthy food and I've never felt (or looked) better.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Coffee...lots of coffee...
  • youdoyou2016
    youdoyou2016 Posts: 393 Member
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    IdahoAdventurer wrote: »
    When I eat a few eggs in the morning, I'm not hungry for most of the day. I know that's a pretty simple and unexciting solution, but it works really, really well. I've lost 40lbs since Christmas and I'm not starving myself.

    Same here. I learned that if I have oatmeal or fruit in the morning, I'm hungry the rest of the day -- no matter what else I eat.

    Also, if you're just starting out I think you just have to get used to it at first. Everybody here is giving ideas, of course. (Including me.) But, sometimes, for no reason it seems, I have a "hungry day." I just ignore it. It's only a sensation.

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