Controlling Cravings?
rpkg62
Posts: 44 Member
Aight ya'll. I've been trying to stick to a diet and keep my overall calories down. Been working on this for a few months. I have found that it is waaayyy easier to control myself for breakfast and lunch. For dinner I super struggle. I always feel like I over eat.
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
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Replies
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You could cut out breakfast in favor of a bigger dinner and a snack for those cravings.5
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I eventually cut out breakfast and save the majority of my calories for dinner, because I love dinner. As for cravings? What do you crave usually - maybe you can trick yourself with a lower cal alternative?0
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Maybe give yourself a dessert awhile after dinner? I've found that if I eat my dinner, wait an hour, eat my fruit dessert (~100-120 cal), I do really well and don't crave anything. Generally, I do an apple or tangerines.0
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are you still losing weight with "over eating" at dinner?0
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Losing weight is just as much of a mental thing as a physical thing. For me it has taken 3 months to get into the mindset of "stop eating when you are no longer full" this is a tough one for me. I like food, I like junk food, I am used to eating until stuffed. Just keep trying, it will get easier. As for the junk food, for me at least, if I can't control eating it then I simply keep it out of the house!0
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Are you eating enough in general? How much weight do you need to lose to get into a healthy BMI? How many calories a day are you eating? Usually extreme hunger is because you are undereating.1
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Your diary isn't open so we can't take a look there and see where you have wiggle room. So give us some specs on you - age, height, weight, goal weight, current calorie stats, and how you have MFP set up.
In general if you aren't feeling satisfied play around with your macros and see what keeps you fuller longer. For me it is high protein and fat at dinner while keeping non-veggie carbs earlier in the day. If that still doesn't work change your weight loss goal to less per week to give you more calories to play with. I have mine set to 1 lb/week and then try to get at least 500 calories of exercise per day to get me to 2 lbs/week.
*For you it might be a volume thing. Try adding a large vegetable salad with minimal dressing or a oil/vinegar/lemon juice combo before dinner - it has a lot of volume for not too many calories and could fill you up better once you have your dinner. Cauliflower rice and zoodles are also great options to lots of volume with minimal calories so you can have more.
*Pick leaner, lower calorie proteins like chicken and fish so you can have more of it while still keeping within your calories.
*Try shaving 50 calories each off breakfast and lunch and make 100 calorie packs of animal crackers or other snacks to have on hand after dinner. Or just have 100 more calories at dinner.
*if you exercise and aren't eating the calories back start eating 50% of them. If you aren't exercising add a walk or something to get some extra calories to play with.
*how restrictive is your diet? There is no reason to cut out your favorite foods just have less of them. Calories are king when trying to lose weight so as long as you can fit it into your calories/macros have some. You will have a better chance of success long term that way anyway
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Do you crave sweet? If so it could be caused from using artificial sweeteners...and diet sodas. This was my weakness before but now I know and avoid it as I possibly can.0
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Aight ya'll. I've been trying to stick to a diet and keep my overall calories down. Been working on this for a few months. I have found that it is waaayyy easier to control myself for breakfast and lunch. For dinner I super struggle. I always feel like I over eat.
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
I have the same struggle. I eat approx 330 kcal for breakfast, 400-450kcal for lunch, 80-100kcal in snacks and 550-700kcal for dinner. My vice is eating all the food as soon as I get home from work and before dinner.
I try to have a snack as late in the afternoon as possible. For me this is a medium sized apple at around 3.30-4pm which means I'm not as hungry when I get home and don't each tonnes of cheese right before a bigger dinner!I eventually cut out breakfast and save the majority of my calories for dinner, because I love dinner. As for cravings? What do you crave usually - maybe you can trick yourself with a lower cal alternative?
I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
Something that also works really well for me is to read a magazine while i eat. Mouthful, paragraph or two, mouthful. This really slows down my eating and because it takes ~20 mins for your brain to register that you are approaching being full, the slower you eat, the less you eat as you reach feeling full before you've downed 6 tacos (my record is 8).1 -
Aight ya'll. I've been trying to stick to a diet and keep my overall calories down. Been working on this for a few months. I have found that it is waaayyy easier to control myself for breakfast and lunch. For dinner I super struggle. I always feel like I over eat.
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
I have the same struggle. I eat approx 330 kcal for breakfast, 400-450kcal for lunch, 80-100kcal in snacks and 550-700kcal for dinner. My vice is eating all the food as soon as I get home from work and before dinner.
I try to have a snack as late in the afternoon as possible. For me this is a medium sized apple at around 3.30-4pm which means I'm not as hungry when I get home and don't each tonnes of cheese right before a bigger dinner!I eventually cut out breakfast and save the majority of my calories for dinner, because I love dinner. As for cravings? What do you crave usually - maybe you can trick yourself with a lower cal alternative?
I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
Something that also works really well for me is to read a magazine while i eat. Mouthful, paragraph or two, mouthful. This really slows down my eating and because it takes ~20 mins for your brain to register that you are approaching being full, the slower you eat, the less you eat as you reach feeling full before you've downed 6 tacos (my record is 8).
I beg to differ. That myth has been debunked. I am not hungry in the morning, so I do not eat. If it's working for you, great - but doesn't mean it's for everyone. I stay within my calorie goals just fine. I personally love snacks and have one when I want one. A cereal company in the 40's had a brilliant marketing strategy and started this ridiculous claim. https://priceonomics.com/how-breakfast-became-a-thing/2 -
Aight ya'll. I've been trying to stick to a diet and keep my overall calories down. Been working on this for a few months. I have found that it is waaayyy easier to control myself for breakfast and lunch. For dinner I super struggle. I always feel like I over eat.
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
I have the same struggle. I eat approx 330 kcal for breakfast, 400-450kcal for lunch, 80-100kcal in snacks and 550-700kcal for dinner. My vice is eating all the food as soon as I get home from work and before dinner.
I try to have a snack as late in the afternoon as possible. For me this is a medium sized apple at around 3.30-4pm which means I'm not as hungry when I get home and don't each tonnes of cheese right before a bigger dinner!I eventually cut out breakfast and save the majority of my calories for dinner, because I love dinner. As for cravings? What do you crave usually - maybe you can trick yourself with a lower cal alternative?
I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
Something that also works really well for me is to read a magazine while i eat. Mouthful, paragraph or two, mouthful. This really slows down my eating and because it takes ~20 mins for your brain to register that you are approaching being full, the slower you eat, the less you eat as you reach feeling full before you've downed 6 tacos (my record is 8).
I beg to differ. That myth has been debunked. I am not hungry in the morning, so I do not eat. If it's working for you, great - but doesn't mean it's for everyone. I stay within my calorie goals just fine. I personally love snacks and have one when I want one. A cereal company in the 40's had a brilliant marketing strategy and started this ridiculous claim. https://priceonomics.com/how-breakfast-became-a-thing/
I am glad it is working for you! That is all that matters. I find my anger, hunger and general mood to be terrible if I don't eat breakfast. There is so much contradictory evidence surrounding diet and lifestyle that I guess we all find different evidence and draw different conclusions.
If something is working for you, then don't change it. I was aiming my advice at the OP who currently eats breakfast. There are studies which show that if you eat breakfast and stop you may lose more weight and there are studies that show the exact opposite.
The most important thing is to find a balance which works for you in the long run and is sustainable for your lifestyle change in general, not just dropping weight.0 -
Aight ya'll. I've been trying to stick to a diet and keep my overall calories down. Been working on this for a few months. I have found that it is waaayyy easier to control myself for breakfast and lunch. For dinner I super struggle. I always feel like I over eat.
Does anyone have tricks to feel fuller faster? Control cravings? etc?
I have the same struggle. I eat approx 330 kcal for breakfast, 400-450kcal for lunch, 80-100kcal in snacks and 550-700kcal for dinner. My vice is eating all the food as soon as I get home from work and before dinner.
I try to have a snack as late in the afternoon as possible. For me this is a medium sized apple at around 3.30-4pm which means I'm not as hungry when I get home and don't each tonnes of cheese right before a bigger dinner!I eventually cut out breakfast and save the majority of my calories for dinner, because I love dinner. As for cravings? What do you crave usually - maybe you can trick yourself with a lower cal alternative?
I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
Something that also works really well for me is to read a magazine while i eat. Mouthful, paragraph or two, mouthful. This really slows down my eating and because it takes ~20 mins for your brain to register that you are approaching being full, the slower you eat, the less you eat as you reach feeling full before you've downed 6 tacos (my record is 8).
I beg to differ. That myth has been debunked. I am not hungry in the morning, so I do not eat. If it's working for you, great - but doesn't mean it's for everyone. I stay within my calorie goals just fine. I personally love snacks and have one when I want one. A cereal company in the 40's had a brilliant marketing strategy and started this ridiculous claim. https://priceonomics.com/how-breakfast-became-a-thing/
I am glad it is working for you! That is all that matters. I find my anger, hunger and general mood to be terrible if I don't eat breakfast. There is so much contradictory evidence surrounding diet and lifestyle that I guess we all find different evidence and draw different conclusions.
If something is working for you, then don't change it. I was aiming my advice at the OP who currently eats breakfast. There are studies which show that if you eat breakfast and stop you may lose more weight and there are studies that show the exact opposite.
The most important thing is to find a balance which works for you in the long run and is sustainable for your lifestyle change in general, not just dropping weight.
Couldn't agree more
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Super helpful! Thanks!!
I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
Something that also works really well for me is to read a magazine while i eat. Mouthful, paragraph or two, mouthful. This really slows down my eating and because it takes ~20 mins for your brain to register that you are approaching being full, the slower you eat, the less you eat as you reach feeling full before you've downed 6 tacos (my record is 8).
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I know every 'professional' says this but don't be skipping breakfast! I know it feels good to have a large dinner but you're setting yourself up for the day by having a good breakfast. Not only does it break the fasting metabolism of your sleep but eating a healthy breakfast with a good mix of carbs, proteins and fats will help keep you full until lunchtime limiting your snacking (less snacks in the morning means more for dinner!).
This is not true - the whole "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" myth was told by the cereal industry to sell more cereal. It's sad that people still believe it.
When you eat during the day has NO EFFECT on weight loss. You can skip breakfast and lunch and only have a huge dinner before bed if you want. It will NOT affect your weight loss or metabolism negatively.
The bottom line is eat whenever it makes you happy. Some people do best grazing throughout the day, some people (like me) do best with no breakfast, small lunch, and large dinner. I find that my morning hunger is the same regardless of whether I eat breakfast or not, so I choose to save my calories till lunchtime. It's personal preference.
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