I'm always left hungry.

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  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
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    I would experiment with your macros as well as meal timing, number of meals, volume eating, etc.

    Personally, I'm on 1400 calories a day, but I don't split my calories the way you do. I typically have the fewest calories at breakfast and more and more as the day goes on. I find this works for me and I'm never hungry. I also leave calories for snacks when I'm hungry and try not to eat if I'm not hungry. I find carbs very filling as well as protein. Just what works for me.

    You say the hunger isn't constant so I would focus on the meals that do leave you feeling full. What's the difference between those meals and the ones that leave you hungry? That's where I would begin to look at things to try to figure out what to change.
  • jennyf55
    jennyf55 Posts: 24 Member
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    Wow, I'm so inspired. You guys have given me so many new ideas. A lot of stuff to consider and figure out about what I'm doing. Need to do some menu revamping. May sound stupid, but what are MACROS? I'm not in that loop I guess. I have found so many things in these posts that I have a list of things to start looking up tomorrow to replan what I am doing and try to make things work a bit better. Sounds like I have just been doing it wrong and that's the biggest reason I've been hungry. You guys have the solutions I think, I just didn't know about them.

    Thank you all so much. Give a week or so to try some of this stuff out.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Macros are basically the three categories of food. Carbs, protein and fat. Fibre comes from your carbs (fibrous veg primarily) and people find upping that can help. as I said, makes no difference for me.

    You can keep an eye on these things through the nutrition tab at the bottom of the screen if you are on a phone. Not sure where it is on the website as I don't log through it, I'm sure someone else can help with that.

    And you weren't doing it wrong, you just didn't know that all these things can potentially make a significant difference. It may take a bit of time to work out what will be best for you but you will get a better idea as you go along.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    jennyf55 wrote: »
    Wow, I'm so inspired. You guys have given me so many new ideas. A lot of stuff to consider and figure out about what I'm doing. Need to do some menu revamping. May sound stupid, but what are MACROS? I'm not in that loop I guess. I have found so many things in these posts that I have a list of things to start looking up tomorrow to replan what I am doing and try to make things work a bit better. Sounds like I have just been doing it wrong and that's the biggest reason I've been hungry. You guys have the solutions I think, I just didn't know about them.

    Thank you all so much. Give a week or so to try some of this stuff out.

    The three macros are Fat, Carbohydrates and Protein. Fat is 9 calories per gram, carbs and protein are 4 calories per gram each.

    While macros don't have a direct effect on weight loss (that's calories all the way), different levels of macros can have an effect on how satisfied you feel and how long you stay full.

    There are also other reasons to ensure you get enough of particular macros, like the body needing a certain amount of fat to function properly and take in fat-soluble vitamins, and protein being used by the body for building and repairing muscles and other tissues.
  • Froggyh
    Froggyh Posts: 81 Member
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    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    I think the only thing you can do is play around with the size and timing and composition of your meals.

    I won't ask you to tell us what you eat or give you lists of filling foods. Satiety is an individual thing, and you'll need to find out through trial and error which foods are most filling for you. Don't think that just because all low carbers say fat is filling that you'll find it's filling or because all the young kids are telling you starch is where it's at that a bowl of cold potatoes will necessarily do the trick for you.

    I will say this much - sometimes it's a combination of things. It took me a while to find out, for example, that I need protein and starch to feel satiated. For other people it's protein and fat. For others it's protein and fiber. I saw someone else once say it was starch and fat. See how much it varies?

    The bottom line is that you have mentioned what you think is an ideal type of diet you have in mind for yourself, but it's not working - so - just don't keep trying to eat that way! Experiment with different foods within your calorie budget that have different macro mixes, and see what that does to help with the hunger pains.

    Agreed. For me it's all three macros. I'm playing around with a 40/30/30 ratio right now and it seems to be working pretty well. I don't sweat it too much, but I make sure to include all three macros in my meals and at least two in any snacks.

    Fibre, on the other hand? Doesn't do anything for me.
  • jennyf55
    jennyf55 Posts: 24 Member
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    Ok, I get it. Now Macros makes sense to me. I understand what you're all talking about now.
  • womanisadevil
    womanisadevil Posts: 52 Member
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    If I don't eat every hour or two I get hangry.
    Real mean.

    I eat 5-7 times. 200-350 calories.
    More meals if I'm working (fast food kitchen) I clean all the things and my fit bit gives me more exercise calories or steps and I just eat all day all night...

    "How are you losing weight if every time I look at you, you're eating?!"
    Smalls meals, boys. Small. Meals.

    3x a day never worked for me. I was used to overeating till I was so full I couldn't move.
    Hunger pangs trigger me back to binge so I just make it so I'm always satisfied.
    You have to play around and find what works for you.

    Good luck!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jennyf55 wrote: »
    Ok, I get it. Now Macros makes sense to me. I understand what you're all talking about now.

    That was a big help to me too, figuring out what macros were and how they fit into what makes me satisfied. (FYI "macro" is short for macronutrient. You will also read people refer to "micros" which are micronutrients and range from subsets of macros like fiber and sugar being subsets of carbs to all the vitamins and minerals).

    Some things to think about as you figure this out:
    Is there a particular time of day you feel most hungry?
    Are you staying hydrated?
    Are you on a medication that can affect hunger signals?
    Does you stomach feel really empty and growling or is it more your brain desiring more food?

    You can figure this out, but it DOES require really being aware of what is happening in both your body and your brain.
  • SkimpyMrsCarter
    SkimpyMrsCarter Posts: 105 Member
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    Just try harder to stick with it and your body will get use to it.It may be a hard adjustment for your body so for now when you feel hungry grab some fruits or veggies to get your body use to the adjustment.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    Panda8ach wrote: »
    If you're body gets hungry and it's not sure when it's getting fed again, it will hold on to the fat

    This is completely not true.

    JennyF - you were used to eating more than you should have. Whether you were used to it mentally, physically, or both, it will take some time to adjust to eating less, and some of that adjustment may come in the form of hunger (which may be partially mental as well).
    One thing I've done is save some of my calories for a small snack before bed (like an apple). It's hard to sleep when you're hungry and knowing I can have a snack after dinner helps.
    You're doing really good though!


  • ActionAnnieJXN
    ActionAnnieJXN Posts: 116 Member
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    Hi Jenny, you've gotten some great ideas in this thread and I agree that playing around with the timing of your meals may be helpful - that has certainly helped me. I can tolerate hunger more during the earlier part of the day, so I save most of my calories for the evening. It looks like we eat about the same amount (1350) and I'm hungry every day too. I'd like to be able to eat more, but unfortunately, being 54 and having serious health problems (recovering from bone cancer and chronic leukemia), I can't lose if I eat any more, so I've had to find ways to cope with the hunger. I find I can deal with it better mentally if I know that it is for a limited period of time and I will be able satisfy that hunger beginning in the late afternoon and be comfortable the rest of the night.

    Just to share a couple foods that really help me - I don't know if I could make it without watermelon and popcorn! The watermelon is 88 calories for 10 ounces (about 3.5 cups) and light popcorn for 120 calories per 3.5 cups. So that's 200 calories for 7 cups of very filling food! Many days I eat both of these to help keep hunger at bay. Wishing you all the best in your journey! :-)
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Panda8ach wrote: »
    I eat little and often during the day and have a 500+ meal for tea :) I do have days where I seem to have an insatiable hunger (like today!) but 90% of the time it works. If you're body gets hungry and it's not sure when it's getting fed again, it will hold on to the fat :( Maybe try it for a week and see how your body responds :)

    No, it won't. Absolutely not.
  • brznhabits
    brznhabits Posts: 126 Member
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    Yes, water and macros can help. However, honestly even though you didn't supply your stats (please do) your intake seems possibly aggressively low.
  • jennyf55
    jennyf55 Posts: 24 Member
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    ActionAnnieJXN wrote: »
    Just to share a couple foods that really help me - I don't know if I could make it without watermelon and popcorn! The watermelon is 88 calories for 10 ounces (about 3.5 cups) and light popcorn for 120 calories per 3.5 cups. So that's 200 calories for 7 cups of very filling food! Many days I eat both of these to help keep hunger at bay. Wishing you all the best in your journey! :-)

    That's a good idea. I'll definitely use that.
  • jennyf55
    jennyf55 Posts: 24 Member
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    I see that I need to be more responsible and more demanding of myself. I am trying some of your hints for filling things to curb hunger so I can have a fairly normal dinner with my husband.

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