Does anyone else find themselves starving?

You've had some excellent suggestions so far. I'll throw in my two cents based on my own experience.

When I started MFP, it wasn't too long before I completely ditched cereal. My breakfast now consists of a Fuji apple and scoop of ON whey protein (30g protein and 120 calories). The fiber and protein are much more satisfying than a bowl of cereal, and typically less calories as well.

You may consider altering your diet with foods containing more protein and fiber, as well as low cal snacks and exercise. I'm not necessarily giving a one size fits a solution, merely what has worked for me.

TavistockToad wrote: »

It doesnt suprise me that you would be hungry 4 hours after eating... you will either have to be hungry for a couple of hours or sacrifice 100 cals for a snack?

maybe add some exercise so you can eat more?

I also don't find normal cereal very filling - not enough fat or protein.

Depends my breakfast is hard boiled/soft boiled eggs on wholemeal bread so quite filling

Try drinking lots of water and tea throughout the day to prevent the hunger.

Vanillavirtue wrote: »

monjones07 wrote: »

I've recently adapted to a Low Carb/Keto diet. I find myself not craving sugars or junk and I have to remind myself to eat because my appetite has diminished. For me personally, this is the way to go to loose and maintain the weight. Cereal is ALL carbs basically so then you end up hungry sooner and wanting more junk.

I tried the keto before but how do people stay regular as in bowel movements? I have to have my fiber which is in carbs so that's why I stopped the keto. It causes constipation.

Keto is alright but I agree it's not really ideal or long term

MaggieMayy959 wrote: »

So my calorie goal is just under 1500. I made a breakfast today packed with protein so that I wouldn't get too hungry too fast. For lunch I had some cereal. That was about four hours ago. It almost 4 pm and I found myself STARVING. But I only have about 600 calories left that I'm trying to save for dinner. What gives?

Meeeeeeeee

MaggieMayy959 wrote: »

So my calorie goal is just under 1500. I made a breakfast today packed with protein so that I wouldn't get too hungry too fast. For lunch I had some cereal. That was about four hours ago. It almost 4 pm and I found myself STARVING. But I only have about 600 calories left that I'm trying to save for dinner. What gives?

I wouldn't be starving after eating cereal for lunch I would be HANGRY!

If you're not hungry at breakfast time try to save some calories & have a larger lunch & then have a larger dinner with a few snacks thrown in.

I have been hungry too and reported it to my doctor, who suggested that going over my sugars in the food diary was enough to make me hungry. Watch those sugars.

Cereal is the worst for long term satiety. 20-30 grams of protein at each meal helps me feel full. Plus I don't eat 15 hours from dinner to breakfast daily and then have 3 meals and maybe a snack in the 9 remaining hours. That also helps me feel full for my 1550 calories a day.

joaomelo1973 wrote: »

You should eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. Try to eat as many "protein" foods as you can (I did a intense internet search on protein and complex carbohydrates). Cereals won`t do it. I´ve lost since January 66 pounds (268 - 202) and feel i can go on forever with my meal plan (doesnt feel dieting at all). Example of meal plan that my nutritionist gave me (It worked for me)
7:30 am Breakfast - fried egg (coconut oil)....3 slices of "turkey" or "chicken breast" ham....slice of whole bread...6 almonds...cup of coffee (love this breakfast...my 10 year old son too, but only twice a week for him);
10:30 am snack - 50 calories of any lean cheese and 10 almonds;
12:45 pm lunch - Half a plate of meat or fish, the other half is with (beans or brown rice or sweet potatoe u get the picture) and vegetables;
15:00 pm pre-workout shake (whey protein 25gr) taken with a shot of l-carnitine;
16:45 pm post - workout shake (whey protein 25gr) and a banana or orange;
19:00 pm dinner - Half a plate of meat or fish, the other half with vegetables;
22:00 pm late snack - cup of tea with 2-4 whole waffers (sometimes I don´t eat them at all)

That´s around 1500-1600 calories a day.

1 hour exercise 4 times week and all the water i can drink (crucial)

Hope it gives you and idea that eating to far apart isn´t a good idea and that´s why you´re starving.

I am happy to hear that that works for you but we have no rules for food timing.

Get your calories in during a 24 hour period. That's all.

I'm currently on an ultra-high protein diet (trying to slim down while continuing to lift to avoid strength loss) and I've found an unexpected side effect is appetite loss. I've found myself forcing myself to eat to avoid getting too few calories, which is a completely new feeling to me.

I'd heard the "eat protein to feel full" advice before and it never seemed to work until now. The problem is there's a huge difference between eating foods that have a healthy amount of protein, and eating foods where most of the food is protein.

I eat mainly foods that have a protein to calorie ratio of at least 1:10. (This is an easy heuristic to check with mental math, and it implies 40% of calories are from protein. Daily, I average about 45%-50% calories from protein.) Fat-free/low-fat dairy products and lean meats help a lot. Most of the common yogurt brands in the grocery store are now selling 80 or 100 calorie sizes that pack 12-15 grams of protein, respectively. You can eat an entire four pack of yogurt and get less calories than a full bowl of pasta. (The non-protein calories are mostly sugar; I wish they'd make an artificially sweetened version.) Low-fat string cheese is similar, except there the calories are from protein and fat. I've also had some success with protein shakes. (Two scoops/60 grams whey protein + 1-1.5 cups skim milk + 0.5-1 cups frozen fruit of some sort blended in a hand blender, which is less expensive, faster, and way easier to clean than a normal blender.)

Unfortunately, the colloquial definition of "high protein" or "good source of protein" just isn't high protein enough-- you have to check the ingredients yourself. Try to eat foods that provide most of the calories from protein, rather than foods that just happen to have protein in them. You can adjust your macronutrient settings even in the free version of MyFitnessPal; try doubling the protein and seeing how you feel.