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TamLam99
Member Posts: 242 Member
Member Posts: 242 Member
Hunger - tips to take the edge off between meals and at night
TamLam99
Member Posts: 242 Member
Member Posts: 242 Member
What have you tried that actually works to take the edge off true hunger, stomach growling, irritable, my body needs food hunger ? There are days when I feel very hungry between meals or at the end of the day when I've used up all my calories. I always eat my exercise calories and have my goals set to only 1/2 pound a week. I have also tried upping my protein and fat which sometimes helps but there are some days that I just feel uncomfortable nagging hunger all day.
I've tried drinking coffee, or cup of broth, eating pickles, water, sugar free popsicles.
Any other tips, tricks, or suggestions that you have found helpful ?
I've tried drinking coffee, or cup of broth, eating pickles, water, sugar free popsicles.
Any other tips, tricks, or suggestions that you have found helpful ?
Replies
You'll probably get a variety of responses here, so try each of them for a week and see which is most beneficial to YOU. I get extremely moody if I'm even the slightest bit hungry, so what I'm doing works for me. Hope this helps!
But also, inexplicably, last night I felt no hunger signals despite a long run that day. And spent the end of the night with a treat, which was very nice but can't help but think I should have just skipped it since I wasn't totally in the mood for it.
Other things I've tried that have somewhat worked is to immediately distract myself with a non-food related activity: do some cleaning, work on a small project, read a book, to pass the time. And if I know I don't have the calorie budget for the little snacks and treats, I definitely plan to have a low calorie, high volume dinner (usually a really huge veggie stir-fry).
I do wish I had more days like yesterday where I didn't feel all that hungry by the end of the day. Wonder what the combination of factors were.
LOL - your non food related activities made me chuckle, I am always running around cleaning something to take my mind off the hunger - you could eat off my floors! It's not easy figuring out the combo of factors, I can repeat the exact same thing another day and it doesn't have the same outcome.
The last 15 pounds took me nine months and I was hungry a lot of that time. I was set at a tiny deficit (200-300 calories) and I had a very hard time sticking with that. I prepared all my meals, so I was sure of eating every single calorie. I took a 45 minute walk on hills nearly every day. It was hard. I started just giving in to it every few days, sort of like a "refeed" day, except I didn't try to watch macros, I just ate. That seemed to help, I'm sure it slowed down my weight loss somewhat, but did I mention I was hungry?
Hang on. Do your best but just accept that it's hard and some days you're gonna eat more than planned.
I'm many years in to Maintenance and I still have a day every week where I just have to eat a whole lot more. My Maintenance calories are not that high or low, either. They aren't really enough to keep me within calories every day.
That was my first thought as well. I do much better on the 6 small meals mindset than 3 bigger meals.
I know my next snack meal isn't too far away and it's a lot easier to wait 2 hours than 4-5. I have to be careful to include variety, making sure I get lots of veggies and protein, etc.
Eating 1 small and 2 larger meals seems to be better than tiny snacks all day.
If you have a large appetite, I would suggest higher protein intake. 1.6g per kg at least and learn to love fruits and veggies.
Yes, well, you'll have to find something that works for you. These days I have a big bowl of raw vegetables in the middle of the day - I really feel like sometimes my body needs particular nutrients and I have to find them or I will be hungry. That is usually just lettuce, cucumber, celery and carrots or pepper. I agree that two largish meals and a snack is better than a bunch of little meals - for me.
When I had 60-70 pounds to lose I was still set at, "Lose 2 pounds per week," so I'm surprised you're hungry at "Lose 1/2 pound."
Maybe it's about macros. Are you hitting or exceeding at least 20% Protein daily? Are you getting enough fiber? If I eat too many carb-y foods it makes me really hungry.
Balance
**edit** are you hungry? Or just wanting? TRUE HUNGER can be satisfied by almost any calorie containing food. Picture not eating for an week and the only food you get is a carrot. I am guessing you would take that damn carrot and it would taste amazing. True hunger is the best sauce imho..
I would most likely eat my shoe after day 1. I would eat the carrot, if you said mushroom or broccoli I would starve to death.
Than when you are hungry and not meal time, eat a Pound of carrots. About 180 calories.... add in some baked chicken breast plain with fat removed. About 5 oz raw is about 150 calories. Then see if you are still "hungry". Maybe, but doubtful...
I disagree with eating bread and cheese or milk to help with satiety. Maybe for you, but those are all higher calorie density foods that can easily over eaten on vs fruit, veg, and lean protein... jmho...