How do you control your cravings and hunger pangs?

Hey everyone :)

I've been counting calories for about 5-6 days now, and so far it's been great o:)

I was wandering, how do you control your cravings and hunger pangs? I used to eat about +3500 calories a day, and with MyFitnessPal, I've managed to lower it to about 2300-ish. But I still seem to get bad cravings and hunger pangs...

Any tips?
Thanks B)

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    In general, reduce or eliminate highly processed foods, so more whole foods. Also, more lean proteins and dairy, as well as, low gi high volume fruits and veggies (i.e., berries, spinach, etc...).

    And you can also play with macros to see if fat or carbs have a bigger impact on hunger. For me currently, the more i have suppressed carbs, th more full i have become and has helped with the vanity weight. Which ironically is different when i lost my initial 50 lbs a decade ago.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    You should not be hungry all the time. It is going to happen though and it is important to remember that hunger is not an emergency and you do not have to eat just because you are hungry. I mention this because many of us have a strong habit of eating when hungry and when you decide to hold off it can be quite a mental storm the first few times. It feels so wrong and unnatural.

    I think of my cravings as the kid in the candy store. The more I practice being an adult and either moderating an amount I can afford, delaying gratification, or just saying "no" to myself the more the child within learns to stop throwing the tantrums. I wish I had an easier answer but we are dealing with habits that do not have quick fixes.

    I suggest starting with upping your protein and if your current diet is low on fiber gradually increasing it.

    Please keep coming back and asking for help even if it is about this issue again. It takes some trial and error to get things worked out. You are doing great. Stick with it.
  • pourmonsoleil
    pourmonsoleil Posts: 15 Member
    I agree with the previous poster. Try to eat foods with more volume such as large salads with romaine, spinach and such but easy on the dressing. Also, lots of fiber helps keep you full but this should probably done gradually as you will need to get used to the fiber if you have not been having so much in the past. That should help with hunger pangs!
    If you are craving something specific, work a small amount into your calories for the day. I cannot deprive myself of something I truly want, so I make room for a little bit of what I am craving in my day's calories. :smile:
  • nickybcomedy
    nickybcomedy Posts: 1 Member
    I've been trying my best to drink more lemon water to fill me up, but what's really been helping me for some reason is I started taking these two all natural supplements that have apple cider vinegar and tumeric in the them. I really think it was one of those that started curbing my cravings lil by lil
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    One other piece of information, i find that if i have 3 large meals (no snacking) it makes it a lot easier to stay full. So maybe 2-3 very high volume, high protein meals will help.
  • B_Plus_Effort
    B_Plus_Effort Posts: 311 Member
    edited October 2020
    so lately two things seem to work for me

    1. immediately change the subject in your head, if you see a yummy burger post on Instagram, don't watch it, switch to a car video or a guy working out, or think about something, anything, anything that works for you

    2. when I am cutting weight aggressively I do it for a short period of time like 4 to 6 weeks then maintain that weight for 4 to 6 months, when I am in that loosing phase and hunger comes I play a little game especially if I am working from home at the computer, I will literally write down on a piece of scratch paper when Mr. Hunger struck and just doing so, I have never written down when it went away, because I always got distracted and it was gone probably like in 2 minutes

    C. the biggest thing that did it for me (and bring on the critics) is Fasting for a day, once you fast for a day you can go 2 to 4 hours in between meals without snacking super easy (of course fasting is recommended for otherwise healthy individuals, yet it seems like any time I mention this thousands of year old ritual, it's always the vocal minority that is the exceptions that beats me up about it, look if it has plenty of floor space but you just can't dance to it, then don't do it)

    hope, this helps, like anything else, it takes time, you did not ride a bike the first time you mounted one, you did not jump in the pool for the first time and swam across it
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    OP. I agree with @NovusDies and @psuLemon. Both are people I highly respect. I would love to help anyway I can. Send me a friend request and I will message you and we can chat. If not.. best wishes...
  • suzij27
    suzij27 Posts: 199 Member

    The chart that novusdies posted is extremely helpful. (Thank you!) High fiber, high volume and getting enough protein help me to feel full and satisfied.

    For hunger - A hot beverage now that it is getting colder, or cold depending upon where you live. Having a cup of tea or even a cup of chicken broth (high in sodium) can tide me over. It may be that you are dehydrated, so try drinking a large glass of water or a hot beverage.

    For cravings - some people can plan for and eat a small amount of the thing they are craving. For me, it often leads to a binge, depending upon the food. You’ll have to test out what works for you. Too much restriction backfires for most people.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    For cravings that are more psychological than physical: keeping myself/my hands busy and distracting myself.

    For example, I always used to snack while watching TV.
    Now, I watch less TV while sitting on the couch: I do laps around the living room while watching TV (less convenient to snack), I watch TV while exercising in my home gym and I find activities away from the couch and TV.
  • IronIsMyTherapy
    IronIsMyTherapy Posts: 482 Member
    Hunger
    - I drink a lot of water
    - I make sure my meals have a lot of volume
    - I make sure my deficit isn't too extreme
    - I make sure I don't drink my calories (with the exception of protein shakes but my calories aren't super low. If they dropped, I'd replace them with more lean meat.)

    Cravings
    - I allow myself occasional treats but make them fit my macros
    - I get creative with macro magic (Spaghetti squash buffalo chicken bake, air fry crunch wraps, protein pancakes/french toast, etc). Check out www.flexibledietinglifestyle.com
    - I call myself a weak little !@%& that has no self control in my head, lol
  • domeofstars
    domeofstars Posts: 480 Member
    Drinking lots of water helps me. Also utilizing the satiating power of protein. Its not for everyone but what has helped me so much are quest bars and protein powders, low fat dairy, plenty of vegetables, not purposefully eating low carb but having low glycemic index carbs, and minimal amounts of sugar and fatty foods. It can be tough in the beginning but what can help me is thinking about how much more energy I have when i eat healthy...also health reasons. Reminding yourself of why you want to lose weight in the first place. Not cutting back calories too drastically as well, otherwise its a recipe for disaster for me and just leads to binge eating. Some people have also found it helpful to have a ''diet break"' for a couple of weeks, that is purposefully eating to maintain for a couple of weeks and then six weeks of calorie restriction; and then continuing that cycle. Or even one week on, one week off. You need to find what works for you I suppose, different things work for different people
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    Coffee, black, no sugar. And tea, green.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    edited October 2020
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539357/

    It works for me. Another member that I respect told me about it. In addition to this, I do what the Moderator suggested. I eat 3 meals aday, high volume with proteins and greens and so on.


  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    Hot drinks act as appetite suppressants for me.

    Sometimes your body recognizes dehydration as hunger. Have a glass of water and let it settle a few minutes before you eat something. It may relieve the hunger pang.

    Keep hands busy. As long as I’m either hoisting said hot drink up and down and slowly savoring it, or doing busy work with my hands (needlepoint, crochet, beading for me) my hands are so busy and my brain so immersed that I don’t reach for food.

    Have a cache of low calorie snacks and don’t keep junk food in the house. My current go-to is some beef jerky that is 45 calories an ounce, or sugar free jello (which i just discovered and which is surprisingly filling).

    I also find if I keep my protein macro high I don’t get hungry. Last night I was scrambling trying to use up my calories because I’d had so much protein and wasn’t hungry. Had a giant bowl of cottage cheese (more protein) and fruit to try to use some of them up.

    I haven’t been happy with my protein count all week, so yesterday I grilled three or four pounds of chicken to nibble on as needed. I had an 8 ounce chicken breast for breakfast. Low calorie and I feel like I could go for hours without eating, but I won’t. I’ve got a snack of leftover buttermilk pancakes with a swish of maple butter scheduled after my powerwalk this morning. Yum.
  • steph6556
    steph6556 Posts: 575 Member
    I fill up on protein ( deli turkey meat, cottage cheese, peanut butter ) and fiber. Since I started MFP and charting all my calories I’ve learned where to cut stuff out to allow more calories for the evening which is when I tend to get hungry. At lunch I eat mostly protein and follow up with a fiber rich drink ( like veggies and water mixed with a probiotic) or straight up Metamucil to fill up my tummy and then I’m left with like, 900 calories for dinner which is a lot of food and drink for me. I end up eating less than that and being stuffed until breakfast the next day!! Fiber dude.
  • 4ajguthrie
    4ajguthrie Posts: 43 Member
    For some eating between meals (grazing) is a habit we have acquired as teens. The habit is reinforced as we get older and have the means to purchase 'tasties' and snacks.

    I found that after I tried a whole bunch of advice and tips it came down to me deciding to be in control and break the 'habit.'
  • ddepallo1
    ddepallo1 Posts: 4 Member
    Ditto to drinking lots of water, especially with your meal. Also, find out how many grams of protein you need per day and make a plan to meet that goal daily.
  • I learned with a little practice when my hunger became a problem. Then, I managed it with snacks so that it wouldn't be. For me, that meant that I need an afternoon snack so I'm not totally ravenous when I sit down to dinner, and I need a snack about an hour before I go to bed so that I'm not hungry while trying to sleep.

    But when I say a snack, at most I'm talking about 150 calories. It's not going to satiate me. It's tasty, and I eat it, and go do other things. And it's enough that I'm not crying because I'm so hungry.
  • ddepallo1
    ddepallo1 Posts: 4 Member
    I keep an 8x11 sheet that I call "Things To Do Instead Of Eating". It has a different ideas for things I can use to distract me when I'm having food thoughts and cravings. You can find a good book that will enthrall you. When you're reading you don't think about food as much.
  • Muhammad_Saqlain
    Muhammad_Saqlain Posts: 55 Member
    Once I thought of an idea.. But haven't implemented it yet.. Its basically add a reminder or keep it with yourself all the time.. Like a ring, bracelet or some watch.. Whenever u look it, it would remind you of its purpose.. Once your goals are achieved you can keep that as a Trophy for your achievement.. Just a psychological method.. Hope it helps..
  • melissalan
    melissalan Posts: 75 Member
    I re-started MFP a week ago and am having some of the same issues. I am working from home now, and the temptation snack is so pervasive!
    I did pretty good, but the scale didn’t move any at all, so that was disappointing. But I’m going to keep at it.
    Good luck with your journey. Feel free to add me as a friend.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
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    Hot drinks. Making them is a “food” routine that soothes me, drinking them staves off hunger. This one is under 20 calories.