How do you control your cravings and hunger pangs?

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.

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

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

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.

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

Coffee, black, no sugar. And tea, green.

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.

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.'

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.

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..

Hot drinks. Making them is a “food” routine that soothes me, drinking them staves off hunger. This one is under 20 calories.