What are the number one foods to eat to not feel hungry?
FiberousJ
Posts: 82 Member
This is the problem with a lot of people. Including me. We want to limit our calories and we try really hard. But just because you can count, doesn't mean that you're gonna be able to do it, if you have issues with your brain signaling hunger.
However.. why is it that people that have always been skinny and never worked out, never seem to be super hungry? Is it genetic? Do they have special hormones? Is it because their intestines are smaller? I'm really trying to figure this out. It's simply a matter of them making the choice to not eat as much. They aren't even aware.
So I started eating an apple before a meal. It does work somewhat well. It definitely makes my stomach full. But sometimes, my stomach will feel full but my brain needs something. And so eating fiber does help a little bit. I also do eat veggies, but again, they are not a magic bullet. They help satiate you a little bit. But how can we get it to the point where we don't crave food at all? Yes, water helps a little too. Yes, protein helps a little too. And yes fat helps too, however, the trade-off is that I'm eating more calories short term when I eat fat, so it's hard to say if it's worth it.
Do you see? I wish it was as easy as refueling your car. When you put gas in the tank, your brain is not craving more and more gas. People that shame others for having a hard time losing weight, don't understand that for some people it's a little bit harder to get full in their brains.
I just wish there was a food or supplement that could truly, truly regulate your appetite to the point where maybe you still crave enough to eat, but you don't want to eat that much. Fiber, water, protein, and fat only help so much.
Of course, I've tried things like l glutamine, gaba, or chromium. Don't feel anything. Right now I'm trying to start my day off with eggs, as I heard that helps. Who knows. I would do anything to figure this all out.
The good news is I have figured out how to make my stomach less hungry. That is through water and fiber. And some protein. It does work. Although sometimes, my stomach will feel so full, that it just makes me want food more because I'm paying attention. But most of the time it does work. I've significantly reduced my nighttime cravings. That's a good start.
So I've pretty much solved my stomach hunger. I think that's a win. Now, how do I solve my brain hunger? Yes, I take vitamins and omega 3s and all that. But perhaps someone may know something.
Do you see? My post is meant to be meaningful because I'm trying to get to the root of this. I'm not denying calorie in vs calorie out. But I'm trying to go deeper than that to figure out what causes cravings and what are the most non BS ways to deal with them. Advice is welcome, but please do not be one of those people who just say, ''Stop making excuses.''
However.. why is it that people that have always been skinny and never worked out, never seem to be super hungry? Is it genetic? Do they have special hormones? Is it because their intestines are smaller? I'm really trying to figure this out. It's simply a matter of them making the choice to not eat as much. They aren't even aware.
So I started eating an apple before a meal. It does work somewhat well. It definitely makes my stomach full. But sometimes, my stomach will feel full but my brain needs something. And so eating fiber does help a little bit. I also do eat veggies, but again, they are not a magic bullet. They help satiate you a little bit. But how can we get it to the point where we don't crave food at all? Yes, water helps a little too. Yes, protein helps a little too. And yes fat helps too, however, the trade-off is that I'm eating more calories short term when I eat fat, so it's hard to say if it's worth it.
Do you see? I wish it was as easy as refueling your car. When you put gas in the tank, your brain is not craving more and more gas. People that shame others for having a hard time losing weight, don't understand that for some people it's a little bit harder to get full in their brains.
I just wish there was a food or supplement that could truly, truly regulate your appetite to the point where maybe you still crave enough to eat, but you don't want to eat that much. Fiber, water, protein, and fat only help so much.
Of course, I've tried things like l glutamine, gaba, or chromium. Don't feel anything. Right now I'm trying to start my day off with eggs, as I heard that helps. Who knows. I would do anything to figure this all out.
The good news is I have figured out how to make my stomach less hungry. That is through water and fiber. And some protein. It does work. Although sometimes, my stomach will feel so full, that it just makes me want food more because I'm paying attention. But most of the time it does work. I've significantly reduced my nighttime cravings. That's a good start.
So I've pretty much solved my stomach hunger. I think that's a win. Now, how do I solve my brain hunger? Yes, I take vitamins and omega 3s and all that. But perhaps someone may know something.
Do you see? My post is meant to be meaningful because I'm trying to get to the root of this. I'm not denying calorie in vs calorie out. But I'm trying to go deeper than that to figure out what causes cravings and what are the most non BS ways to deal with them. Advice is welcome, but please do not be one of those people who just say, ''Stop making excuses.''
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Replies
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I wish I had an answer. My stomach is currently full, but my head is saying 'feed me sweets!'. Sometimes I give in.
Sometimes I tell my brain to shut up and do all those things we've all heard a million times (drink iced water/clean teeth/have a 'treat' drink like chocolate mint (the plant) and boiling water...)
Sometimes sleep helps.
Sometimes hormones make it worse. And stress. And exercise at the wrong time. And, and, and...
I'm coming to the conclusion there's going to be no magic bullet, just as there's really no magically skinny peeps. They may SAY they have a fast metabolism, or 'forget' to eat... but those are just like my 'sometimes'.
Bodies need fuel. Brains get confused or addicted or habit laden.
We are more than either.
I'm not saying 'stop making excuses ', cos the struggle is real. But I guess I am saying... we determine what course of action is right for this given moment. If I'm hungry, I should eat. If I'm bored/habit etc, I should find another hobby/distraction. I choose.7 -
Most skinny people do actively work at being skinny. They make choices to eat the way they do. It just becomes a habit to live the way that keeps them skinny.
After a while of using MFP (properly), you'll possibly start to feel that way too.
One thing I remind myself is that it's ok to feel hunger. And it's ok to not be super full. It's also ok to not eat the entire helping. You need to listen to your body to figure out when you NEED food (and how much).13 -
Most skinny people do actively work at being skinny. They make choices to eat the way they do. It just becomes a habit to live the way that keeps them skinny.
After a while of using MFP (properly), you'll possibly start to feel that way too.
One thing I remind myself is that it's ok to feel hunger. And it's ok to not be super full. It's also ok to not eat the entire helping. You need to listen to your body to figure out when you NEED food (and how much).
I agree with most of what you said, but when you say skinny people are making the choices they do, they aren't as hungry. I know many of them who get full right away and admit it's hard to eat a lot. It's not just a matter of willpower, although that could be part of it.4 -
Big veggie salad (don't add croutons, cheese etc) with balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar with chives and herbs as dressing is a good hole-filler.4
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I agree with most of what you said, but when you say skinny people are making the choices they do, they aren't as hungry. I know many of them who get full right away and admit it's hard to eat a lot. It's not just a matter of willpower, although that could be part of it.
Their stomachs are also smaller so they don't need as much food. Also, they consciously don't overeat.
It's definitely not a completely unconscious thing to be naturally skinny. But, like I said, it's a habit they have formed.2 -
skinnyrev2b wrote: »I wish I had an answer. My stomach is currently full, but my head is saying 'feed me sweets!'. Sometimes I give in.
Sometimes I tell my brain to shut up and do all those things we've all heard a million times (drink iced water/clean teeth/have a 'treat' drink like chocolate mint (the plant) and boiling water...)
Sometimes sleep helps.
Sometimes hormones make it worse. And stress. And exercise at the wrong time. And, and, and...
I'm coming to the conclusion there's going to be no magic bullet, just as there's really no magically skinny peeps. They may SAY they have a fast metabolism, or 'forget' to eat... but those are just like my 'sometimes'.
Bodies need fuel. Brains get confused or addicted or habit laden.
We are more than either.
I'm not saying 'stop making excuses ', cos the struggle is real. But I guess I am saying... we determine what course of action is right for this given moment. If I'm hungry, I should eat. If I'm bored/habit etc, I should find another hobby/distraction. I choose.
Right. So maybe it's about habits and developing distractions. However, distractions might only work once in a while. It's not a bulletproof strategy either. So I'm thinking that it may have to do more with habits.
And I'm coming to the conclusion that going on extreme diets is not sustainable. Eventually, our bodies fight back and need the calories.
Also, I'm starting to realize if you just be consistent, it's okay to slip up. It's not about what we do in one day, but what we did for that week or that month or that year.
And patience is a virtue too. Part of the reason I work out so much is so that I'm not reliant on just one way. I don't care if it's a 90 percent diet or an 80 percent diet. 10 to 20 percent is still part of the puzzle. I don't necessarily find that exercise makes me hungrier. It makes me eat back some of the calories but not all of them.
But right now I have a journal and I'm writing down what's working and what's not. I've actually lost about 30 pounds in the pandemic. I'm wearing new clothes. But I'm not happy, I've actually lost confidence because I feel it's not enough. I still need to lose at least 15 more pounds.9 -
I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.4 -
cmriverside wrote: »I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.
Interesting. I agree. Now, if I'm feeling a little hungry later at night, what do you think is the number one snack I can eat that still gives me all the nutrients, but prevents me from a binge? I heard dark chocolate was great. However, there's a problem with dark chocolate. I can't really stop eating it, so that defeats the purpose.
4 -
Soup.....lots of low calorie vegetable soup!4
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Big veggie salad (don't add croutons, cheese etc) with balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar with chives and herbs as dressing is a good hole-filler.
Eating a spinach salad with apple cider vinegar does work pretty well for me. But it doesn't necessarily stop all my brain cravings, mostly just fills my stomach up.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.
Interesting. I agree. Now, if I'm feeling a little hungry later at night, what do you think is the number one snack I can eat that still gives me all the nutrients, but prevents me from a binge? I heard dark chocolate was great. However, there's a problem with dark chocolate. I can't really stop eating it, so that defeats the purpose.
I'm not being snarky here, but if it's late at night - could you just go to bed? If I stay up later than I should I get hungry. One of the reasons I like logging so much is that it gives me another metric to go by besides my feelings. I feel like eating (or felt, since over time this has been less of an issue) when really, I'm just bored, or tired, or thirsty, or I want something to do with my hands, or other people around me are eating, or even just "I always eat now." I don't think eating for pleasure is bad, but I do know that I have to be careful about letting my emotions do all the steering. If I ate enough that day, and I know I ate enough, then sometimes I do just tell myself, "no." And it doesn't kill me, and I get to eat breakfast in the morning.7 -
I sympathize.
I empathize.
My family has an odd trait that runs through generations. We naturally eat very little for 7-10 days, then eat everything in sight for a day. Then back to very little. You can imagine how astounded and frightened my sisters-in-law were when they saw their babies eating like this for the first time, crying all day long and eating until their little tummies looked like they would burst and still crying because they were hungry.
I’ve never found a way to be satisfied on my eating day. It got easier with time and better with experience. But I’m 71, have a goal of about 1500 calories a day and ate over 3000 calories yesterday. I still got it.
I wish you luck finding an answer and I hope you will share.6 -
corinasue1143 wrote: »I sympathize.
I empathize.
My family has an odd trait that runs through generations. We naturally eat very little for 7-10 days, then eat everything in sight for a day. Then back to very little. You can imagine how astounded and frightened my sisters-in-law were when they saw their babies eating like this for the first time, crying all day long and eating until their little tummies looked like they would burst and still crying because they were hungry.
I’ve never found a way to be satisfied on my eating day. It got easier with time and better with experience. But I’m 71, have a goal of about 1500 calories a day and ate over 3000 calories yesterday. I still got it.
I wish you luck finding an answer and I hope you will share.
I actually think this is a valid evolutionary tactic.
If back-in-the-day we traveled long distances to find and forage and hunt our food, it makes sense to me that when the hunt was successful we ate until...
I've seen video of lions who just kill because the prey is there, not that they don't already have plenty to eat in front of them, but feast or famine, yeah?2 -
Oh, and...that's how I mostly eat too. About a week of regular calorie intake with a small deficit and then one day of double what I need. I've done that for years.3
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Hungry late at night? I was always taught to just go to bed....instead of giving in to cravings. But if its to early for me, I find that a sugar free chocolate pudding cup nix's that craving. Only 70 calories!! I also like grapes to snack on while I am watching my shows.4
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skinnyrev2b wrote: »I wish I had an answer. My stomach is currently full, but my head is saying 'feed me sweets!'. Sometimes I give in.
Sometimes I tell my brain to shut up and do all those things we've all heard a million times (drink iced water/clean teeth/have a 'treat' drink like chocolate mint (the plant) and boiling water...)
Sometimes sleep helps.
Sometimes hormones make it worse. And stress. And exercise at the wrong time. And, and, and...
I'm coming to the conclusion there's going to be no magic bullet, just as there's really no magically skinny peeps. They may SAY they have a fast metabolism, or 'forget' to eat... but those are just like my 'sometimes'.
Bodies need fuel. Brains get confused or addicted or habit laden.
We are more than either.
I'm not saying 'stop making excuses ', cos the struggle is real. But I guess I am saying... we determine what course of action is right for this given moment. If I'm hungry, I should eat. If I'm bored/habit etc, I should find another hobby/distraction. I choose.
Right. So maybe it's about habits and developing distractions. However, distractions might only work once in a while. It's not a bulletproof strategy either. So I'm thinking that it may have to do more with habits.
And I'm coming to the conclusion that going on extreme diets is not sustainable. Eventually, our bodies fight back and need the calories.
Also, I'm starting to realize if you just be consistent, it's okay to slip up. It's not about what we do in one day, but what we did for that week or that month or that year.
And patience is a virtue too. Part of the reason I work out so much is so that I'm not reliant on just one way. I don't care if it's a 90 percent diet or an 80 percent diet. 10 to 20 percent is still part of the puzzle. I don't necessarily find that exercise makes me hungrier. It makes me eat back some of the calories but not all of them.
But right now I have a journal and I'm , writing down what's working and what's not. I've actually lost about 30 pounds in the pandemic. I'm wearing new clothes. But I'm not happy, I've actually lost confidence because I feel it's not enough. I still need to lose at least 15 more pounds.
I think you're on the right track here.
I do think a lot of it is about establishing habits and expectations about eating and exercise, and grooving those in until they're pretty automatic. To *some* extent, the body may follow behavior (not simply lead it), with respect to things like cravings.
IMO, beyond that, part of the issue with what I think you're calling "brain hunger" is figuring out when and especially *why* it occurs. If it's not physical need for calories or nutrition, what is it? For example, there can be elements like a need for comfort, pleasure, stimulation (anti-boredom), reassurance, etc., or a need to combat fatigue, damp down emotions, counter stress, distract ourselves, etc.
For some problems that manifest as "hunger", food is not the solution, because food is not the actual root cause.
I can't say whether that's happening for you, but it's a thing that happens for some. If it is happening, figuring out the cause and working on it directly (not indirectly by looking for filling ways to eat) may be the solution.
Keep in mind that though exercise as good, and we need some for best health (it's like food in those ways), it can also be something we use as a sort of placebo to paper over other problems. Don't get me wrong, I like exercise, think it has many benefits, and that the only "too much" is exercising beyond current safe limits or so much that it throws off overall good life balance (enough time and energy for job, family, nuturing social relationships, faith/spiritual activities for some, non-exercise hobbies, etc.).2 -
Don't forget something very important. The, so called, "skinny people" in your discussion have been that for years.
You are not *just* trying to figure out a way to eat that is satiating... you are actively trying to lose weight, OR, have just entered into maintenance right after losing weight.
In the first case you're eating at a deficit. Actively eating less than you need. So, especially if it is a large(r) deficit you will have hormonally induced signals and thoughts of hunger... because you're eating at a deficit!
In the second case you are at the tail end of an imbalance and the hormonal signaling is even stronger and has to be, for most people, ridden out till things balance again a significant amount of time down the road. It is not by accident that most people regain some or a lot of weight starting from right away and extending into the milestones of one, three, and five years post weight loss... with only a minority making it to five without regain.
All the above is for the actual physical parts of hunger.
Now throw into the mix, AND ACTUALLY MIX THEM IN so that they're seamless and you can't really tell which is which.... throw in the "I am bored", "I am perturbed", "I am angry", "I am sad", "I am social", "I am.... whatever it is" that contributed to our over-eating in the first place is ON TOP of the actual physical aspect.
Lot's of fun to be had!7 -
Food and how we approach it is something that is very, very deeply ingrained in our lives, psychology, societies, and culture. The habits and feelings and memories associated with them run deep, and they are often very powerful ones. We celebrate with food, grieve with food, gift food, comfort with food. Birthdays, holidays, social occasions, activities - we have foods associated with ALL of them. The chicken soup when we're sick, the pot-luck after church, the birthday cake and thanksgiving (or whatever) turkey.
And all that stuff, the portion sizes, the 'clean your plate' the 'take a casserole to the grieving widows house and a pie to the new neighbors', the 'don't waste food' and the 'we bulk out meals with pasta', down to 'here, eat the ice cream cone and get out of my hair for a few minutes' and whole assorted economic factors?
It's very often GENERATIONAL. It isn't the habit of even years, it is the stuff being built up from the first time baby tries to stop and mom thinks they haven't eaten enough, or that birthday cake baby smashes and eats with their hands.
Never mind the tv, magazines, billboards, youtube channels and facebook posts.
Breaking all that down and finding what works and what doesn't serve you is HARD.
It's also necessary, because quite often what we think is normal while we're overweight... isn't. Eating a whole pint of ben and jerry's isn't normal. Sitting down with a family sized bag of chips and eating most or all of it isn't normal. Eating fast food meals 3-4-5 times a week isn't normal. Drinking a 2 liter of soda a day isn't normal. Even eating 2 candy bars a day isn't really 'normal'. Eating two main courses because 'who finds this serving size enough omg lol' isn't... normal. Maybe typical, but not HEALTHY.
I did all of that. I've no idea HOW anymore, but I am FLABBERGASTED by what felt completely normal to me even a year ago. It all felt absolutely and completely normal until it didn't. Then, honestly, the 'brain hunger' stopped - mostly. Because it wasn't a habit to do that, anymore. It wasn't... normal for me so my brain stopped looking for it.
5 -
I find that cucumbers are very filling and extremely low calorie. watermelon is a great thing to eat also. very filling as others have said before a big salad is pretty filling just by itself. a low calorie dressing will (I like balsamic style) make more satisfactory to taste.
this is how I make my salads (see attached picture)
I don't always use 2 dressings i was just using stuff up and added more than I needed adjust as you like and the salt intake is high because of the pickled jalapeños I usually use fresh
after you eat that salad its about 780 calories, omit the avocado, the eggs (don't recommend it causes its gonna fill you up)or use a lighter dressing to make the calories lower for you or don't use any at all if that's your liking. but eat that salad like how I mentioned and tell me how you feel? you will more than likely feel very full and may not be able to eat it all.
something else to consider is intermittent fasting. (lost near 20 lbs.) since you like to eat and snack late at night make your eating window smaller and towards the evening after work. people have an easier time staying full if they shorten their eating windows and consume more food in a short amount of time instead of spacing it out. this is what i do. ill start eating around 3pm till about 9pm. if I'm doing One Meal a Day OMAD then I eat dinner with my family and that's it. consume what i need in the hour. I don't take lunch breaks and I get more crap done.
as someone else also said (sorta) is that this is a phycological battle we have with ourselves. eating out of habit and things like that is difficult to break. not being honest with our intakes and not commit to our goals is hard. but it is do able (its in your head). shortening your eating windows makes this much easier, but do measure your food and note your calories. over nourishment is not gonna help you even if you are fasting.
if you are not weighing your food, you are messing up. I got one of these and it was one of the best things i ever bought. screw measuring cups.
https://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/?tag=tdeecalc-20
hope this helps
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skinnyrev2b wrote: »I wish I had an answer. My stomach is currently full, but my head is saying 'feed me sweets!'. Sometimes I give in.
Sometimes I tell my brain to shut up and do all those things we've all heard a million times (drink iced water/clean teeth/have a 'treat' drink like chocolate mint (the plant) and boiling water...)
Sometimes sleep helps.
Sometimes hormones make it worse. And stress. And exercise at the wrong time. And, and, and...
I'm coming to the conclusion there's going to be no magic bullet, just as there's really no magically skinny peeps. They may SAY they have a fast metabolism, or 'forget' to eat... but those are just like my 'sometimes'.
Bodies need fuel. Brains get confused or addicted or habit laden.
We are more than either.
I'm not saying 'stop making excuses ', cos the struggle is real. But I guess I am saying... we determine what course of action is right for this given moment. If I'm hungry, I should eat. If I'm bored/habit etc, I should find another hobby/distraction. I choose.
Right. So maybe it's about habits and developing distractions. However, distractions might only work once in a while. It's not a bulletproof strategy either. So I'm thinking that it may have to do more with habits.
And I'm coming to the conclusion that going on extreme diets is not sustainable. Eventually, our bodies fight back and need the calories.
Also, I'm starting to realize if you just be consistent, it's okay to slip up. It's not about what we do in one day, but what we did for that week or that month or that year.
And patience is a virtue too. Part of the reason I work out so much is so that I'm not reliant on just one way. I don't care if it's a 90 percent diet or an 80 percent diet. 10 to 20 percent is still part of the puzzle. I don't necessarily find that exercise makes me hungrier. It makes me eat back some of the calories but not all of them.
But right now I have a journal and I'm , writing down what's working and what's not. I've actually lost about 30 pounds in the pandemic. I'm wearing new clothes. But I'm not happy, I've actually lost confidence because I feel it's not enough. I still need to lose at least 15 more pounds.
I think you're on the right track here.
I do think a lot of it is about establishing habits and expectations about eating and exercise, and grooving those in until they're pretty automatic. To *some* extent, the body may follow behavior (not simply lead it), with respect to things like cravings.
IMO, beyond that, part of the issue with what I think you're calling "brain hunger" is figuring out when and especially *why* it occurs. If it's not physical need for calories or nutrition, what is it? For example, there can be elements like a need for comfort, pleasure, stimulation (anti-boredom), reassurance, etc., or a need to combat fatigue, damp down emotions, counter stress, distract ourselves, etc.
For some problems that manifest as "hunger", food is not the solution, because food is not the actual root cause.
I can't say whether that's happening for you, but it's a thing that happens for some. If it is happening, figuring out the cause and working on it directly (not indirectly by looking for filling ways to eat) may be the solution.
Keep in mind that though exercise as good, and we need some for best health (it's like food in those ways), it can also be something we use as a sort of placebo to paper over other problems. Don't get me wrong, I like exercise, think it has many benefits, and that the only "too much" is exercising beyond current safe limits or so much that it throws off overall good life balance (enough time and energy for job, family, nuturing social relationships, faith/spiritual activities for some, non-exercise hobbies, etc.).
You mentioned combatting fatigue. At times yes, my brain does feel a bit fatigued. And when I have chocolate or something starchy like crackers, I usually feel energized again. What can give me the same boost that doesn't contain calories?
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conniewilkins56 wrote: »Soup.....lots of low calorie vegetable soup!
Nice idea. I'll note that in my journal.1 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.
Interesting. I agree. Now, if I'm feeling a little hungry later at night, what do you think is the number one snack I can eat that still gives me all the nutrients, but prevents me from a binge? I heard dark chocolate was great. However, there's a problem with dark chocolate. I can't really stop eating it, so that defeats the purpose.
I'm not being snarky here, but if it's late at night - could you just go to bed? If I stay up later than I should I get hungry. One of the reasons I like logging so much is that it gives me another metric to go by besides my feelings. I feel like eating (or felt, since over time this has been less of an issue) when really, I'm just bored, or tired, or thirsty, or I want something to do with my hands, or other people around me are eating, or even just "I always eat now." I don't think eating for pleasure is bad, but I do know that I have to be careful about letting my emotions do all the steering. If I ate enough that day, and I know I ate enough, then sometimes I do just tell myself, "no." And it doesn't kill me, and I get to eat breakfast in the morning.
Well, I've had a hard time going to bed for years. However, ever since I started taking more fiber, I am eating much less at night. Instead of eating a whole plate of food, I'm only snacking on a couple of hundred calories, and then it has helped me go to sleep. If I have nothing, I can't fall asleep cuz I'm craving some energy very badly. Not doing too bad though, I've been working out 3 to 4 hours on most days, so I have the ambition. Have lost 2 shirt sizes in the pandemic. Just wanna speed it up and have very little appetite like a skinny person.0 -
skinnyrev2b wrote: »I wish I had an answer. My stomach is currently full, but my head is saying 'feed me sweets!'. Sometimes I give in.
Sometimes I tell my brain to shut up and do all those things we've all heard a million times (drink iced water/clean teeth/have a 'treat' drink like chocolate mint (the plant) and boiling water...)
Sometimes sleep helps.
Sometimes hormones make it worse. And stress. And exercise at the wrong time. And, and, and...
I'm coming to the conclusion there's going to be no magic bullet, just as there's really no magically skinny peeps. They may SAY they have a fast metabolism, or 'forget' to eat... but those are just like my 'sometimes'.
Bodies need fuel. Brains get confused or addicted or habit laden.
We are more than either.
I'm not saying 'stop making excuses ', cos the struggle is real. But I guess I am saying... we determine what course of action is right for this given moment. If I'm hungry, I should eat. If I'm bored/habit etc, I should find another hobby/distraction. I choose.
Right. So maybe it's about habits and developing distractions. However, distractions might only work once in a while. It's not a bulletproof strategy either. So I'm thinking that it may have to do more with habits.
And I'm coming to the conclusion that going on extreme diets is not sustainable. Eventually, our bodies fight back and need the calories.
Also, I'm starting to realize if you just be consistent, it's okay to slip up. It's not about what we do in one day, but what we did for that week or that month or that year.
And patience is a virtue too. Part of the reason I work out so much is so that I'm not reliant on just one way. I don't care if it's a 90 percent diet or an 80 percent diet. 10 to 20 percent is still part of the puzzle. I don't necessarily find that exercise makes me hungrier. It makes me eat back some of the calories but not all of them.
But right now I have a journal and I'm , writing down what's working and what's not. I've actually lost about 30 pounds in the pandemic. I'm wearing new clothes. But I'm not happy, I've actually lost confidence because I feel it's not enough. I still need to lose at least 15 more pounds.
I think you're on the right track here.
I do think a lot of it is about establishing habits and expectations about eating and exercise, and grooving those in until they're pretty automatic. To *some* extent, the body may follow behavior (not simply lead it), with respect to things like cravings.
IMO, beyond that, part of the issue with what I think you're calling "brain hunger" is figuring out when and especially *why* it occurs. If it's not physical need for calories or nutrition, what is it? For example, there can be elements like a need for comfort, pleasure, stimulation (anti-boredom), reassurance, etc., or a need to combat fatigue, damp down emotions, counter stress, distract ourselves, etc.
For some problems that manifest as "hunger", food is not the solution, because food is not the actual root cause.
I can't say whether that's happening for you, but it's a thing that happens for some. If it is happening, figuring out the cause and working on it directly (not indirectly by looking for filling ways to eat) may be the solution.
Keep in mind that though exercise as good, and we need some for best health (it's like food in those ways), it can also be something we use as a sort of placebo to paper over other problems. Don't get me wrong, I like exercise, think it has many benefits, and that the only "too much" is exercising beyond current safe limits or so much that it throws off overall good life balance (enough time and energy for job, family, nuturing social relationships, faith/spiritual activities for some, non-exercise hobbies, etc.).
You mentioned combatting fatigue. At times yes, my brain does feel a bit fatigued. And when I have chocolate or something starchy like crackers, I usually feel energized again. What can give me the same boost that doesn't contain calories?
If fatigue is causing cravings, you want to be seeking strategies to reduce the fatigue, not ways to get a boost after it's already happened. Try to find and work on the root causes, don't try to treat the symptoms, basically.
Stress can increase fatigue, are there any stress reduction options available to you, beyond what you're already doing? Note that if you're losing weight aggressively fast, or exercising really a lot (in relation to your current fitness level), that those are stressors, too.penguinmama87 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.
Interesting. I agree. Now, if I'm feeling a little hungry later at night, what do you think is the number one snack I can eat that still gives me all the nutrients, but prevents me from a binge? I heard dark chocolate was great. However, there's a problem with dark chocolate. I can't really stop eating it, so that defeats the purpose.
I'm not being snarky here, but if it's late at night - could you just go to bed? If I stay up later than I should I get hungry. One of the reasons I like logging so much is that it gives me another metric to go by besides my feelings. I feel like eating (or felt, since over time this has been less of an issue) when really, I'm just bored, or tired, or thirsty, or I want something to do with my hands, or other people around me are eating, or even just "I always eat now." I don't think eating for pleasure is bad, but I do know that I have to be careful about letting my emotions do all the steering. If I ate enough that day, and I know I ate enough, then sometimes I do just tell myself, "no." And it doesn't kill me, and I get to eat breakfast in the morning.
Well, I've had a hard time going to bed for years. However, ever since I started taking more fiber, I am eating much less at night. Instead of eating a whole plate of food, I'm only snacking on a couple of hundred calories, and then it has helped me go to sleep. If I have nothing, I can't fall asleep cuz I'm craving some energy very badly. Not doing too bad though, I've been working out 3 to 4 hours on most days, so I have the ambition. Have lost 2 shirt sizes in the pandemic. Just wanna speed it up and have very little appetite like a skinny person.
Working on improving your sleep can also improve the fatigue, potentially affect cravings. It sounds like you're making progress on that front, but if you can make further progress there, it may help.
I hate to say it, but I don't think there is a "speed this up" option. It's a series of interlocking puzzles to be solved, and in some cases you're talking about needing to replace less-productive very long term habits with new ones, and get your body used to the new habits. That's unlikely to be a speedy process. Further, some things we might try to do to make it go faster - like cutting calories too aggressively, or doing exercise substantially in excess of our current fitness level - can be counter-productive, triggering more cravings that might persist longer.3 -
I HAVE to have variety of flavors and textures to feel satisfied... example if I eat a Lean Cuisine for lunch I’m starving in an hour, but if I add some steam fresh broccoli, some raspberries, and a sugar free jello cup I am set until dinner with only like 100 additional calories. So it isn’t macros for me but variety.
I also loosely IF, meaning I skip breakfast except for coffee. I’m naturally not a big eater in the AM so coffee is all I need. Gives me more calories later in the day so my dinner is more satisfying or I splurge on a glass of wine or some chocolate.
Find a way that satisfies you... or it won’t last. It’s like solving the da Vinci code lol.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »I agree that you need to be well nourished in all the nutrients in order to feel satisfied.
So...do that. That is my suggestion. If I eat a well balanced three meals with the right combination of Protein, Fats, and Carbs and I am getting enough iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, then I'm good. If I'm lacking something my brain will tell me to keep eating.
A varied plan is the best. Nuts, legumes, a wide variety of whole fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein including fish and dairy.
I make it a goal to get 800g of fruit or vegetables every day. Start there. Lots of different ones. Apples are good, but what about berries, melons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, celery, carrots, bananas, broccoli and cauliflower, etc.? I have an apple maybe once a week and the rest of the time I'm busy trying to get a variety of other plants.
Interesting. I agree. Now, if I'm feeling a little hungry later at night, what do you think is the number one snack I can eat that still gives me all the nutrients, but prevents me from a binge? I heard dark chocolate was great. However, there's a problem with dark chocolate. I can't really stop eating it, so that defeats the purpose.
A boiled egg works for me although I'm not sure it'll give you "all the nutrients", eggs are certainly nutritious.0 -
I do agree with that. I was skinny up until my 40s. But I worked on watching my calorie intake constantly. For example, I'd avoid adding cheese (calories), I'd avoid sugary drinks (calories), I'd avoid extra calories from too many liquor-drinks, or I'd choose liquor-drinks without added sugar, I'd avoid all sorts of things (calories) in order to keep the pounds off.Most skinny people do actively work at being skinny. They make choices to eat the way they do. It just becomes a habit to live the way that keeps them skinny.
One of the things I am working on now is to be more constantly aware of my calorie intake, and watching for times throughout the day that I avoid extra calories. It's a mindset that I need to reestablish for myself.
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My go-to is a Granny Smith green apple. They're too tart to eat quickly, meaning that each bite is spaced out. Plus I like them that much I try to get every edible bit out of it I can. Failing that, not so much what I eat but what I drink. It's not particularly healthy but chocolate milk is highly satisfying, and failing that, water. The key thing for me to recognise is the difference between hunger, a craving, and just when I want to put something in my mouth (ooh matron) because of old habits.0
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I think a piece of fruit or a glass of milk (warm, maybe, if that's your thing) would work well before bed. 100-200 calories depending on how much there is, fairly easy on the stomach, possibly a soporific effect too with the milk. I don't think there's anything wrong with eating before bed, and people come up with schedules that work for them, so I would just plan for that snack then if that's something that works for you. White knuckling it through the day and then downing a bunch of calories at bedtime would be a sure recipe for nightmares/bizarro-dreams in my case.
Handling the insomnia will probably be a part of this whole thing, too. All of these things go together, and it takes time to figure out how and to make it workable. You might try a few things and find it doesn't work, and that's OK too. Make small changes at a time, try them on for a few weeks or a month, and then assess again.
Re: skinny people: My husband is quite thin. I have thought about this a lot with him, because I've always weighed more than him even when I was at normal weight. He likes to eat, but he does not like food as much as I do. I move more and exercise more than he does, but until I started losing weight I ate more than him every day. When I am a normal weight I fully expect to still eat more than him, but that will also be counterbalanced by me doing more exercise! He doesn't consciously stop himself from eating, or decide that he will stop even though he'd rather keep going. He just honestly doesn't care about it that much. I find that baffling, because food tastes *so good* to me.
On the other hand, he can lie down and nap pretty much anytime, and I can't do that at all. He finds it very difficult to motivate himself to get up and do things that need doing. On the other hand, I can't stand lying down if I'm not reading or if it's not bedtime. If I see something out of place, I have to get up and fix it. Or I think about my to-do list and want to get it done if I have a minute. I think that's just another tendency that comes down to personality and inclinations. You can work on inclinations, of course, through discipline, but I don't think, necessarily, that *all* skinny people are inherently more virtuous or disciplined about food. For many of them, it just may not pose the same level of temptation.
(I will reassess this idea as we get older, because I do have a suspicion that weight gain may catch up to my husband one day. We're still in our thirties and are chasing after babies and toddlers. In our forties and fifties when they're older, if he's still not doing much regular activity and still at his mostly sedentary job? We'll see!)2 -
I have some really skinny friends and I get to watch their food habits fairly closely. Some of them are putting in conscious work, most of them are not.
But the reality is they eat less or are (much) more active than I am. In most cases it is truthfully a combination of both. They have hobbies like trail running that they do every single day and they also, you know, tend toward a healthier diet with fewer calorie dense foods in them. Oh, they'll take a picture of that decadent dessert and post it on social media- but they have it a couple of times a year
And, truthfully, they did not have to make any sort of change away from the hyper-palatable convenience food. They never had those as a regular thing. Their default diet has been, from childhood, what most of us here are working toward - ie: They didn't need to make 'replacements' or 'fill half your plate with veg'. THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE.
Weird as heck to me but there it is.6 -
It's really one reason.....................HABITUAL BEHAVIOR. Go to countries like Vietnam or Thailand. The behavior is NOT to eat a lot.This is the problem with a lot of people. Including me. We want to limit our calories and we try really hard. But just because you can count, doesn't mean that you're gonna be able to do it, if you have issues with your brain signaling hunger.
However.. why is it that people that have always been skinny and never worked out, never seem to be super hungry? Is it genetic? Do they have special hormones? Is it because their intestines are smaller? I'm really trying to figure this out. It's simply a matter of them making the choice to not eat as much. They aren't even aware.
So I started eating an apple before a meal. It does work somewhat well. It definitely makes my stomach full. But sometimes, my stomach will feel full but my brain needs something. And so eating fiber does help a little bit. I also do eat veggies, but again, they are not a magic bullet. They help satiate you a little bit. But how can we get it to the point where we don't crave food at all? Yes, water helps a little too. Yes, protein helps a little too. And yes fat helps too, however, the trade-off is that I'm eating more calories short term when I eat fat, so it's hard to say if it's worth it.
Do you see? I wish it was as easy as refueling your car. When you put gas in the tank, your brain is not craving more and more gas. People that shame others for having a hard time losing weight, don't understand that for some people it's a little bit harder to get full in their brains.
I just wish there was a food or supplement that could truly, truly regulate your appetite to the point where maybe you still crave enough to eat, but you don't want to eat that much. Fiber, water, protein, and fat only help so much.
Of course, I've tried things like l glutamine, gaba, or chromium. Don't feel anything. Right now I'm trying to start my day off with eggs, as I heard that helps. Who knows. I would do anything to figure this all out.
The good news is I have figured out how to make my stomach less hungry. That is through water and fiber. And some protein. It does work. Although sometimes, my stomach will feel so full, that it just makes me want food more because I'm paying attention. But most of the time it does work. I've significantly reduced my nighttime cravings. That's a good start.
So I've pretty much solved my stomach hunger. I think that's a win. Now, how do I solve my brain hunger? Yes, I take vitamins and omega 3s and all that. But perhaps someone may know something.
Do you see? My post is meant to be meaningful because I'm trying to get to the root of this. I'm not denying calorie in vs calorie out. But I'm trying to go deeper than that to figure out what causes cravings and what are the most non BS ways to deal with them. Advice is welcome, but please do not be one of those people who just say, ''Stop making excuses.''
In other industrialized countries, especially where people are heavy, social behaviors usually dictate weight of individuals.
If you're trying to reduce cravings, then it's anecdotal for many but pickles seem to do the trick. Low cal and the pickle juice seems to stave of cravings for many. Again, this is anecdotal. I don't have any links that show a study proving this.
But because behavior takes time to change, many have a hard time. Personally I don't eat in the AM hours and have my first meal after 12pm and eat up to 11pm at night where after dinner I snack on my cravings food. Hence no cravings.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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