Always hungry!

DesireeBoils
DesireeBoils Posts: 23
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on mfp for a few weeks and for the last five or six days I'm always hungry! It seems that I just can't get full. I try and exercise so I can eat more, but it seems the more I dance (my exercise of choice) the hungrier I get. Can anyone give me some tips? I'm tired of feeling so weak from hunger and I've been eating pretty much the same things I have been eating since I started trying to loose weight.

Replies

  • elizabethdear95
    elizabethdear95 Posts: 68
    Carrots tend to fill me up. Also mushrooms with a giant cup of water.
  • carolinedb
    carolinedb Posts: 236 Member
    Protein, protein, protein! It keeps you fuller longer!
  • ilikejam33
    ilikejam33 Posts: 252 Member
    Hi Desi,

    I took a look at your diary and I would say your portien is way too low, try upping it to 60-70. Also, and I dont mean to judge, but you are not actaully consuming a lot of food, try swapping some of the fast food which is high in cal and low in nutrients for some better options. Feel free to add me so you can look at my diary, people have been so helpful to me on this site so I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

    Good Luck :)
  • princessthecat22
    princessthecat22 Posts: 57 Member
    I am in the same boat! I just cant get full. I found though if I eat more raw fruits and veggies in the day. They tend to fill me up more then my little indulgences ( aka 100 calorie pack snacks ) Also, pickles are like 20 calories for a WHOLE one. and they fill me up!
  • 0PhAtDaDdY
    0PhAtDaDdY Posts: 569 Member
    Plums, Apples, Bananna, Nuts all seem to kill my hunger...
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    More protein .... less carbs!
    Lean meat, fish, greek yogurt, nuts, avocado,protein shakes. etc..... all keep you full longer.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Ditto everyone else - you're getting the right number of calories, but your nutrients aren't keeping you full. Try eating more fruit and veggies, because the fiber helps you stay full longer. Also, I always try to eat a little protien, carbs, and fiber at every meal.

    Have you had any luck with weight loss? I don't know how close you are to your goal, but in addition to the dietary changes above, you may want to set MFP to 'lose 1 pound a week' for a while and see how it goes. You'll get more calories to burn, and your body may actually need them if you're within 20 or so pounds of goal.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    You are eating very processed foods. Eat fruits, veggies, lean protein (fish, chicken) and whole grains. That stuff will fill you up.My 5 year old would not be full with what you are eating.
  • VLGmom
    VLGmom Posts: 21 Member
    Are you nursing? (I see the baby in the pic). I find that I'm always starving when I'm nursing which leads me to make poor food choices. If I have good food about - washed and ready fruit in the fridge, filling nuts - I make better choices.... some of the time :)
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Hi Desi,

    I took a look at your diary and I would say your portien is way too low, try upping it to 60-70. Also, and I dont mean to judge, but you are not actaully consuming a lot of food, try swapping some of the fast food which is high in cal and low in nutrients for some better options. Feel free to add me so you can look at my diary, people have been so helpful to me on this site so I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

    Good Luck :)

    I agree. Definitely start eating healthy foods you make yourself. You'll be amazed at how much you can eat! I'm pregnant right now and can barely meet my maintenance amount of calories, I rarely touch the extra 300 I'm supposed to eat for being pregnant.
  • dianaskin
    dianaskin Posts: 66
    Also...drink lots of water! I start my day with a bottle of water (2 cups). Then I have breakfast and my snack. Then I don't let myself have any lunch until I've had my morning bottle of water finished (another 2 cups). I don't let myself have dinner until I've had my afternoon bottle and a half of water finished. (3 cups). By then I don't want to see water again...but I'm also not hungry! And if I want to drink at night...yup...more water OR decaf/herbal tea. And the body gets used to a lot of water after a while. At first I was in the washroom a lot...now it's just a few times a day!
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Going by your diary, you are over on the Carbs, the Protein could be higher.

    Try reducing the processed/fast food and drink some water!!!!!!

    You may also need to add a small snack or 2 to your day like cottage cheese, greek yogurt, almonds or even a protein bar with 17gr or more of protein and less than 200 calories.

    Work on increasing the exercise and being more steady with your daily intake as well

    This should really make a difference on how you are feeling and your weight loss.

    You can do it!
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    PROTEIN! An apple or banana and PB! :)
  • DesireeBoils
    DesireeBoils Posts: 23
    I really try to stay away from the fast food, but with working, and two kids, one 3 and one 7 months and we are remodeling our house it's just so easy to go for the fast food. I am not a huge fan of veggies, and it's harder for me to eat fruit because I have braces plastered to my braces, so anything with a pit I can't cut. Does anyone have some good recipes for chicken? I love chicken and love baked chicken, but I don't really have any recipes for it.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Eating food high in protein gives me energy for longer period of time; loading carbs works for my long morning walk and not feeling very hungry. Low fat chocolate milk after my walk fills me up for a good part of the day.
  • J3NZ0R
    J3NZ0R Posts: 26 Member
    I took a peek at your diary, and I think it's what you're spending your calories on. I saw a few culprit high cal, high sugar, low-nutrient foods that lead to energy spikes and crashes — and, in the long haul, actually make you hungrier. It's a vicious cycle — but the good news is is that it can be broken with a little tweaking!

    First of all, up your protein, girl! Also, emphasize fruits and veg that are high in fibre and other good things (apples! carrots! leafy greens!). You'll find you'll actually be able to eat "more" food for less calories, and the protein will help keep your appetite sated.

    Also, don't blow your calories on drinks. Not worth it. Drink water and water only. Your hunger could actually be thirst.

    Pickles are a great idea, too, if you crave salty snacks! Yum.

    Hope that helps!
  • lrd2010
    lrd2010 Posts: 161 Member
    I cannot over emphasise how great eggs are for keeping you full!

    Make yourself a 2 egg omelette maybe with some mushrooms and tomatoes for your breakfast - dry fry if you can - nice low heat to cook your eggs nice and slowly (trust me, it's great) and you will feel full for at *least* four hours.

    It was a revelation for me :happy: oh and never mind the eggwhite only nonsense.Lots of lovely good things in the yolks :smile:

    Protein is a must!
  • 1myfit
    1myfit Posts: 69
    Just looking at your last food diary. You are wasting a lot of cals on one sitting. You can't skip meals either. So better choices on meals so you can spread you cals out. I have 3 good meals with one snack. Works for me. Others snack all day. I can't do that. Make friends with people who share their diary so you can see some examples.
  • J3NZ0R
    J3NZ0R Posts: 26 Member
    Also, meal planning is huge. I am a journalist with a crazy, on-the-go schedule and I find I'm totally screwed if I don't make a plan and stick to it. In fact, I often fill out my journal for the entire day in the morning. Helps you stay on track.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Less carbs, more protein. Carbs spike your blood sugar and when it crashes, you get hungry. Low carbs means a more stable BSL.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    Looking over your diary, you're just eating the wrong stuff. I know it's hard not to eat fast food and frozen foods but they really don't fill you for the calories they are giving you and are heavy on non-filling cards. You can still eat the carbs but make sure it's healthy carbs. For instance, you can have spaghetti. Just make sure the pasta is wheat so it offers a more filling substitute for you. Protein is very important.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    and drink LOTS of water. I mean LOTS. Sometimes it's only normal we get signaled as "hungry" but it's thirst.

    And it takes time for us to adjust our eating habit. Curbing the hunger is part of it.
  • trilikeagirl
    trilikeagirl Posts: 218
    Also, meal planning is huge. I am a journalist with a crazy, on-the-go schedule and I find I'm totally screwed if I don't make a plan and stick to it. In fact, I often fill out my journal for the entire day in the morning. Helps you stay on track.

    Amen to that!

    You are welcome to see my diary. I eat a breakfast on the go every morning that keeps me full until noon. It takes me five minutes to make assuming I have planned to have the ingredients. (It's a smoothie, I think it doesn't say that on my diary, so all breakfast ingredients go in the blender.) Watching sodium content on everything I eat helped guide me away from the process foods and identify healthier options.
  • mindyahart
    mindyahart Posts: 11
    I changed my settings on MFP to Be as follows:

    Breakfast:
    1st snack:
    Lunch:
    2nd snack:
    Dinner:
    3rd snack:

    It helps to break your meals down smaller and then you are eating more frequently. I actually feel like I am eating all day :) Also I agree with others that even though your are hitting your calories your're not putting the right gas in your car ..... :)
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    There really is no need to get full. All you need to do is fuel the body and keep it from feeling starving. You want to consume only healthy calories, little carbs (carbs are what causes cravings and makes blood sugar spike and drop, which is what makes us hungry again).

    This was pivotal for me----I always thought I had to walk away from table full. But now I learned if I eat every 2-3 hours and keep myself from getting HUNGRY, then I am a happy camper all day long. Remember to look at food as fuel and not for pleasure.
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
    eat a serving size of almonds

    greek yoghurt

    a couple slices of deli ham wrapped around a couple slices of mozzerella cheese
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I haven't read every response, but a quick search seems to indicate that no one has recommended upping your FAT intake (from natural sources)!

    So, here's my recommendation: eat fat! Cook in coconut oil, add butter to vegetables, use olive oil on salads, be sure you're eating the whole egg (the yolk is where the vitamins are!)

    As others have said, I think reducing your refined carbohydrates and upping your protein will also help with hunger, but don't forget the FAT!

    That's what has helped keep me from feeling ravenous all the time. :happy:
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