HUGE Appetite! Need HELP!

mandyjohns · March 2012

My appetite has been out of control lately. I have very little self control. When I do good, I usually blow it and binge. I just feel like food is the only thing I have to enjoy or look forward to mostly. I know we should "Eat to Live" and not live to eat, but that's like taking any pleasure I have away.
Like so many of us on mfp, I suffer from depression and anxiety. Although, I see a psychiatrist, therapist, and take meds, I still have a long way to go. I'm single and unable to work. I'm blessed that I see a trainer twice a week. She's great. I try to get my exercise in every day (at least 5 days a week), though I have a long way to go to be in good shape. So, I am trying! BUT.. I just don't know what to do about this appetite of mine? I don't care for the protien products... shakes, bars, etc. I'm told that more protien would help. Now, I don't have any trouble eating meat. I can tear into some steak or chicken. But that 4 oz limit just doesn't seem to be enough.
Just curious if anyone had any suggestions?

cmriverside · March 2012

Change what you can, don't try to fix everything at once.

You don't have to stop at 4 oz. Just work on logging all your food for now. Stay within the calories set by the site. After some time you will understand the portions and what you need to eat to stay in your goals.

You absolutely will feel better if you get enough protein. It doesn't have to be protein supplements, eat fish and chicken, turkey, tuna, eggs, yogurt, bacon, pork chops, whatever you like. As time goes by, you'll start to fine tune it.

You can do it. Good luck.

amandathegreat320 · March 2012

Have you tried nuts or beans? The first two weeks were so hard for me--I went from eating like 3000 cal a day to 1200 cal. I figured out quick that I could exercise and earn more calories so I was all over that

Anyway, I figured out what foods filled me up and which left me hungry. Give yourself some time to figure it out as well.

susannamarie · March 2012

I have an extremely healthy appetite myself :P:P

Chop the meat up and mix it with vegetables. It makes the vegetables taste slightly meaty and stretches the meat taste into smaller bites. Like today I had tuna and peas, both of which I like.

Cook just enough for one meal at first. Eventually you'll get used to the smaller portions, but for right at the beginning if you only cook 4 oz you can't go 'Oh I'll make two portions so I have one for dinner tomorrow' and then nom both of them.

Brush your teeth after the meal is "over" to tell yourself 'DONE EATING NOW'.

Don't view it as a "perfect" or "blown it, so binge". Work on making your days healthier rather than perfect. I still haven't completely cut out soda, but I'm down to 1-2 cans a day instead of going through a case every few days, and I'm losing weight at a perfectly reasonable rate :P

Don't try to cut down food too far. I started at 1450 and was miserable, and all I could think about all day was food, what and when my next meal was going to be -- I shifted it to 1700, which is about 1lb/week, I'm losing slightly faster than that and much happier.

FrogBISCUITS · March 2012

I'm new around here but I have been dieting (or trying to) for years. I too have a demanding appetite that needs satiating! I've found that toning down such a strong appetite comes with time and patience. I used to consume a lot of high calories foods like chocolate and ice cream so every few weeks I eliminated one of these bad foods from my diet until I wasn't eating any bad foods. It gave my body time to adapt to being without the object of my addiction. Sure every now and again you might indulge in a bad food as a treat (whats the point of dieting and being skinny if you can't have chocolate?) but as long as you use your head and remember that it is just a once-in-a-blue-moon treat you'll be fine.

debra4647 · March 2012

Try the greek yogurt with fruit on the bottom it has like 12 grams of protien, wich helps keep you feeling full. If you try to stick to it ( your food choices) your cravings for bad food will go down. Set your mind to it and just do it. Good luck!!

celesteflenory · March 2012

:blushing: I like that idea of not trying to loose so much at once. I seem to be doing the same thing, scared to put anything in my mouth for fear that I may go over my calories or my carbs for the day, but thinking about food all the time. :blushing: I am glad you said something about this.

7destiny · March 2012

There are two supplements that might help reduce appetite. One is CLA or Tonalin. The other is Banaba Leaf. You can read reviews on amazon or iherb, etc. and see if they appeal to you.

hozik · March 2012

I've found that eating more vegetables, fruit, beans and nuts help me feel full longer. Also, I drink water every time I'm bored or I think I'm hungry to make sure it's not just thirst. Hang in there!

littleworm23 · March 2012

It sucks. It's hard when you are addicted to food and the more you think about it the more you want it. I tend to snack (some times too much) in the evenings. I try to keep things on hand that I like that let me feel like I'm having "something". I like rice cakes and pickles (not together). Maybe not the best as far as nutrition but they are very low calorie and I get a "treat". I have a really hard time keeping my calories at my goal so honestly I just try to add as much exercise to my day as possible. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like too, I'm always willing to listen (read lol) anything you have to say. Good luck in your journey.

theNurseNancy · March 2012

I have the same issue with food. I associate food with good things/fun/happiness. Good news is that it's slowly starting to go away. I realize more how much work it is to burn off the calories in something I used to eat. I am forcing myself to change the relationship i have with food. As my relationship with food and exercise changes, I feel I have less depressive episodes. Especially since I added a multi-vitamin, more vegetables/fruits, and exercise. Especially the exercise! it doesn't hurt seeing weight loss either ;D

The next is a stream of consciousness...lol. There's much more, but it's late and my brain tells me I need sleep.

Don't reduce your calories too severely for starters :] Exercise can also make you feel hungrier. Pay attention to the times of day or situations in which you feel hungry. Are they similar? What's going on? Are you drinking enough water? Sometimes the body sends out hunger signals when you're actually thirsty! Try eating smaller meals more frequently to keep your blood sugar levels more stable. An unstable blood sugar can make you make poorer choices because you're so hungry. Try removing temptations from the house. Try adding more veggies to your plate. It makes the smaller portion of meat seem less significant. 0% plain greek yogurt with added fruit adds great protein. Try making it into a smoothie in the morning!

Feel free to add me for support!

theartichoke · March 2012

What kind of diet are you following? There are different ways of eating out there, perhaps one that allows unlimited lean protein and veggies in exchange for lower carbs and fat would work better? One size doesn't fit all and if I limited my protein to 4 oz at a time I would feel awful. Everyone's health and diet needs are different but if it ain't working for you, fix it. Too many tailored solutions exist out there to not keep running flags up the flagpole. Keep at it and your body will eventually start to work for you instead of against you. Detoxing from the carbs and refined sugars was the biggest hurdle for me...and totally worth it. I'm pre-diabetic and Hypothyroid, I know what it's like when your body turns on you and won't cooperate. Food becomes an obsession whether it's too much or too little. It's maddening and discouraging. Especially when the anxiety decides to get involved. Please friend me if you'd like, we seem so similar.

Cobehale · March 2012

I am just now slowly getting past thinking about food all day! It is so hard as I am an emotional/stress/bored eater.

When I was really struggling with it in the beginning, I did some reading and found that adding the protein powder to some of the things you already eat like yoghurt, oatmeal, fruit smoothie, glass of milk, etc is helpful to feel fuller and to have it last longer. I have been trying to sneak that in to help me get through.

Also, I have been trying to slowly wean myself from things like white bread, white rice, my absolute favourite cafe mochas, this also seems to have gotten my cravings a bit under control as it isn't causing the massive blood sugar spikes.

I also carry with me at all time a water bottle - sometimes it will have plain water but most of the time it will have a watered down version of the Tetley Infusions or Crystal Light - I find now that unless I over water it, it is too sweet!

I've sent you a friend request so we can support each other!

Enigmatica · March 2012

Mandy you're wonderful and I love having you as a pal here. Most of the suggestions I'd make are already posted above but also check your sleep patterns. Quantity and quality of sleep make a big difference in appetite for many people. I can send you some info if you want.

Keep working on the emotional side too. When I was stressed, depressed and lonely I ate waaay too much, as if the food could fill the emptiness inside of me. Some day you may come to a realization or change part of your life and find yourself feeling totally different, as I did. In my case, a certain toxic person needed to be cut out of my life, and then I suddenly had more hope, more drive, and vastly more success at taking care of myself - including weight loss.

Keep at it. You are beautiful and you deserve to be happy, healthy and to have a body you can wear with pride

wurm39 · March 2012

The best advice I found after reading many an article on nutrician was to stay full by eating more fiber. I've noticed a few posts in this thread that mention eating Nuts and Beans. These are both high in fiber . For someone my weight, I read that 30 Grams per day is a good target (mfp recommends between 20-25gm). At first, reaching my target calories a day was hard, but when I started concentrating more on taking fiber throughout the day, reaching my calorie goal became a lot easier. If I don't eat enough fiber naturally during the day, I've found some fiber gummie suppliments, though if you look, fiber is actually pretty easy to get into your diet. Don't increase your fiber all at once, increase it gradually over 1-2 weeks.

I've never been a breakfast person, but shortly after I started MFP, I also started making Smoothies for breakfast. No matter what the recipe is, I always add 2tbsp of ground flax seeds. For about 300 calories each morning, I get a good boost of fiber that keeps me full until about 1pm. I try to find a high fiber lunch (which usually ends up being pretty low in calories). If I do feel hungry during the day, I have a trail mix made from fruits and nuts I can snack on. I usually get to splurg a little at night and still reach my daily goal. To my surprise, I'm rarely hungry with this approach.

Hope this helps....good luck.

mandyjohns · March 2012

I really appreciate your suggestions. Thank you! I've never heard of the brush your teeth thing. It's a good idea.. if I can make myself do it.
I'm wondering if my calories are too low. I'm trying to go by what my trainer says. She wants me to stick with 12-1400 calories a day. It's hard. I think I will do really good and then at night it will hit me, and I feel like I'm starving. Then I just start shoving food in because I don't care by then.
What's extremely hard for me, is that I am a very picky eater. I try things, but so much disgusts me to the point of gagging (like a lot of veggies). Which is why I've tried to juice. I bought a juicer and juice fresh fruits and veggies. By mixing the fruits with some veggies, it's a little easier for me to get them down. Only problem is, I was doing a juice fast for a whole day twice a week. After so long, everything just looks disgusting. It gets old really quick. Like today, I was going to juice all day, but then, my second juice actually made me feel bad. My stomach felt really empty. Then I drank the juice which just didn't seem to settle good. I ended up having to quit and eat some real food.. and even now, my stomach still feels a little blah.
Again, thanks for your advice! I've been getting a lot. Trying to figure out what's best for me can be really hard and confusing. My trainer telling me one thing, my doctor telling me something else, and then to hear what everyone on mfp says.. it can really be mind boggling!
Hope to talk again!
~Mandy

mandyjohns · March 2012

Thanks for the info. I will check them out!!!

buckeye86 · March 2012

I've found that my crazy appetite is directly hormone related. Certain parts of the month I just feel hungry no matter what and even if I don't overeat, the scale doesn't budge, then a couple weeks later, I don't change a thing and the lbs melt off. As far as hating veggies, go to a farmers market or whole foods and try a bunch of things you've never had before. I'm an insanely picky eater, but I've been able to find things I enjoy and different ways of preparing them.

fastbelly · March 2012

Hi and fair play to you for bringing up these issues.

I wish I could help but I'm pretty sure that your issues are psychological rather then physical. You throughout your life have created mental restrictions to certain types of foods. When you say that it gets old really fast, so does fast food and all the greasy things. I used to hate vegetables, ask my mother and she'll tell you about the horror stories she had to make me eat a little bit of broccoli.

Once I finally realized that all this was in my head, I started making a conscientious decision to live a healthier life, since I started here I've never been on a diet, I've never dieted or restricted anything from my diet. I eat pizza still, not every day, not even every week or month but I do, however I make a effort to eat foods that are actually good for me. At the start this was hard, but now I'd rather have a nice salad then a pizza most days. I eat broccoli at least 2 or 3 times a week.

Once you pass the mental block everything becomes so much clearer, however you probably need help from a professional to get past these blocks and create new routines, once you do and you see and feel the benefits you'll realize that you actually enjoy eating healthy and exercising regularly and you'll make it a priority in your life!

Keep attending your Dr. appointments and talk a lot with people here that can motivate you and help you along this journey, remember you don't need to change from one day to the next, change takes time and effort. Anything that is easy to achieve is usually not worth it anyways.

drewbransmama · March 2012

This may have been said...I didn't get to read all of the responses. I know for me around 2/3 o'clock, I start wanting to eat everything in sight. Especially sweets! But, I have noticed a pattern with me lately since I have been logging my food. If I have cereal or something like that for breakfast, I for sure have cravings. But, if I start my mornings out with protien, I do much, much better. Then after my workout (around 10:30am) I have a protien shake. For sure keeps cravings away for me. I know you said you weren't crazy about shakes and protien bars and all that. What about eggs in the morning? Or heck, you said you don't mind meat. Have some steak in the am. Find some way to have a good healthy protien meal in the morning. Maybe that will help?

mandyjohns · March 2012

@Enigmatica
You are so precious!!! I am so grateful to have you as one of my friends! And I admire you so much! I often wonder how you do it all? A bit envious of you... but I am happy for you.. that you've gotten through a lot and that you do so good. I do feel for you with your health situation. I know it's hard and I think you handle it with such a great attitude! I agree about getting rid of the things that are toxic in our lives. My problem is, that it's been 10 years since I got rid of my toxic situation and yet I am forever changed. I don't that I'll ever get my old self back. Life to me is just exhausting!
But, I'm trying! It's a daily struggle.
And, I do appreciate all your suggestions. Plus, you set such a good example in your diet. I don't know if I will ever get to your level of nutritian? I do think I should try to do the smoothie thing. A lot of people suggest it. Need to buy one of those makers. Question: what do you put in yours to make it sweet? the last smoothie I made, wasn't so great. The fruit wasn't sweet at all. I've heard some people use honey. I just don't think I will be able to drink them unless they're sweet enough (definitely not sour or bitter).
Oh.. about the sleep thing. I don't think it's really an issue for me right now. It is something I deal with. I have sleep apnea, so I sleep with a CPAP every night. Can't sleep without it. Hate and love the thing! And, I take a good bit of meds for my depression and anxiety. Because I have trouble getting to sleep (due to a wandering and anxious mind), I have medicine that helps...plus, I just started taking melatonin (OTC-not the pharmacuetical grade). Once I get to sleep, I sleep really hard. I'm knocked out. I know you'll gasp at how long I sleep because I've seen how much (little) sleep you get and you're excited saying it was a lot of sleep. But, I do usually have to get at least 10 hours of sleep.. and I still usually have to take like a 2 hour nap every day. Pitiful! I saw your post about getting that thing (I can't remember the name) that helps you track your calories and even your sleep. I was looking at them on Amazon. Then I saw someone else mention the fitbit. I can't afford it now, but I think the fitbit would be beneficial. Let me know how yours does!
Again, thank you! You are just too sweet to me!
By the way.. I don't know if you've ever told me your name? if you prefer to just leave it at enigmatica, that's fine. I just like to be more personal than some people. Don't want to invade your privacy and these days, I know there's reason to be very cautious!
Okay, I've got to get to bed. Thanks again!!!

HUGE Appetite! Need HELP!

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