Always thinking about food :(

anchoredhope
anchoredhope Posts: 13
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys!

I have lost about 25 lbs since I started. I gained about 7 pounds back in the last month because of stress and schedule. I am trying to get back to where I was, but I am always thinking about food, always wanting to eat, always feeling a little hungry. I don't know how to stop thinking about food! Any advice??

Thanks!
Annoyed and hungry college girl...

Replies

  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    How much are you eating?
  • anchoredhope
    anchoredhope Posts: 13
    How much are you eating?

    1200 Calorie per day. Sometimes I work out, but today I have no time so I only have 117 calories left and I haven't had dinner haha
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    I'm experiencing the same exact thing at the moment. What we need is fiber and or protein. It may not be what I want but I am pretty sure its what my body needs. I hope you find your way! Especially if you are a student!
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Given that you only want to lose 22 pounds, you probably want to be eating more than 1200 calories. Set your goal to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. Feeling hungry all the time isn't a good thing and it's probably a sign that your body needs more than that to keep going strong.
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I get you. I'm always thinking of food, calories, macros, what to eat, what time is it, when will I eat, have I eaten everything I meant to eat...

    I'm just going to assume you're eating enough (really cannot comment on whether you are or not) and say - weirdly, what gets me through the day is reading. I obsess so much about food, but reading gives me something to lose myself in. So if you are eating enough, you need a distraction so food isn't your life. I know how easy food becomes the sole focus!
  • Escarda
    Escarda Posts: 131 Member
    Same for me =/
    Iv eaten over 1,700 calories today and im STill hungry!!
    Even if i eat every 2 hours, i still get hungry after like half an hour of eating. =/
  • MrsPike07
    MrsPike07 Posts: 160
    I go through this same thing. I sit and think about what I can eat. I know keeping busy and drinking water....lots of it helps me. Good luck to you!! :smile:
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Given that you only want to lose 22 pounds, you probably want to be eating more than 1200 calories. Set your goal to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. Feeling hungry all the time isn't a good thing and it's probably a sign that your body needs more than that to keep going strong.


    QFT
  • anchoredhope
    anchoredhope Posts: 13
    I'm experiencing the same exact thing at the moment. What we need is fiber and or protein. It may not be what I want but I am pretty sure its what my body needs. I hope you find your way! Especially if you are a student!

    Are Protien bars a good choice?
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I'm always thinking about food as well. I'm breastfeeding (well, pumping since my baby can't actually nurse properly) and burning about 1000 calories from making about 50 ounces of milk every day. Add to that the fact that I make all of our food from scratch and have to figure out how to feed all 5 of us on less than $500 a month while still cooking new and interesting meals and it's pretty much all I think about.

    For me, right now, it's not something I can change. But, when I was first starting out and not having to deal with quite as much food-wise, exercising gave me more calories to eat and staying busy helped occupy my mind. Planning my meals a day or two in advance also helped because I didn't have to think about what I was going to eat. I even estimated my calorie burn from exercise so that I could add in those calories. Not having to think about food so much during the day made it a lot easier.
  • amrita0286
    amrita0286 Posts: 75
    I'm in the same boat as you and it's hard when your a student like me :(
    But what I find helps is having water with me at my desk.
    I also drink water before my meals because sometimes what we mistake as hunger is actually dehydration.
    I saw on the ellen show too when she had a nutritionist I believe on the show was how drinking 2 glasses of water
    before a meal can increase metabolism and help you lose weight faster.

    I hope that helps. I find that I'm only thinking about food when I'm doing nothing, just sitting and studying and not moving around.
    So try to keep yourself busy and that tends to also distract you. Sometimes we just eat even though we're not hungry.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
    My tricks are
    1)eating breakfast as late as I can.......that way I have less time between meals and snacks. I usually have coffee when I get up (around 7am) and then hold off on eating breakfast until 8 or 9 if I can.
    2) Don't let myself get hungry early in the day. I eat breakfast and have a snack in 2 hours regardless of if I'm hungry or not. I find that if I keep myself from getting hungry early in the day, I usually STAY non hungry the rest of the day.
    3) Chew gum
    4) Brush my teeth
    5) Drink a soda

    Those last three all keep me from being hungry or putting food in my mouth. ;)
  • StephinWA
    StephinWA Posts: 10 Member
    Of course, thinking about food all the time and feeling hungry aren't the same thing. I think about food too, and I often want to eat when I'm not "technically" hungry. Sometimes it's boredom, stress, avoidance of a job I don't want to do. I don't have any answers, except to keep trying to do your best, day after day. In my experience there usually comes a time when it just clicks. After several days of doing great and positive momentum, you can really reach a place where your brain starts to cooperate. Then you're back in control.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Same for me =/
    Iv eaten over 1,700 calories today and im STill hungry!!
    Even if i eat every 2 hours, i still get hungry after like half an hour of eating. =/

    Maybe you could try eating bigger meals less often. You'd actually get full from a meal instead of being hungry half an hour later. There's no advantage to eating more meals in a day, it's all about what works for you.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I'm experiencing the same exact thing at the moment. What we need is fiber and or protein. It may not be what I want but I am pretty sure its what my body needs. I hope you find your way! Especially if you are a student!

    Are Protien bars a good choice?

    I love Luna Bars.
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    I'm experiencing the same exact thing at the moment. What we need is fiber and or protein. It may not be what I want but I am pretty sure its what my body needs. I hope you find your way! Especially if you are a student!

    Are Protien bars a good choice?

    I'm an at-home mom so I don't eat bars because of calories but if its all you have then go for it! Try water first then the healthiest form of protein & fiber you can get your hands on should do the trick.

    Btw-you just stopped me from raiding my kitchen!!
  • amrita0286
    amrita0286 Posts: 75
    try protein shakes, they fill you up too and add soy milk instead of milk, it usually comes without sugar (i like the almond breeze one).This should help you out on the calories as well. Add in a couple of frozen fruits, they don't have a lot of calories in them and are sweet on their own.

    You can also add flax seeds to this and it'll give it a crunchy cold taste and help curb the hunger.
    I like to do this from time to time and it's super healthy too.
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    Yup 1200 is really too low. I dont think anyone should eat only 1200. I was eating that at one point and never lost a thing. I upped my calories and that is when the weight started to come off. I am now in maintance at about 1700 and I still dont think that is high enough because I still lose a little each week.

    Also I didnt look at your diary but eat more protein rich foods they keep you full longer =)
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    try protein shakes, they fill you up too and add soy milk instead of milk, it usually comes without sugar (i like the almond breeze one).This should help you out on the calories as well. Add in a couple of frozen fruits, they don't have a lot of calories in them and are sweet on their own.

    You can also add flax seeds to this and it'll give it a crunchy cold taste and help curb the hunger.
    I like to do this from time to time and it's super healthy too.

    Almond Breeze is almond milk, not soy milk. Just saying. It's good stuff though.
  • anchoredhope
    anchoredhope Posts: 13
    I think for me,thinking about food makes me hungry! I have a Bonk Breaker Ironman Energy Bar - 250 calories. I have gum, but I go through it so fast I feel bad! I don't have any water right now because I am in class, do you think I should run and get some water or some tea?
  • Blueyz82
    Blueyz82 Posts: 151
    Protein Bars are good, just watch the sugar and calorie content...I like the Luna Bars, but I don't eat them that often because there is a lot of sugar in them...I try to eat more fruit when I feel hungry a lot and drink water, both makes you feel more full. Good luck to you!
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    I think for me,thinking about food makes me hungry! I have a Bonk Breaker Ironman Energy Bar - 250 calories. I have gum, but I go through it so fast I feel bad! I don't have any water right now because I am in class, do you think I should run and get some water or some tea?

    I think you should raise your calorie goal.
  • anchoredhope
    anchoredhope Posts: 13
    Yup 1200 is really too low. I dont think anyone should eat only 1200. I was eating that at one point and never lost a thing. I upped my calories and that is when the weight started to come off. I am now in maintance at about 1700 and I still dont think that is high enough because I still lose a little each week.

    Also I didnt look at your diary but eat more protein rich foods they keep you full longer =)

    Well I have my goal at 1200 because sometimes Ill go over. I'll feel better about me going over if I know I had a low calorie goal anyway. But I try to stay on track as much as possible.
  • kaned_ferret
    kaned_ferret Posts: 618 Member
    I'm not a fan of the protein bars, they taste great but I'd eat half a dozen in a row if I could!

    Nuts and seeds are working really well for me, I find that a small portion consisting of cashews, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and 3-4 dried prunes will keep me full and running for several hours without bringing on hunger. Wholefoods like these are a much better way of keeping yourself full without going crazy on the calories imo. And I'm one of those people that before I started eating cleaner, was ALWAYS hungry, and could quite happily eat near-constantly out of habit rather than hunger. Getting myself into the habit of eating the nut mix has had a huge impact on my energy levels, hunger levels and general digestive health, can't reccomend it enough :)
  • winonajosephine
    winonajosephine Posts: 122 Member
    ME TOO!!!! Even if I'm not hungry... Im always thinking about what I want to eat and when and how and the macros and calories and blah blah blah blah lol
  • KeepGoingRhonda
    KeepGoingRhonda Posts: 527 Member
    Oh I hear ya! going through the same thing!
  • hodgechic
    hodgechic Posts: 15
    make it aboutchoosing a healthy food
    go and get a ready amde salad
    i went tomcdonalds and had a glass of water and looked at everyone eating this awful crap
  • hodgechic
    hodgechic Posts: 15
    protien and indulge in a protien shake
    my slogan ... i choose
    i would worry less about caloires ..... more about choices
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