Terrible Hunger
 

Just a question -- do you get hit by terrible hunger pains? You HAVE to eat right away even though you should not be hungry? Is this a sign of not drinking enough water.

These pains hit me even after I had a good meal and I know that if I don't eat that I would get sick. For example -- I was a little bit hungry for lunch but I waited until Noon -- Had a nice salad, 2 oz of cheese, tomatos and dressing -- should have filled me up and WHAM it hit -- I was starving for no reason. Nothing wrong with me physically (sugar, etc is all ok) but this hunger can make me go WAY off.

I try to eat something with good carbs and protein to try and fill me up more. Sounds like you didn't have enough to eat. Maybe add some chicken and chickpeas to your salad and you probably won't be as hungry.

I would add some protein and a huge glass of water to that meal and see how that goes. Also, probably a silly question, but are you sure this is hunger pain and not some other pain?

Most definately hunger pains. It goes away when I eat and truthfully I have to be careful not to swallow air :o because I eat so quickly. I tell ya, if you had a cupcake in your hand and I was hungry, you might lose that hand holding the cupcake. One should not get that hungry!

Ok, more protein -- that makes sense -- but how much protein is your diet SUPPOSE to consist of? If protein is suppose to be 30%, then on a 1500 calorie diet that means that I can only have 450 calories of protein which is not very much (1 oz of meat is usually 100 calories; and 4 oz makes up a serving)

Thank you for your reply -- I should properly change my signature line to Hungry Girl

Ann, thanks for the good carbs idea with protein-- I guess a nice slice of multigrain bread would have done the trick. I guess I have to stop focusing so much on calories (which hasn't been very successful).

Hmmm--I very seldom get "that" hungry on my 1560 daily calorie average (I always do a full 1500 but try to make sure it never goes over 1600). I shoot for a 40/30/30 carb/pro/fat mix and my average is pretty close to that. I do average right around 100 grams of protein per day.

I drink at least three 24 oz bottles of water at work, at least 12 oz w/breakfast and more at night. This does not include the black coffee I drink.

Try to make sure you eat foods that will "fill you up" and eat often enough that you don't get "that" hungry. I eat breakfast by 6, a fruit snack at 9, lunch at 11 and supper between 5 and 6 and in bed by 8 or 9.

Regards,
Michael

I also agree with protein filling you up...there have been studies that have shown that protein and healthy fats both help you stay fuller longer, though there are also studies that probably contradict that, as well, but I'm going on my own experience.

You may want to take another look at your protein choices. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is about 45 calories an ounce. A 5-ounce can of tuna is 100 calories. Lean meat, fish, beans, eggs, lowfat dairy...all are good sources of protein and may not have as many calories as you expect they would. Nuts, also, but they are high in calories so you have to be careful there.

Also, there is no hard and fast rule that says that you have to stop your protein at 30%. Do some experimenting as to what your body works best on.

I've read that as time goes by, your stomach "shrinks" and gets used to a lesser amount of food over time; try eating smaller but maybe more frequent meals/snacks if you think it might work for you.

One more thing...healthy fats do help satiate you. We've become conditioned that "fat is bad," but in reality, the monounsaturated fat is quite good for you, is thought to aid in weight loss, and is necessary for various body functions, and it can also help keep you feeling fuller.

Thanks!
 

Wow, thanks for good ideas. :) I did not realize how I was not counting my protein correctly and how much water I wasn't drinking (compared to some people). I've been attempting to lose weight for so long that I've confused myself and no longer remember how to eat.

However, I do remember as a child I would eat breakfast; go to school and not eat until lunch -- now I would find that impossible. I'll have to find a breakfast w/protein & carbs that will stick to my ribs.

Pretty much my favorite work-day breakfast is 1/2 cup of egg beaters, 2 oz. of BBQd lean beef and two slices of the Country Kitchen low cal/low carb whole wheat toast w/1 pat of real butter. This is about 300 cals and has enough protein and a reasonable amount of fat to last me until my 9 am snack (usually a banana for the potassium and the fact that I like them).

I buy a pound or so steak (always look for the discounted ones) for $2 or $3, grill it and cut it into 2oz chunks which last me all week. I butter my griddle and cook eggs, steak and toast all at the same time so I'm done in perhaps 5 minutes.

Regards,
Michael

Your experience after a veggie salad for lunch is pretty common. I don't know how many times I've seen co-workers "be good" for lunch and then find themselves staring at the candy machine, ravenous, by 2:00.

There are also some foods, that can trigger that over powering hungry feeling. Apples do for me. I love apples and do eat them often, but if I try to eat one as a midafternoon snack all by itself in about 1 to 2 hours my stomach is going wacko with hunger. It is kind of contrary to the conventional wisdom of having a high fiber snack to "fill you up". (Some people get that same feeling with celery or other crisp fruit or veg.) As CJ said, you just have to figure out what will work for you - we are all different (Thank heavens!)

And...all the earlier advice about adding protein should really help.

I know that insane ravenous hungry as heck, first edible object is history hunger you speak of. Glad it's not just me :D

I find I need protein AND fiber/starch with each meal. A salad alone won't hold me, even with cheese meat and eggs on it, but a salad and a 100-calorie whole wheat "slimwich" (nothing in it) keeps me satisfied. Especially if I add a 16oz bottle of water to it. I think the bread soaks up the water, something the salad itself just can't do. An apple by itself doesn't fill me up, but an apple with 2 tablespoons peanut butter is almost as good as a meal.

I agree with all Cassie's points. Your body is as individual as your fingerprints. Find the amount of protein that works the best for you whether that is 30, 35, 40 or 50%.

Don't underestimate the importance of healthy fats in your diet. Fat is necessary for nuerologic function and nutrient transport. This along with fats' hunger satiating effect make it essential to a calorie restrictive diet. I believe many who fail at a calorie restrictive diet do so because the buy into the 'fat is bad' myth and without healthy fats in their diet their body is always telling them they are hungry. I like to eat about 10 unroasted almonds and a big glass of water to fend off cravings.

Lots of great advice in this thread. I'm eating more calories than you, about 2,000, but when I'm on my routine I find I'm never hungry...in case what I do has any suggestions buried in it:

Breakfast is usually oatmeal and a whey protein powder mixed with soy milk or lowfat (not nofat) milk.

I usually take the same snacks with me and switch between what I have mid-morning vs. mid afternoon. These are usually 10 mini carrots, 1/2 cup of high fiber and good vitamin dry cereal, 10 raw almonds, and 5 small pieces of dried unsulfured apricot. Most often I crunch on the carrots in the morning, and have the rest a couple hours after lunch to get me through that afternoon push.

Lunch is most often a salad. I try to bulk up on the low cal stuff like lettuce or spinach, broccoli, cucumber, but I'm sure to add garbanzos, cottage cheese, some sunflower seeds and when they have it an ounce or two of lean chicken breast.

I also often bring dinner leftovers for lunch. I think my lack of hunger is less to do with what I eat for lunch and more to do with those snacks. I also have my desk stocked with emergency snacks for when I forget to bring stuff or am just hungry.

I can't say enough about drinking lots of water. The more you drink the more regular it will seem. It's also good for making you get up from your desk regularly to refill if you can.

On the bright side of all of this is that the difference between when you used to skip lunch and not be hungry and now is that you're metabolism is working, and working for you. You're not starving your body and forcing it into a protective shell where it wants to store fat. This is a good thing if you can work out a system of eating that keeps you full.

Best of luck!

Oh, and the one thing I forgot is that if you combine protein with carbs (preferably good carbs, please), the protein is thought to slow down the (glycemic?) impact of the carbs when they hit your system. This can also help avoid hunger and sugar crashes. Eventually I just conditioned myself to try to pair carbs with a protein, as avoiding the carbs does not work for me. I think that goes along the line of what Lizzy was saying; I'm much the same makeup as she is, I think.

What Good Information!
 

Thank you for such wonderful insights! I feel SOOO empowered!:D

The Whey protein looks VERY interesting. I do enjoy my oatmeal in the morning and was wondering how to insert protein into this breakfast instead of eating eggs/meat all the time for protein in the morning.

Any suggestions on the Whey I should buy?

There's a good link on here somewhere about protein powders, and maybe someone can point you to it.

There are so many different ones. I actually have two, one that is moderately high in protein and has a lot of other nutritional values I like, and it's the one I have at breakfast. The other is very high in protein and not much else, and it's the one I have with a fruit juice and yogurt after workouts in a smoothy.

When you're shopping for protein powders it's great to have a recommendation about one that will mix well, and keep an eye on the calories. A lot of times they will measure by the scoop and have different values for one scoop versus two. Some of them can be very high in calories so be careful there.

Some health food stores will let you sample them, also. I use them occasionally and find that some taste funny, even ones that other people say are great. Apparently it's an individual thing, and they are generally sold in rather big jugs, so if you know you like it before you buy it, that's a plus. Right now I just have my local grocery's brand and I like it better than the Optimum Nutrition I dumped a chunk of change on back in the summer.

I can't add anything to what's already been said, but you mentioned something about oatmeal, and I feel compelled to share my recipe for power oatmeal I used to make in grad school (which only ended 2 weeks ago.... but it seems like so long ago now!).

Basically, you mix your oats with a scoop of vanilla whey, about a tablespoon of flaxseed oil and a teaspoon of real maple syrup, add water or milk, and nuke it in the microwave for a minute or so. Stuff will fill you up for a good six hours or so, especially if you use whole milk. :)

No whey?
 

If you can't find whey protein, or it is looking a little pricey, just old fashioned powdered milk, non-fat, works fine. Since I bake bread in a machine pretty frequently, and most of the recipes call for dried milk rather than liquid I usually have some around.

BTW I cannot stand the stuff made up in water! I am not much of a milk drinker anyway, but the powdered stuff is pretty vile.

Tandoori your oatmeal recipe sound wonderful. I'll give it a try later this week.

Off topic for Tandoori
 

Congrats on finishing your degree - that's huge! And adopting your healthy lifestyle at the same time is a real triumph. Way to go.

What's your degree in?

Power oatmeal sounds awesome! I might sub some slivered almonds for the flaxseed oil. It's been so cold, a hot breakfast that I can make at work sounds lovely. Just take the dry ingredients premixed, and add the water and nuke at work, I can do that!

Im too are one of those who cannot get full with just a salad. I have to have my carbs and meat. I'm bad at limiting myself off limits with certain kind of foods so what I did at the start is to always tell myself to leave 1/3 of the portion on the plate.

Eventually right now, i'm leaving half the portion each time i have my meals. I am no longer taking as much as what I am able to eat. I'm not a huge fan of donuts but got tempted to have 3 at one go. Afterwards, i felt sick and nauseous, and freaking full to the max. I reckon my body has conditioned itself to eat lesser and "reject" bad food.

I don't eat salads usually because first, it didn't fill me and veggies are carbs too (good carbs) so I felt it's a waste to put in those carbs in my body when I know I gotta reach out for more snacks after 2 hours or so. What I did is to have some rice (im asian so rice is like a staple to me but other forms of starch or carbs works fine too), meat and vegetables. I will make sure i eat all the meat and veggies but leave half the rice on the plate.

Sometimes I get hungry by 5 and still at work, so i grab a chocolate cookie which helps to keep my blood sugar consistent. Been doing this on and off for 3 weeks and though the weight loss is slow, I didn't gain any weight even when I stuffed myself on christmas and with the donuts.

I believe this works for me, except that I need to get out for a good jog every morning. Like everyone says, each one of us are different, so i'm sure you can find a right diet that complements your weight loss goals. Good luck :)

And, I forgot to add, water keeps me real full after meals, so you can try drinking the required amount for your body weight. For me, it's 70 oz according to my body weight. Basically 50% of your weight is the number of oz you have to drink a day.

I have tried whey protein many ways with oatmeal and it ALWAYS clumps up when cooked with the oatmeal. I almost get sick on it. I've never used it with flaxseed oil, does that prevent it from turning into a hard ball of protein... that you could play tennis with?

Runbikeski my degree is in biomedical engineering. That's where I picked up all my biochem and biomechanics.

Mike, I use whey from Trader Joe's. Even when I don't put in the flax oil I don't have clumping problems. Then again, I also use steel cut oats, not the pre-mealed powdery Quaker Oats stuff so maybe that lends itself to clumping too.

Happy New Year everyone!