How do I stay full between lunch and dinner?

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

In my snacking quests, I found Emerald makes a small tube of cinnamon roasted almonds that are fantastic!

..that is until I saw how much fat they had. eek!

It may not be the healthiest but I tried a buffalo chicken chopped salad at Subway with some ranch dressing and it was fantastic! I think chopped salads might be a way to get me to frankly eat more salads. Getting myself to eat smaller portions and get out of the old male eating habit has been my struggle that I've been working on but I'm making positive strides.

[Guest LizMarie]

In my own personal experience, especially with the high number of calories I consumed while on active duty due to how busy we were (5000+ calories per day), that maybe people have a mistaken expectation about hunger.

What I had to learn, when I stopped working in combat arms (and jumping out of helicopters and things like that) was not only to be satisfied with smaller portions, but to learn to be content with not being hungry.

At one point in my life I thought something was wrong if I didn't feel "full" but there was nothing wrong at all. I had mistaken the lack of feeling full for being hungry and it's not the same thing at all. Now I eat when I am actually hungry, whether I was feeling full or not.

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

but to learn to be content with not being hungry.

At one point in my life I thought something was wrong if I didn't feel "full" but there was nothing wrong at all. I had mistaken the lack of feeling full for being hungry and it's not the same thing at all. Now I eat when I am actually hungry, whether I was feeling full or not.

I really like this, and in fact, I think I'm going to try and adopt this mindset. I, too, thought feeling full was what I should aim for with eating but you're right, just eat until you're not hungry. I had 2 slices of pizza yesterday (among other things) but it had been so long since I had breakfast that I felt I had to devour both of those to be full. After the first slice I began feeling not hungry any more, about half way through the second slice I thought "you know, Liz, you don't have to finish this if you don't want to." But you're totally right. Just aim for not feeling hungry.

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

Also the almonds mid day snack has been a tremendous help! I can't thank you ladies enough for that suggestion because before I'd be reaching for, well, anything bad for me: twinkies, candy bars, those fruit pies hostess makes, a muffin, ice cream, etc. Today's mid-day snack (just to curb hunger cravings until I can actually eat lunch) was a small bag of beef jerky (like 5 bites) and a diet soda from the vending machines where I'm stuck at right now. I figured beef jerky was the better option because of the protein I'd be getting.

[Charlize]

Good snacks are few and far between. So much fat and sugar in most packaged snacks. I was always amazed at the women who had carrots and celery for a snack....now that's me. Add some water and maybe a banana and i not only make it but control my weight as well. I took some training but is possible.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest April Kristie]

A smart person once said...eat to live, do not live to eat! As a former athlete who was used to working out for hours on end and then eating thousands of calories and not gaining ANY weight. Once the activity stopped, you had to change your weighs or gain a ton of weight, Which I did. I now do not eat sugar or white flour at all. If I want bread it is a rarity and then only whole grain. Another smarty pants said, if the label has more than a few ingredients it is garbage to begin with. So, watch the salt, sugar, and anything with enriched flour in it and I will mention corn syrup as they have stopped calling it high fructose corn syrup to trip us up. I have and have lost 15lbs since August. I have another 90 to lose and I hope to do this before it goes to my arse. I walk my treadmill 2-3x a week. After five back surgeries it is difficult to do most exercises, but walking is cool as well as modified situps and I just saw the video that was posted on the site about a feminizing workout. I will try more of that. Its up to us to keep our fingers away from our mouths. Dont buy it you wont eat it! Good luck ladies and gents.

[Guest kristendk]

I also mentioned this in your newer "Always Feeling Hungry" thread, but check out the Atkins diet (similar, I believe, to Paleo).

You don't need to go hungry, and you can choose Atkins-friendly options pretty much anywhere you go.

Fat helps you feel full, and, except trans fat, is actually not bad for you, so long as your body is burning primarily fat rather than carbs. Atkins tells you how and there is an every increasing volume of science to back it up.

Kristen

[Guest April Kristie]

Kristen hit it on the head, let's get into the fat burning zone!

[Guest ericajordan]

Valerie, so it is awhile now. How are you doing? What is up with you now?

Loads of good advises, I can see here already for you, did you stay with it?

For me, I eat loads of food to maintain my weight.

There are 2-3 foods, that I really like, that seem to consistently put my metabolism into high gear. One is Avocado. Also, fresh hot peppers, like jalapenos. Hot and fresh, not pickled or in a can or the like.

Onions, tomatoes and cabbage all do me, with olive oil. it is more expensive, but olive oil, turns my system on high.

In the am, I have oatmeal. (no milk for me: I add butter and honey- sometimes berrys and nuts> this really, truly fills me for hours). Or eggs. Again, with loads of butter, peppers, onions, etc.

My fav meat is Filet Minion. I only buy a pound at a time- usually for the week.

Then I drink coffee, 2 or 3 cups per day. Beer. Beer makes me feel very full.

I hope you are doing well AND you found foods you really like to eat that work for you!!

Love Erica

[Guest Rachael Denae]

From one empty belly to another, if weight loss is the problem just a few blanched almonds and a little gatoraid go a long way, your not the only one feeling empty between meals, the hormones have allowed me the ungrand opportunity of putting on a little belly, and for someone who spends as much time in a kitchen as I do, wanting to eat and telling yourself not to is a battle, a lot of self control and a picture of my wife and family on my kitchen wall, actually all over the house to remind me why I need to take care of myself, for them. Im curious tho if you are hungry only between lunch and dinner or does that hold true for breakfast and lunch as well. for me it was only lunch to dinner, because between breakfast and lunch I never had enough time to even worry about getting hungry. My mornings are always pushed and generally on a time frame. In the afternoon I found I had more free time and the first place my mind would go was food. Now I carry a small bag of blanched almonds and either gatoraid or unsweetened ice tea for a quick snack, it works for me perhaps it will work for you. By the way I took this advice from the Dr. Oz show.

[Guest ValerieD]

I currently eat a bagel sandwich for lunch. It seems to work better at keeping me satisfied than using slices of bread and substituting smart balance for mayonnaise on one side keeps me from getting sick of the sandwiches. I wouldn't mind having a bit more, but it works (I plan to add a banana to my lunch, but have to wait for SRS for that since potassium and spiro don't get along). My metabolism crashed a month or two ago when I started taking calcium supplements (it seems to improve my estrogen absorption), so I've been working at reformulating my dinners to compensate.

Breakfast to lunch has never been a problem since it's the bigger meal for me.

[Guest Kayla Grace]

Ravin has the right idea. Avoiding carbohydrates is best, because carbs are mostly sugar, and make you crave more.I found that out last night the hard way: I finished off some chips and it (at least doesn't) look like I lost weight yesterday. I didn't accurately measure how much I took, just finished the bag. What I should have done, was have a few scoops of my ice cream that is in my freezer to curb cravings. I digress. I used to follow the keto diet when I was 25% body fat. I only ate what I called "keto salad", which consisted of romaine lettuce, chicken breast, and lots of cheese and ranch sauce. I ate that twice a day (because that's when my hunger permitted me to!) and I lost a ton of weight in one short month (Just a disclaimer for my OCD, the keto diet isn't for everyone. Consult your doctor before you start any weight loss plan!!!).

Now I've incorperated what's called Intermiddant Fasting. If you know what fasting is, IF is the same thing but with a slight but major difference. You eat all of your alloted calorie intake in a certain time frame of the day. There is multiple benefits to this including being more sensitive to insulin. This link can help http://dailyburn.com/life/health/intermittent-fasting-methods/. I'm still trying to figure out ironclad if losing fat is as easy as calories in to calories out though, because I personally am around 155 lbs so I'd eat under 1500 calories to lose. I try to cut as much as possible, though. The main benefit of IF is when your body gets used to eating all of your calories in a certain time frame; which for me is fairy quickly, you won't be hungry during your fast. Drinking water during my fast curbs it because the body can't tell whether it's hungry or thirsty.

God Bless

Natalya <3

[Guest alissa16]

A big step for me has been getting away from caffeine. As a former merchant seaman and truck driver I

had become use to a daily high intake of the substance.

Once I committed to my hrt/new me plan,.This caffeine fascination had to end.

Using a tip from a women's daily health blog... I started adding a squirt or two of lemon juice into my water

bottle to start my digestives moving. Yes! Can't be emphasized enough!! Water!! Flush those toxins from

you body!!.

Also found that I enjoy a hand full of grapes or some melon prior to my breakfast..grapes and popcorn are

handy quick snacks.

Eat a lot more rice instead of potatoes and plenty of veggies..a good 2/3 of the bulk of your meal should be

Vegetables.

[JJ]

The real key is finding what works for you and your chemistry. We are incredibly complex and varied. If any one diet worked for ever there wouldn't be literally thousands of diets out there.

For instance I have very reactive blood sugar and if I started my day with either grapes or popcorn would end up eating non-stop all day because both react in my system like sweets. And once I eat sweets my blood sugar rollercoasters the rest of the day. I have to eat meat with some fat each morning.

Keto diets work for some. But for anyone with a blood sugar condition-especially undiagnosed diabetes which is not uncommon in people with weight issues-it can be fatal. I have hypoglycemia myself and nearly died on a keto diet. If you want to try it please have your Dr assess you first.

Keep trying different things till you find what works for you and what you can live with for life

Because losing weight isn't the hardest part. Its keeping it off. If you go on an extreme diet you'll end up eventually gaining it back and more. And actually be worse off because we also always lose some muscle that is replaced by fat when we gain it back. We can never lose fat cells either-just empty them so that as we yoyo we have more and more fat cells screaming to be filled.

It's why the more often you diet the more likely to be ovreight- along with the effect it has on metabolism.

Bottom line is that it is complex with no real shortcuts or essy fixes. But you can find what works for you ad a eay of eating and not only lode large amounts but keep it off. I'll always have to watch but I've kept the 200lbs off for 3 years in June.

and if this old man can do it then anyone can

Johnny

[Guest Syd_UK]

my advice to you is to eat something in between meals.

i have tried every diet under the sun and the only one that works for me is called diet recovery by Matt Stone.