AIBU to feel constantly hungry on a low-carb diet?

[Touty]

Been doing low carb for a while now and seems to be the only way for me post middle age

But OMG I’m hungry all the time, like a wolf. I find myself snacking on peanut butter and cheese to keep me going.

Tonight I’ve eaten a whole tray of turkey meatballs, must be about 350g of meat, I’m still hungry.

Any tips?

Have you tried the ‘Filling Meals’ cookbook? Available from Amazon. We use it all the time. All the meals in there are about 500 calories per portion and lovely and filling. The meals are high in protein and fibre which is one of the keys to satiety.

We eat from the book most days, I’m mid fifties and have lost weight recently but am not hungry ever really.

The other tip I have is to have a good breakfast (lots in the book) which means you start the day not feeling hungry. Some of the breakfast recipes in the book are so filling I can’t finish them!

@CountryGirlInTheCity thanks for the book recommendation, unfortunately I can’t eat most of the things in there as I’m trying to follow a low carbohydrate diet.

I can't do it. I'm constantly hungry.

My brother does it and he thinks it's brilliant

He actually lost quite a bit of weight doing it

I have to eat carbs, but I work out a lot so I'm okay

i'm just saying this to warn you, it doesn't work for everyone

Have you tried just having a little bit? So like a tablespoon of grains with your meal. That's where I ended up. Some things are okay like steak and salad is fine, but that's probably because there's enough fat in the steak. Lean chicken or fish salad is not fine. And then I end up padding out the same dressing with fat and I just thought this is ridiculous.

I spoke to one trainer who said to me that she has been looking over her client food logs and she has found that it's calories that really make a difference

I think she was quite disappointed because she's a great believer in the high protein thing

Oh, I was eating so many eggs. I thought I was gonna turn into one.

Interesting, because I did a low carb, high protein diet and I found the opposite - I felt very full all the time.

I did keto and found it very filling tbh. Plus lost loads of weight. What kind of meals are you having?

Can’t you just eat carbs, but exercise portion control, eat things that are low in fat, and stay away from sweet treats? That kind of diet is the only way I’ve ever lost weight. I don’t really understand this thing of cutting out whole food groups.

This is me. I do low carb for 2 weeks pre holiday to reduce the stomach bloat and my tummy overhang and it does work but it isn’t sustainable. Parking for now and I’ll come back tomorrow with suggestions.

It’s typically the fat that makes you feel full on low carb. If you eat low carb, low fat, you will feel hungry. And sad 😃

OK so some normal concerns. Studies show that some people experience more satiety with carbs and some don’t. You do, I don’t. You don’t get it, I do.

Plus it cures… my IBS, migraines, bloating, aches, helps with the ADHD. Doesn’t work for you, please understand that you aren’t everyone.

Are you eating enough vegetables? Low carb doesn't mean 0 carb. You can have half (or more!) of your plate covered in broccoli or avocado and still be low carb.

Also make sure you're including plenty of healthy fats in your meals. It should be low carb, medium protein, and high fat. If hungry snack on stuff like olives or buttered cauliflower instead of something protein based.

OK, but the OP says it isn’t working for her as she’s hungry, so maybe you also need to understand that you’re not everyone? Or did you name change in the OP?

This. Low carb works brilliantly for some people, and low fat works better for others. I work best on low fat with complex carbs. I couldn't face keto - too much fat makes me feel really ill but not full.

Follow a diet that works for you, not the one you think should be best.

@CountryGirlInTheCity I have just ordered the book, thanks. Thanks @Touty for posting, hope you find a solution as I think I’m like you, I feel very hungry with no carbs.

First Line says it’s the only thing that does work!

I did low carb Atkins style a long time ago, I lost lots of weight and don’t remember being hungry. However being satiated is different to being physically full: the former relies on a high enough fat intake to tell your brain that you are ‘full’.

You say you eat cheese and peanut butter ‘to keep going’ - sounds like a perfectly acceptable low carb snack to me 🤷‍♀️ why not just count it as part of your diet / what you eat? I used to have a chunk of strong cheese as a snack, where others would be reaching for the biscuits. Or a couple of slices of ham rolled up with mayo.

If you are hungry, eat more. but eat more protein, fat, salad, veg. I don’t remember paying much attention to portion control with low carb, it tends to sort itself out as there is only so much steak you can eat at one sitting.

You need fibre with your protein to make it filling. I could eat salmon until it comes out of my ears, but chickpeas or lentils with it makes it much more satisfying.

Also, just have some fucking carbs. Nothing wrong with a piece of wholemeal toast with your eggs or some baby potatoes with your dinner. Low carb doesn't have to be no carb.

Re chickpeas and lentils, because they are a superfood and essential for heart health, you shouldn't be eliminating them from your diet. They don't count as carbs, in the way wheat does. Same as beans. Make stews/curries/soups using, beans, chickpeas and pulses, if you need to cut calories use zero carb rice/pasta/noodles. While dropping weight, bone, muscle and heart health matters.

I feel you OP - I had gestational diabetes (twice) and had to restrict my carbs, and I was constantly hungry, refluxy, and miserable. I think some people's physiology is set up to feel full after a tablespoon of peanut butter and cheese as a snack - my physiology looks for the bread and crackers instead.

there is only so much steak you can eat at one sitting.

About half a cow. Sounds a bit like Pam on Gavin and Stacey having an extra steak instead of broccoli 😂

Or have a small amount of meat, potatoes and veg for far fewer calories and still have a ton of protein but with some fibre as well. And hopefully avoid bowel cancer and heart disease.

What does a typical day of food look like? List your breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks.

It’s possible your meals are too small or you don’t have enough veg, which is making you want to snack.

E.g. My typical low cab breakfast: omelette, avocado, broccoli, a chicken sausage and coffee with a handful of nuts.

I eat Keto and I feel full, have you tried that?

I still crave carbs even when full on a high protein diet. It’s not hunger but a strong sense of not being satisfied and craving carbs. It just doesn’t work for me I have to have a balance of both in my diet.

I can't do it either.
it's not satisfying for me and it is very easy to overeat on nuts/hummus/cheese...

carbs are not the devil. comlex carbs are good for us.

I follow a low carb way of eating. I was advised to eat full fat too as low fat is full of sugar and makes you crave carbs

What's your day look like ok?