How do you switch off appetite? overeat plain foods like porridge/bread/low mood?

[Feelingfortyisntfun]

Over the past few years I find I’m rarely full. I have to be very careful. Where others will say phew I’ve had enough I’m thinking “I’d like some more”.

I was thinking of doing a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch e Xmas to try and restrain myself to stick to meals and avoiding turning to food.

I did my dna testing and it said I am most likely to be obese (I’m not) but I find it such a challenge to limit my portions when I see food I’m like yay party very light bulb pings in my Brain. My grandparents were obese and my father struggles. I never feel full and always leave the table thinking I would like more. I think the hormonal shift taking place during my forties has not helped as I remember also having an insatiable appetite when I was about 14.

Does anyone have any advice on how to switch off that appetite ? I find it immensely irritating. I also notice it’s correlated with low mood but I think antidepressants may have increased my appetite (!) so I avoid.

I have tried having porridge for breakfast but feel sleepy after, and also want more. I’ve tries protein for breakfast. I don’t think it’s what I’m eating but I’m not sure. I’m just greedy! If anyone can empathise I’d be grateful for them to share.

Can I bump?

Ive lost 3 stone since July following a low carb, high fat, high protein, no sugar diet. Mixed with exercise. The high fat keeps me feeling full so I don’t snack.

Did you emotionally eat too? I was poorly recently and my appetite was zilch I was able to work hard and not gain weight as despite stress I had no hunger. I’d be interested to know if low carb can imitate this. Did you feel tired initially?

No I wouldn’t say I emotionally ate. I ate well but I ate too much. I didn’t feel tired but I felt kinda foggy headed for the first week. I put that down to not giving my body the sugar it wanted. Once that passed I forgot about my cravings

I also eat low carb, high fat, moderate protein. I rarely feel really hungry. The fat fills me up! And I've lost weight on this way of eating.

I just don't crave carbohydrates any more.

Another low carb high fat fan here. It really works

This effect of appetite can be caused by high insulin levels. The best way to reduce it is low carb, high fat plus fasting. The fasting can be over a day if you like such as 5:2 or in the form of 16:8 as they call it, reducing your eating window to 8 hours a day and no food in the 16 hours. These times of not eating really help to reduce insulin in your body and will help to get rid of that false appetite. The low carb foods also help to reduce insulin levels and get rid of false appetite.
Low carb can be hard at first but you will soon get used to it if you get some nice recipes.

Its white carbs that make you feel like this as they have no nutrients, so your body keeps wanting more and more. As PP have said eat more protein and healthy fats like nuts and seeds and your appetite will change. I am a big snacker/ boredom eater and if I eat white carbs I just want more and more. The wanting more after a meal, I used to be like that. Trying to savour every mouthful and eating mindfully can help with that. Sometimes you gobble things so fast you don't notice or appreciate eating them and then want more and more.

Have been fasting for years now and I don't have a huge appetite since doing it. I will break the fast at 12 and have my last meal at 8pm.

On the rare occasion I do eat breakfast I really notice I am much hungrier and snackier during the day. So I do try to avoid it and I also find I am much sharper and harder working in the morning when I'm hungry. I think a lot of people are scared of feeling a bit hungry when it's actually a very natural and OK feeling.

Try drinking a glass of water before every meal. That should help some way with portion sizes.

Protein will fill you up. So scrambled egg and bacon, or porridge oats with a protein powder mixed in. I find porridge makes me really hungry too. There's also Fage Greek yoghurt which is really high in protein, you could use that instead of milk for porridge.

Try the 2B Mindset. Really good. Water first, veggies most. You can still eat what you'd like (at first anyway, until you can without perspective and habits). Just include loads of veg and always drink your water first.

My mood has also been a lot better since starting to eat low carb. Also not getting joint pains/stomach bloating any more. It's a good way of eating for me.

This is such a great response and how weird all low carb advocates and a fasting advocate too. I’ve always instinctively known I have to be careful with white bread and cakes but I overeat seeded and multigrain too! At work we had (almost no sugar!) flapjacks and I couldn’t stop munching them.

I’m so glad this may help mood and that you’ve all found something that helps. I did try fasting, woke at 6 am 6.30 had a coffee with skimmed milk (fast starting to break!) then had one calendar chocolate. At 11 am I had an apple and suddenly appetite was roaring. I failed. I think fast probably has to be no kcal intake not just a small amount ( ?)

I was really shocked how illness affected my appetite and wondered if that’s how Normal people feel with food - it was liberating. Not nice to be I’ll though. Thank you for sharing.

I also get a bit of a buzz of carbs - perhaps there’s my problem

Yes carbs and sugar work on the dopamine reward circuit in the brain so it's like getting a drugs fix. Good news is that the less you eat, the less you want to eat. You just have to get through the cold turkey bit!

What were the flapjacks made with if no sugar...? There are lots of things that pretend they aren't sugar, even dried fruit...

I find if I don’t eat breakfast I don’t get as hungry during the day. The first thing I eat is lunch. At 12pm. On the dot.

And yes, no carbs. I’ve posted this before, but my hairdresser was massive, like a big round ball. She cut out carbs and power walked for 30 mins a day and the weight dropped off her. She went down to a 12/14 then had a tummy tuck to get rid of the excess skin. She’s now slim, fit and healthy with just making those two changes.

Try my test.

One morning, eat 2 eggs, scrambled with butter.
The next morning, try a bowl of porridge.

See which one keeps you fullest the longest.

Guaranteed it'll be the eggs.

And yes, no carbs. I’ve posted this before, but my hairdresser was massive, like a big round ball

^^

Complimentary there, mythical

Very low carb, very low sugar

Works every time

It sounds to me like you have a sugar addiction. It’s really hard to cut out but after a few weeks you will feel much better, I know I did

halfwitpicker, I wasn’t being mean, honest .

I do have coffee with full fat milk in the mornings, I'd switch the skimmed for full fat personally but I always go for full fat versions of things.

If you lasted til 11am though that is great! Skip the calendar choc and have it straight after dinner. Just slowly work your way up til you're fasting til 12. So if you normally have breakfast at 8, move it to 10am for a week, and then 11am for a few days and then go til 12.

I'm not a staunch low carber but I do agree with everything everyone says.. if you can avoid carbs and choose fat and protein instead you will find yourself much less hungrier. Best of luck!

You said when you ate an apple your appetite went up, that will be the carbs that your body turned to glucose for energy. Most fruits are super high in carbs, I don't eat them, I occasionally have a few berries. Above ground vegetables are great for vitamins. So many carbs are in things you may not think of, I didn't realise this until I started low carb/high fat eating. Omelette with mushrooms on the side is a nice one for breakfast. Agree with all previous posters re high fat/low carb, it was a lifechanger for me, I had a total mood shift and have so much of a healthier attitude to food now.

Really encouraging responses thank you!

I think partly I rely on carbs to lift my mood when I think about it- worsened with hormonal shifts so I’m aware it must be some degree biological worsened in winter too. I would love so much to just break free for that craving and then overeating them.

I’m sort of excited but also nervous (how pathetic) Kn case I can’t achieve it. I’m not very good when I’m tired or low in mood. Very interested to hear (sorry op can’t remember your poster name) that fasting increases morning productivity. My husband always says I work well when hungry and I always thought that’s because I was awaiting my prize 😀 dinner.

Do you all sleep ok on low carb high fat? I’m v interested too because I have eczema so hoping it may make me beautiful. I’m thinking salmon roasted veggies omelettes avocados ?? I do have high cholesterol but low blood pressure. I’ll do more research but do you eat lentils on low carb at all? I guess it’s a case of tracking the macros?

I really can’t tell you how thankful I am for your responses.