Crave feeling full

[BigDrive]

I've lost almost a stone from calorie counting. I have another stone to lose and I'm trying to do it sensibly and gradually because otherwise I will just like it all back on.

The thing I'm struggling with is that I crave feeling full. So far I've been managing this by having a 300 ml drink of water before a meal and I eat one of those filling 90 calorie slim fast chocolates afterwards. But I would like more ways to feel full without piling on the calories.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Isn't that what Saxenda and Ozempic do? Create a satiated feeling?

I'm in a diet too and know what you mean except in my case I can't help but wonder if full feels different depending on what kind of food I eat so craving that full feeling I get after say a big roast isn't what I should be dreaming of.

I know you posted a couple of weeks ago but how many calories is each of your meals, what are you eating and how many times are you eating?
I'm quite a greedy person and my "normal" portions aren't normal but if I eat the "right" meals I always feel full after (and sometimes during) my meals.
I'm doing IF (16:8) though so don't know if that's something you could try?

@chillibear This is what I typically have.

Breakfast - over night porrdige, with oat milk and prunes. Coffee
About 300 calories

Snack - Slim fast bar & coffee
120 calories

Lunch - boiled potatoes and green beans and cherry toms.
300 calories

Snack - apple
100 calories

Tea - rice, chicken, veg
Probs 600 calories

Snack - slim fast snack
90 calories

Protein will keep you feeling fuller. Your lunch in particular wouldn’t work at all for me.

Agree you need more protein at lunchtime- meat or fish or cheese

I am the same, I need to feel full, so I go for a volume eating approach. I get protein into each meal and then add as much volume of veg or salad as possible to fill my plate.

Lots of fibre too, new potatoes etc.

Also on that level of calories I would cut the snack and add the calories to the meals, which helps to feel like you have eaten a decent amount in one go. Not easy though!

Your food choices arent great.

Youre having 1500 calories but not much protein.

I flit between 1200 and 1700 depending on work out schedule.

I had the following yesterday and felt very full

Breakfast - large iced americano and diet shake

Lunch - 2 small granary toast, hummus, 2 boiled eggs, tomatos, rocket, raspberries and watermelon

Snack - handful of prawn crackers

Dinner - home made ramen, with beef and veg sides

The total on myfitnesspal was 1200 you could have something like that but swap the lunch eggs for chicken and have an omlette for breakfast.

Oh my no wonder you're hungry you need a lot more protein.

If you can't get it in your diet then have protein shake instead of the slim fast shite

I have protein with every meal and manage about 1200-1300 calories without feeling hungry

Typical day:

Protein yoghurt / Greek yoghurt & fruit

Prawn & egg salad
Half a pot of cottage cheese

Chicken & veg & potatoes
Or
Turkey mince Bolognese / chilli

Try:

Tinned fish
Eggs
Cottage cheese
Chicken
Turkey

You're not getting enough

I like feeling full too, but not all day and especially not at night. I like the 16:8, and often I'll make a one pot dish of poultry or fish, beans and veg and then do the "fast" until breakfast.

Chia seeds.

They swell so help you feel full.
A tablespoon (or two) in a smoothie then drink it down quickly before they swell in the liquid.

I’m not sure I could drink them in water but I do have a tablespoon in my morning yogurt so you could add them to your oats in the morning before eating.

Your lunch isn’t great though.

Crikey, no wonder you don't feel full. Your lunch is like a side plate, missing the main ingredient? Like salmon. Or a chicken breast. Tuna. Anything protein tbh

Agree with PPs, you need more protein.

I have a 2 egg omelette for breakfast (sometimes plain, sometimes with a little bit of feta & cherry tomatoes), served with lots of green veggies (green beans, tenderstem broccoli, kale, mange tout). This would work well for lunch too.

Dinner is generally 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs, 1/2 veggies.

Try to see how you can include a protein source and as many veg/fruit as possible in your meals, makes the carbs less important/appealing.

I feel like if I have more protein I will have to have less food to keep the calories down. Like for my lunch the amount of green beans I have is A LOT!..it fills my large plate. If I swapped that for a chicken breast I'd only have a bit to eat. But I will give it a go because this isn't sustainable!

Thanks for all the replies! More protein it is :)

You’re never going to feel full on that diet. I’d try intermittent fasting - if you waited until lunch to eat, rather than having a meagre breakfast, snack and lunch and feeling hungry and disappointed after each, you could have a 700-calorie lunch which would be really tasty and satisfying - cold meats or fish, cheese, salad veg and some bread, or even a soup to start and then something else afterwards. Once you get into the habit you don’t feel hungry in the morning anyway and it’s worth it knowing you can eat a really nice meal to break your fast. A day full of low calorie meals is always a bit depressing.

Try ditching the carbs and sugar. I did that and now don't have the hunger pangs. I have a boiled egg for breakfast (I know, dull), salad and chicken or fish for lunch and protein and veg for tea.

I have 100g of authentic Greek yoghurt (not Greek style) with a few blueberries and raspberries as a snack mid aft and a couple of pieces of 85% dark chocolate in the evening.

I am early fifties and have spent my life battling hunger and a sweet tooth but have found this stops both.

Good luck!

I would start eating eggs for lunch- scrambled/ poached/whatever as it will keep you feeling a lot fuller than a plate of beans

Ditch the snacks and have bigger actual meals (with protein!). It will take a bit of getting used to, but if you have a decent meal at lunchtime you should manage until dinner without needing anything else. Not counting drinks - I have tea with milk between meals and get away with it, but have weaned myself off needing a biscuit with it.

It seems your having the stereotypical diet, little food and most of it like a rabbits diet, no offence. Im currently calorie counting and lost 22lb, but im only succeeding because im not depriving myself. I bought a high protein meal recipe book off amazon and follow some people on tiktok which give great meal ideas with high protein and low calories. Things like peanut butter chicken curry, makes me feel stuffed but only 329kcal per serving. Eating real meals with better choice ingredients like leaner mince, low fat options etc have less calories.

Protein not only helps you feel fuller for longer but your body also has to work harder to digest it, so upping your fibre is also recommended.

Depriving yourself is one of the main reasons that diets fail and i say that from experience. Ive also found having a treat on an evening helps, my go to is dairy milk buttons cornets that are only just over 200kcal each but take time to eat are a win.

Definitely more protein @BigDrive and you don’t need to be rigid in counting calories if you are relaxed about losing weight slowly but sustainably

Surely you can have both? Green beans and veg generally is very low calorie, it will be the potatoes which is boosting your lunch calories.

So you could have a chicken breast (around 130 cals), 100g green beans (30 cals), 100g tenderstem broccoli (38 cals) and 100g cherry tomatoes (25 cals).

All that only totals 223 cals, so you could add a small portion of wholegrain rice, pasta or quinoa if you were worried about feeling full up, or make it into a chopped salad with some little gem lettuce (negligible calories).