i eat too much. but i am hungry (and overweight)

[Anonymous]

anyone have any suggestions for me? i eat a lot of food. but i actually feel hungry and that is why i do it mostly. if i try to scale it back, i have to fight hunger pangs. pains. pangs.

anyway, i am about 15 lbs overweight and do OK in the exercise dept (i am sure i can step it up, but still, i do exercise and so the volume of food that i eat is definitely the problem).

i try to eat protein when i am hungry, but i am not a big meat eater...so snack protein for me is usually nuts and meal protein for me is usually beans or cheese, although i do have probably 2 servings of chicken a week.

[Anonymous]

Have some blood work done, it could be hypothyroidism. Or anxiety. Or boredom. But whatever the reason, you will fight it better when you know what it is. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

The feeling of hunger could actually be thirst. How's your water intake?

I'd cut the nuts out completely and scale back on cheese. Nuts are very high in fat and are easy to eat too many of them. Cheese is mostly fat, not so much protein. Eat things like tuna, nonfat greek yogurt, hard boiled eggs, and nonfat milk several times a day.

And cut as much sugar and artificial sweeteners out as possible. I swear these create a cycle of hunger.

[Anonymous]

I recently read an article from Time that says research shows exercise makes us hungry and we eat MORE because of it.

Exercise has important cardio vascular and strength effects but does not seem to promote weight loss. I would try walking and yoga or pilates. Weight Watchers point system also worked well for me.

[Anonymous]

I'm never hungry after I work out. Even if I am hungry before...it goes away after an hour of cardio or yoga. Then I am able to control my appetite and eat a smaller meal.

[Anonymous]

I would increase both your water and fresh veggies intake.

Vegetables have a lot of bulk and are low in calories. I eat a salad with lots of romaine lettuce every day. It really fills up your stomach. Romaine is super-nutritious and very low cal. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, cucumber, whatever fresh veggies you like. Add beans or canned tuna for a little protein, some oil & vinegar, and you're good to go.

I also love nuts and they are very good for you. So I would not cut them out entirely, but definitely practice portion control - no more than a handful or so per day (I add them to my salad). I LOVE cheese but I try to limit it b/c it can be high in fat.

If most of your snacks are protein, they may be adding a lot of fat to your diet overall. Protein is dense so you may eat too much before realizing you are full (eg, eating a half-cup of nuts instead of a handful).

Another great snack is an apple. Compared to other fruits, apples have a lot more pectin (a soluble fiber), which regulates digestion, lowers cholesterol, and helps you to feel full. I find an apple with peanut butter to be a very filling snack.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you're just meant to weigh 15 pounds more than you'd like to. How's your blood work? Have you had your VO2 measured?

Weight is not a useful measure of health.

http://kateharding.net/but-dont-you-realize-fat-is-unhealthy/

[Anonymous]

have you tried tracking your calories? how many do you eat per day? does it seem reasonable or are you definitely a little high (I would say 2000 or more is high...most women need a little less to weigh less. 2000 is based off a 150 lb person). Try to see where your hungriest time of the day is. For me its lunch. I need to eat a smaller dinner because I'm just too hungry during the day to eat small lunches. I need that to be my biggest meal.

[Anonymous]

An old high school trick is to drink warm coffee. Works for me to stave off hunger/appetite. If you're freaked out about caffeine, do decaf.

Also, chewing gum!

[Anonymous]

Soup.

[Anonymous]

I kept thinking I was hungry bc my stomach hurt everytime it was empty. Turns out I have an ulcer.

[Anonymous]

Soup is also a good filling choice - with veggies, beans or lentils especially. Gazpacho is good too.

[Anonymous]

Dear Lady: Please. cut all the bad carbohydrates ( cakes, sweets etc. ) and eat more protein. Also dont drink cold liquids with the food drink only hot drinks like cofee or te or just hot water. The cold drinks should be drinked 2 hour after you eat. Good luck.