To the posters suggesting protein powders, which do you recommend?

get rid of the oatmeal (and maybe the luna bar depending on what's in it)
the grains--they keep you hungry; the proteins fill you up

signed--one who stopped eating oatmeal for breakfast everyday and switched it out to a hard boiled egg and piece of fruit.

OP here--thanks, I have already tried some of these snacks and they are definitely keeping me full longer. It has been years since I ate hard boiled eggs but they have been working really well.

I, too, find that I eat healthier if I exercise in the morning. When I've already put in the hard work, eating poorly just doesn't have the same appeal.

Anonymous wrote:You didn't ask this...but I find that if I exercise in the morning I have all day to be hungry, and I eat more. But if I exercise later in the day I am not. I now exercise just after I get off work, before dinner, and then I'm not too hungry for dinner (that post-exercise slight nausea thing) and so I've just got to get through the evening resisting the munchies.

PP, I respect that it works for you (really) but want to offer the flip side. I am an AM exerciser and find that, on days when I do work out, I am more mindful of my eating habits. I also drink a lot more water. It's totally a personal thing, and probably mostly mental, but I think it's something you just have to try out and see if it's for you?

The Kind Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Nut Bar is amazing. It only has 5g of sugar and while it has a lot of calories (200) it has 7g of fiber and 6g of protein.

You didn't ask this...but I find that if I exercise in the morning I have all day to be hungry, and I eat more. But if I exercise later in the day I am not. I now exercise just after I get off work, before dinner, and then I'm not too hungry for dinner (that post-exercise slight nausea thing) and so I've just got to get through the evening resisting the munchies.

I find that a small amount of dark chocolate helps keep my hunger at bay.

Quit stuffing your face. Practice intermittent fasting.

I am mostly down to a small lunch and a good dinner.

Get rid of all your snacks.

So far I am down 20 pounds this year. Still at 20% body fat and I am targeting 15% as a good final goal. I have about another 10-15 pounds to go.

Stop eating all that crap!

Watch out out for foods labeled non-fat/low-fat. Usually, they remove the fat and fill the food with garbage ingredients that don't feed your body and end up making you hungrier. You are better off going with a vegetable fat, like olive oil, that using a sugar/fake food filled non-fat dressing.

I always have a couple of boiled eggs on hand. They really help to keep the hunger pangs away.

Hummus with veggies (I'm partial to carrots and pea pods).
Guacamole with veggies. The lower-fat guacamole from Whole Foods with the peas is really pretty good.
Apples with peanut butter or cheese.
Celery with peanut butter.

Essentially, make sure you are always getting fiber and protein. Good fats will also help satiate you longer. I tend to stay away from non-fat dairy, as it has a higher glycemic index and makes me hungrier sooner than low or full fat dairy.

Drink more water! Seriously, it is easy to mistake thirst for hunger. Herbal teas (hot or cold), if you don't love plain water.

And slow down. If you are eating, don't do it on the run, but sit and be mindful. I can eat a thousand calories of trail mix without thinking about it if I eat while working.