Not enough calories for work... Need sugestions

I just joined today, and have been playing with the calorie calculator and have to say its a good thing I did join because I don't think I'm eating enough and I'm not sure what to eat.

on average I eat about a cup of non-fat vanilla yogart, with a half cup of granola, half a banana and 4 strawberries mixed together for breakfast, which I'm finding I burn off very quickly at work, I work at FedEx freight which can be described as moderate lifting, to lots of climbing on and off a forklift all day long.

I feel really hungry after about an hour and a half after I get to work =\ so as a snack (3 hours after I get to work) I have half a Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwich on cracked wheat  bakery bread, which makes me feel  better but I'm still really hungry, I  used to eat a whole sandwich but I got scolded by people at work because PB& J is really fatning. when I had the whole sandwich it would last me another 2 hours before I felt hungry again, but I'd like to replace it with something not so fattening that will make me feel full for at least two and a half hours.

So I think I'm not eating enough calories for the amount that I burn at work because of the hunger pains I have and I find I'm also very tired after I get back from working a 6 hour day. I sleep 7 and a half hours a night but after work I can't do anything until I've had a two hour nap.

So I come home hungry and tired, I eat lunch (salad or sandwich) try to stay awake and ultimately end up falling asleep right after I eat, and if I nap first I end up not sleeping very long, getting up, eating then I feel tired right away.

I have a vicious cycle here and I need to find a way to curb it, not eating enough for the job I do= bad. coming home and eating then falling asleep=bad.

I need something that will keep me full until I can take my break which is half way through my shift, I have tried oat meal and cream of wheat, but I burn them off in the same amount of time and they take longer to prepare then the yogurt, cereal is worse, I have to eat two bowls to feel full and that burns off even quicker. I only have a ten minute break so what ever I eat needs to be pre-prepared.

Any suggestions?  oh and granola bars don't help (people keep suggesting them but they don't work for me).

I know you said granola bars don't work for you, but have you tried the Fiber One bars or generic? The Oat and Chocolate are really good and keep me full for a good two hours or so. Other "granola" type bars have never worked for me either.  If you ate one with a piece of fruit, nuts, granola, etc., I think it would do a good job of controlling your hunger. The Wal-mart brand are just as good, the nutrition values are the same and they're quite a bit cheeper.  

Since you are eating a lot of carbs for snack, it might be best to try protein and see if that helps. Maybe a handful of almonds and a cup of non-fat plain yogurt?

Are you experiencing hunger pains or the up and down swings of blood sugar levels? Is there a chance that you might be diabetic or hypo or hyper glycemic? The sleeping after eating and the swings of how you feel make me think that.

I'm not a doctor, but I've have gestational diabetes and it felt like what you are describing above.

Hope something here helps.

Good Luck!

It sounds like you're burning a ton of calories at work... so if a whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich works for you as your snack, ignore the naysayers and eat it! It's actually a very good thing to have if you're doing physical work because it has fats and protein and slow-release energy. You're hungry for a reason, not just because you're bored or tired... your job is very physical and you need fuel to keep you going so you don't come home ready to fall down.

Have the PB&J for breakfast -- the yogurt, granola, and fruit for your snack -- throw in an ounce of beef jerky (if not a vegetarian) and the extra protein should make a difference. Most beef jerky is only between 60-90 cals per ounce.

I always felt hungrier, earlier, when I ate no (or very little) protein at breakfast. When I started eating a high protein breakfast, I find I don't always need the mid morning snack (and I usually have fruit or veggies, anyway)

Try nuts at breakfast or morning snack. They have fat to help with the hunger pangs.  and fiber to fill you up too.  Another suggestion is to increase the yoghurt or add milk in the morning.  Peanut butter is a good kind of fattening and don't listen to people who say it's bad for you.  I eat a 500 calorie peanut butter and honey sandwich for breakfast and it really keeps me full. I used to pack my husband those for a work snack too. 

I don't like granola either. 

stick with nuts (almonds, pistachios, peanuts), peanut butter, oatmeal with wheat germ and real maple syrup, yoghurt (try lowfat instead of fat free) and see if that helps you with your hunger and energy levels. 

I don't know what else you're eating for meals.  tuna, chicken, home cooked burgers are all good choices. 

I have a protein shake each morning. I use fat free milk and add mixed frozen berries and banana. It keeps me full longer than anything else I have tried for breakfast. I also have a healthy snack (fruit and yogurt or a  hard boiled egg or  veggies or something similar every 2-3 hrs.) I just make sure that lunch and dinner are balanced meals (not fast food or greasy stuff.) I work out twice a day and I don't feel hungry. I also make sure I get enough sleep. That's what works for me, anyway...

I agree with Coach K. (:  And I'd make it a whole PB&J.

Protein seems to keep me full longer. I'll make a smoothie for breakfast with bananas, fruit of the day, and water. Add 30-40 g protein if I need to stay full for a longer time.

I used to have that problem at work, too - the getting hungry a few hours after breakfast bit, I mean - and I managed to fix it by including a lot more protein and fibre in my breakfast. I typically eat a hardboiled egg, a half cup (measured before cooked) of oatmeal, five almonds and a quarter-cup of nonfat yogurt for breakfast. I mix the almonds and the yogurt with the oatmeal which is nice because I can change the flavour of it every day! Anyhow, I find this breakfast keeps me feeling full for up to four hours, and I blame it on the high protein and fibre. Some days I'll switch the oatmeal up for a cup of fibre 1 cereal or two peices of multigrain toast with jam. The toast just doesn't keep me full for as long, though.

For lunches I've taken to liking half-cups of bean salads and vegetable pitas or sandwiches. Tuna's wicked good for protein in a sandwich and it'll keep you going for a long time. If you'e worried about calories mix the tunafish up with a tablespoon of lowfat or fat-free sour cream instead of mayonaise.

Basically, what I'm trying to say here is, PROTEIN and FIBRE, when combined, fill you up and keep you going a lot longer and happier than carbs ever will. Couple a good source of protein and fibre with a liberal amount of extremely low-calorie vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and iceberg lettuce to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied. It works for me! :)

Even though that was word-y, I hope it helped.