Insatiable hunger

Big Problem-  I always seem to be hungry.  I know that it is all in my head, but I am having a heck of a time getting it to go away.  Any suggestion or advice would help.  I have tried the water thing and seem to be lacking will power.  HELP!

are you eating every 2-3 hours?  i eat every 3 hours.  I make sure I have either protien or a fat with all my meals (5-6 total) and I eat complex carbs with breakfast (ie oatmeal or wholegrain bread) and complex carbs with lunch as well (pototoes, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread).  it helps a lot.  

chewing on gum helps.  and green tea in the morning is good too.

How much are you eating, and how much are you exercising? If you aren't eating enough/are exercising too much, you SHOULD be hungry!! :-D

I find that if my fat %age is low (around 20-21%) range for a few days, I can end up *really* hungry. When I boost the fat content a bit (closer to 30% than to 20%), I'm not hungry, so you might look at your fat %age.

I know you've heard this before, but I have to say it again. Drink a TON of water. I have heard there is a chance that you might wash away some key vitamins and other stuff your body needs when you drink too much water, but I know that other than annoyingly having to go potty ALL the time, it has been water that has carried me thorugh those looonnnng afternoons in the office. I literally chug it down until my belly is bloated and I can barely get a breath in...

As for the "hunger thunder kick" between 4 and 5 pm ... all I do is focus on getting home and then leaving again to go work out ... that keeps me away from eating the entire fridge ... I find that at the end of a work day, I eat because of stress or anx, but not because I'm hungry. So I work out and by the time I'm done, I'm feeling too healthy to overeat. These are just some personal tips that are helping me as I go. I've lost 28lbs since March and have another 20 to go. Hope this helps :)

I have found keeping sugar out of my deit as much as possible and exercising a little each day helps hunger keep me from getting hungry. Also if I know I am going to miss lunch I make sure to eat a better breakfast, for example 1-2 eggs, piece of ham and bread, maybe more and then I keep fruit with me to eat throughout the day. It works for me I used to be hungry all the time but how I manage it alot better since I have changed my eating habits. You migt also want to read a little about slow release carbohydrates. Here's a link. http://www.formulaforlife.com.au/asp/healthyl iving.asp?section=nutrition&subsec=nutrie nts&page=carb

This is probably not going to help you. But I'm one of those people who is always hungry. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat or don't eat... I just get hungry very often. I've learned to live with it, and it makes me appreciate meals more. I even tried to change lunch - I used to eat my lunch in one go, now I split it and eat half earlier and half later, in an attempt to stay full for longer. But it hasn't helped. Now I'm still hungry after eating the first half of lunch, and the full feeling just doesn't last after the second half.

This article tells you how you can eat more but still get fewer calories.  It's what I do  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14139618/

If you eat lots of good fresh vegetables you can satisfy that hunger without packing in the calories.  I also believe that it keeps you from being hungry because you get better nutrition and your body is satisfied.

Frequent small meals are a good idea too.  It prevents hunger and also revs up your metabolism.

I know how you feel, c2.  When i started on this i was STARVING all the time!  Sometimes i still am. I don't have any additional advice to what is written above, but i'm with ya.  I found a small fruit is a nice snack because it's low in calories but the sugar tricks me into thinking i am more full than if i snack on veggies.  

I agree with jawild too - make sure you've got some protein or a little fat in there - it helps you feel full.  I was amazed at what a difference switching from 2% milk to skim milk with my cereal did - I suddenly was starving a hour after I ate, and ended up eating more calories in a snack then I would have added with the 2% milk.  I added a small portion of walnuts to my cereal with the skim milk, and I don't get hungry until my next meal again, and haven't added that many calories!  Amazing what a little fat/protein will do to help you feel full!

I agree with some of the posters above- gum and drinking tons of water help so much. Sometimes hot water can help you feel very full.

However, if you feel like you're missing out on food, designate one day a week where you can eat more than normal. If you haven't let yourself eat ice cream or cookies, do so every friday (or whatever day you choose). I do this sometimes, and it really helps me not feel like I'm on a constant diet, and it just feels more like I'm watching what I eat. 

But good luck! I found your post because today in particular I can't stop feeling hungry, so I understand!

I follow my diet plan and then, if I'm still hungry, this is what I'll do:

• drink coffee or tea
• chew sugar free gum
• chew on a sugar free mint
• chew on ice
• drink diet soda or tea
• drink crystal light
• make a "crystal light" slushee (blend lots of ice, water and crystal light in blender)
• go for a walk
• get on caloriecount
• distract yourself (call a friend, leave the house, avoid areas with food, go to the gym)
• drink ice cold water very fast

Be sure you diet is balanced, with plenty of protein, fats and good carbs.  Many people restrict fat from their diet, but fat is key to satiation.