Supressing your Appetite...what works for you?

The main reason I fail with weight loss is because I get really hungry, I eat a lot of fruit/veggies and non fat yoghurts for snacks as well as home made nut bars, I pretty much only eat wholegrain where possible and always have lean meats for dinner, I always drink around 2 - 3 litres of water every day, and I always try to eat 1500 - 1700 cal a day, but I still find I get really hungry, I have a cup of herbal tea and then if I am still hungry I will have a glass of Coke Zero (this usually works) but sometimes I still end up hungry and then it all turns to custard. I have stopped restricting calories the next day to make up for it and just continue like nothing happened doing my regular exercise. I have tried Reductil before (its like Xenical) it worked really well and stopped me being so hungry but it was so expensive to stay on it so I had to stop it.

Does anyone have any ideas of other things I could eat that helps? Or if they know of any vitamins or supressants that are reasonably priced that I could try?

Try to eat more protein or fiber in your diet so you feel fuller. Otherwise try to eat smaller portions so you do not feel your tummy is doing the talking.

Nieto

I add as much protein and fiber as possible, and I make sure I eat something every hour as well.

I was going to say maybe you're actually thirsty but it sounds like you're getting plenty of fluids.   If i've had enough to eat but still feel hungry, i drink coconut water.  For me, it really helps.

what are your stats? maybe you're just not eating enough or maybe you're not physically hungry but mentally hungry. are you getting enough healthy fats?

I'm 5ft 4.5 and currently 160lbs and i'm 23. I generally exercise around 1hr a day on average, running, ballet, circuits, pole dancing (for fitness) and some weights. If I exercise I eat a little more sometimes up to 1900cal a day. I will stick to 1500cal if I havnt done any exercise. And increase according to how much exercise I have done.

Chrissy- what would you consider healthy fats? I eat around 2 tablespoons of mixed nuts a day.

Original Post by nardz4:

 I will stick to 1500cal if I havnt done any exercise. And increase according to how much exercise I have done.

 Pick an average and go with that on a regular basis..... If you're active a lot of the time then your energy usage when you're not actually exercising will be quite close to when you are.  Sounds like you could aim for 1700-1800 a day to lose weight -  get a better amount of protein, fibre and fats in your diet, and possible feel more satisfied with what you eat.

Generally speaking, if you're hungry then eat.  If a 100 cal banana or slice of toast is the difference between you getting the end of the day, going to bed feeling satisfied OR you feeling miserable and eating everything in sight, then that's a good choice.

I havnt thought about it that way I always used the method of using my sedentry level then increasing according to exercise.

And yes I have been trying to just let myself have a  piece of toast or trim hot chocolate before bed, sometimes it doesn't work though.

Don't say custard.. I want some now!

Sometimes you need to increase your fat intake. Do u know what percentage of your macro's it is? I'd say if you're only having 20% increase it to 25-30%. Same goes with protein, and naturally your carbs will be lowered as you increase the others.

If you're eating enough and that's not the problem, and increasing fat and protein doesn't help, I'd seek the assistance of some good pure Hoodia. I haven't used it in a long time, but it REALLY kills the appetite. You just have to be careful that it's not some cheap commercial drug with a bunch of fillers. That's what most of them are because it costs less.

My CC Analysis is always at an A grade when I dont have a binge. So I assume I am doing pretty well....Although I could increase my protein just not sure where I could put more into my diet!

I havnt tried Hoodia before I may give it a go, see if it gives me a boost. I have been trying to "lose weight" for nearly 2 years. I did successfully lose around 12lbs and I'm managing to keep it off, its just losing the rest I can't seem to do!

Yeah I use the hot liquid trick and the diet coke (as a last resort usually) and both do help alot. I also try to find something, literally anything to do (especially if I have already reached my calorie goal for the day/time being) I think alot of it is mental. When I am engrossed in something or really busy, I don't eat/want to eat nearly as much as when I have something to do. I feel like we want to think we are hungry sometimes, if that makes any sense b/c you know you are only supposed to eat x amount of calories etc. Seriously I find that after about 15-20 minutes I am so glad I didn't give in (on the occasions that I don't haha).

I think you are right, sometimes I want to think I am hungry. Sometimes I binge when I am hungry, sometimes when I am full. I know part of my problems are emotional so I am seeking help for that through a counsellor, but what I still struggle with sometimes that I just don't feel satisfied, no matter how much I eat.

Coffee coffee coffee.  If it's past 5, decaf coffee.  If I am craving something sweet, I use some type of indulgent coffee creamer.  The coffee suppresses appetite if you get the munchies throughout the day, and indulging a bit with 50 calories worth of dark chocolate caramel coffee creamer is much better than giving in to a brownie or bowl of ice cream! 

Apparently ice cold water helps to calm down your hunger pangs...!

If you are an emotional eater,  as a last resort I'd try Htp5 (i think that's the name) or L-Tyrosine.  Both are natural mood-stabilizers that have been shown in at least 1 study to decrease hunger.

If you are eating due to real hunger, I'd say make sure you have 2 lb of celery around at all times and some chicken broth!

I'd cut out the coke zero.  Many people on here may disagree, but I find it makes a big difference with regards to my appetite.  If I even have one a day, I find that it fills me up for the time being, but that I ultimately crave more in the end.  Try skipping it for a few days and see if it makes a difference.

i drink kombucha tea (get it at whole foods) throughout the day and i find it helps me from overeating.. they are very healthy for you as well.. can't go a day without them ughhh

I've heard that if you save a couple of hundred cals for the evening it's enough to satisfy you? I have to be careful as a gainer that I squeeze in meals early enough so that I don't have to face loads of calories at dinner/snack with no appetite. So the opposite might make sense for cutting calories? xx

Green tea works for me.

I always have found it somewhat difficult to stay within my calorie allowance. I try to keep it between 1400 – 1600. I had a trainer tell me to use a format of Breakfast – 200 - 300 calories, Lunch – 300 – 400 calories, Snack – 150, Dinner – 400 – 500, Snack – 150. Which in theory seems ok, but it doesn’t work with my hunger. I tried it but problems were dinner and snack. I would end up with a dinner that was more like 600 calories and by the time my last snack rolled around I was still hungry and those 150 calories, easily became more like 400 – 500. You know, grab a snack, then go back for just a little of something else, then something esle...

Now I have worked this around a bit and this seems to be working for me.

 Breakfast (7AM) – 200 – 300 (coffee, egg/egg whites, one toast)

Snack (10:30AM) – 150 – 175 (Oatmeal, fruit, or cereal)

Lunch (12 – 1 PM) – 200 – 300 (salad, frozen meal, soup, or left-overs)

Snack (2:30PM) – 50 – 150 (fruit &/or yogurt)

Dinner (4:30PM) – 250 – 400 (small meal)

Dinner (7 - 8PM) – 250 – 400 (small meal)

So far so good. I do feel satisfied for the whole day. So perhaps playing around with when you are eating may be important.

lol, I was going to say add more FAT but didn't feel like getting blasted. :)