Tips to reduce quantities?

Although I have not eaten meat for over 20 years, I just recently gave up dairy.  The nutritional element of my diet is great -- a good balance of nutrients, fiber, protein, good fats, and (relatively) low-glycemic carbs, but now I find it hard to push away from the table.  I'm still hungry if I limit a meal to 4-500 calories.  Any unique tips on how to feel satisfied?

The common tips are to eat enough fiber, fat, and protein; drink fluids; eat slowly; and wait long enough for your brain to get the signal from your stomach that says you are full.  These aren't working for me.

Losing weight in the past worked by reducing carbs which seemed to quell my hunger.  I could do that even as a vegetarian but I had to include a lot of eggs and cheese.  My current diet includes a lot of fruit and veggies, which is healthful but I think it is causing me to be hungry.   I'm not gaining weight but I need to lose 20 - 30 pounds.

For example, have you ever looked at one serving (160 calories) of steel cut oatmeal?  It's about three bites!  :-)

Thx, Jim

Do you snack? 

I tend to overeat when I'm really hungry when I sit down to the meal.  No matter how slowly I eat my appetite just tells me to keep eating long after I should have stopped.  So I try not to put myself in that position.

I find that eating snacks of nuts or fruits in-between meals helps to keep me from getting too hungry prior to the larger meals.

Yes, I have tried snacking but that leads to the same problem: a little food makes me hungrier than eating no food.  An ounce of almonds is close to the calorie allotment for snacks for the entire day.  I doubt I have ever eaten just an ounce of nuts!  :-)

This is similar to the breakfast phenomenon.  Although all the literature says you must eat breakfast (which I do) to jumpstart the metabolism, stave off hunger during mid-morning, etc., etc., I could easily skip breakfast and not be hungry until the third bite of lunch.  Eating makes me hungry; not eating seems to release acids in my stomach (after a few hours) that stifles the appetite -- until I start eating.

Writing this is making me consider a new tactic.  How about eating one 1700 calorie meal a day, five hours before going to sleep.  Any thoughts?

Jim

Rats! Eating makes me hungry too!
It know it sounds unhealthy, but yeah, I've totally had to do days where it was just one huge, meal. I feel absolutely Roman when I do it, but it's so satisfying!

To be fair, I do it in the morning...breakfast is the best time of day to eat.

Try eating more protein and unsaturated fat & less sugar (fruit). A peanut butter sandwich will give you energy for a long time. Tofu satisfies me pretty well, especially tofu scramble. Avocados (monosaturated fat) are a meal in itself and fill me up especially if I fill it with hemp seeds. Hemp is a complete protein:) Almonds are filling and are a good source of calcium. Try eating just 15 almonds and see how you feel.

*****Drink a lot more water*****

Oh my, i DO crave after i eat over n over again!! Lol. But i learn that if i eat alot of vegetables, and tofu (i loveetofu, and it does help!) I dont feel craving as much. :) I also eat rice to keep myself filling, so yea, even without having too much of them vegetables, rice, and tofu definitely will satisfy me. Its funny how i usually stay in track if i ate those foods rather than days when i just ate a little biscuits or nuts (I will ended up eating a package or jar of them >_<)

when i still feel super hungry after a meal i drink a big glass of water slowly. as simple as it is it works for me, since my stomach doesn't know the difference between being full of food or full of water!

Have you considered ramping up your activity, therefore being able to eat more, but still burning enough calories?  Maybe....I dunno....

Thanks to all for your suggestions!

Lazurii, I exercise 30 - 60 minutes per day (aerobic and weights).  Contrary to much I have read, it doesn't seem to have any effect on my appetite. 

In fact, the use of this site to log calories (and activity) has led me to believe that diet is far more important to weight loss.  That doesn't mean exercise isn't important, it just means that diet probably has a larger influence on weight loss.

Jim

I fill up on huge salads, or I'll pop a bag of broccoli/cauliflower mix in the microwave with some tofu cubes on top...and season it with some lemon and garlic, and have as much as I want...I don't feel the least bit guilty, and I'm not hungry for hours...If I feel like a snack later on, a diet soda with some air popped popcorn or some fruit usually does the trick. Good luck!

tofu fills you up. i eat mine plain with mustard or in a salad. Cut it into strips and dip it in a low fat salad dressing, or get low carb bread and make a tofu-avodaco sandwich!

Also, if you like soup...it's a great healthy way to fill up without having to down bottles of water, and there are so many kinds (and you can add to them) that I don't get bored with it...as long as you watch the sodium content :)

i snack on things like baby carrots and raw red pepper slices.  you can eat almost unlimited amounts of raw veggies, get the sensation of snacking, and fill yourself up.  raw broccoli and hummus is great, too.  i am a vegan and i just stuff myself silly on veggies.

Dr Oz says in his book to eat some protein (nuts are great) about 20 minutes before your meal. It helps to start you feeling full. Honestly, I need to re read exactly what he said. But there is a reason...I will look it up and come back tomorrow to edit.

I now  eat a few almonds before I eat my oatmeal.

This article is meant for you!  How to eat more and weigh less

It will tell you how to choose foods that are less dense in calories, so you can eat more of them.  That way, you can limit the portions of calorie dense foods and have all you want of the others.

Good Luck!

The best thing I've found is drinking two huge glasses of water before you eat anything. It bloats you and makes you feel full so you don't eat as much. Then if you're still hungry after, drink some more.

I had the exact same problem with always being hungry after meals and I realized that I was confusing cravings with hunger. Have you been eating plainer foods since you began dieting? That's what happened to me, and I never felt satisfied because I felt deprived. Try adding more herbs/seasoning to your meals. I found that I was more satisfied after eating tofu when spiced with curry than plain. Just beware of fatty sauces.