I'm Starving... Need Filling Food Ideas!! - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Lyn2007 · 12-14-2008, 05:08 PM

For three days I have felt like a bottomless pit!! Usually I can eat every 3 hours or so and be fine in between. If I get hungry, a few almonds or a string cheese will quell the hunger. But not the last 3 days! I am desperate to make this growling stomach/bottomless pit feeling go away. I need suggestions on very filling, stick-with-you foods that are not too many calories. Please give your ideas!!

So far I have tried:
big bowl of oatmeal with ground flax and pumpkin
protein: 4 oz chicken breast, string cheese, nuts
fiber: a pear, an orange, half a HEAD of boiled cabbage!! lots of broccoli
Fat: peanut butter, olive oil on the veggies, light cheeses
volume: a huge salad like rodeogirl had yesterday... gigiantic bowl of greens, chicken, peas, carrots, mushrooms, etc
Tons of water, green tea, other kinds of tea

No matter what I have eaten I am hungry again in 1 hour. I am NOT craving anything, it's a real, grumbling stomach hunger as if I had not eaten a thing. Yesterday I ate 2066 calories and was hungry almost all day even though I ate so much.

Ideas and suggestions please!

PrettyPaula · 12-14-2008, 05:15 PM

i know it sounds stupid but are you sure its not

a) thirst
b) a stomach ulcer beginning? (i had one this year and it was rumbly tummy feelings that eventually went to being cramps, eating was the only thing to help the hunger type pains. hence regaining my weight!)

djay · 12-14-2008, 05:21 PM

When the going gets tough...The tough go shopping! Literally. OK it doesn't have to be shopping...but get your mind off of the food. This sounds more mental than physical.

Do whatever distraction you enjoy...It is best if it is physical...but get busy...do something that engages your mind and body.

I'll repeat the craving theory here. It goes like this...When you have these irrational cravings...It means you are loosing fat. Your body is sending you signals to eat calorie rich foods so that it can preserve it's fat reserves.

Now I don't know if that is true...but it makes sense and has helped me get through many a craving...
Cravings=weight loss!

Lyn2007 · 12-14-2008, 05:21 PM

Paula,

I am sure it isn't thirst; I'm drinking about 15- 8oz glasses of water a day. But the ulcer, maybe. SOmeone mentioned that on my blog, that it could be an ulcer. If this goes on for a week or more I will get that checked.

I just mixed up a protein/vitamin shake and added fiber. If that doesn't do it, I am at a loss.

GirlyGirlSebas · 12-14-2008, 05:50 PM

I hope this is not too personal, but ovulation always made me super hungry. I was always starving during ovulation. How's your calcium intake? Are you supplementing? Calcium can help. Also, how's your rest? Too little sleep makes me very hungry.

Lyn2007 · 12-14-2008, 06:04 PM

Interesting thoughts. And Rhonda... nothing is too personal on 3fc!! lol

I am about a week before TOM. I usually start craving salt and chocolate 2-3 days before and eat more calories. Kinda early for that, but you never know...

I do take calcium supps and other vitamins... nothing has really changed as far as sleep or vitamins or anything in the last couple of days.

I don't have any cravings for anything in particular; I've been pretty busy today with getting Christmas stuff done, so not thinking much about food except for my stomach growling.

And I did drink a 200-calorie high protein, high fiber shake and my stomach is still growling 20 minutes later. Sigh.

rodeogirl · 12-14-2008, 06:34 PM

Hmm my first thought is go see the doctor. Any sudden, unexplained change that persists like this seems to be is worth a visit to your doc. If nothing else it will rule out some causes like the ulcer.

Another thought would be to try some caffeine - sometimes a cup of coffee does wonders for me. Caffeine is something I have cut way back on but I still have some from time to time.

Do you think you could be getting too much water? Just another random thought.

Justwant2Bhealthy · 12-14-2008, 07:07 PM

STOMACH RUMBLING isn't necessarily a sign of hunger; everyone's stomach rumbles as the food is digested and moves from your stomach through your intestinal system. I can even hear our dogs stomach rumbling when he lays beside me, and he has access to his food and water in his large dishes 24/7. And you do drink a lot of water and seem to be getting a lot of fiber, so that could account for all the rumblings in there; water can cause a swishing feeling and sound as well.

You say that you don't have any specific food cravings, so that's why I mention this. I always know when I am truly hungry now becuz of a KNAWING HUNGER PANG in the pit of my stomach, and a feeling of weakness that goes with it, as I am on metformin and low-sugar can cause that. I noticed that the only grain carbs on your list is oatmeal: could it be that you need to eat more whole grain carbs? Many plans recommend eating a minimum of 3-4 servings of whole grain carbs a day (meaning whole wheat breads or cereals, pasta, rice, beans, or even a small new potato).

PS ~ I find that jello, and yogurt mixed with fruit are both very filling. I like to chop up a large apple or pear into a small n/f-n/s yogurt and this makes a lot. I also have found that having soup with my lunch or before dinner (an old French tradition) helps me feel more satisfied; even a cup-a-soup can do the trick. I had stopped that for awhile and really noticed it, so I have gone back to eating soup every day and that is really helping me lately. I often will eat a piece of fruit or have a drink of something before dinner as well. I noticed on the day(s) I have pasta for dinner, hunger stays away longer; and they say that is becuz pasta stays in our system longer.

Just some food for thought: sorry for the pun ...

Lyn2007 · 12-14-2008, 08:21 PM

Thanks for the suggestions!

I am hoping this is just hormonal or stress related and will go away within a short time. I did take some tums in case it was stomach acid.

As far as the growling, I also feel like my stomach is empty. Totally. Very odd especially when I know I have eaten. It's a very good thing I am not craving anything right now because I could seriously go nuts with food as hungry as I've been!

I had some more tea, and a high fiber whole grain english muffin with butter, and was STILL hungry, so ate a serving of butternut squash whole grain mac n cheese. It gave me a repreive for about an hour. I am hungry again, but I am at 1600 calories now.

I am gonna eat a ton of cabbage and THEN a small something for dinner with protein in it. Trying to not go much over 2000.

Schmoodle · 12-14-2008, 08:54 PM

Lyn, I get like this sometimes. I usually am pretty munchy the week before TOM. But some months it's really intense and I just want to eat all day long. When this happens, I forget about meals, and just divide my food for the day into about 10 snacks so I can eat something every hour, and if I really feel I need to, I'll eat more than usual for those few days. As long as it's healthy, on-plan foods. To put a positive spin on it, I've noticed that usually when I get like this, I'm about to drop some weight, so maybe that will help motivate you to tough it out.

Lyn2007 · 12-14-2008, 09:52 PM

Schmoodle, thanks! Dropping some weight would be a very good thing

kittycat40 · 12-14-2008, 10:14 PM

I am pms hungry/ way hungrier as soon as I ovulate (or not as I am on the pill)-- but day 14. yup- 13 days nl appetite, 13 ravenous. 2 days barely hungry. that's my 'cycle.'

missy3gal · 12-14-2008, 10:31 PM

I was thinking ovulation too. The two weeks before TOM I'm usually hungry on and off. To be honest, I usually drop my calories down to around 800 for a day or two if I can't get on top of the hunger. When you go below 900, you lose your appetite regardless of what plan you are on. I only do this a few times a month and it works for me. What plan are you on?

Pandora123a · 12-15-2008, 07:54 AM

I ditto the doctor.

One of my "filling" foods is College Inn chicken broth, which I put in the refrigerator overnight. (The fat skims off.) A can is about 30 calories, probably less without the fat. It is more filling than plain liquid.

The other thing I've noticed is that when I feel hungry often chewing helps. Cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots (okay, carrots are a little higher in calories) all help. Raw is crunchy and has to be chewed.

Hang in there...

KristasMom · 12-15-2008, 10:16 AM

Lynn - You are in pain. From reading your blog, I know that your marriage is ending, and that this is not a good thing.
I know that you will survive, that you are a strong woman, and that you will be able to build a future for you and your kids.
But YOU HURT. Of course you do - grieving a loss is an incredibly difficult experience.
I have seen that there are two ways of doing food when mourning a loss - you either lose 10 pounds or gain 20. Most of us here fall into the gain 20 group.
Do the best you can with food - eat lots of veggies to try to fill the emptiness, but remember to be gentle with yourself when this doesn't work. I would suggest that you try to do other things. If your house is already spotless, and you have memorized every DVD in the house, how about bundling daughter up and going for a long walk?

Or cry. Crying is good - sheds all those sad chemicals.

Take care, love. You can see from all these posts that we are here for you.