I'm going to give a lower-carb, higher-protein regimen a try this month -- not for health reasons, but to see if it can improve my satiety. On a meal-by-meal basis I haven't found any difference in satiety when I eat protein vs. carbs, but I'd like to see if adopting a consistent regimen will make a difference.
As I've mentioned a few times on these boards, hunger (or appetite -- hard to distinguish between the two sometimes) is my biggest struggle. I don't have a problem with junk food and I like high-quality home-cooked foods. I just never feel satisfied on the 2,000 calories per day it takes for me to maintain my weight. So I'm prepared to give this regimen a try. (I'm not prepared to eat extremely low-carb, go into ketosis, etc. -- it just doesn't feel right for me.)
Basically I'll be cutting my carbs in half (by eliminating grain-based products and starchy vegetables) and doubling my protein intake. This will leave me with approximately equal contributions from carbs, protein & fat -- each about 31% of daily caloric requirements -- with the remaining 7% of calories coming from the alcohol in my 6-oz glass of wine.
I plan to keep things simple and rather boring, with just three options for each meal (all foods I enjoy):
Breakfast: veggie omelette OR apple/pear with cheese slices OR Greek yogurt & berries
Lunch: tuna/edamame salad OR large Greek salad OR quinoa taboulleh
Dinner: grilled fish & veggies OR veggie stirfry with seafood or tofu OR veggie stew (based on either lentils or cauliflower/tofu).
Edited to add: I'll also have either apple sauce, veggies with dip, or a handful of almonds as snacks.
What do you guys think? Anything I'm missing?
Freelance
Last edited by freelancemomma; 04-02-2013 at 10:04 AM.
High protein is AWESOME for satiety. I try for 100+ grams/day. I don't track fat or carbs but I also rarely eat grains.
I like to stuff myself with protein at dinnertime after a workout - we're talking a protein shake immediately followed by a huge serving of meat with veggies and a Greek yogurt for dessert. Often I find I have no room for the Greek yogurt. And I think we are alike in our hungry hungry hippo appetites.
I've had my best luck with feeling full on between 30-40% protein. I don't do it for the sake of doing "lower carb" but of course the carbs end up being lowered when the protein is higher. I try and aim for my body weight in protein grams on workout days and at least 120 on non-workout days.
Personally, when I go lower carb... actually, going higher fat and keeping protein moderate, although probably still higher than minimum RDA's... helped the best with satiety and overall meal satisfaction... made it pretty easy to maintain without much difficulty...
This is essentially what I do to maintain. Feeling full is absolutely my biggest challenge and it's a lot better if I skip the grains and go heavier on protein.
Is there a reason that you list almost no fruit? Personally, I don't worry about the carbs in fruit or vegetables and eat an awful lot of both. As you're not worried about getting into ketosis, I wonder why you don't fill up more on fruit. Apples, bananas, etc. go a long way towards keeping me full without adding much to my daily calorie total.
Personally, when I go lower carb... actually, going higher fat and keeping protein moderate, although probably still higher than minimum RDA's... helped the best with satiety and overall meal satisfaction... made it pretty easy to maintain without much difficulty...
this is how I eat and how I lost my 100+ pounds. I still stay under 30g of carbs a day usually under 20g.
good luck~ low carb has been a lifesaver for me and my husband
Yeah, consider also higher fat. I find that higher fat is what keeps me satiated the best. Low fat makes me want to overeat. For sure though, lower carb (and/or slow digesting carbs) plus higher protein and fat has made it easier for me to stay on plan and stick to a diet without feeling hunger.
Well, I have fruit in 2 out of 3 breakfast options. I also have 1/2 cup pulpy fruit juice with soda water every time I work out, which is 4 times per week, so I won't be totally fruitless. That said, when I'm not overeating I don't have much of a sweet tooth and generally find savoury/salty foods (like seasoned veggies) more satisfying than fruits.
F.
Last edited by freelancemomma; 04-01-2013 at 03:45 PM.
I should add that I've done a 40/30/30 approach in the past and found that to be very "doable"... didn't really seem like I was restricting carbs much at all... and now since I maintain at around 2400 calories a day I can eat 100g to 120g of carbs a day... I go by the AAFP guidelines for low carb which is 20% or less of total calories instead of a set number of grams of carbohydrate...
Another echo for giving a slightly higher fat ratio a try. It doesn't generally fit as well for older women as other groups doing low carb (many find lower fat, in the 50% of daily calorie range, much more comfortable, whereas most others doing low carb hit their best satiety and losses with 60-70% of calories coming from fat) but too much protein might be counterproductive for satiety. I do just fine with eggs for breakfast, sardines for lunch, and a rib eye for dinner, but not everyone does
Good luck with the experiment! I have yet to find something better for satiety than low carb/moderate protein/high fat. It's just excellent for my health, body composition, AND appetite!
Starchy carbs greatly contribute to satiety issues for me, so I cut those out completely and increased leafy green veggies to at least five servings a day. And no more than one piece of fruit per day as well. But when I increased protein too high (like over 35 - 40 gm/meal), my body treats the extra proteins just like a carb and that negatively affects my satiety as well.
When I make healthy fats about 60% of my macros, 30% protein and 10% carbs, my satiety is controlled and my blood sugar behaves. It's closer to a ketogenic diet, but it works for me.
I hesitate to go higher-fat because fats are so calorie-dense and I want my volume! I think I need a certain number of bites per day to feel satisfied.
I would definitely agree with others who have said that higher protein and fat help with satiety. I have insulin resistance, which is all the more reason to limit carbs, and I've been really satisfied with both how I feel and the movement of the scale when I eat similar to the meal plan that you have laid out. I think your plan looks good - of course, you'll have to tweak for eating out and holidays and that kind of thing but it sounds like you have a good basic blueprint for eating. In terms of how much fat - you'll feel your way into that answer. I personally find that a little avocado goes a long way towards a yummy meal experience, satiety, and overall well-being.
Glad to see you're still getting your glass of wine in. We do need our little pleasures in life, after all.
As with threekidsandasheltie, this is where I've found most of my weight loss success.
Satiety was a huge issue for me before. And when I go off plan, it comes roaring back. Meat and small servings of vegetables fill me up and keep me in my calorie range, whereas if my carb level is up - particularly with bread products, I can eat an entire pizza in one sitting and still go grazing.
I'm still on the fence about carbs vs protein but one thing I know for sure is I LOVE FAT! I feel more full and satisfied with higher fat ratios. Which for me means cheese lol.
Trying lower carb/higher protein
