Filling Foods
 

The last two days I have been great OP. I am for 1600 calories a day but never quite get there. Yesterday I had about 1500 calories and today about 1400.
I still feel hungry though like all the time. What is a good food to make you really fill full for a long amount of time, without feeling hungry every hour.

Maybe you can share with us what you're eating and we can help make suggestions.

Protein and healthy fats will help you feel full and keep you feeling full for longer.

.

Meal today
 

Okay well these are the things I have been eating mostly

Special K Cereal with 1% milk for breakfast
Turkey on Wheat or Chicken breast on Wheat for Lunch with no cheese and mustard
for dinner I Usuaully have Pork chops or Chicken usually its chicken with carrots, green beans or broccoli.

Through out the day I usually snack on fruit like grapes, apples, bananas, and oranges. I also like Wheat Thins and I watch the servings I eat.

Sometimes for like work I will have a lean cuisine meal since I am on the go at work, and can't have some big meal. but I try to always pack fruit and small snacks with me.

This is just some but a big part of what I eat

I only drink water!

There's hardly any protein there. And a serving of Special K cereal with 1% milk is NOT enough to hold you over to lunch. It's barely over 100 calories.

Honestly I don't see anything near 1600 calories worth of food there, even if you fill in with snacks of fruit and Wheat Thins. I'm guess-timating you're getting under 1000 calories, if you're eating the way you describe.

You need to have protein in the morning with your breakfast and something more solid than just dry cereal with milk. Eggs, oatmeal, yogurt with fruit, something along those lines.

Fruit is good for you, but you need to add in more veggies. Fruits are high sugar/high carb items and you'll burn off that energy quickly and feel hungry afterward. Wheat Thins added to fruit are just carbs on top of sugar.

If you must have a piece of fruit for a snack try to pair it with some protein and fat to help you feel full. An apple and some cheese, for example.

But mostly I think if you eat a healthy breakfast it will help you with feeling hungry all day.

.

Beans are a dieters best friend. They really do fill you up.

I'd say the same as the other posters. Get some more protein--like a lowfat string cheese with your fruit snacks. It will help.

Of course, there will be times when you do feel a bit hungry. If you space your meals & snacks out 2-3 hours apart, you can feel hungry before that next food break comes around. As long as you truly are getting enough calories (and be sure to check), just tough it out.

Jay

yes. protein will also help you fill more 'full' while a lean protein wont tip you over the edge calorie wise either...
good luck.

Fiber also helps you feel full. Your carb choices are not bad but not as good as they could be.

There are higher fiber cereals then Special K and better cracker choices then wheat thins. Here is where it helps to read and compare labels when you are at the grocery store.

I agree with what others have said, you need more protein, more fiber, healthy fats, and lots of veggies! Also, it looks like you are eating most of your calories at dinner. You'll feel less hungry throughout the day if you spread out your calories more evenly. For example, since you are striving for 1600 calories, breakfast can be 400 calories, lunch 400 calories, dinner 500 calories, and then you have room for two 150 calorie snacks.

For snacks I like to make sure I get protein in along with carbs. Besides the apple and cheese, you could have peanut butter with your apple, or hummus and veggies or whole grain crackers (I like Akmak or Rye crisps), veggies and cheese (you could even do a soft cheese to dip in), or a boiled egg and veggies or fruit. If you get creative the combos are endless. Some easily transported veggies snacks are, celery and carrot sticks, green beans (lightly steamed), cherry tomatoes, snap peas, pepper strips, turnip slices (raw), zucchini wedges (raw), etc.

Another thing to consider is that not all wheat bread is created equal. I would try to find a 100% wheat bread that has at least 2 grams of fiber per slice, more is better. The fiber will help keep you full longer.

For healthy fats, why not add some avocado slices to your sandwich (1/4 avocado is only about 70 calories)? Peanut butter has healthy fat in it as well.

Peanut Butter
 

I know everyone says peanut butter is healthy but I always feel like it's so much fattening and high in calories. It's like 180 calories for so many tblspns something like that. That seems like a lot compared to like sliced turkey on a sandwich

Peanut butter is high in calories, yes, but they're GOOD calories. The fats in peanut butter are healthy fats and the level of protein you get for the calories is good.

Honestly, I'd rather have a T of peanut butter on a 1/2 an apple for a snack than any number of Wheat Thins. For the same amount of calories, you get healthy fats, proteins, and you'll feel fuller for longer.

It's not just the calories. It's the combination of nutrients as well. One will help you to feel satisfied. One will have you craving something else in a couple of hours.

.

Peanut Butter
 

Okay well maybe I will try that out and see it that will help me fill fuller. I have never really understood how any fat is good but I am sure with all the other nutrients are good for you too.

If you want like a peanut butter and jelly though isn't jelly bad?

I did recently buy some strawberry perserves and it is only like 10 calories or something really low. should I do that instead of jelly

Fat is not only good, it is NECESSARY. Healthy fats are a needed part of your daily nutrition. If you don't eat enough fat, you'll make yourself sick.

I don't think of foods as "good" or "bad". I look at the calorie range and the nutrient value of the food and decide if it's something I want to eat. I eat fruit preserves all the time with peanut butter. In fact what I'm taking with me to the office for lunch tomorrow is 2T of peanut butter and 1T of Sunspire Strawberry preserves on a slice of whole grain bread. I'll have that with an apple for lunch and it'll keep me satisfied until my snack in the mid-afternoon.

.

Trader Joe's has small packets of smoked salmon. Put it on good wheat bread for 200 calories. They also have kippers that are also rich and satisfying on good bread. I always have boiled eggs in the fridge; half the time just eat the whites. Jars of beets or artichoke hearts are great: eat the whole damn jar.

One thing I find quite filling is a breakfast that I enjoy. I take a slice of gluten-free bread (I am celiac) and toast it. While it is toasting, I mash a whole ripe banana with a little cinnamon. I spread that on my toast and have that with a hard boiled egg from the fridge.

One of my most filling snacks/mini meals is a handful of peanuts (albeit chocolate covered) at 210 calories. It doesn't sound filling and I don't get that "full" feeling after eating them, but they keep me satisfied longer than most of my meals.

Here's a REALLY filling snack for around 200 calories - FF yogurt mixed with 1/2 c FF cottage cheese. Top with 1/4c Fiber One.

Some of my favorite filling foods are fiber based-

pumpkin pie oatmeal-- add canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, and a table spoon or two of flavored creamer to oatmeal. Tastes GREAT, espeiclaly for fall, and is incredibly filling. (pumpkin has lots of fiber and tons of vitamin A)

I also make bran muffins- 1 1/2 cups oat bran, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 to 1 1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt (enough to keep the batter from turning dough like), 1 egg, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking soda. From there, I add in nuts, finely grated veggies (carrots and zucchini) canned pumpkin, honey, flaxseed, a little bit of brown sugar or splenda, etc. to find a nice taste. As long as you're easy on the calorie counts of your fillings, the recipe works out to 12 muffins at about 60 some odd calories a piece. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Eggs are also great, I usually scramble some with broccoli for some more staying power. When I need to use my calories elsewhere, I'll use two egg whites for every one full egg.

I also love mixing equal parts fat free plain yogurt and unsweetened applesauce with a touch of cinnamon, a teaspoon of splenda, and a sprinkle of granola.

For snacks, I'll mix up some canned tuna with a little bit of low fat mayo and have it with crackers.

My lunches are frequently baked potatoes- 1 russet potato with 2 tbs of light sour cream, 3-4 oz of bbq chicken breast and a cup of broccoli. I also have a salad of 1-2 cups mixed greens with just about every meal (other than breakfast, that's a little too weird.)

I also have a lot of soups and teas- warm fluids help you feel full. Overall, as long as I keep my fiber and protein up, I stay nice and full on 1300 calories a day. (even though I need to up that to 1600...)

This is from the mayo clinic website:

"Your body needs fat to function properly. Besides being an energy source, fat is a nutrient used in the production of cell membranes, as well as in several hormone-like compounds called eicosanoids. These compounds help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel constriction, blood clotting and the nervous system. In addition, dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K — from your food into your body. Fat also helps maintain healthy hair and skin, protects vital organs, keeps your body insulated, and provides a sense of fullness after meals."

I actually suffered severe mood swings, dry skin, and hair loss part way into losing weight because I wasn't eating enough fat. All these problems resolved when I upped my fat intake. Fat is very important! I think people get confused because certain types of fat should be avoided, but that doesn't mean all. Stay away from transfats, limit saturated fats, and eat healthy fats on a regular basis (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated from sources like nuts, avocados, olives/olive oil, etc.)

I know almost 200 calories for 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter seems like a lot, but it will help you feel full for longer and provides not just good fats, but fiber and protein. Also, you don't have to eat 2T at a time. I usually only eat 1T on my sandwiches and I feel it's enough.

As far as jam and jellies are concerned, it's not the fruit or pectin in them that's bad. If anything in them is bad it's refined sugar, although I think some sugar in moderation is okay for most people. There are plenty of jams and jellies on the market that are low sugar, no sugar added, or fruit only spreads. These are all great on sandwiches with PB.