Hey! I'm 'Sparkly' and new here I've never been good with nutrition and after moving to a new city four years ago my exercise routine went by the wayside. I've started back up with exercising (water aerobics three times a week and personal training once a week) and I've been trying to get my eating under control. My issue is that when I eat healthy foods (veggies, plain yogurt, protein powder, fish, etc.) I feel a shallow hunger almost constantly. When I eat the way I used to, too many processed sugars, flours etc. I feel full. Any ideas to help me feel full on healthy food? As a side note: I am allergic to peanuts and I only eat fish (when it comes to meat).

eta: I stay away from all nuts as they are often roasted in peanut oil - certain peanut oils are safe while others are not (as the compounds in some break down).

Make sure your diet includes enough lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Those things are more long-lasting.

Are you allergic to all nuts, or just peanuts? If not, consider working in some other nut and seeds, and their butters into your diet. They will give you healthy fats, that are longer lasting -- stuff like olives and avocados too.

As far as protein goes, my trainer insisted that I aim for 100g a day. Even when I try my hardest, I can usually only get in about 80g. But on those 50-60g days, I feel it. Hungry hungry hungry.

Legumes like beans and lentils are also a healthy source or both protein and fiber.

Just my $.02

Oh and I'm a n00b here too - welcome!

Are you drinking lots of water? I find that when I am drinking at least 100 oz a day I am not as hungry as I would be if I'm just eating healthy.

I know what you mean though - I often feel that same hunger. The other thing that helps me is actually cooking the veggies I do eat (for some reason, I get hungry faster when I am doing raw.) I also love black beans. Mmm black beans.

I'd ditch the protein powder in favor of eggs. Even if they're high protein, shakes never satisfy me like actual food.

I second the comment about good fats and protein.

If you can post a day or two of menus, we might be able to give you more specific suggestions!

Exactly my idea.

I'm not sure what sort of nutrition plan you're on (seems like lower carb based on the things you said, but I'm not sure about that)?

Protein powder (depending on how you use it) doesn't really fill you up of course, so you might take another healthy meal instead.

Anyway, with some more details on the diet I might be able to add some valuable ideas too...

Protein, fiber and lots of water keep me full. I plan what I'm going to eat for the day (3 meals and 2 snacks) and stick to my plan and I am rarely hungry.

I usually choose higher fiber fruits and veggies over salads, and eat almonds or pistachios and low fat/reduced fat cheeses with a can of V8 for snacks. Less processed foods fill me up more than processed things, e.g. oatmeal in the morning vs. special K or something. And I drink lots of water - I think I used to assume I was hungry when I was really just thirsty.

Good luck to you, I hope you're able to find some adjustments that work for you. I would have a hard time staying OP if I was hungry all the time.

as of right now my trainer and I set out a list of healthy foods and goal calorie intake for each meal. Here's an example of the other day...

Breakfast - plain yogurt w/protein powder (I also love my protein powder because it's like a multivitamin too). One cup oatmeal with one tbsp of Brummel and Brown Yogurt Blends butter. Hot apple cider. Calories = 430

Snack - one small apple with 7 Kashi whole wheat crackers. Calories = 160

Lunch: Any Amy's organic frozen meal (LOVE the indian meals - I've been working on trying to prepare them myself but I can't get the sauces/spices right) and Arizona light Arnold Palmer (half iced tea half lemonaid). Calories = no more than 550

Snack before workout - yogurt with oats and protein powder. Calories = 250

Dinner: Grilled Tofu with black beans, basalmic vinegar and a bit of oil. Calories = about 500

Total Calories = 1890 - this is about 1200 calories less then what my body is used to and at the same time I added in water areobics.

I just want to mention that you can get lots of different nuts "Dry Roasted," where they don't use oils in the roasting process. So you're not getting unhealthy fats and things added to them. Or you can just eat your nuts raw!

Your sample menu you just posted looks really good though, even if there are no nuts

Try wheat bran (or germ, but it has more fat/calories) to bulk things out. It has a tremendous amount of fiber (so go slow) but it leave me full forever. You can dump it in your oatmeal, or some of those Indian dinners. I put it in unsweetened apple sauce (+ splenda)

I would also try eating a LOT more vegetables. In my lunch every day I pack 350 grams of carrots and 300 grams of strawberries. That's 1.2 pounds of produce for under 300 calories. Those steam-in-the-microwave packs of broccoli or cauliflower only have like 120 calories each (for the whole 4-serving bag), and you can throw seasoned salt on them if you don't worry about sodium (which I don't).

The biggest thing is to keep experimenting and take notes about how you feel. Click on people's fitday links, if they have them, and see all the things they eat. It's a great source for new ideas.

Oh, I forgot something: I am totally opposed to 100-calorie packs, usually, but the 100-calories sized microwave popcorn is a miracle. If that low-grade hunder is about to make you do something stupid, better to eat 100 calories of popcorn, one piece at a time.

One more thing: don't be afraid to go up to 2200 calories or so for a while. A sudden 1200+ calorie deficit is a lot, and it really won't slow you down much (if at all) to go to 2200 for a month, then drop 100 a week until you are back at 1800. Hunger kills eating plans faster than anything else.

I started at 2200 this time (instead of my mother's strategy, which dominated my youth: "binge all weekend and then start at 1200"). It really made all the difference. I was never crazy hungry, it was easy to stay on plan, and when I started cutting calories it wasn't a big deal at all.

I have had to start thinking of my brain as a naughty little animal who is trying to bug me into doing something I don't want to do. Remember that if you were an addict of whatever drug, your "hunger alarm" would also be going off-- same alarm, different reason. One thing an addict must do to shut that off is to go through withdrawel. A dieter needs to go through a type of withdrawel as well.

Eating is linked with brain chemicals that cause "happy feelings." At every stop in your digestion some sort of chemical is signalling to your brain. Right now, since you lowered your intake, your body is telling you you need to eat because you have trained it. It is only doing what has worked in the past. You trained it.

What you need to do with "shallow feelings of hunger" is to IGNORE them. In a week or so, they will most likely stop. If you have any fat on you at all, you can live on it for quite a while. A typical person can live at least a month with no food. Obviously that person would be hungry, but sooner or later, those signals will shut up. One thing that undermines dieters is that they are slaves to the hunger signals. Just say NO and it will shut up.

You have to retrain the stomach in a healthy way-- a calm submisive way--

If you still have problems with this, eat snacks like carrots, or greenbeans. Raw. It will give your stomach something to work on-- like throwing the dog a bone.

I am "the stomach- whisperer" Hssst!

Try adding some lean meats, a little bit of chicken on the side of your frozen lunch, for example. I notice you eat a lot of oatmeal, and probably a lot of rice with your indian meals and stirfries? I've been paying attention, lately, yo how much hungrier I am when I catch myself eating so many carbs. I don't want to be one of those psycho anti carb people, but give it a shot

Thanks everybody! I'm upping my calorie intake to 2300. I bought frozen and canned veggies (I made sure to ONLY buy the kind that are packed with water and NOT HFCS) to mix in. I'm also going to try making myself a veggie quiche for breakfast - lots of veggies, eggs, some cheese and with a potato crust. Crossing my fingers for this to work Oh, and I'm odd in the sense that eating brings me no happiness, it's just something I have to do to stay alive - which is why I ate so unhealthy because I'd eat what was "fast"

This is what I was going to say as well. I think you need fewer carbs and more protein and/or fat. The veggie quiche in the morning sounds like a great idea! Or a hardboiled egg or two. For your snack, try either the crackers OR the apple with some low fat cheddar. These are just some ideas that can help you to balance out the carb hits, so that you're more satiated!