Every single night for quite a while I end up starving at night, after eating 3 meals and snacks I am still hungry. Even right now I am very hungry, but I am right on points wise (WW) and I do not want to ruin that, but I don't want to go to bed starving. I'm also not meaning that my tummy is just kind of grumbling....it is growling and I am starting to get naseus (sp?). I have low blood sugar and so if I do not keep that at a higher level I get sick and very moody so I try to eat every few hours.

Here is a menu of what I ate today:

Got up around 10 and had to rush out but I was back by 10:45 so that is when I ate brunch

Brunch
98% FF Hot dog - 1
Wheat bun - 2
Medium Banana - 3

Snack
Frozen Fruit Bar - 1
Trail Mix with Almonds, cashews, and raisins - 3

Dinner
Bacon - 4 (3 strips was 70 calories and I had 6)
Bread - 2
tsp of lite miracle whip - 0
Tater tots - 4
Salad with spritz dressing and a couple of tbs of low fat cheese - 2

About 2 hours after that I was really hungry so I ate another hot dog with wheat bun - 3

And now here I am two hours after that and I am absolutely starving again.

I try mixing it up and eating more and more protein with tons of salad but I'm still hungry. The only day I have actually felt full is my 'cheat' day where I eat more than usual, but it ends up being way too much for normal days obviously (I'm on the wendie plan so its my high day of 39 pts). I don't want to eat more and keep gaining, but I don't want to go to bed starving because when I wake up I am sick and miserable.

Any advice?

If you are consistently hungry at night, definitely plan your calories/points to have a healthy snack at night. Some of my favorite after dinner snacks: frozen fruit (dark cherries, mango), baked apple, whole wheat tortilla with a smear of peanut butter heated and wrapped around a banana, a cup of roasted butternut squash, trailmix, string cheese, cottage cheese, 100 calorie popcorn, etc.

Your menu doesn't have much protein/fiber/veggies (although you said you tried this before). I would eat more volume of low calorie/point foods during the day (get more nutrition, more food, more satisfied) - big salad, mashed cauliflower, grilled vegetables, etc. Since you combined lunch/breakfast, you really didn't eat a lot of food during the day, and what you did eat wasn't super-duper nutritious. Instead of bacon, maybe grilled chicken breast?

I never used a point system, so I don't really get it. It doesn't sound you are eating very much to me! Your biggest point expenditure came from tater tots that day - I bet you could get a lot more filling, satisfying food for 4 points besides tater tots!!

The one thing I noticed is that you don't seem to have very much protein and hot dogs to me are not filling at all. I would do what Glory said to do as well, plan your points to have one last snack before bedtime. Also are you on a regular schedule? Do you wake up at the same time of the morning eat breakfast at the same time, and so on and then go to bed at the same time every night? When I wasn't doing that my eating habits were a little erratic and it was hard for me to stick to a plan. Just trying to think outside of the box here! Good luck!

Well, it seems like you aren't getting very many veggies, which would be full of fiber and help you stay full longer. Also, "wheat" buns that aren't "whole wheat" are often very low fiber and closer to white bread than anything else...this is going to be digested very quickly, resulting in a blood sugar spike and then a crash.

The best hunger control for me came when I started combining leaner proteins (like chicken breast, lean pork tenderloin, ground turkey breast, etc) with lots of high fiber foods (including both veggies and whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat couscous, or whole wheat bread/tortillas). The combination of protein and fiber REALLY helped me to stay full a long time. And since there are zero point veggies on WW, you can eat a bunch of them without blowing your points total. Since the veggies plain may not be as appetizing, maybe you start incorporating them with your meals.

For me it was also about getting the most volume for my calories (or in your case, points). The more veggies on my plate, the more I can eat, and therefore the longer I'm full, so I put them in EVERYTHING. My meatloaf has grated carrots and zucchini. My grilled chicken breasts are stuffed with bell pepper strips. My spaghetti is served with 1 serving of pasta, plus about a cup of sliced bell peppers and onions. This means I eat big, filling plates of food, but don't go over the calorie limits I've set for myself.

And to add - your only veggie doesn't have to be salad! That is NOT the most filling veggie for me. What about replacing the tater tots with asparagus spears tossed in a little cooking spray, salt, and pepper, then roasted? Zucchini is filling and incredibly low calorie. Salads are not the only option to get in veggies!

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate this....

Blonde~ I do generally go to bed and get up at the same time. Today was just a weird day....earlier in the week I had only slept 2 hours and today was catch up day. For a normal breakfast I eat a veggie sausage on a one point english muffin with some kind of fruit...either banana or strawberries.

I was wondering if not enough protein was the reasoning. Since everyone is saying protein is a big part of it I guess so . I just got diagnosed with hypoglycemia not too long ago and so this is new to me. I am still trying to learn how to eat to keep my sugar up so I don't feel terrible and how to eat to stay full. It's so confusing sometimes. This might be a weird question, but do you think my lack of protein would lead to some of my cravings? There are days that I want red meat and nothing else (a burger or a small 3 oz steak or something).

Glory, those snacks sound good. Sometimes I do that with the peanut butter and banana except I just use those two ive never tried it on a tortilla.

Mandalinn~ I like your suggestions about the veggies...I never really knew that they would keep me more full. I actually never knew they were considered fibrous. I thought they were just there for health reasons. Thankfully I have a ton of recipe books to try and add more in and a dbf that will eat anything....well except wheat buns he was very confused by them. Also, is fruit as filling as veggies? Before I posted this I considered getting strawberries but I figured it was just empty calories in a way....meaning they wouldn't fill me.

Once again thank you all so much. I talked to my bf and his suggestion was go to the Doctor....I figured coming here first was a better solution Thanks!

Mandalinn, what are some of the ways you use zucchini...I love it, but never really know what to do with it. I've done a lasagna of sorts with it, but not much else.

Strawberries have lots of fiber, AND they are VERY low cal for a fruit. They are a staple for me.

I'll give you my top 4 things to do with zucchini by itself -

1. Slice lengthwise (ie into long, thin strips), lay in a single layer on a PAM-sprayed cookie sheet, sprinkle with italian seasoning, salt, and pepper (and if you have a point to spare, some grated parmesan cheese) and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 min.

2. Slice into long, thin strips and drop into a bag with 1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar, 3 cloves of cracked garlic, and salt/pepper. Marinate 30 min, then grill on a stovetop grill pan, on an outside grill, or on a George Foreman type electric grill. Yum!

3. Cube several zucchini, as well as other summer squash (yellow, other varieties...just make sure its all in equal-sized pieces). Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced basil, salt, pepper, 2 chopped tomatoes, and again if you have the points, a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese (1 tbsp per serving only adds 25 calories). Toss it together, pour into a PAM-sprayed baking dish, and bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes. We call this "Squash Bake" and it is DELICIOUS.

4. Stuffed Zucchini - Cook 2 portions of whole wheat couscous in some chicken broth. Slice 2 zucchini in half lengthwise, and with a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving a little zucchini "boat" or shell. Chop the removed insides roughly, add to the couscous. Add a clove or two of minced garlic, some basil, some tomato, and toss. Divide the filling mixture in 4 and press into each of the four zucchini boats. Top each boat with 1 tbsp of part skim mozzarella cheese, bake at 375 for 30 min. This is a starch AND a veggie all in one, and really tasty.

If you're trying to get lots of veggies, have you considered dishes that cut up your meat portion into small pieces and feature lots of veggies? A stir fry for example - a single portion of protein goes a long way, because it is filled out with LOTS of veggies. Pastas are like this too - I make a garden veggie pasta full of broccoli, zucchini, bell pepper, and some wilted spinach, along with a single portion of chicken and a single portion of pasta...toss with a lemon and chicken-broth based sauce and you have a GREAT meal! Very few additional calories, but a LOT of food.

Ahh Rhighlan86, I had a bit of the same problem when I was diagnosed as a pre-diabetic. It took a lot of just playing around to see what worked best for me. I found eating every 3 hours really helped and staying on a schedule every single day and very little sugar. I cut down drastically from having about 6 cokes a day to only one a day if even that and then I also switched to diet coke although I still prefer regular coke and will order that at a restaurant and I consider that like my treat. I had terrible withdrawal from reducing my coke drinking. It was horrible for close to a month and I was really sick, that's when I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic but now I don't even take medication anymore since I changed a lot of my eating habits. You have a ton of good suggestions here and I'm going to be taking some of these tips myself! :-)

And yes, I think your cravings might have to do with the fact you're not really having protein or filling things like fruit and veggies. Whenever I get off track and don't have a balanced diet, I find I crave things and usually it's bad sweet things. A lot of fruit can be sweet in itself and people use it as a dessert.

Mandalinn-Thanks for your recipes on how to cook zucchini. I have recently discovered zucchini myself but am clueless on how to cook it!

My husband is diabetic, and I'm insulin resistant/prediabetic. For us, smaller more frequent meals, really are key. Low fat to medium fat protein, lots of veggies, some fruit, and high fiber whole grains, really do make a difference.

I won't pretend it's not a big adjustment to make, and we haven't yet been entirely successful, but we're making headway and seeing some progress. The book Volumetrics, and a couple books on using the glycemic index were very helpful. I use either calorie counting or food group exchanges as my primary plan, but the information in these books has helped me make choices that are more likely to prevent blood sugar spiking and keep me satisfied longer. For example, I love acorn squash, and as a starch choice it's a better choice than a slice of white bread for me because for the calories (or points, or exchanges) it's a better bargain. Because of the fiber and water (volumetrics), I get more food volume, so it's mentally and physically more filling. The glycemic index of the squash is lower than white bread, so I'll be fuller longer.

That doesn't mean I will never have a slice of white bread, or that I will always pick the food with the highest volume or lowest rating on the glycemic index, but if I use the guidelines more often than not, I am satisfied with fewer calories, and less hungry during the day.

Hey! It's always a good idea to consult with your doctor, btw.

I'm not "officially" hypoglycemic, but I do know that if I eat foods with too much refined carbohydrate--like, say, hot dog buns or tater tots--I feel more hungry later. These foods seem to cause a blood sugar spike and then a drop. It's better to replace them with whole grain foods if possible. Or, if I'm having a hot dog with a "regular" hot dog bun, I have an all-beef hot dog like Sabret brand. Some fat helps slow down the reaction. Just my experience.

Jay

I hear ya! I also have blood sugar issues.

I lost weight vey slowly on Sugar Busters (I only had about 5-10 pounds to lose at the time) but felt SO much better. I, of course, went off SB and gained weight. Burgers and beer will do that!

I bought the Sugar Busters Shopping Guide ($5) and, even though I'm on Weight Watchers, I try to stick to the foods that diet allows. For example, I feel full when I eat a baked sweet potato and not when I eat a regular baked potato. There's something to be said for wiping out the "bad" carbs from your diet!

Good luck!

No wonder you're miserable. Wendie is good for if you are plateauing, but it is way too rigid to do long-term unless you like making yourself crazy. Right now, you should just be figuring out this new way of eating. YOU WILL LOSE as long as you stick to the regular program. Really, Wendie is not necessary at this stage and you will have better success if you feel satisfied, not starving and deprived. That's a recipe for disaster. It's much easier to have your WPA for when you need it than only when Wendie says - for unexpected foods or if you are hungry. Are you earning any APs?

Also, 22-39 is not enough points for your weight. It is only an example and not the correct example for you. If you only eat that, your metabolism will slow. You need to EAT to lose weight. If for some reason you do decide to do it in the future, a more accurate way to do it is just take your target points determined by the quiz and vary your 35 WPA. Wendie is based on the phased-out points ranges instead of the (superior) WPA. The original version took 49 range points and varied them, but that included 2 activity points/day which is not necessarily accurate and in any case, you have to eat your activity points on the day that you earn them. I don't really think there's a magic formula with how much to vary on which days as long as you can keep your body guessing.

Re-read your 8 Healthy Guidelines. If you stick to lean meats, complex carbs and lots of fruit/veg, you will be fuller for longer (not to mention healthier). Also, if you don't regularly have your healthy oil, you will develop health problems, like hair falling out.

Have you thought about Core? WW calls it the No Counting Plan - I prefer to call it the No Hunger Plan. Core foods cut cravings and are filling, so it's harder to overeat than most people think.

A medium banana is 2 pts. I only count it as 3 if it's really big.

So, let's say I had 22 points to spend. I'd do:

BREAKFAST:
Oatmeal - 3
Sugar-free syrup - 1
Fruit - 1


SNACK:
WW brand yogurt - 1
Fruit - 1

LUNCH :
2 (small) sandwiches (I use Orowheat light 100% wheat - 2 slices/1 pt) with lunchmeat, lettuce, tomato - 3
Cucumber/Tomato/Feta salad - 2
Zero Point Soup - 0

SNACK:
Apple with 1 wedge light Laughing Cow herb/garlic cheese - 2

DINNER:
Large stir fry with chicken, broccoli slaw, soy sauce, Splenda (if desired), canola oil - 6
2 slices whole grain toast w/I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray - 1

SNACK:
Frozen carton of yogurt - 1

I've read your food diary, and being a veteran of WW, I hope you don't mind if I call to your attention a few things that I have noticed.
First of all, it seems like you aren't eating real food. The food you are eating is highly processed, such as hot dogs.
Second, the choices you are making are high-point, low-nutrient ones. Tater tots??
So, all I am suggesting is that you can get way more food for your point buck if your points are spent perhaps more wisely.
Compare this menu to yours and tell me which one leaves you hungrier at the end of the day:
Breakfast: 1 slice WW bread 1
Scrambled eggs (1 whole egg, 3 egg whites) 3
Caffe Latte (1/2 cup low-fat milk) 1
Snack: 2 Graham crackers 1
1 tbsp jam 1
Green Tea (no sugar) 0
Lunch: 1 cup WW veggie soup (recipe in your first book) 0
4 oz drained, water packed tuna 3
2 tsp miracle whip 1
green salad with spritzer dressing 0
1 small apple 1
Snack: 1 small orange 1
Dinner: "Oven-fried" chicken breast (WW recipe from WW cookbook) 4
1 cup steamed green beans 0
1/2 garlic mashed potatoes (WW recipe from WW cookbook) 2
2 chocolate "cakies" (WW recipe from WW cookbook) 2
Snack: 3 cups air-popped popcorn 1
REALLY generous sprays of butter-flavored canola spray 1
Total for the day = 25 points. Same number as yours. But I'll bet that my menu will fill you up.
Seriously, tater tots, bread and hot-dogs won't fill you up. You know that. But HIGH QUALITY, LOW-POINT, NATURAL and NUTRITIOUS food will. I know that the beauty of the points system is that you can eat what you want. But choosing foods that are high in points relative to their quantity and nutritious value just leaves you frustrated and hungry at the end of the day. On the points system, I could have 3 candy bars a day and a glass of juice. Or I could have the menu I listed above. Which would keep me feeling satisfied?
Just a thought!!!

freiamaya ~ No I don't mind at all that you read it, that's why I put it there. I haven't been posting on it in a while though because I started writing it down in a book. I think what hurts me is I cook for myself and my bf and I just end up eating what he does.

I'm going to try that Over Fried Chicken tonight I think! I saw it in the cookbook and it looked so good but I forgot completely about it! I'm definately going to try that with that zucchini that Mandalinn said...all together it makes for a yummy dinner. I'm glad though that you posted your menu on here because I purposefully decided to check this first instead of eating first then checking. I'm gonna try what you said Thanks!

Eating more carbs also goes back to the hypoglycemia...I read one book on glycemic index and it said that I should load up on carbs because that will be what keeps me feeling the best for longest...I know they definately mean good carbs and not my tots, but these books are just so confusing to me. I've tried asking my dad because he and my brother are also hypoglycemic and he said it's a matter of eating to keep feeling well...he eats about every 2-3 hours and generally he's not hungry when he does it. I think I need to read up more on this stuff

Rubberlegs~ I had no idea that it was meant mainly for a plateau. I thought it was just to use whenever. I'm glad you told me! I've never looked at core that much because it seemed confusing to me, at the time I found the pts plan easier, but I'm going to look back into it. (When I first checked it out it was when it came out and I was still doing winning...being that I was also in the 17yr old range I just completely was lost as what it was doing)

Lafayette~ I'm gonna go check that book out at Barnes and Noble today. There weren't many on the glycemic index when I went before and I just ended up grabbing a little pocket guide that didn't explain anything indepth.

JayEll~ I just felt silly going to a doctor for it, I know that the problem is there, but I just figured I'd be wasting their time with it. Plus, I generally just go to a quick care so they look at you like you are wasting your time if you have the flu so bad you can barely move. I guess it's time to find a regular doctor again.

kaplods~ I've never heard of Volumetrics. What GI books did you find the most helpful or was it all of them as a whole? Thanks

blondebritbrat17~ 3 hours is what my dad said too, I just hate it because when I do that I end up eating when I'm not hungry. I know in the long run it's better I just haven't gotten over that. Around that time is when I can start feeling the effects of my blood sugar going down so I try to eat when I notice that but I don't doubt that it's better to keep it regulated. Usually my bf notices before I do that I need to eat because the 'bad side' of me comes out

Mandalinn~ Those recipes sound amazing! I am definately going to do either 1 or 2 maybe both today (one for lunch one for dinner ) As long as garlic is added to anything I'm in, so the second definately works. I think I'm going to have to play around with squash though because I've never had any. So, I'll have to go looking at the grocery stores and see what they have.


Thank you so much everyone for posting I really appreciate it! Off to have an actually filling breakfast