Diet help

[4Boys+]

what do people eat that they find filling while also being low in everything? I find I'm meeting my targets and yet still starving.
Yesterday at lunch I had a sandwich, fruit pot and small cake bar. Then at dinner I had a big salad. I blew it in the evening (as I have the past 3) because I was so hungry that even after a snack that took me to my cal/fat/protein goals I was still starving.

Are you guys eating breakfast? I'm trying not to as we eat dinner quite early so I then need to eat again in the evening. I don't want to be having 4 "meals" a day.
This is definitely where I went wrong last time, I never realised just how easy it was to meet those maximums until I started tracking it

[hotlikemexico]

I’ll be brutally honest here, it was HARD in the beginning, and I’ve eaten three meals a day throughout. The first month or so I was honestly STARVING every morning. I wa so used to eating so much food and eating continuously all day long. A 12hr fast was REALLY HARD. I lucked out because in May when I started I was doing weird split shifts at work (working from home) due to the pandemic and no child care so I was able to nap every morning and that helped make my fast go by quicker.

As the weeks went by and turned into months, and I’ve gotten used to eating less, I get fuller quicker. Today is the start of week 14 for me, and at this point I usually have to make myself eat MORE to make sure I get enough and meet the minimums. In fact last night my third “meal” was a serving of ice cream and a serving of marshmallows that I had to make myself eat before bed, just to make the minimums for the day so I wasn’t under.

As far as food suggestions, fruit and veg are the key. I have found that BIG salads full of free low carb veg really helped fill me up. Same with fruit, where you only have to count cals. I have eaten SO MUCH fruit these last few months, lol!! In the beginning when I was really hungry there were days I’d have two or three servings of fruit alongside my meals to fill me up more.

It does get easier! I started out eating low fat, low cal everything, just to eat more actual food within the limits. Now I’m at the point where I have to eat full fat ice cream at the end of the day to get within the limits.


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[hotlikemexico]

Also wanted to add — I drink 2-3 cups of coffee every morning while I’m working, which also helps hold me over until the first “meal” which I usually have around 1-130pm. I have my last “meal” right before bed usually.


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[4Boys+]

Thanks that's really helpful knowing it'll get better. I'm used to eating a lot all day long and no exercise so exercise plus less food is hard!

[atomic sagebrush]

What goals are you aiming at? Sometimes when people are having a hard time we can up the limits they're following.

Are you counting the protein and fat in fruit and veg?? And anything in the low carb veg (like lettuce and other non-sweet/starchy vegetables)

[atomic sagebrush]

It's also ok to start off higher than you think you want to be in the long term (yes, evne eating 4 meals, for example) and then as you get used to it, cut back more over time. People sometimes feel they have to dive into the deep end all at once but it's fine, and in fact even desirable to start off eating more than you think is ideal, so you always have the potential to cut back. Way better to start off doing that rather than to start off too strict and have to then eat MORE!

[4Boys+]

I'm just putting everything into my fitness pal. I'm aiming 1500 to 1800 cal, 40-50 protein and about the same again for fat. On my fitness pal I've entered the lower amounts (1500, 40 and 40... ish as the numbers aren't exact) so I know if I go the tiniest bit over that I have a buffer.

[atomic sagebrush]

ok. My Fitness Pal DOES count protein and fat in fruit and veg, and calories in low carb veg. so you are likely not getting enough food.

I want you to up your limits to 50-60 g protein and fat and see if that helps. I would even pad this a bit more to compensate for the MFP adding things that should not be added to your totals.

[4Boys+]

Amazing, thank you