Will Power

[Taryn76]

Hi I have been following the and plan for 3 days and am struggling with will power after meals. I have constant thoughts that I am hungry after eating. Does this eventually go? I am managing ok but worried as soon as I have a bad day I am going to give in and eat loads to stop the craving

[RG07 Maintainer]

drink a lot of water after the meal and its recommended to eat slowly- try and stretch the eating to 20mins- if you eat quickly your brain takes a while to realise you are full- I read somewhere but don't ask me where. I cannot remmeber whether it was the NHS choices website or the one provided by my employer that suggested if feeling hungry then drink 500mls of water- if still feel hungry then have something to eat cos sometimes if you are a bit dehydrated your brain takes it as hunger. If the craving goes after drinking water then you were a bit dehydrated rather than hungry. You could also stop buying the items you crave- my weakness is crisps- I could quite happily finish off a multipack of crisps of 6 in one night. So now I only buy them if I have people staying and we are planning to go out for walks- the day before!! And I try and avoid going passed the crisps aisles though occasionally I give in- the occasional treat I feel is fine!

[Annabelle_Bebbs]

If you're still hungry after a meal then you may not be eating sufficient - add some low calorie stuff like extra veg to your meal - cabbage and mushrooms are great low calorie additions to fill you and drained tinned tomatoes are also very low calorie - also have a dessert - raspberries and strawberries are only 25 cals per 100g and you feel like you've had something nice especially if you top them with a low calorie yogurt (lemon works really well) - never leave your meal hungry it's just an invitation to pick

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello Taryn76 ☺

Welcome to the forum ☺

I'm not sure if this helps, but my biggest battle is stopping eating once I start 😮 I struggle to know when I've eaten enough. I plate up my 'portion' and could quite easily eat it twice!!! I believe this is because the 'hunger' hormones are sluggish and out of balance. 😕

Tricks I am trying are eating slower and chewing more thoroughly. Then slowly peel or chop an apple or an orange for dessert. If I'm still feeling hungry, which I know must be 'appetite' not 'hunger' then i have to distract myself and leave the kitchen (I always eat in the kitchen not the living room). ☺

On the plus side, It is getting easier ☺

Good luck

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Ps I forgot to welcome you the forum ☺

Take a look at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you ☺

Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news ☺

Have a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate ☺

The majority of our daily weigh-in's are now full, but we still have spaces in Thursday and Saturday, which you'd be very welcome to join. The threads can always be found in the Events section, to the right of the home page, bottom on a mobile.☺

We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too ☺

Best wishes

Anna

[Hidden]

Hello,

A few thoughts:

As it's early days, you could well find that the hunger pangs go as you get more used to your new diet. However, to help things along,

Are you eating enough at meal times, and enough protein in particular? Can you slow down the speed at which you eat, really savour your food, and enjoy it? Eating more slowly gives more time for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full up. Can you add 2-3 portions of vegetables to your lunch and dinner, to fill you up more?

Also, can you change your routine around meal times at all? You may have an unconscious trigger which is making you feel deprived after eating, and if you can change what you do, this might not be switched. This affects me in that psychologically I really want to have 2 courses, and feel deprived if I don;t, even if my calorie intake is the same, and I like my first course. So I always try to allow a few calories for a "pudding", like a piece of fruit, half a digestive biscuit, or a yoghurt. Somehow, having 2 courses is better than one, even if the actual amount of food is the same.

[Taryn76]

Thanks all some good tips here. I think it is becoming easier and I do find I am enjoying my meals more now rather than looking forward to the treats after