Keeping hunger at bay

Here are some things that help me experience hunger less often:

• Instead of expecting to feel full after I eat, I aim to feel "not hungry". If I do feel full, I adjust my portion size down slightly the next time. That saves me some calories that I can use if I'm hungry later.
• "Coffee lattes" (coffee, usually decaf, plus protein powder, a dash of cinnamon and almond flavouring) have really helped me stick to my meal plan. They fill me up for a while, feel like a sweet treat, are low in calories and high in protein, and contribute to my fluid intake. (Before surgery, I almost never used to drink coffee.)
• Although I try to keep my carb intake low, I have found oatmeal very helpful. A small amount keeps hunger at bay a long time, plus it helps keep me regular. I add vanilla protein powder to it, plus a small amount of fruit. ****ep bags of frozen fruit in the fridge for oatmeal and protein smoothies. It's very convenient.)
• Adding a small amount fresh fruit or veggies to a meal makes it a lot more filling while only adding a small amount of calories.
• I've noticed that hunger is more of a problem for me in the evenings, so I eat lighter in the morning and save more calories for the evening.
• Low calorie jelly (jell-o) comes in handy times when when I'm hungry but have run out of calories.

What are your tips for keeping hunger at bay?

Good tips, Wombat!

My tips boil down to:

1. Eating LOTS of non-starchy veggies and sometimes fruit (although not nearly as much as veggies). I aim for at least 8 daily servings of V/Fs. And lately I've been eating 10-11 servings.

2. I am also a fan of small servings of whole grains (brown and other colored rices, quinoa -- love it! farro, barley). When I eat bread (not often right now) it's usually 100% whole grain. Other breads, e.g., Italian white-flour breads, I consider treats.

3. For some reason, my daily tracking (after five years) helps me realize just how very much I get to eat these days, and that helps me appreciate there's no reason to feel anything other than well nourished.

As always, what works for one person won't work for everyone. But it's really good to hear what others have found to be successful.

I'm in maintenance, so this won't apply to everyone, but I've added more (healthy) fats to my diet to keep myself satisfied longer (e.g. a couple of tablespoons of avocado in my protein shake - or a tablespoon of tahini in my Light & Fit (or Carbmaster) yogurt (depends on the flavor, though - tahini goes much better with some flavors than others!). I also sometimes eat a serving of Trader Joe's high fiber cereal with unsweetened almond or cashew milk to keep myself from grazing. It's very filling - but I have to watch it. Too much and I'll have cramps all night!!

I TRY to determine if the "hunger" is physical, mental or emotional...then go from there...doesn't ALWAYS work...but at least 90%, of the time!

I rarely get physical hunger, if I have stayed on plan. Over the years I have become a "snobby eater". Quite a change from the trash mouth I used to be! I don't eat "fake stuff" - no Fat Free anything - won't find Butter Buds in my house - YUCK !!! I limit fruits, to maybe 1-2/week, sometimes more/sometimes less, and they have to be in fresh form...I HAD to get away from anything that reminded my taste buds of sweets...

I eat my dense protein first...and I LIKE broccoli and brussel sprouts!

I drink way too much coffee, and not enough water...but I'm working on it...EVERY day :)

like a couple of others have said, raw vegetables are also good - magical, really! I brought some home over the weekend from a luncheon I was at. I made a quick dip out of plain Greek yogurt and ranch dressing mix. Yum! Not only are the vegetables filling and low calorie, they also kind of irritate my stomach, which for me is a good thing...it's hard to move on and overeat other things when your stomach is irritated!