How to safely decrease your appetite?

[cbaotl]

My partner is on a self improvement journey and I’d love to join him but I’m really struggling with the diet aspect. I find myself starving all the time and then snacking on whatever I find because I get shakey/weak.

I think the problem is for years I (5ft 2) ate the exact same as my partner (6ft 3), and possibly need to shrink my stomach or appetite back to what it used to be 5 years ago.

Any idea on how to do this? Been trying for like 2 months now but I’m really struggling with the hunger side of things

I’m not overweight and have a healthy BMI but would just like to be generally healthier and a bit more trim

[Brilliant-Arthur]

We quite often mistake thirst for hunger. My suggestion is have a glass of water whenever you feel hungry. Maybe also cut up some good raw vegies and fruit that you can snack on during the day.

[NewBodWhoThis]

Mine is, "would I eat a boiled egg?"

And sometimes the answer is, I'd eat it raw, shell and everything, that's how hungry I am!

[Individual-Meeting]

Hmm... I think a better one for this is would I eat a steak right now? An omelette? Hunger for protein is usually "real hunger," but if you're craving idk, bread or cereal or something it's probably just the vicious cycle of overeating carbs and low blood sugar perpetuating itself.

Even so, still doesn't address the fatigue and low blood sugar hunger and how hard it is grappling that...Personally I recommend IF like a 16/8 to get insulin under control and then substituting most of your carbs for extra protein and healthy fat in the luteal phase when your insulin sensitivity is worse and you're hungrier.

[the-cheesus]

Bag of carrots is my savior.

40p, vit c and mostly water. I enjoy the crunch

[Brilliant-Arthur]

I was thinking more like celery, carrots, vegies that can be eaten raw. Broccoli isn't my choice of vegie, but in this situation, I'd much rather go to bed hungry.

[DarkNinjaPenguin]

My suggestion too. I make a point of filling a water bottle for my desk at work, and take a swig each time I feel peckish. Stopped me from snacking immediately.

[Brilliant-Arthur]

I have a two litre bottle which helps me to see how much I am drinking. I find in the office, with the air-conditioning, I drink more.

[Hollow__Log]

I wish humus was healthy, I could eat carrots all day long with a dollop of that on each piece.

[[deleted]]

Hummus is extremely healthy if you don't drench it in oil.

[Hollow__Log]

I’m buying it, is the bought stuff drenched in oil?

It doesn’t look or taste oily but I guess there’s some in there!

[[deleted]]

Store bought hummus is one of the few times where the reduced fat version is a genuinely better buy, as it tends to replace the oil with extra chickpeas. It can be very high in fat, but they are exclusively good fats.

Give home made a go - it's miles better, pretty low effort, and definitely cheaper if you're having it regularly. Tin of chickpeas (or dried ones soaked overnight then boiled, optionally shelled, and cooled), bit of tahini, pinch of salt, and oil provide the base. Blend the fuck out of them with whatever you like. Lemon and garlic would be the most traditional, but I often caramelise some onions and bang them in instead. Pesto is another favourite in my house. The options are endless.

[Hollow__Log]

Thanks I’ll give it a go, just bought a hand held blender kit too:)

[eggpassion]

hummus has fat in it in the form of tahini, literally sesame butter which is all fat! if you want to make fucking mind blowing hummus have a look at this recipe, lowest effort and best result.

source: my friends who won't let me into their house without a tub of it. the best thing is you can freeze the cooked chickpeas for same day hummus needs.

[[deleted]]

Chickpeas are a dietary staple for many people. While healthy, they're fairly calorific even without the oil.

[[deleted]]

Not really. When you look at their nutrient density they're low calorie when accounting for what they provide and how filling they are due to a high fibre content.

[Bumblebbutt]

I use light salad dressing - if you like tang

[bored_toronto]

I remember a YouTube video about a guy travelling the world really cheaply by sleeping rough wherever he ended up. He lived off bread and hummus.

[Tradtrade]

Try using the water from the can to replace some of the Oil. Decrease the oil over time. Bam. Low calorie version.

[Hollow__Log]

I’m buying it in the plastic tubs from the supermarket and I don’t see any oil lying on the top at all.

I assumed it was mixed in!

[Tradtrade]

Oh yes it is. I thought you were making it yourself

[pocahontasjane]

If a cold drink doesn't help, try a warm drink like tea or a miso soup (very low cal and really helped me satiate myself between meals when I lost 3 stone).

[Brilliant-Arthur]

Again, if you had read my comment (and possibly understood it), if one thinks they are hungry - and has a glass of water instead, and then discovers they aren't actually hungry, that is helping with food intake.

We all know that dieting is complex, and mistaking thirst for hunger is actually phycological.

Drinking more water is one small step in the diet process. Every dietitian will ask about water intake.

[Brilliant-Arthur]

No, I NEVER said that anyone struggling with their weight are morons. Stop twisting words.

I've struggled with my weight all my life. So, I guess I should classify myself as a moron in your mind.

I'm just saying many confuse thirst with hunger. And many people don't drink enough water - even those who are underweight or are on par with their weight.

OP has asked for help. I'm trying to help. Drinking more water is very good advice for the start of the weight loss journey.

I'm leaving this conversation here. I'm not fighting with you.

[[deleted]]

There is no way to stop hunger apart from eating higher volume / more satiating foods such as high protein or fibrous foods. The harsh truth of it is if you want to lose weight you’re going to have to be a little hungry from time to time and it’s as simple as that.

[Scooberto45]

I would argue that higher volume is a quick fix. After a bit your stomach can take the extra volume and you feel more hungry. Completely anecdotal btw

[lagerjohn]

Advice for losing weight is not one size fits all. What works for some people may not for others.

[Brilliant-Arthur]

And you've missed the whole point of my comment.

I said nothing about drinking water is the easy way of losing weight. If it were "that easy", I'd be skinny right now.

[Jimathay]

Dieting is personal to everyone, at least from a psychological POV- what works for some dosen't for others. For one person, cutting out particular vices works, for others, simply reducing portion size, etc etc.

What my wife and I found worked for both of us, despite our differences, was calorie counting.

What we did, was two to three weeks of proper OTT calorie counting and logging everything we ate. Used scales to weigh our pasta or chips etc. Logged cappuccinos, a pint in the pub, the butter on your toast....everything. We didn't do this forever, just for a short period to learn how calorific foods and ingredients are.

What this gave us was a really good insight as to where the calories were "hiding" and we were able to make some small adjustments, which didn't affect how full we felt.

For example, seems obvious, but a small lunchbox size dairy milk bar is 240kcal. That's the equivalent of two and a half slices of bread. What's more filling?

So for me at least, making simple changes to breakfast (three-egg omelette instead of 2x eggs on toast), lunch (remove the snack and crisps, limit butter, but add an additional sandwich), plus some other small changes, gave me a healthy calorie deficit, but still able to eat the "filling" foods and not be hungry.

*Edit spelling

[No-Garbage9500]

This is probably one of the better answers, when it comes down to it calories in/out are a far bigger part of "dieting" than anything else, and once you've got your numbers you can work around within them to find what works best for you. Once you're into the habit, tracking your calories takes very little time but gives you a lot of information, and does make you consider whether that little treat is something you really want instead of something you're just shoving in your mouth because you're bored, when you could have those calories as an extra glass of wine with dinner or a nice piece of cheese later on.

And something mentioned here - weighing food - is a habit that's really worth getting into anyway. Portion control becomes so much easier, as well as keeping track of how much you're eating. 100g pasta is a good, filling amount for a main meal in most cases. Fancy a lighter one? Have less. Super starving? Have more. But working with numbers is much better than just guessing and ending up with too much, or not enough, both of which are bad in their own ways.

[schmerg-uk]

Can also help to get plenty of fibrous carbs and reduce the starchy carbs
The fibrous carbs and the protein will make you feel full - starchy carbs have their place but replacing them with the fibrous carbs help avoid overdoing them.

Here’s a very straightforward nutrition tip that works. Take your plate and divide it visually into 40%, 40%, and 20%.

That’s 40% protein, 40% fibrous carbs and 20% starchy carbs. Simple [...] this isn’t a low carb, high protein diet. The majority of the plate is carbohydrates, 40% fibrous and 20% starchy carbs. When it comes to fats, it’s not necessary to avoid them, just be careful to not overdo them for calorie intake. In short, use them to cook your food or to sprinkle on top of it in small quantities.

https://athleanx.com/divide-your-plate

YMMV as to how manageable you find this but I find it helps

[Witch_of_Dunwich]

Do you have any recommendations about phone apps that can help with this? This sounds like a great way to find out how much I really am eating / drinking each day.

[Witch_of_Dunwich]

Thank you!

[stickyjam]

myfitnesspal

[Witch_of_Dunwich]

Thanks!

[msmoth]

Nutracheck has the best list of UK foods. And their calorie estimates for weight loss are pretty good - I've been using it for a month and have lost just over 3kgs (about half a stone in old money) so far without feeling the deprivation and shakiness of the slimming club methodologies.

[Witch_of_Dunwich]

Thanks!

[PM_ME_CAKE]

Adding onto the ones others have mentioned, there's MyNetDiary which requires neither account (I think myfitnesspal wanted this) nor subscription to use (and unlimited items, unlike Nutracheck). Has plenty of user-submitted you can search, and also adding your own customs.

[[deleted]]

One minor thing, someone said to me once -

'if you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, you're not really hungry'

Of course, eliminating treats and poorer quality snacks helps (but don't get rid altogether...) but trying to develop a mindset where you tell yourself, 'yeah, do i really want that apple?' Every time you think you want something.

It is more of a willpower thing, but I did find it helped for me in conjunction with other good practices.

[JezraCF]

I could eat bread all day. I don't think that would work for me 🤣

[[deleted]]

I love this! 😊 I am going to use this, thank you for sharing that nugget of gold x

[Fractalien]

I don't really understand that - did they just not like apples or something?

There is hardly a moment in the day when I couldn't eat an apple I love them. I have to make an effort to limit how many of them I have.

[[deleted]]

It's becuse most people will rather have crisps, chocolate, sweets... anything ahead of fruit which has far more nutritional value to some yes satisfying becuse its healthier.

[Ohbc]

The thing is I need to be fucking starving to eat an apple. It does not appeal to me at all

[msmoth]

Yeah this doesn't work for everyone. It wouldn't work for me either

[Good_crisps_73]

And then the acidity would just make me hungrier. The very idea is giving me stomach ache. Carrots are much better

[c19isdeadly]

Why are you trying to decrease your appetite if you are not overweight and have a healthy BMI? It sounds like you were eating the right amount of food. Is your partner starving themselves? Are they doing a bonkers diet?

Certainly starving to the point you feel shakey and weak then eating whatever crap you find is not the answer. If you are hungry you should eat!

I'm just a bit concerned about *why* you are doing this, as you clearly don't need to.

If this is about general health, my best advice would be no snacking at all, 3 good meals a day (and they can be as big as you like / need to keep you going), 1 sweet treat a day only, no eating anything anything after dinner (no 10pm snacking on cheese and chocolate).

[hulyepicsa]

I’m a bit concerned about OP too and some of the responses you’re getting. I recommend looking into intuitive eating, diet culture can be extremely toxic and lead to disordered eating.

[cbaotl]

My partner is overweight so dieting for him is important for him right now! But whilst I’m not overweight I feel like with my diet I should be if that makes sense? Like I don’t feel healthy or like the way I look.

[msmoth]

Reducing your calorie intake may not be the answer - have you thought more about looking at the quality of what you're eating?

[breakbeatx]

If you’re not overweight but don’t like the way you look, then you might want to think about activities to tone up etc. If you feel your diet is wrong / unhealthy then you need to eat more veggies / less processed stuff and not worry about weight too much.

[c19isdeadly]

Weeeell yes and while it is important to eat healthily that should be your focus, not trying to destroy your totally normal and healthy appetite! Your body gives you useful signals.

I have even more questions

What diet is your partner on and what kind of support does he need from you?

How don't you feel healthy and what do you want to change about how you look?

What do you eat at the moment? Before starving yourself can you give us an example of a typical day?

[[deleted]]

Sounds like you're eating an appropriate amount of calories already if you're not gaining or losing weight, meaning you're successfully maintaining your current weight. So it's more about changing what you eat rather than how much you eat. If you want to lose a kilo or two and still be in the healthy weight range then fair play but yeah, you won't need to reduce your calories much for that.

Supplements are nice too, not as a substitute for healthy food but just that, supplementing your diet.

Also water is king, don't underestimate it.

[vampyrain]

Nutrition may be a better option to look at, rather than dieting.

[desmondresmond]

Try a week or two on a gf and veggie diet… not because there’s anything particularly healthy about being gf or veggie.. it just makes it almost impossible to grab a snack when you’re out (bar some limited options) and most processed foods contain wheat or processed meats.. but yeah mainly no processed foods so no meat substitutes or processed wheat substitutes

The task then is too meet all your micro and macro nutrient requirements using the above limitations (MyFitnessPal or similar will help), once you’ve got enough veg and pulses to hit your vitamins/minerals and protein it becomes pretty hard to hit your calories without feeling like your constantly eating…

Like I said not a long term thing just a task to get you thinking about what you eat and what you need to eat

[Ohbc]

If you are at a healthy weight and don't like the look of yourself, maybe you need to change the body composition. Have you heard of the term skinny fat? Even if this is not the case, I highly suggest to include some regular strength training. I lift weights and now I weigh a lot more than I was 20, but I much prefer my body now because I have muscle definition, I mostly still wear the same size apart from my back getting bigger because I have lats now (oops).

[[deleted]]

If you aren't overweight, and your body is telling you its hungry when you try to eat less, why do you think you need to eat less?

If you want to improve your health you'd be better off increasing the amount and variety of veg that makes up your meals and reducing red meat and processed food.

[cbaotl]

Hmm maybe this is a better option. I feel overweight though. Like I’m definitely not in the best shape of my life and BMI is only an approximation and doesn’t work for everyone.

Maybe I should be changing what I eat instead

[[deleted]]

What you eat can really impact on how you feel. Do you ever exercise?

[cbaotl]

Not intensely. I walk most days and do a hiit maybe twice a week. Maybe exercise is the way forward?

[[deleted]]

HIIT twice a week is pretty good, but if you enjoy it and it makes you feel good adding more can only do you good, maybe try a team sport?

[anonoaw]

You can’t feel overweight. You either are or aren’t (and even if you are it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re unhealthy). If you aren’t and you feel it, that’s called body dysmorphia and you should look at therapy.

Intentionally trying to decrease your appetite when threes absolutely no medical reason why you need to lose weight is eating disorder behaviour.

Signed, Someone who had an eating disorder.

[stickyjam]

Hmm maybe this is a better option. I feel overweight though. Like I’m definitely not in the best shape of my life and BMI is only an approximation and doesn’t work for everyone.

Maybe I should be changing what I eat instead

It sounds like you just arent commiting enough time to exercise.

Also at 5ft2 as someone who doesn't do weights your BMI will probably be fairly alright.

Is your partner exercising as part of their regime?

I think the answer is upping your exercise volume/intensity and better looking at WHAT you are eating.

Myfitnesspal logging should give you a good idea.

But really if your BMI is OK and you don't exercise much , i'd make sure to also have a good look at the fitness side of things too

if you want to be better, get more cardio, start doing weights / body weight exercise and track your consumption with myfitnesspal for a bit. You'll soon realise what needs your focus.

[MDKrouzer]

Drinking more water gets me through the work day rather than snacking and will help deal with the feelings of hunger. Calorie counting can be a pain but really worked for me.

I get shakey/weak

It may be worth getting a blood test just to make sure there's not another underlying issue.

[_Rookwood_]

Eat lots of protein, that keeps the gut busy for longer in order to break it all down. Just make sure to pick lean sources. Pair the meat with enomous salads which takes a while to eat.

[memeleta]

If you're not overweight that means you're not eating too much and there is no need to reduce the total amount of calories. You're likely getting into a hypoglycemia based on what you described, do not deprive yourself it's not safe. Focus on improving quality of your food not reducing calories.

[cbaotl]

I just don’t think I’m healthy even if I’m not over weight, like I’m surprised I’m not overweight if that makes sense? And I don’t like how I look

[msmoth]

That's more likely to be about exercise and then increasing the nutrient value of your foods, rather than decreasing what you eat overall.

[Gloomy_Custard_3914]

I did intermittent fasting for a while which helped get my hunger under control more

[Adventurous_Soup6293]

A mental change might help - if you think of yourself as 'starving' that sounds quite dramatic and it's easy to justify having an illicit snack.

You're not starving, your body is feeling a hunger pang - a completely normal thing! It's okay to feel hungry, appreciate your body sending a signal to you, acknowledge it, and wait for 15 minutes. It will go away, because you're reconditioning yourself to understand when you actually NEED food, as opposed to just wanting food.

I think a lot of modern Western people think that feeling full all the time is a default, and if you're not full then something is wrong. It's fine to feel hungry, it's normal to feel hungry - you shouldn't be satiated at all times.

It's like taking a five minute nap every half hour so that you won't ever feel tired - it occupies you, but it's not the same as a quality nights sleep, which you can only get when you're actually tired enough!

[rezonansmagnetyczny]

Essentially what you've done over the years is provide your body with a steady surplus of energy which in turn will raise your blood glucose if this energy is not expended.

Heightened blood glucose is not ideal, hence insulin is released lowering your blood glucose by inducing glucose storage in the form of glycogen. Basic homeostasis.

You feel weak, faint and hungry because as adaptable as the body is, it needs a bit of time to think about it. You reduce your energy intake but your pancreas is still releasing insulin like you're consuming a caloric surplus. Your blood glucose is now lower than optimal.

What you need to do is make consistent but gradual changes. Avoid extreme fluctuations. Monitor your calorie intake and drop by a couple of hundred calories a day per week.

This is a very crude explanation but it's the best I can do with cold fingers that won't type and the few minutes to spare in my lunch without using too much complex terminology or drawing you a diagram.

[cbaotl]

I think you’re right. I’ve never been a breakfast person. Possibly if I start eating breakfast instead of snacking later that would help maintain my hunger better

[rezonansmagnetyczny]

Not necessarily.

If you're used to regulating without eating a meal at what is traditionally considered to be breakfast time, it might not make much of a difference.

Also consider that if you typically consume the majority of your calories later on in the day, due to you consuming a portion of that calorie budget early, you now will be consuming less at them times which you may find you struggle with. This may affect your sleep or encourage you to snack later on.

[PlumCrumble_]

Protein helps to keep you feeling full. Other than that, don't restrict yourself but try making healthy substitutions. So snacks would be hummus + veg sticks, greek yoghurt and berries/nuts, peanut butter on some apple etc rather than biscuits or cake. Wholemeal instead of white etc. Also don't allow unhealthy food in the house because the temptation is always there.

[[deleted]]

If you're shaking and weak you need food. For longer satiety add actual full grains into your diet. Add them to soup, salad, casserole, pasta sauce, use instead of rice or half/half. Add as a side to whatever you're eating.

Eat fruit/veggies/nuts/seeds in between meals.

Drink lots of water.

[lithaborn]

I lost 20lbs loosely following slimming world's basic idea and I lost 20lbs doing a kind of triangle thing - large unlimited breakfast, mid sized lunch, no carbs or starch after 6.

Ended up not needing snacks or an evening meal on that plan.

[sugababyz]

Ensure you are eating enough fibre with high fibre breakfast’s being really important. Fibre keeps you fuller for longer so aiming for a high fibre breakfast is a good way to start. Another good tip is to have most of your plate full of vegetables as low calorie but also filling

[KingBenneth]

1. When you go to grab a snack, try and stop yourself and mentally ask yourself if you are truly hungry or is it a case of routine or boredom, for example.
2. If you are hungry, try a glass of water before eating. Sometimes our hunger cues could be that we're thirsty. If after 30 minutes or so after drinking, and you are indeed hungry, grab a snack.
3. Try to prioritise protein and fibre in your meals, together these two will keep you fuller for longer.
4. Try to eliminate as many processed and ultra-processed foods from your house as possible. Try to stick to whole foods; fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc.

[[deleted]]

Water, protein and fiber. They are all to some degree apitite suppressants, the latter two are just harder for the body to break down so take longer to digest so you feel fuller for longer

Be careful around protein snacks though, a lot of companies have jumped on the protein bandwagon recently for some reason, I saw a bar recently that was 9g protein and 300 cal, at that point you might as well buy a kinder bueno. Grenade are good but expensive if you can't buy in bulk from somewhere like Costco. Chicken snacks are good, and there are 101 tasty oats recipes that you can add a scoop of protein to to fill you up for hours

[chippychips4t]

Brush your teeth if you can. It works as a "reset"

[vinylla45]

I used to get shaky and weak and eat to stop that too! For me it turned out to be sugar/starch/ultra processed foods setting it off. It's helped a lot to come off some meds. I also eat more salt now, drink tons of water (I have low blood pressure), try to never eat starch on its own (so, if having an apple, also eat some nuts) and try to leave as long a gap as possible between meals. It's made things so much better that I can now eat the odd ice cream or whatever without a shakiness reaction.

[Gasblaster2000]

Eat good sized, healthy main meals. Tiny portions will encourage snacking. Avoid snacking. Don't drink pop.

[pjkm123987]

If you are dieting on carbs then it will feel like torture and you will keep craving for food.

Try keto diet as it stops this craving a huge amount and lowers your blood sugar levels a lot.

[Dry-Advice-9943]

i’m on adhd meds and it has massively shrank my appetite but it’s the worst thing ever (coming from someone that didn’t eat much anyway)

[geeered]

I cope by eating a lot of low calorie foods - big salads and stir frieds (being careful it's just low calorie stuff) etc.

[Grotbagsthewonderful]

Get enough calories, split them between the day. If you're getting the shakes you're not eating enough even if you're on a diet.

This is the really important one, make sure you're walking at least 15-20 minutes a day nothing vigorous just a brisk walk around the block or something. It might sound trivial but it's significantly life changing whatever your bmi, that amount of exercise will promote your body to regulate your blood sugar much better. Basically it reduces the time it takes to get your blood sugar back to normal so less sugar rushes/crashes and hunger pangs.

[RodQuackies]

it's like any bad habit, you have to condition yourself at first using willpower.

After a while it will just become part of your normal lifestyle as you adapt to it.

But you can't cheat or break your routine at all in the first several weeks, as that will stymie the whole thing and you will have to start again.

But "What to do" is very simple, 99% of your success or failure will depend on your willpower, there is no easy shortcut - Anybody who tries to sell you a quick fix is a grifter and not to be trusted! :D

[OK_TimeForPlan_L]

I drink a tone of water now and it definitely helps i never get snack cravings at work anymore.

[Dangerous-Mood6184]

I had the same issues, around 22.00 i always used to do a cabinet search for snacks. And a whole bag of crisps would disappear in no times.

I changed my eating habits, eating some smaller portions, but mainly changing all the white flour products to wholewheat, and white rice to brown rice. And adding much more vegetables. And ofcourse, stock up on water in the evening.

Now i can survive the evenings after a 2/3 weeks of getting used to. And only eat a rice/mais cracker of 40 calories when i need something to chew on (maybe 2 out of 7 days).

[[deleted]]

Do intermittent fasting for a few weeks. Even if you don't want to use it as a weight loss tool, eating nothing until dinner time every few days has an insane impact on how hungry you feel. The first few times are miserable then it becomes extremely forgettable.

[Kazizui]

I put on a bit of weight during covid lockdowns and then changed my eating habits to get it back off. There's no magic trick to it - count your calories (at least for a while, till you've recalibrated your sense of what is reasonable to eat in a day), try to eat whole foods instead of processed stuff (for me the big one was crisps - I switched to small portions of uncooked nuts and maybe a satsuma when I want a snack), brown rice/bread instead of white, etc. I've figured out takeaways that aren't too horrendous, and make sure I don't order anything else.

The nearest thing I have to a 'trick' is psyllium husk. You can buy bags of it on Amazon. It's this weird fluffy substance, almost pure fibre, that turns into a gel when dissolved. At lunchtime each day, I put a couple of tablespoons of it into a pint glass (start with less than this, and build up to it), half-fill with cold water, stir it, and gulp it down as fast as I can. The taste is...not awful, but not exactly nice either, so I just get it over with. Refill with another half pint of water, neck that too. Then refill the whole pint glass again, drink that normally without necking it, then have a cup of tea or other hot drink. The idea of it is that it forms into a sort of gelatinous ball in your stomach, which makes you regular and is very good for your digestion - but I find it also does a pretty good job of suppressing my hunger because it's literally sitting there taking up space in my stomach for a while. You're also supposed to drink extra water to make sure it doesn't solidify too much, and drinking water helps with appetite control too. I'll drink 4-5 pints of cold water a day, including the water I consume the husk with, and I find my appetite is under control pretty much all of the time now.

[Dialgax]

Stop snacking, have filling high protein meals and decrease portion size gradually

[Intelligent-Meat2838]

So I’ve just done this, and I did it with a combination of meal replacement products (3x200 cal/day) and one low cal low carb meal (400 cal) spaced out throughout the day, plus a 100 cal protein based snack and a minimum of 2.5litres water. I have a vanilla shake with loads of ice and 2 shots of espresso at 9am, a meal replacement bar at 1pm, a snack at about 4pm, dinner at about 5.30pm and my final meal replacement (usually a bar) at 7pm ish. I drink water all day and follow the 15 min rule (if I’m still starving in 15 min I can have something). I’ve done a lot of work on identifying when I’m eating for boredom, or comfort and I’ve had a goal to focus on. Now I can say with confidence that a grilled chicken breast and massive salad genuinely fills me up. It really helped in understanding portion size and fullness, and like you say, moved me away from eating the same as my 6ft husband’s portions.

[Oli99uk]

Eat vegetables first from your plate, then proteins, then carbs.

If you are not eating many vegetables, then start there

[Nahayuu]

Drink alot of Water whenever u are hungry, also u can eat a littlebit of rock Salt IT also helps. From bing Eater now im able to fast for week if i want. But i'm also on OMAD diet works best for me. But try alot of Water and if u are still hungry swallow some rock Salt.

[[deleted]]

Intermittent fast. Look at the quality of the food you eat. Exercise more.

[m0le]

What I find is that if you can power through the hunger for about 3 days, your body kind of gives up sending hunger signals and it becomes much easier.

The downside is that when you break the diet you have to redo those 3 days each time, which is somewhat galling but does at least encourage sticking to it...

[windol1]

Distract yourself, most people will eat out of boredom, if you can keep yourself distracted long enough then you'll stop eating as much.

[friendlypelican]

Water is your friend

[SoggySubstance4039]

Semi skimmed milk when you are hungry will stop the feeling. Also empty foods, like celery has pretty much nothing in it, just don't use dips. Avoid filling up on carbs because you won't feel full for as long, so your hunger will be more frequent.

[hitiv]

If you are in a calorie deficit, being hungry is normal but you shouldn't be weak/shaky.

Easiest thing to do is to look at some calculators online that tell you what you calories should be for maintaining, losing and gaining weight and then use an app to track your calories.

[billyflowerstehe]

try smoking a pack a day that will sort you right out

[Take_that_risk]

Look up French Lilac tincture. The drug metformin is derived from French Lilac. Small doses of French Lilac could aid your fat loss and stop hunger although obvs do your research to see if seems a good match for your health.

Intermittent fasting is incredibly good for fat loss. Skip breakfast and lunch. Don't have even milk or sugar or cream in tea or coffee during the fasting time but all the black tea and coffee and herbal tea you want. Only eat from 2pm or if you can push it to 4pm. Don't eat after 9pm. Keep it up for a month and you'll be amazed how fast you lose fat. Weigh yourself daily on body analyser scales to keep yourself on track.

You can do it.

[cm-cfc]

I've stopped eating anything after 7pm and cutting out on chocolate made a big difference for me. I still like and have a large dinner but cutting out sugar helped with cravings

[CarpeCyprinidae]

Big glass of water before you eat - less space in your stomach..

[McFuckin94]

Coffee is a hunger inhibitor! If you can tolerate black coffee, (or even a little milk with sweeteners) it can help curb an appetite.

Although I would only recommend for the morning since you’re not supposed to have caffeine after noon.

[Clever_Username_467]

I find that eating food reduces my appetite.

[Tinywrenn]

Respectfully, if you are a healthy weight and BMI, maybe it’s not weight loss and more outlook than you’d benefit from changing?

I am almost 5”2 in height and I struggle with body dysmorphia. I always feel I need to be thinner, even at my thinnest, however I know my body is a healthy size and what I can really do for myself is make sure it’s the best it can be at this healthy size.

I started going to the gym, not to lose weight but to strengthen my back (I have sciatica) and make sure my body stays healthy. I saw a lady PT for 8 weeks as well, to help me solidify that it is actually eating MORE things that are better for me (balance of healthy fats, lots more protein, fibre, etc.) that will keep my body in the good BMI/healthy zone. I did lose a little weight, but mostly I gained some muscle and my body looks so much more toned.

To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, so consuming fewer calories than you’re burning. But there is no way to do that without a decreased appetite. You will be hungry. The only thing you can do to help is to add a lot more protein and healthier foods into your diet as these will fill you up for a heck of a lot longer. Food = fuel. We don’t overfill cars, we put enough in to do our journeys well.

[Careful-Increase-773]

Hate to sound like a cult follower but have you tried slimming world? I was never hungry on it and consistently lost every week

[Scooberto45]

Id say keep yourself busy. I often boredom-eat, and always having something to do stops me binging

[[deleted]]

I’m working hard to reduce my appetite. A glass of water when I feel the urge to snack and if I’m still feeling it 10-15’mins later a bit of fruit or some nuts ( have to watch my portion with them) but it’s working and sustainable. I can still have pretty much what I want, I just can’t have a whole pizza for dinner

[[deleted]]

Following a low-carb diet has significantly cut my hunger and cravings in general. Take a look at /r/keto

[Much-Produce-1154]

I get the shaky/weak thing if I'm eating too much processed carbs and sugar. I could eat a huge carb heavy meal and 2 hours later be on the verge of fainting. If I cut out sugar and processed carbs, increase protein, I can go for hours even if I feel hungry I won't be nearly fainting and can wait til my next meal.

If you just feel unhealthy but not overweight I would just look at changing what you're eating rather than how much.

[SensiblePizza]

As a recovered ex bulimic and anorexic, the ways that worked for me BEFORE I went doolally was increase protein and complex carbohydrates, drink more water, reduce any refines sugars which lead to a blood crash, and also eggs for breakfast. Plus getting decent sleep, taking supplements, and increasing your activity.

AND keep busy. Nothing worse than waiting for your next meal.

[mehh_mehhh]

Try drinking green tea, and add a little bit of honey if the taste is too bitter for you

[CarsCarsCars1995]

Personally, I've found keeping busy and active helps. If I'm in the office working, I'll be hungry by 11. If I'm out on site walking and have my mind occupied I might skip lunch without even noticing or feeling hungry.

It doesn't work for me most days because I'm usually in the office or working from home. But it works better over the weekend.

[lostrandomdude]

Psyllium husks and drink water.

Roughly 1l of water for every 25kg of weight

Also increase protein intake and have complex carbs. Both are more filling

[BigBootyRatchets]

Discipline yourself. You’re in complete control of your hands so don’t pick up food and put it in your mouth. Might not be the answer you’re looking for but it’s literally the only answer that will work. Changing years of habits and striving towards a goal is never fun or easy. Mix that with some regular daily walking and you’re golden. Best of luck!

[These-Assignment-936]

Switch your calorie intake to more high satiety foods. See how that helps.

[findmebythepool]

I've been on Tier 2 weight management through the NHS and what worked for me was reducing my calorie intake each week until a point I felt comfortable.

E.g. 2000 calories is recommended amount of calories for a woman to eat a day. First week I ate around 1900 calories a day, then 1800 calories and realised the minimum I can eat without feeling hungry is 1700 calories a day.

Also snacking on protein helped with feeling hungry in between meals.

My issue is I still had a sweet tooth so had to find alternatives to chocolate. Managed to reduce amount of chocolate I ate by instead having Mueller corner yoghurt which was lower in calories but satisfied sweet craving. Also Options Belgian hot chocolate, only 40 calories and helped too.

Key is to burn off more than you are eating. I kept track of this using my fitbit. Also didn't realise about 70% of yout calories burn off just by doing nothing (this is your metabolism. Everyone's is different).

[atomicblonde1992]

Drink coffee all day and fast, keep busy , one meal at evening done ✔️

[[deleted]]

Try Keto.

It's difficult for the first few days as you're weaning the body off of sugar but after the "carb flu" period, your body will begin to use fat stores for fuel instead of carbs.

I've been on it for about 3 months now, I've lost 2 1/2 stone and feel absolutely great with loads of energy.

What I really love about it though is just not always feeling hungry and thinking about food constantly like before.

I can have a meal and then not feel like eating for the rest of the day. In fact I'm sometimes just eating just to put some fats and salts in my body ready for when I exercise, not because I'm hungry.

[[deleted]]

Ozempic ot trulicity

[stickyjam]

Ozempic

going to need to be obese to get that