It's like I haven't eaten in days.

[Greg44]

Since I have changed my diet to a low fat vegan diet I haven't really "reduced" the quantity of food I eat, I just eat different foods.

But now that I am down to the last 15 lbs to where I want to be (Normal weight to my body mass index[BMI]) I need to pay a bit more attention to what I eat - especially when I walk in the door from work.

As my dw and I are discussing what has gone on during the day, etc. I stand in the kitchen eating like I haven't eaten all day. I probably consume 3-500 calories. Quick bowl of cold cereal or two, crackers, raisens, nuts, etc. Then I can plan dinner! I do eat protein for every meal.

This isn't a vegan thing, I have always done this - but before I would snack on cookies, chips and my favorite -- eating ice cream straight out of the carton -- before I'd fix myself a bowl! :0!

I have tried having an apple the last 1/2 hour while I am at work, etc. but when I hit the door I am hungry - or maybe it is habit. I do eat breakfast and a good size lunch, afternoon snack, etc.

Anyone else like this? What have you done to curb it?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Guess you could make dinner the night before, so it's right there waiting (to be heated up I guess).

[Kestra]

My husband does the same thing. Often oatmeal, toast - carb heavy stuff. I prefer to just eat a proper meal early. Since I do most of my cooking on the weekends, prepping a regular supper takes as long as prepping and eating a snack. I see no point in carb snacking when what I really want is a meal.

Also could it be the low fat thing? I'm vegetarian but try to eat a good quantity of healthy fats and eat small portions of non-fruit/veggie carbs. I find most carbs make me super hungry within an hour. I need to have fat/protein in order to not be so hungry. My husband somewhat does the low-fat thing too, and loves carbs. I wish I could convince him to up the fat and protein instead, but I think it's a lost cause. He could stand to lose some weight, but I don't need to, so I think I am right. :laff:

The only other thing that probably doesn't apply to most people, but worth mentioning is I used to be ravenous a lot of the time until I went gluten free (except for trace amounts that are super hard to avoid). Now I'm only normal hungry.

[bunnys]

I am a vegan and have been so for 7 years. I have no problem with hunger.

Are you on a vegan diet just to lose weight? Or is this a permanent thing that you're doing for other reasons?

If it's not temporary for weight loss, I'd say up the fat. The fat you're eating as a vegan is not bad for you and satiates you for a lot longer than carbs and even protein. Protein is good and all but fat takes a lot longer for your stomach to digest than the other two and so it takes longer for your stomach to empty.

Nut butters are your friend.

[redfox]

Carbs craving usually means your blood sugar is low & your brain needs a boost. Try a protein snack on the way home, with a complex carb & a small amount of good fats mixed in. Nut butter on a whole grain bagel half, that kind of thing. It will digest slowly & the fat will help with satiety. Plus nuts are really good for you! I love both almond butter & cashew butter.

Wow! Bunnys, you & I posted this at the same time. Nut butters... Yummm!

[Rosemary]

Is it possible that you are dehydrated after the long day? I find that when I just seem to keep eating... what I actually need is a good amount of water.

[bunnys]

Wow! Bunnys, you & I posted this at the same time. Nut butters... Yummm!

Oh yeah. Brilliant minds think alike.

[Greg44]

Funny just in bringing this up has made me think this through. I think it really isn't a hunger thing, but rather just mindless eating!

This evening my dw was getting ready to go to her mother's so I just went out and did some yard work. Was not hungry in the least. I guess I need to re-focus my attention during those times when I eat but am not really hungry.

Thanks for everyone's input -

[Tammy]

I eat like this when its been a really busy day. My job is taking care of others. Mental health nurse in the most acute setting. After 8-10 hours of meeting everyone's needs except my own, I crave something just for me. Food is an easy thing .... I try to eat healthy stuff and not too much. But if I just lie down and relax after drinking a big glass of water, within 5 minutes I feel pretty good.

[lizii]

I have been losing a lot of weight recently, although I eat only healthy foods twice a day. Small portions fill me up completely.

In the next couple of weeks when I see my doctor for a regular blood pressure check, I'll mention it to him and maybe need to buy some supplemental milkshake type drinks to gain weight.

My clothes are hanging off me and very uncomfortable this way.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I do think I sometimes eat out of pure exhaustion at the end of the day, by the end of the day I am often beat and defeated ... food in mouth ... all I have the energy for ...

[bunnys]

I have been losing a lot of weight recently, although I eat only healthy foods twice a day. Small portions fill me up completely.


This sounds to me like you're not eating enough.

[Miss Cellane]

Two things that might help.

First, can you change your coming home routine? If you usually stand in the kitchen and talk with your wife, can you move the discussion to the living room, or the porch or the deck? It could be that eating right after getting home is a habit, and you may need to change the factors that trigger that habit. Getting out of the kitchen and away from the food would help.

Second, plan a healthy snack for right after you get home. I know when I get home from work, I'm tired. My tendency is to eat whatever is easiest--mostly junk food. I do better if I plan a snack that can be eaten right away--that is also part of the food I've planned to eat for that day. So I prep things like crackers and cheese, or veggie sticks and dip, a piece of fruit or a salad. I eat that right away, and half an hour later, I've got enough energy to tackle making dinner, even if that is just reheating something I cooked the day before. But the snack, instead of being an "extra" is planned and thought out along with the rest of the food I'm eating that day.

I make a lot of what one of my cookbooks calls "substantial salads." Not lettuce and tomatoes, but salads that you can make and store for a few days, chickpea salads and cooked green bean salads and pasta salads and the like.

The key thing is that you don't have to do any prep work to have the snack right when you get home. Make it something you like, so that you are looking forward to it. That might help stop the urge to just put anything edible in your mouth.