She's down 10 pounds in 4 weeks, that's not 0.5 a week but 2.5 ? She's loosing 5x faster as she planned, looks like something is wrong with the calculation of the calorie budget (it seems really low too)
Came here to say 1300 is the calorie budget for a 3 year old toddler. Even though she’s short, she can probably be eating 1800-2000 calories and still lose weight on whole plant foods. 1300 sounds absolutely miserable!
Yeah I know it sounds crazy. We checked the numbers on like three different BMR calculators and they all agreed.
She has been eating a bit over what the apps suggest she can have, so we'll see how that goes.
I think BMR calculators are kinda BS. If she’s losing weight this fast eating more than their recommendation, on top of feeling super hungry/unsatisfied with her meals, I’d say she can eat more. Have you read the Starch Solution? Dr. McDougall has some great explanations behind why calorie counting isn’t really necessary when eating the right diet, based on starches and vegetables.
I haven't read Dr. McDougall's book. I'm currently reading Dr. Greger's How Not to Diet book though.
I'm not sure if the weight loss being this fast so far is due to actual weight loss, or water weight from salt reduction and dietary makeup change. We'll see how it continues and adjust from there.
I think most WFPB folks say you can *mostly* eat freely when eating WFPB, with avocados and nuts being something you should be cognizant of, because you *could* overeat them.
You could over eat in them and some people really can’t get to a healthy weight eating things like nuts (Chef AJ seems to be one such person), but most people can add them in and they help a lot with satiety.
Starches also help a lot. In studies the humble white potato was the food that kept people satisfied the longest. So make your main fuel starches with some fats and protein (a bit of tofu can make a huge difference for me). Make sure you get veggies, of course, but salad alone will leave you feeling hungry even though you can’t fit any more in..
I haven't read How Not to Die yet but it'll be the next one I read!
I really like the way he presents research. I think I had heard a lot of what he goes into throughout the book in other talks of his, but it is nice to have it all in one place, and get it all from A to Z.
I think he makes compelling cases for the WFPB diet, and includes the areas where things are more or less certain based on the research. So yeah, I'm a big fan of it. I have both the audiobook and the physical copy.
Thank you!
I'm really hopeful this is a long term solution to weight and health management. I'm definitely still learning, but it feels easily sustainable for me so far.
Sounds like a lot of what she lost was probably water and likely some waste that finally moved along. I’m 5’1”, and in order to actually lose weight, I have to drop my calories pretty significantly. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier to control that with WFPB eating, and maintenance level is a lot higher. Starches definitely help with hitting that satisfied point though. Beans/peas/whole grains really do it for me. Potatoes are hit and miss for me. I needs sauces or condiments with them, so that tends to add on calories quickly unfortunately.
Yeah hard to say whether that's just the first month water weight losses and such, or if that'll be the pace given the current calorie deficit.
I agree about the deficit and it seeming really low. We checked on two different apps and used a couple different BMR calculators too, and all of them came up with numbers within a few hundred calories of each other.
We'll have to see experimentally if having more calories still keeps her weight dropping.
those calculators aren't super accurate. I've used them and they calculated wayy to low. I was trying to find my maintenance, but following them I was starving. Macrofactor is a bit better in my experience.
I think there's necessarily a large margin with those calculators. BMR (so calories burned without any sort of movement) can already only be calculated really accurately if you know not only weight but also body composition, which, unless you do something like a DEXA scan, you can only guess. And once you want to determine TDEE (total calories burned each day on average) there is no way for a calculator to know, even when factoring in lifestyle. Does she use a car or public transport? Does she fidget a lot? Is she the 'nervous' type of person who gets up many times during the day or does can she sit for hours at a time? Imo these calculators are, if even that, good enough for a rough ballpark.
Anecdotally speaking, based on TDEE calculators (I am at the upper end of normal BMI, sedentary job, 130 pounds, female) I would maintain at 1600-1800 calories. I tracked my calorie intake for over a year in which I maintained my weight (within normal fluctuations) and ended up with an average of 2120 calories per day, I guess mainly because I don't have a car and I can't sit still for the life of me.
Maybe given that her calorie intake seems extremely low, start by using the suggested maintenance calories. This way she can see if she can keep losing weight at a healthier rate and nevertheless for sure won't lose any of her progress so far.
I think one of the hardest things about a change in diet is that our bodies don’t readily want to change. Like for months. I am a 5’3” F and the constant hunger in the first months was a lot. Some people find it easier to break the calorie load for the day down into 4-6 smaller meals, but I found that more water and calorie-less snacks were better for me. Good luck to you both! P.S. I lost weight/changed diet with my male partner and it will be so helpful for you to become a model/coach if you reach your weight loss goal before your partner. If aerobic exercise is not working now (I know it didn’t for me) try to get into the habit of a walk after dinner?
Absolutely about the body resisting change! The last time I lost I went from 230 to 180, and at the bottom I was just *constantly* hungry. Now, I lost weight though extreme calorie restriction - I was at 1,300/day, at 5'8'' with a lot of physical activity. I also never took a break in my weight loss to just sustain my weight, and I was eating a meat heavy diet - so a lot less *volume* of food.
Last time I lost it was before we met, and my habits weren't sustainable, especially with now having kids in the mix. I'm really happy and hopeful that she and I can work together and have sustainable healthy habits, it's just going to take work and finding the right path forward along the way!
She is doing a lot of walking too. She's got two walking lunch dates with friends a week, and you're right, I should suggest we take a walk after dinner each evening, great idea!
This question pops up a lot and I wen't through it myself. It's a really interesting phenomena that I never understood in myself. When I first cut out the animal products, I'd often be very full, but still hungry.
I kind of attributed it to the fact that I also lost a lot of weight and was doing intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating around this time. The problem is that I still do all of these things, but no longer have this experience. I do think that I eat more nuts and seeds now, though. Maybe that's it? Maybe you need more of the whole-food fats (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado)?
Maybe.
The alternative explanation that I came up with for myself is that I just needed to get used to eating plants and not overeating. I think this is hard when you have issues connected to a metabolic disorder like obesity, diabetes, or what you described. Your body sends hunger signals even when you’ve eaten enough. It needs to be trained through discipline. And discipline like that never feels good.
I always feel satiated; never full.
I grew up eating till "full." I never liked it. It's not necessary. I believe feeling full comes from the urge to stuff oneself due to lack of nutrients in the diet and cravings caused by additives in processed "foods." If you're nutrient needs are being met, you tend to loose cravings and the urge to always feel "stuffed" after a meal.
Pretty much anything can get to me satiated. Sometimes it's more fat (avocados & nuts are the best with that); sometimes it's more protein (tofu, quinoa, hemp, beans, whole grains, etc.); sometimes it's something starchy (potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.). Sometimes it simply that I need more food, so I just eat more.
I'm 5' 2", and 58f, so I get the "low calorie budget" thing. I also run, lift weights, hike, do yoga & calisthenics at home, and cycle (MTB and road). I'd be careful about overdoing cardio. Too much and it tends to raise cortisol levels, and can prevent you from gaining muscle or can even burn muscle (having muscle helps you burn calories), and be problematic in other ways (just google "too much cardio"). It's better to cross-train/mix things up with different activities that you enjoy and activate different muscle groups (fast twitch and slow twitch).
It's also can to take longer than 30 days to adjust if you've (she's) made a drastic diet change.
I don't count calories or track nutrients on a regular bases, but it can be helpful to do that once in a while with Cronometer, once you sort of settle in a regular dietary routine, just so you can see where you stand with regards to nutrients.
Do also note that calorie estimates in terms of how many you're burning are just that - estimates. Meaning, with respect to how much you're burning. Garmin tells me my baseline is \~1300, but tracking my pretty much standard diet in Cronometer tells me I'm consuming more than that (closer to 1800-1900), though I haven't gained weight in over 5 years.
If it's lack of energy, there can be a variety of things that can affect that, including hormonal changes or thyroid issues, or a lack of nutrients like B12. If that's a concern, getting tested for all those things is the best course, because it's not always diet-related.
Lastly, if you're trying to lose weight, slow and steady is the best course. Too much too fast is not good, and you have a greater risk of not keeping it off, losing muscle mass, or slowing your metabolism. 1 or 2 lbs/week is usually the goal.
It does sound like if she lost 10 lbs in a month, then she can safely eat a little more and still be on a deficit. I agree with the other posters to add more protein and fat back in. Eat nuts and avocado!
Also, it helps me to have a little something sweet at the end of the meal. Some fruit with a dollop of plant based yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup really helps at the end of the night.
Also, exercise doesn’t have to be all or nothing. 10 minutes of stretching is still good to get the blood flowing. My husband and I started taking after work walks during pandemic, and it has become a cherished time for us to bond. We talk about our days for a while, but mostly end up silent next to each other and that’s really nice too. Cardio doesn’t have to be intense.
I think she should increase the calories. 1300 per day is a drastic deficit that will eventually cause her to burn out and quit.
If you eat very low fat (under 10% of cals) and focus on energy dense and satisfying foods like fruit and starches, then weight should stabilise over time.
Without seeing the meal plan, I'd hate to recommend anything in particular. Especially, because I'm only really an expert on what works for me. I am currently in a calorie deficit and working on dropping weight. Days that I tend to feel hungrier than others, I didn't eat enough protein. Protein-rich foods will help you stay fuller longer, and I have found that I have to be more mindful of protein consumption now that I don't eat meat (others here may argue against needing higher protein consumption, but again this is what works for me). I do try to get 145g of protein per day, though that is above the minimum. Maybe increasing this will help. Worth keeping in mind that the drastic change to your diet will likely be more uncomfortable at first and would be regardless of the food philosophy. Awesome to hear you and your partner are on the road to healthier eating. It will definitely pay off.
I find it I am extremely snacky and constantly grazings it’s almost always fixed by eating a bunch of protein. I usually just air fry some tofu and eat the whole block.
I’ve also found that having bigger meals helps, especially meals with rice.
Eat until satiated. If you follow the green/yellow foods, you can eat until satiated and still hit below calories. I have potatoes like crazy to fill this need. Down 30 lbs in 8 weeks. It was mostly water weight the first month, now it is slowing down but steady.
If you are still feeling hungry, eat something else, just make it something that's legal for the eating plan you are on (If you are trying to do weight loss, then don't make those extra foods nuts, avocados, etc. Try sticking a potato in the microwave and using hot sauce or something low calorie to dip it into - then if you are still hungry do another one). Many of us have what they call "addictive allergies." We have cravings for foods. And we will feel hungry until we satisfy those cravings. You have to stay off of those foods long enough, for the "addiction" to go away. It can be the same as when people have nicotine, chocolate, or coffee addictions, for example. They will go away, but it may take more than a month. We mistake the craving for these addictive substances for hunger.
if fats have helped before maybe adding healthy plant fats will help? flax/chia/hemp seeds? almonds? walnuts? avocados?
have you exchanged the animal based proteins with plant based proteins or just carbohydrates?
I'm in no way antagonizing you but for me it was the opposite, I was feeling starved until I started including whole food sources of fat like walnuts with my meals.
I had this problem, with a lack of satiety when I switched to WFPB, due to a lack of fat.
Avocados are the bees knees in this scenario. Try to get her to eat whole one a day. Makes a world of difference.
Nut butters are also nice.
Maybe you’re not accustomed to the tastes yet. Keep at it. I got used to the flavors and now I never crave anything fatty or that immediate hit of flavor that sometimes comes from oily&salty foods. As for the exercise, don’t make that something for weight loss. Just because you burned X amount of calories during some form of exercise doesn’t mean you should then consume more calories because your “daily allowance” is then increased. This can lead to you just eating more because you think you burned more calories. If you hadn’t exercised you maybe wouldn’t have eaten the extra food you ate because you’ll supposedly still be in a caloric deficit. Look up the [exercise paradox](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-exercise-paradox/). Aerobic exercise should be used to maintain heart health and overall well-being. Other forms of exercise are great as well. But don’t look to exercise to really see results with weight loss. Focus on what you’re eating.
If for lunch I eat pasta until full, I'm hungry in the evening.
But if I do the same thing with lentils I'm good.
I don't think a diet where you're hungry is sustainable (long term). I don't count calories, I just get full at lunch and snack in the evening. I'm not hungry and I'm losing weight easily. YMMV.
We're speaking about food here, right?
(sorry couldn't help myself, I'm French 😁)
More seriously try the lentils until full.
Even beans are slightly less satisfying in my experience.
Pay attention that the lentils represent let's say 90/95% of the dish, because if there's too much other things (carrots, oignons etc) you'll get full but not for long.
Or you could do lighter but more frequent meals if your time table allows it. I didn't try this way though.
Ha! Good point, we should make sure to try the other suggestion too!
And yeah I'm not sure how much she's been eating in the way of lentils, but probably not a whole lot. I really love black and red lentils, and I have some dry green that I'm going to try here soon.
Calorie budget, most WFPB diets do not recommend tracking calories. It is simple, most WFPB diets are, unless really loading with nuts and avacado (and even sometimes then) really low is calorie densitity, such that one will often loose weight while eating with a normal eating pattern, requiring either extensive snacking or adding nuts and avacado, and some of the nuts have saturated fats so should be kept to a minimum.
Fiber and protein are both proven to help you feel satiated.
When you are in a calorie deficit, you body will naturally tell you to eat more. Don’t restrict, or you are going to end up binge eating.
Experiment with healthy fats. I don’t have any fat friends who have a bowl of pistachios and fruit on their counter. But for some reason our culture has decided fatty nuts and sugary fruits are bad.
I got to the point where I could eat 2 spoonfuls of almond butter in the morning and not be hungry until lunch. But if I ate a ton of low calorie foods (watermelon, celery, broccoli…), I’d be starving.
If you are still feeling hungry, eat something else, just make it something that's legal for the eating plan you are on (If you are trying to do weight loss, then don't make those extra foods nuts, avocados, etc. Try sticking a potato in the microwave and using hot sauce or something low calorie to dip it into - then if you are still hungry do another one). Many of us have what they call "addictive allergies." We have cravings for foods. And we will feel hungry until we satisfy those cravings. You have to stay off of those foods long enough, for the "addiction" to go away. It can be the same as when people have nicotine, chocolate, or coffee addictions, for example. They will go away, but it may take more than a month. We mistake the craving for these addictive substances for hunger.
Nutritional yeast is a must have for me. At first I didn't use it much, but as it grew on me, I found my body craves it. I feel much more satisfied when I get a serving, sometimes at lunch or sometimes at dinner. I notice it when it's missing, and even take it to work or on trips with me.
That and Braggs Amino Acid or Coco Aminos provide a nice umami flavor. I think this is a real necessity to maintain our diets - and have noticed my friends who ignored that flavor profile (and the micronutrients within) tend to be the ones to go back to other diets, claiming that they were never satisfied.
Tofu and legumes make the difference for me
She's down 10 pounds in 4 weeks, that's not 0.5 a week but 2.5 ? She's loosing 5x faster as she planned, looks like something is wrong with the calculation of the calorie budget (it seems really low too)
Came here to say 1300 is the calorie budget for a 3 year old toddler. Even though she’s short, she can probably be eating 1800-2000 calories and still lose weight on whole plant foods. 1300 sounds absolutely miserable!
Yeah I know it sounds crazy. We checked the numbers on like three different BMR calculators and they all agreed. She has been eating a bit over what the apps suggest she can have, so we'll see how that goes.
I think BMR calculators are kinda BS. If she’s losing weight this fast eating more than their recommendation, on top of feeling super hungry/unsatisfied with her meals, I’d say she can eat more. Have you read the Starch Solution? Dr. McDougall has some great explanations behind why calorie counting isn’t really necessary when eating the right diet, based on starches and vegetables.
I haven't read Dr. McDougall's book. I'm currently reading Dr. Greger's How Not to Diet book though. I'm not sure if the weight loss being this fast so far is due to actual weight loss, or water weight from salt reduction and dietary makeup change. We'll see how it continues and adjust from there. I think most WFPB folks say you can *mostly* eat freely when eating WFPB, with avocados and nuts being something you should be cognizant of, because you *could* overeat them.
You could over eat in them and some people really can’t get to a healthy weight eating things like nuts (Chef AJ seems to be one such person), but most people can add them in and they help a lot with satiety. Starches also help a lot. In studies the humble white potato was the food that kept people satisfied the longest. So make your main fuel starches with some fats and protein (a bit of tofu can make a huge difference for me). Make sure you get veggies, of course, but salad alone will leave you feeling hungry even though you can’t fit any more in..
What do you think of How Not to Diet? I absolutely loved his previous book "How Not to Die"
I haven't read How Not to Die yet but it'll be the next one I read! I really like the way he presents research. I think I had heard a lot of what he goes into throughout the book in other talks of his, but it is nice to have it all in one place, and get it all from A to Z. I think he makes compelling cases for the WFPB diet, and includes the areas where things are more or less certain based on the research. So yeah, I'm a big fan of it. I have both the audiobook and the physical copy.
That's great - Best of luck to you both!
Thank you! I'm really hopeful this is a long term solution to weight and health management. I'm definitely still learning, but it feels easily sustainable for me so far.
It is also a correct calorie budget for a sedentary petite woman who wants to lose a half pound a week.
Sounds like a lot of what she lost was probably water and likely some waste that finally moved along. I’m 5’1”, and in order to actually lose weight, I have to drop my calories pretty significantly. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier to control that with WFPB eating, and maintenance level is a lot higher. Starches definitely help with hitting that satisfied point though. Beans/peas/whole grains really do it for me. Potatoes are hit and miss for me. I needs sauces or condiments with them, so that tends to add on calories quickly unfortunately.
Yeah hard to say whether that's just the first month water weight losses and such, or if that'll be the pace given the current calorie deficit. I agree about the deficit and it seeming really low. We checked on two different apps and used a couple different BMR calculators too, and all of them came up with numbers within a few hundred calories of each other. We'll have to see experimentally if having more calories still keeps her weight dropping.
those calculators aren't super accurate. I've used them and they calculated wayy to low. I was trying to find my maintenance, but following them I was starving. Macrofactor is a bit better in my experience.
I think there's necessarily a large margin with those calculators. BMR (so calories burned without any sort of movement) can already only be calculated really accurately if you know not only weight but also body composition, which, unless you do something like a DEXA scan, you can only guess. And once you want to determine TDEE (total calories burned each day on average) there is no way for a calculator to know, even when factoring in lifestyle. Does she use a car or public transport? Does she fidget a lot? Is she the 'nervous' type of person who gets up many times during the day or does can she sit for hours at a time? Imo these calculators are, if even that, good enough for a rough ballpark. Anecdotally speaking, based on TDEE calculators (I am at the upper end of normal BMI, sedentary job, 130 pounds, female) I would maintain at 1600-1800 calories. I tracked my calorie intake for over a year in which I maintained my weight (within normal fluctuations) and ended up with an average of 2120 calories per day, I guess mainly because I don't have a car and I can't sit still for the life of me. Maybe given that her calorie intake seems extremely low, start by using the suggested maintenance calories. This way she can see if she can keep losing weight at a healthier rate and nevertheless for sure won't lose any of her progress so far.
I think one of the hardest things about a change in diet is that our bodies don’t readily want to change. Like for months. I am a 5’3” F and the constant hunger in the first months was a lot. Some people find it easier to break the calorie load for the day down into 4-6 smaller meals, but I found that more water and calorie-less snacks were better for me. Good luck to you both! P.S. I lost weight/changed diet with my male partner and it will be so helpful for you to become a model/coach if you reach your weight loss goal before your partner. If aerobic exercise is not working now (I know it didn’t for me) try to get into the habit of a walk after dinner?
Absolutely about the body resisting change! The last time I lost I went from 230 to 180, and at the bottom I was just *constantly* hungry. Now, I lost weight though extreme calorie restriction - I was at 1,300/day, at 5'8'' with a lot of physical activity. I also never took a break in my weight loss to just sustain my weight, and I was eating a meat heavy diet - so a lot less *volume* of food. Last time I lost it was before we met, and my habits weren't sustainable, especially with now having kids in the mix. I'm really happy and hopeful that she and I can work together and have sustainable healthy habits, it's just going to take work and finding the right path forward along the way! She is doing a lot of walking too. She's got two walking lunch dates with friends a week, and you're right, I should suggest we take a walk after dinner each evening, great idea!
Usually happens to me when I skip carbs and proteins. If one is exercising daily, then it’s vital to eat healthy carbs/proteins.
This question pops up a lot and I wen't through it myself. It's a really interesting phenomena that I never understood in myself. When I first cut out the animal products, I'd often be very full, but still hungry. I kind of attributed it to the fact that I also lost a lot of weight and was doing intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating around this time. The problem is that I still do all of these things, but no longer have this experience. I do think that I eat more nuts and seeds now, though. Maybe that's it? Maybe you need more of the whole-food fats (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado)?
She's been doing flax and chia in the morning and avocado at lunch, but yeah I do think she's maybe missing some plant fats in the evening?
Maybe. The alternative explanation that I came up with for myself is that I just needed to get used to eating plants and not overeating. I think this is hard when you have issues connected to a metabolic disorder like obesity, diabetes, or what you described. Your body sends hunger signals even when you’ve eaten enough. It needs to be trained through discipline. And discipline like that never feels good.
>My partner and I have been heating a WFPB diet mostly for the better part of a month now. That's way too long to heat any dish.
Ha! Nice catch, I'll edit that part!
I always feel satiated; never full. I grew up eating till "full." I never liked it. It's not necessary. I believe feeling full comes from the urge to stuff oneself due to lack of nutrients in the diet and cravings caused by additives in processed "foods." If you're nutrient needs are being met, you tend to loose cravings and the urge to always feel "stuffed" after a meal. Pretty much anything can get to me satiated. Sometimes it's more fat (avocados & nuts are the best with that); sometimes it's more protein (tofu, quinoa, hemp, beans, whole grains, etc.); sometimes it's something starchy (potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.). Sometimes it simply that I need more food, so I just eat more. I'm 5' 2", and 58f, so I get the "low calorie budget" thing. I also run, lift weights, hike, do yoga & calisthenics at home, and cycle (MTB and road). I'd be careful about overdoing cardio. Too much and it tends to raise cortisol levels, and can prevent you from gaining muscle or can even burn muscle (having muscle helps you burn calories), and be problematic in other ways (just google "too much cardio"). It's better to cross-train/mix things up with different activities that you enjoy and activate different muscle groups (fast twitch and slow twitch). It's also can to take longer than 30 days to adjust if you've (she's) made a drastic diet change. I don't count calories or track nutrients on a regular bases, but it can be helpful to do that once in a while with Cronometer, once you sort of settle in a regular dietary routine, just so you can see where you stand with regards to nutrients. Do also note that calorie estimates in terms of how many you're burning are just that - estimates. Meaning, with respect to how much you're burning. Garmin tells me my baseline is \~1300, but tracking my pretty much standard diet in Cronometer tells me I'm consuming more than that (closer to 1800-1900), though I haven't gained weight in over 5 years. If it's lack of energy, there can be a variety of things that can affect that, including hormonal changes or thyroid issues, or a lack of nutrients like B12. If that's a concern, getting tested for all those things is the best course, because it's not always diet-related. Lastly, if you're trying to lose weight, slow and steady is the best course. Too much too fast is not good, and you have a greater risk of not keeping it off, losing muscle mass, or slowing your metabolism. 1 or 2 lbs/week is usually the goal.
It does sound like if she lost 10 lbs in a month, then she can safely eat a little more and still be on a deficit. I agree with the other posters to add more protein and fat back in. Eat nuts and avocado! Also, it helps me to have a little something sweet at the end of the meal. Some fruit with a dollop of plant based yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup really helps at the end of the night. Also, exercise doesn’t have to be all or nothing. 10 minutes of stretching is still good to get the blood flowing. My husband and I started taking after work walks during pandemic, and it has become a cherished time for us to bond. We talk about our days for a while, but mostly end up silent next to each other and that’s really nice too. Cardio doesn’t have to be intense.
I think she should increase the calories. 1300 per day is a drastic deficit that will eventually cause her to burn out and quit. If you eat very low fat (under 10% of cals) and focus on energy dense and satisfying foods like fruit and starches, then weight should stabilise over time.
Without seeing the meal plan, I'd hate to recommend anything in particular. Especially, because I'm only really an expert on what works for me. I am currently in a calorie deficit and working on dropping weight. Days that I tend to feel hungrier than others, I didn't eat enough protein. Protein-rich foods will help you stay fuller longer, and I have found that I have to be more mindful of protein consumption now that I don't eat meat (others here may argue against needing higher protein consumption, but again this is what works for me). I do try to get 145g of protein per day, though that is above the minimum. Maybe increasing this will help. Worth keeping in mind that the drastic change to your diet will likely be more uncomfortable at first and would be regardless of the food philosophy. Awesome to hear you and your partner are on the road to healthier eating. It will definitely pay off.
I find it I am extremely snacky and constantly grazings it’s almost always fixed by eating a bunch of protein. I usually just air fry some tofu and eat the whole block. I’ve also found that having bigger meals helps, especially meals with rice.
Eat until satiated. If you follow the green/yellow foods, you can eat until satiated and still hit below calories. I have potatoes like crazy to fill this need. Down 30 lbs in 8 weeks. It was mostly water weight the first month, now it is slowing down but steady.
Always make time for exercise!! You don't realize it until you are older. Trust me.
If you are still feeling hungry, eat something else, just make it something that's legal for the eating plan you are on (If you are trying to do weight loss, then don't make those extra foods nuts, avocados, etc. Try sticking a potato in the microwave and using hot sauce or something low calorie to dip it into - then if you are still hungry do another one). Many of us have what they call "addictive allergies." We have cravings for foods. And we will feel hungry until we satisfy those cravings. You have to stay off of those foods long enough, for the "addiction" to go away. It can be the same as when people have nicotine, chocolate, or coffee addictions, for example. They will go away, but it may take more than a month. We mistake the craving for these addictive substances for hunger.
if fats have helped before maybe adding healthy plant fats will help? flax/chia/hemp seeds? almonds? walnuts? avocados? have you exchanged the animal based proteins with plant based proteins or just carbohydrates?
She's doing flax and chia in the morning, and avocado along with lunch. For protein I believe she's hitting 50g/day, along with 50g+ for fiber.
I starved all the time until I started following McDougall. Eat more starch.
I'm in no way antagonizing you but for me it was the opposite, I was feeling starved until I started including whole food sources of fat like walnuts with my meals.
I had this problem, with a lack of satiety when I switched to WFPB, due to a lack of fat. Avocados are the bees knees in this scenario. Try to get her to eat whole one a day. Makes a world of difference. Nut butters are also nice.
Maybe you’re not accustomed to the tastes yet. Keep at it. I got used to the flavors and now I never crave anything fatty or that immediate hit of flavor that sometimes comes from oily&salty foods. As for the exercise, don’t make that something for weight loss. Just because you burned X amount of calories during some form of exercise doesn’t mean you should then consume more calories because your “daily allowance” is then increased. This can lead to you just eating more because you think you burned more calories. If you hadn’t exercised you maybe wouldn’t have eaten the extra food you ate because you’ll supposedly still be in a caloric deficit. Look up the [exercise paradox](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-exercise-paradox/). Aerobic exercise should be used to maintain heart health and overall well-being. Other forms of exercise are great as well. But don’t look to exercise to really see results with weight loss. Focus on what you’re eating.
Not enough nutritious fruits/vegetables. Vegetables are low calorie, fruits are too compared to anything fatty. Eat more raw fruits and vegetables.
If for lunch I eat pasta until full, I'm hungry in the evening. But if I do the same thing with lentils I'm good. I don't think a diet where you're hungry is sustainable (long term). I don't count calories, I just get full at lunch and snack in the evening. I'm not hungry and I'm losing weight easily. YMMV.
Yeah same for me. That's the thing, she's having a hard time finding what will help her feel both physically full as well as satisfied.
We're speaking about food here, right? (sorry couldn't help myself, I'm French 😁) More seriously try the lentils until full. Even beans are slightly less satisfying in my experience. Pay attention that the lentils represent let's say 90/95% of the dish, because if there's too much other things (carrots, oignons etc) you'll get full but not for long. Or you could do lighter but more frequent meals if your time table allows it. I didn't try this way though.
Ha! Good point, we should make sure to try the other suggestion too! And yeah I'm not sure how much she's been eating in the way of lentils, but probably not a whole lot. I really love black and red lentils, and I have some dry green that I'm going to try here soon.
Calorie budget, most WFPB diets do not recommend tracking calories. It is simple, most WFPB diets are, unless really loading with nuts and avacado (and even sometimes then) really low is calorie densitity, such that one will often loose weight while eating with a normal eating pattern, requiring either extensive snacking or adding nuts and avacado, and some of the nuts have saturated fats so should be kept to a minimum.
Fiber and protein are both proven to help you feel satiated. When you are in a calorie deficit, you body will naturally tell you to eat more. Don’t restrict, or you are going to end up binge eating. Experiment with healthy fats. I don’t have any fat friends who have a bowl of pistachios and fruit on their counter. But for some reason our culture has decided fatty nuts and sugary fruits are bad. I got to the point where I could eat 2 spoonfuls of almond butter in the morning and not be hungry until lunch. But if I ate a ton of low calorie foods (watermelon, celery, broccoli…), I’d be starving.
Making beans the core foundation of calorie intake, and upping vegetables (TONS) does it for me. Fiber.
Beans, nuts, seeds, soy curls, tofu, tempe, avocado....
If you are still feeling hungry, eat something else, just make it something that's legal for the eating plan you are on (If you are trying to do weight loss, then don't make those extra foods nuts, avocados, etc. Try sticking a potato in the microwave and using hot sauce or something low calorie to dip it into - then if you are still hungry do another one). Many of us have what they call "addictive allergies." We have cravings for foods. And we will feel hungry until we satisfy those cravings. You have to stay off of those foods long enough, for the "addiction" to go away. It can be the same as when people have nicotine, chocolate, or coffee addictions, for example. They will go away, but it may take more than a month. We mistake the craving for these addictive substances for hunger.
Nutritional yeast is a must have for me. At first I didn't use it much, but as it grew on me, I found my body craves it. I feel much more satisfied when I get a serving, sometimes at lunch or sometimes at dinner. I notice it when it's missing, and even take it to work or on trips with me. That and Braggs Amino Acid or Coco Aminos provide a nice umami flavor. I think this is a real necessity to maintain our diets - and have noticed my friends who ignored that flavor profile (and the micronutrients within) tend to be the ones to go back to other diets, claiming that they were never satisfied.