Since my 2012 angioplasty and the complete change in my eating habits which followed, it’s fair to say that I am always hungry. It’s really not possible, I’ve found, to eat enough low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar food to fill me. The only exception is when I make whole wheat pasta and eat large portions of that.
A theory I heard years ago about feeling hungry had to do with over-consuming sugar. But my sugar consumption is way down since giving up cakes and chocolate candies of many kinds. Have you had the same experience with hunger since trying to eat healthier?
Former Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels has these suggestions for dealing with a big appetite:
- Eat lower-calorie foods that are high in fiber to help fill you up
- Drink lots of water and include water-rich foods
- Get some sleep
I routinely do the first two without any noticeable help. I’m getting more sleep since retiring, but it’s coming in fits and starts, so it doesn’t seem to be helping either. I need to keep looking for an answer, although I think the answer is to just accept it as the price of a healthy diet.
John
The No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar Journal 
I’ve been thinking about your post since I read it a while ago. Avoiding hunger is a constant challenge for me. If I choose my vegetables and fruits based on two criteria–low calorie and high fiber–as well as have some protein with each of my 3 meals (pasteurized egg in the morning with 4 ounces of low-fat meat for the other two meals I will avoid hunger. On this regimen I only consume raw apples between meals. I use spices and herbs liberally; don’t use any salt in my cooking; use no-fat greek yogurt; and olive oil in cooking; have one serving of beans daily; 10-12 servings of vegetables daily; and one serving of grains (mix of white rice, quinoa, flax seed, and chia seed).
When I track the diet, it turns out to be low fat, low sodium and fairly low carbs (compared to the American diet) with about 35 grams of daily fiber (sometimes more). The calories clock in at 1400-1600 depending on how many herbs (and I use them a LOT) I use and how many applies I eat during the day. Protein is not as high as the normal American diet.
I avoid hunger but I don’t lose weight. It’s hard to balance it all out, I’ve found, when I add exercise to it. I’m balancing the diet and hunger and 8,000 daily steps right now. I’m a bit hungry but staying on the healthy diet.
I get plenty of water with these vegetables; I routinely get 7-9 hours of sleep with only rare bouts less than that (perhaps 5 times a year). I don’t use any salt in my cooking but, like you, I’ve found that sodium has a bad effect on my blood pressure so processed food has to be rare. Now that part I do not like but it is what it is.