I started IF by eating at 12 and 6 and doing a 1 hour workout at about 4. I found myself absolutely ravenous after dinner last night even though I’m having 2 meals that are typically filling.
Meal 1: 3 eggs, tater tots, ketchup, plain yogurt + honey, coffee + milk (600-700 cals)
Meal 2: 5.5 oz chicken breast, half a can of pinto beans, green salsa, carb balance tortillas, yogurt (700-800 calories)
I’m borderline pre-diabetic and I’ve recently stopped drinking casually as well. I’m starting to lose hope due to my ravenous appetite in the evening. I want to lose 35 pounds and tips to curb hunger would be so appreciated!
I’d count your carbs and keep them under 30g per meal, especially as a pre-diabetic.
A can of pinto beans is 67g carbs, or 47g net carbs (carbs minus fiber), so half a can is still \~24g net carbs by itself. A cup of plain yogurt is \~16g carbs, mostly sugars. A tablespoon of honey is 17g carbs (all sugar). A tablespoon of ketchup is 4.5g carbs (sugar). A tablespoon of green salsa is 9g carbs. A glass of milk (8oz) is 12g carbs (sugar). A serving of tater tots is 20g carbs (18g net). carb balance tortillas are \~5g net carbs.
Notice that most of those net carbs are sugar. So, as an estimate:
meal 1 (assuming 1/4c milk in coffee): 18+4.5+16+17+ (1/4)*12 = 58.5g net carbs
meal 2: 24+9+5+16 = 54g net carb, 71g if you are adding honey to the yogurt.
So, you’re eating around 120g carbs a day in two meals. A typical diabetic diet is that same amount (120g) over 3 meals plus snacks, and is usually counting total (not net) carbs. Eating at a calorie deficit, you might do better cutting back on carbs and eating more protein. The benefit is that doing that should squash your hunger!!
Carbs aren’t “bad,” but they will spike your blood sugar and the resulting fall WILL make you hungry. You don’t have to do keto or go extreme, but moderately lowering your carbs should help with the hunger. Good luck!!
Instead of half a can of pinto beans, have a nice salad or some vegetables, it will be more filling (and better for you).
Drink a cup of hot tea or brush you teeth if you are hungry after dinner. Find other things to do.
Are you truly hungry or was eating after dinner a habit?
There would be two things I would recommend.
First, being hungry is your body telling you you’re eating at a deficit and for the first little while it sucks. It’s a phase and you’re body will adapt but it will take a while. I do get hungry in the evenings and I have grown to like the feeling. I accept it and after a bit, it will pass.
Second, I started to take 5-HTP to help increase my satiety, or feeling full with less food. It is not an appetite suppressant but it helps with it a bit. There are drug interactions, like with SSRIs or anything dealing with serotonin, so please do your research yourself or with your doctor if you are on anything. For this effect, you need to take 200 mg about an hour before each meal.
Also, I find Zone 2 training (ignore the name of the site, this is one of the better summaries I’ve found) also helps curb my appetite in the evenings but I workout around 8-9 pm, after my feeding window.