Feeling Stuffed

[khan47]

I'm on day 18. I've tried hard to not have a need for snacking, and make my meals full enough that I don't need to following the template. Between M1 and M2 usually goes pretty well - I'm gradually getting slightly hungry in the last hour leading up to M2. Between M2 and 3, I have a much harder time avoiding snacking and about half the time add a small mini-meal. With dinner, I'm hungry and eat well, and often add some fruit after eating my meal.

 

In order to keep from getting hungry between meals, I feel like I have to stuff myself full - and then my belly is uncomfortably full. But if I don't eat to that point, I'm hungry and want to eat all the things (in mid afternoon especially). I've always had a big appetite and eaten more than many of my peers, it seems. But the fullness is feeling uncomfortable for a long time after eating, and since one of my motivations for doing W 30 was to feel good, I would like to avoid it if possible. 

 

Sample Meals:

M1: Breakfast bake with eggs (probably 3), spinach, onions, sausage - with a side of either sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or a pureed cup of veggie soup. Cup black coffee.

M2: Large mixed veggie salad with protein (either chicken breast, tuna, salmon, usually), olive oil and balsamic, 1/2 avocado

M3: Pulled Pork, Spaghetti Squash, Roasted Veggie (zucchini, broccoli, or cabbage most often). Scoop of coconut butter or flakes for fat if we don't have avocado or fat in a sauce. Berries and a few banana slices, few nuts if still feeling hungry. 

 

Mini meal is usually a hardboiled egg and raw veggies with guac between M2 and 3. Maybe herbal tea. 

 

I drink about 9-10 cups water daily. I've limited nut intake based on what I've read on the forum. Could ditch the fruit too, I guess. The salads I've been eating for years that way without feeling overly stuffed so I don't think that's a problem...other thoughts or ideas? 

[HealthyPhD]

I would eliminate starchy carbs in the morning, as the short burst of energy they provide can lead to a midday crash and cravings. Better to save starches for the evening. You might do well to replace them with a W30-compliant bacon or an extra egg. And bananas are such high-sugar fruits, they could also be wrecking your hormonal balance and keeping your hunger signals out of whack. I am extremely sensitive to the sugar levels in bananas and had to eliminate them from my diet long ago. 

[Carlaccini]

Hi There,

 

I am going to say that your salad is probably the culprit here.  I have noticed that if I have a protein + salad for lunch, even it's a huge one, that it only fills me up for 2 to 3 hours.  

 

Ways you can make your salad work for you so you are not hungry:

Enjoy a cup of blended soup along side your salad

include a boiled egg, along with your regular protein

Add nuts, apples, pecans, and crisped proscuitto to your salad.  Add the Citrus Vinagrette from the Whole 30 Cookbook and it's an excellent meal.

Add cooked cubed sweet potato to your salad. (replaces croutons)

 

Basically in order for the salad to fill you it, needs to be mixing bowl sized - plus I have found that I need to add more protein, more fats, and possibly a starchy veg to it order for it to keep me full longer.

[khan47]

Thank you! I most often add the items you recommended to my salad, and it's always a big-ass salad for sure. I will add the extra egg to have that help beat the mid-afternoon hunger. I'll ditch the banana too, and see how it goes. 

 

But, then the issue becomes: I feel *uncomfortably stuffed* after eating a meal. It keeps me from needing to snack, sure, but I walk around uncomfortable for the better part of the day (I am still feeling like this now after eating breakfast five hours ago). I would love to strike a balance between not getting hungry enough to need a snack, but not getting so full that it's unpleasant. Anyone else struggle with this? I wonder if there is any hope I can work that out the remainder of the program??

[Carlaccini]

I am wondering out loud here.

 

I wonder if you might have a FODMAP sensitivity.  As your symptoms sound quite familiar.  

 

Are you eating more onions and garlic than you normally would?  Within the last 6 months I noticed I had a FODMAP intolerance.  I was bloated and uncomfortable all the time despite my food being good.  I would feel full and stuffed and yet oddly empty at the same time.

 

Onions unfortunately are a no go for me.  As soon as I eat them I feel uncomfortable and bloated the rest of the day.  Avocado and cauliflower I have the same problem.  So maybe play around with dropping certain veggies that cause "issues" for some.  You can find the low FODMAP shopping list here:  http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-shopping-list-FODMAP.pdf

[khan47]

Thanks! I am definitely eating more onions than normal, and more avocado (which I see is also off the list on fodmap). I'm not excited about eliminating more food...but if I feel better it would be completely worth it. 

[Carlaccini]

The problem I noticed that if every meal you have a FODMAP item - then you body might be telling you - Whoa enough!  I am having a hard time with it now.

 

After doing a relaxed whole 30 plus FODMAP elimination for several weeks I was able to break down that broccoli was ok once or twice a week - just not back to back.  Garlic was ok in small doses but onions send me for a day of bloating plus bathroom issues.  Brussel sprouts are okay if I consume them with a starchy veg, however on their own they are too much for my system.

 

First start by cutting back and reducing the number of FODMAPs you are eating - but I wouldn't outright eliminate them for now - just cut back.

[Tom Denham]

I was a slow learner and it took me many months before I was comfortable with three meals per day. The changes that finally led to my doing okay with just three probably involved my eating bigger meals and composing meals with more fat than I did at first. And occasionally, I still eat 4 meals.