I am kind of doing what you've suggested. Have dispensed with the spreadsheet - so sick of weighing and counting everything I eat. I am watching the carbs and keeping to around 20g per day or under and trying to not worry about much else - adding fat where I can. It just seems like I have been doing this forever with little result - I'm not the most patient person!!!! Even half a pound a week would keep me motivated!

So confusing too - Jimmy eats every 2-3 hours but Charles says if you are eating in between your 3 square meals a day, you're not eating enough at meals. I know everyone has to find what works for themselves and it's very much YMMV but it's finding out what works that seems to be my problem.

Sigh.....

I think it's what and how much you eat.

Essentially I agree with Charles. I eat fairly large meals and I'm rarely hungry between meals. Most of my meals are 500-600+ calories, and only a few are from carbs. I have steak, it's an 8 - 10 ounces (or more) along with 1-2 veggies. My salads are huge with 2-3 cups greens and often other veggies, AND 4-6 ounces of meat. I get a lot of protein and a lot of fat in my meals. When I eat, it's not just until I'm no longer hungry, but until I'm satisfied....and if I eat like this I can go 4, 5 and even more hours without feeling hungry.

I believe that fat keeps you full a bit longer as it slows the absorption of other macro nutrients, and protein lowers your appetite and keeps you satisfied longer. Some people just can't eat large enough meals, and need snacks. Others, like me, enjoy large filling meals less often.

The only way you can succeed on low carb is by tweaking it (after the initial 2 weeks or more induction/phase 1) so you're not hungry, have variety, and don't get bored. Where ever you are in your plan, be sure to eat when you are hungry!! If you need a snack, have one! If you feel like you want to tr and stop the snacking, try having a large breakfast (like 3 eggs, 2-3 strips of bacon plus 2-3 links of sausage) and see if that hold you to lunch. Again at lunch, increase your portions and see if that holds you. If you get hungry between meals, have a high protein/high fat snack.

I know what you mean about not being hungry some mornings. It seems like I should wake up starving after not eating for over 10 hours but most mornings I can hold off eating for a couple hours while I do things around the house. In fact, I often try to hold off as long as I can so that I can shorten the time span between my meals as much as possible.

I've tried eating a really big meal a few times just to see how long it would take to get hungry again and most times I'm hungry just as soon as if I'd eaten a light meal. My husband drives me nuts sometimes because he can go for a whole day without eating after having an especially large meal the day before. About 2-3 hours after eating Thanksgiving dinner I'm hungry again.

zyarah, you have a smart mother! Now that I'm a low carber I do end up eating some peculiar snacks sometimes. I actually wouldn't mind nibbling on Brussels sprouts or a small piece of leftover meat and that sort of thing. I'll eat pretty much anything to ward off my hunger until my next meal.

Wanting to eat when I'm not really hungry is an issue that I need to work on too and I'm trying to work on being able to tell when I've got stomach hunger or head hunger. Our brains can really play tricks on us sometimes.