Psyllium husk, vinegar and hunger pangs

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #1

I am doing a low calorie keto diet. It goes well for me. But now that I am getting closer to my ideal weight (I am about 4kg away), I am a bit hungrier.

Today I was a bit concerned about this, and I have asked myself: which are the foods that reduce hunger pangs?

Youtube search has suggested, among others, psyllium husk and vinegar.

I had both, so I have tried that: adding 5g of psyllium husk (two teaspoons), water and a bit of vinegar.

And it has worked. I was not hungry anymore.

Could it be that eating psyllium husk and vinegar works to reduce hunger? Or is this just psychological?

In general, I tend to be cautious in relation to miraculous measures to reduce weight. And this is “too simple and easy to be true”.

Any ideas?

#2

My initial reaction would be that if you’re feeling hungry, your body is trying to tell you something.

If we think about this in alternative terms, like driving, then it might seem more clear. If you have a red traffic signal at a pedestrian crossing, do you react to it and brake - or do you close your eyes so you can’t see the signal and keep accelerating through the crossing?

There are lots of people here who talk about ‘deranged metabolisms’ so I appreciate you might be someone who doesn’t have reliable hunger/satiety signalling.

However, your comment about ‘low calorie keto diet’ makes me pause, because it suggests that you are deliberately restricting - so the most obvious conclusion is that if you’re feeling hungry, you might not be eating enough to satisfy your body’s requirements.

Rather than tricking your body into feeling satiated, I would be inclined to feed it to gain the same result.

(Laurie) #3

If you’re sure you’ve eaten enough protein, and you still feel hungry, you might need more fat.

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #4

Good point. What I have been doing these last days, when I was hungry, is to eat more protein (my doctor recommends me some protein powder).

Eating more protein is perfect for satiety, the amounts are low (and the corresponding calories are low) and I continued to lose weight.

I eat quite a lot of fat (proportionally to my food intake) mostly in the form of olive oil.

One option was to continue eating more protein. But on the other hand, I wanted to stick to my doctor’s plan, and for this reason I have chosen the psyllium plus the vinegar.

(Robin) #5

Whatever works for you, go for it! You are closing in on your goal weight and listening to your body’s messages. And if placebos work…. Well, I’m ok with that! No worries.

(bulkbiker) #6

These two statements are counter intuitive… you don’t “eat protein powder”, it’s not food.

You are starving yourself plain and simple and your body is getting fed up with it.

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #7

I am not starving. I am following a medical protocol designed for my needs. The protocol is working very well, and I am delighted with it.

For sure, nothing is perfect in life, and I am finding this issue I am highlighting here. But dealing with this small issue does not mean at all I am not happy with my keto protocol. On the contrary, I think it is great for me and my needs.

(bulkbiker) #8

" low calorie keto diet"

And once you stop starving yourself then what?

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #9

I will slightly increase the calories I consume, until I notice my weight stabilizes.

(bulkbiker) #10

So how many calories per day are you currently eating?

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #11

I have no idea. I trust my doctor.

Last time, I started measuring everything, and with a spreadsheet I was calculating number of calories, carbs, fats …

For me, it was a loss of time. I see that the recommendations of my doctor are reasonable, and without measuring, I know I am safely in ketosis.

I eat 200g of vegetables per meal, twice per day (150g for “dangerous” vegetables, like red peppers), and about 150g of meat/fish/… per meal, twice per day.

And three portions of protein. From the bottle, it says 90cal per portion, almost all of it as protein.

And I add lots of olive oil to everything.

(Robin) #12

good for you. It’s your body, your results, your decision.

#13

You’ve mentioned a couple of times that it’s your doctor’s plan - so it would make sense to raise these concerns with them.

After all, your doctor will either say to you:

  • Yes, it’s normal to feel hungry and yes, what you’re doing is fine
  • Yes, it’s normal to feel hungry, but no, don’t do that - try this instead
  • No, it’s not normal to feel hungry, let’s look at the plan to alleviate this

If you don’t give them the feedback, they won’t know anything is wrong and might need adjusting.

#14

best post on the thread :wink:

(Edith) #15

I’m not one to argue about the protocols one is following from one’s doctor, but I do have a question.

I am a petite person. It does not take a lot of calories to fill me up. A small amount of calories means a small amount of vitamins and minerals. So, I try to eat as nutrient dense as possible. Protein powder tends to be pure protein, without added vitamins and minerals. Wouldn’t it be better to get those three portions of protein from real food that contains vitamins and minerals instead of a processed powder? Just wondering…

(Doing a Mediterranean Keto) #16

It makes sense. But:

  1. The protein powder is not the typical one of bodybuilders, but (supposedly) a medically controlled one.
  2. The protein powder has several tastes, and I have found the chocolate ones I like them a lot. In the end, it is my “treat” (a sweet chocolate mousse).

But yes, eventually I should try to move towards non processed food.

(Edith) #17

I can certainly understand that. :grinning:

#18

Completely agree that you need to talk to the medical person who put you on this and see what he or she says.

The general rule for those who are not following a diet from a physician designed specifically with their issues in mind, is that if you feel hungry, ask yourself what you are hungry for. If you could eat a plate of eggs or steak, then you are probably genuinely hungry and should go eat real food with protein and fat. If you are craving something carby or junk foody, even if it is a keto dessert, you are probably not genuinely hungry

Psyllium fiber tends to be very filling but you need to take it with a considerable amount of water and moderate it, especially if you are not used to it. As for vinegar, it is the “windex” of the Keto diet (reference to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where it was suggested to be used for any problem you may have around the house). Again run your concerns by your doctor since that is what you are paying to get

(Robin) #19

Good thoughts here. And bonus points for the reference to My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Windex. And you’re right the perfect analogy for vinegar.