It's easy to get caught in the thought pattern that the more calories you consume, the less hungry you will be later. After all, we've all heard the saying, Calories In, Calories Out. But the reality is, that statement just isn't true.
I always make breakfast for my wife and I on Sundays. It gives her time to get ready for church, and believe it or not, I enjoy cooking. I am always trying to create a balanced meal among the carbs, proteins, and fat, and make sure we stay within our calorie needs. Yes, I know...my poor wife for having to put up with me! I did something different this time with the meal, and actually used a healthy shake for part of the breakfast. I had the calories figured out and knew approximately how long the calories should last before we got hungry again. But I was completely wrong! Based on our caloric needs, we should have been full through our first snack and ready to eat lunch shortly after church. Unfortunately we found ourselves hungry at least an hour or two sooner than we should have, and ended up needing to eat right away. So what happened?
There was a study years ago about something called the Satiety Index. The satiety index looks beyond just calories. It looks at how long someone feels full after consuming certain foods. We know that not everything is equal. You cannot consume 200 calories of apples and think it is a direct replacement of 200 calories of hershey kisses. The calories may be the same, but the volume, fiber, sugar, and water consumption are different. 
We never think about how long we will feel full after we eat certain foods, but it is important. Not feeling full will cause you to consume more calories than you need. Inversely, only eating foods that will make you feel full could also prevent you from eating enough calories for your body. There must be a balance. If you'd like to learn more about the methods they used to determine the Satiety Index, click here. If you just want to know what to do about it, read on...
1) If you have a tendency to consume too many high calorie foods, start replacing some your current foods with foods that are more filling. By only eating foods that burn off quickly, you are constantly setting yourself up to cheat on your nutrition program. Here is the reality of the situation. If you are eating foods that are high calories and burn off quickly, you will not be able to stick with a healthy eating program later in the day. You will find yourself very hungry and your body will crave food. Sure, you might be able to resist for a couple of days up to a week or more, but eventually you will break. You have to have items that are more filling.
2) If you do not consume enough calories, you need to eat some foods that burn off quicker so you can give your body more fuel. I think it's great that you are eating healthy, but there are times when not eating enough actually prevents you from losing weight. It takes a balance of food, and starving is not the answer.
3) Learn where the resources are to make it easier for you. Well, I guess that's where I come in. Here are some resources that will help you if you want to try to adjust your eating habits based on Satiety.
a. The original article about the Satiety Index
b. The Fullness Factor - nutritiondata has come up with a scale to determine the "Fullness Factor" of almost all foods. It's a great resource to compare the foods you eat every day.
c. If you are still confused, use me as a resource. We can look at ways to alter your nutrition that will help you lose weight and feel full at the same time. No hunger pains! Who said diets have to be miserable?