Nomad, have you considered adding protein powder to your shakes? You can buy vanilla flavored powders at any store and at Sprouts you can buy unflavored protein powder in their bulk section by whatever amount you want. My mother, when she is is paying attention to her diet, mixes protein powder with grapefruit juice every morning just before she has her first cup of coffee. She can't eat in the morning, never could without getting sick to her stomach. But she copes much better with the world with protein in her, so she found that this works for her. I would bet that adding some protein to your shake would make it a TON more filling for you.
I personally feel better when I eat meals that follow a 30% protein 30% fat 40% healthy carb ratio. I know my kids behave better and do better in school when their meals follow that plan also. I try not to follow any sort of fad diet because none of them ever work, but sensible eating does. I have followed a ton of fad diets before and not one ever budged a pound from my body. I don't really talk about diets much. I have gone weeks on very low calorie diets, gone gluten free, done various auto immune things, and not one ever helped. Mostly I follow this plan because I feel better and think more clearly on it.
Recently I was put back on a medication I have taken three times before to prevent migraines. This time I am taking it with another medication, both to prevent migraines, but in three months I have lost 4 dress sizes. I am eating reasonably, maybe a bit less than before but not a ton less. But it is nice. I have no idea if it will continue or not. The medication is topomax (topirimate) and it is an antiseizure medication that is also used often to prevent migraines. So far so good.
