Seriously on the verge of binging, hungry all the time! Help!?

eisterunicorn
eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys!
So yeah, title. I started counting cals again about two weeks ago. I'm 19, 140 lbs, and I have it set at lightly active and to lose 1 lb a week, which is like 1540 cals a day for me. (I work out a few days a week, and I eat those cals back in addition)
Let me just say that I am going into some serious withdrawals. I've been hungry constantly, and today I got a care package (I'm AD air force) with all these yummy looking snacks and goodies,, and with the baked chicken hubby is making for me right now, I can't even eat more than like a little box of valentines heart candies, and I was already going to be over my cals tonight from eating popcorn for dessert :(
You know, I'm not even really sure what question I'm asking, so I apologize for this. I guess I'm just kind of starting to mentally give up because it just does not feel like something I can stick with. I'm Italian, people!! I need my carbs and desserts!! Any advice or encouragement or whatever would be appreciated.. and quick! :P
Thanks!
Eister <3
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Replies

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    If you're hungry all the time, look at your fat and protein first. Hit those goals; they will help keep you full. You can still have carbohydrates, but just keep them balanced with other higher protein items.

    Can you open your diary so that we can see what your current meal plan is?
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Hrm hrm.
    No, sorry. I quick add calories. :P
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Hrm hrm.
    No, sorry. I quick add calories. :P

    Well, that's probably one of your issues; you're not accurately tracking. You could be undereating for all you know. Do you use a food scale?
  • Sophiareed218
    Sophiareed218 Posts: 145 Member
    That's a tough one! Being hungry all the time sucks! Try including enough veggies to help you feel full, and get enough water. Fruit makes good snacks/ desserts.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You're 19, only weigh 140, and somehow you think you need to lose a pound a week? Are you 4 feet tall?
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    I quick add calories because I prefer to.
    I put down what is on the packages and I add up ingredients and write them down on paper. If I get food weighing crazy, no doubt I'll give up right away. Counting at all has been keeping me a lot more reasonable with how I eat.
    Any other advice? :/
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Y'all know the drill. Full time job, and as an Arabic Linguist I am always stressed and studying. Quick adding is really most possible with me in my workplace most of the time.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Your goal is set to aggressively, for how little you have to lose, so of course you're on the verge! Lower it to a half a pound a week.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    I quick add calories because I prefer to.
    I put down what is on the packages and I add up ingredients and write them down on paper. If I get food weighing crazy, no doubt I'll give up right away. Counting at all has been keeping me a lot more reasonable with how I eat.
    Any other advice? :/

    Well, weighing food should make you "crazy". It's a really great tool to properly plan out your intake. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, health happens in the gym. I will admit I was very militant about it at first, but now it's become muscle memory, and it's helped me become more confident that I am eating the calories that I'm logging.

    Especially with meat, it's a huge eye opener. I realized I was underlogging chicken (which means more chicken on my plate!) and overlogging hummus (which means I now plan for the giant servings I like to have with my crackers).
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    In
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    edited February 2015
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Y'all know the drill. Full time job, and as an Arabic Linguist I am always stressed and studying. Quick adding is really most possible with me in my workplace most of the time.

    Do you guys meal prep at all? I like to do a bulk prep when I get a value package of meat; I weigh everything, make a giant batch, and then divide everything out into containers. Boom, meals for days that are easy to log, since all I need to do is go in my recipe builder. Calories, fat, protein, ect are already accounted for per serving.

    Edit: I'll add while I am not in the Air Force, I am a full time graduate student and also work a near full time job as well. I always try to make time; it really cuts down on meal prepping time throughout the week.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Y'all know the drill. Full time job, and as an Arabic Linguist I am always stressed and studying. Quick adding is really most possible with me in my workplace most of the time.

    there are plenty of people here who work full time, in stressful hectic jobs, and then have families to care for at home, too. But they manage to log properly.

    If you aren't willing to give this a real, legit effort - you don't want it badly enough.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Alright well I appreciate that advice so thanks for your time. <3
    And as for lowering it to half a pound per week that is a brilliant idea and will probably be way easier for me to stick with. :D I didn't even remember that option. Woohoo!
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Your goal is set to aggressively, for how little you have to lose, so of course you're on the verge! Lower it to a half a pound a week.

    Thanks so much!! <3
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Alright well I appreciate that advice so thanks for your time. <3
    And as for lowering it to half a pound per week that is a brilliant idea and will probably be way easier for me to stick with. :D I didn't even remember that option. Woohoo!

    I've actually been doing .5lb/week since I restarted my third stint on here 329 days ago (first two, I lasted maybe a few weeks on here at a time..lol). The more generous calorie allotment helped me stay motivated. The only issue with it is you really do need to be careful with your tracking; your deficit is small, so there's little room for error. I have 6-7lb til goal, and at 20lb to lose, you should be switching over to that when you have 15lb left to lose. Might as well start now.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Gotcha. That makes sense. :)
    And that's encouraging that .5/week has been working for you! :) I'm thinking I might need like a no counting day once a week or something to help me adjust... I know that's kind of a controversial topic on here but it would really help me stay focused the rest of the week. It's a big mental game.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    edited February 2015
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Gotcha. That makes sense. :)
    And that's encouraging that .5/week has been working for you! :) I'm thinking I might need like a no counting day once a week or something to help me adjust... I know that's kind of a controversial topic on here but it would really help me stay focused the rest of the week. It's a big mental game.

    If you're going to do that, focus on your weekly deficit. I check mine every now and then on the app, by pulling up the "weekly" tab in my diary. If you have 200 under net goal for the week, it may not be the best idea, since your wiggle room is very small. However, I always make huge deficits the week of (through extra workouts), if I'm going to want a day where I don't care. Like my sushi dinner and drinks night with friends for my birthday last year; the 1,000 extra calories I earned let me eat, drink, and be merry that day, on top of my normal intake.

    Edit: With .5lb a week, your deficit is only 1,750 calories/week before exercise is factored in. Make sure you are mindful of this!
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Ooo gotcha. I didn't know you could do that, actually. :) Will definitely keep that in mind. I will try to get to the point where I start weighing food and all that. Still trying to keep my mind in the game by doing this bit by bit, but everything you're saying makes perfect sense and it'll be my goal to get there. THANKS so much for the knowledge!
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    Ooo gotcha. I didn't know you could do that, actually. :) Will definitely keep that in mind. I will try to get to the point where I start weighing food and all that. Still trying to keep my mind in the game by doing this bit by bit, but everything you're saying makes perfect sense and it'll be my goal to get there. THANKS so much for the knowledge!

    I've been at it a year; I've done all the trial and error for you! Hopefully your next two weeks, and the weeks following go well. :)
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    I quick add calories because I prefer to.
    I put down what is on the packages and I add up ingredients and write them down on paper. If I get food weighing crazy, no doubt I'll give up right away. Counting at all has been keeping me a lot more reasonable with how I eat.
    Any other advice? :/

    How is this any faster than looking up the food, putting in its weight/measurement, and logging it?

    And eating 1500 calories, that's likely why the hunger. .5lb goal as stated is more than sufficient at your weight (and you do NOT even need to lose unless you are under 5ft tall)
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    ana3067 wrote: »
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    I quick add calories because I prefer to.
    I put down what is on the packages and I add up ingredients and write them down on paper. If I get food weighing crazy, no doubt I'll give up right away. Counting at all has been keeping me a lot more reasonable with how I eat.
    Any other advice? :/

    How is this any faster than looking up the food, putting in its weight/measurement, and logging it?

    And eating 1500 calories, that's likely why the hunger. .5lb goal as stated is more than sufficient at your weight (and you do NOT even need to lose unless you are under 5ft tall)

    Alright please no judging about this. I've already made a big leap by getting back to logging at all. Thanks!

    And yeah, I will change it to .5. :) Thanks for that, I feel better about myself now haha :D<3
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    By the way I'm 5' 8" :D
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I'm 5"8 and 140lbs, I lost 24lbs in 4mths relatively easy. Now I'm down to my last 8lbs I'm losing roughly 2.2lbs a month. It's slooow going, but I'll get there eventually
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Oh, and it takes me like 2 minutes to prelog my food in the morning.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    I quick add calories because I prefer to.
    I put down what is on the packages and I add up ingredients and write them down on paper. If I get food weighing crazy, no doubt I'll give up right away. Counting at all has been keeping me a lot more reasonable with how I eat.
    Any other advice? :/

    How is this any faster than looking up the food, putting in its weight/measurement, and logging it?

    And eating 1500 calories, that's likely why the hunger. .5lb goal as stated is more than sufficient at your weight (and you do NOT even need to lose unless you are under 5ft tall)

    Alright please no judging about this. I've already made a big leap by getting back to logging at all. Thanks!

    And yeah, I will change it to .5. :) Thanks for that, I feel better about myself now haha :D<3

    I'm seriously wondering how it's easier to log on pen and paper when you have to look up the ingredients anyways to figure out macro/calorie information? And then the app just does it all for you.

    Why would you want to lose more weight at 5'8, 140lbs? I'm 5'7 and my goal is 145lbs. If you are "skinny fat" you'd do best lifting weights, eating at maintenance, and then after 6ish months start bulking to put on muscle. Then after a few months, start actively dieting down a bit.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    My husband packs my lunch sometimes and writes all the cals added up for me. It's sweet.

    And okay, good advice.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    eisterunicorn wrote: »
    My husband packs my lunch sometimes and writes all the cals added up for me. It's sweet.

    And okay, good advice.

    That's really nice of him, and totally fine. Just be sure for one that you two are seeing eye to eye on how calories are calculated (is he measuring things out? Or just using random calorie info?). Might be easier if you guys just like.. shared your MFP account and he would log the food for you, and then it's already all there. Then you get the benefit of macro breakdowns, it's portable, etc. I remember when I first started out I was doing some pen+paper logging and it was super inconvenient.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
    Hmm true, good idea! Like I said I'm just getting started and getting into a groove of what works for me right now, but that would make things even easier. :) By the way I'm actually pretty athletically built and have quite a layer of fat on me... so I am a tad confused as to why I've been criticized for wanting to lose a bit.. But I'll accept the advice to try to lose slower/maintain anyways. :) Thanks!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    If you are still getting used to tracking and such then yeah, try different methods until you find something that sticks. I know that logging by hand didn't work for me because I also track macronutrients and it's a PITA to track that AND calories by hand.

    The reason you're being "criticized" (more like questioned and cautioned?) about wanting to lose more weight at your current stats is that you are already very light for your height. At most maybe losing 5-10lbs isn't that unreasonable, but if you don't think that you'd achieve your desired leanness by losing only 5-10lbs then you really should consider another game plan. Like I said, lifting weights while eating to maintain your weight is a good choice; you'd benefit from newbie gains (so some muscular growth and possibly some fat loss), might help with your body composition. Then you could work on bulking up a bit, losing weight, doing this in cycles so that you aren't dieting down to an unnecessarily low body weight.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Just for comparisons sake. I have the exact sane stats as the OP, except I'm 42. I still want to lose 8 more pounds.kdazj6vro49q.jpg
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