Starving! How do I get over it?

danigrl8

Before I was logging, weighing , measuring etc I was eating about 2200 calories. My calorie goal is 1590 and I stay at that but I'm so hungry when I get to bed! Am I so used to eating a lot that I can't be totally satiated? Will my body adjust?

Katetw

Mine did last time I did this. I'm going through the starving phase again now and it's not fun.

I believe I was so used to feeling overfull that I needed to retrain my body what it was like to be full. It happened slowly but I distinctly remember one day eating out and I couldn't finish something that in the past I would have finished and gotten more without a second thought. So you will get there!

In the mean time (and to continue) try to pack your intake with as many veggies and fruits as possible. They will help you stay full for longer. Cut out "empty calories" like soda, juice, etc--things that cost you calories but don't help you feel full.

Katetw

My body did last time I did this. I'm going through the starving phase again now and it's not fun.

I believe I was so used to feeling overfull that I needed to retrain my body what it was like to be full. It happened slowly but I distinctly remember one day eating out and I couldn't finish something that in the past I would have finished and gotten more without a second thought. So you will get there!

In the mean time (and to continue) try to pack your intake with as many veggies and fruits as possible. They will help you stay full for longer. Cut out "empty calories" like soda, juice, etc--things that cost you calories but don't help you feel full.

Katetw

ack sorry for the double post!

Mech9

Sometimes I feel really starved if I don't get a good enough quantity of food. Like if I were to eat a meal replacement bar, it would taste good but I'd be hungry again within an hour. To help prevent that I try to make sure to eat 1/2 my plate full of veggies or other low calorie, bulky foods. I also try to eat every 3-4 fours, and make sure to save calories for a snack before bed (or else I sleep walk and eat food while I'm 100% asleep).

AmyRhubarb

Some of it is an adjustment - I know I tend to eat out of habit rather than hunger sometimes.

Make sure that your daily calories are full of good protein, fats and plenty of fiber, and also that you're drinking enough water. Protein and fat are very satiating, keeping us satisfied longer, and fiber is, well, fiber, also helps keep that full feeling. And hunger is often mistaken for thirst - when you feel hungry and it's not meal time, try drinking 8 ounces of water, wait 15 minutes and see if you really are hungry.

Hope that helps!

Sued0nim

Make your diary public ...1600 calories shouldn't make you starving if you eat the right foods

What kind of food do you like? Have you learned to adapt them to lower calorie filling version, do you allow yourself to snack

Starving is a different signal from hungry and yes you have to learn to accept not feeling over full, but not starving hungry every night ...sounds like you aren't eating enough

devoslosingit

I tend to eat differently then a lot of people on here but for me it is all about the protein. I used to have to go through the starving phase before so when i started this time i decided to change what i focus on. I now eat a LOT of protein at every single meal. I am now having the opposite problem. I cant seem to eat enough calories because i am full all the time.

So in regards to your question i would say eat more protien at every meal, you will feel fuller longer. Also a nice little side effect is that you are unable to eat large portions the longer you do this because your stomach starts shrinking without ever feeling like your starved. Ive been doing this for three weeks and i can only eat on average a 4 oz chicken with a little side salad at a meal. Before you could double the meat, and the salad, and add a potato and i would still feel hungry.
This works for me but there are a lot of other components. Just add protien and you will feel a little better and your calories will go down.

gothchiq

nonstarchy vegetables out the wazoo.

pinkteapot3

How long has it been? I felt hungry for 3-4 days when I started and then my body adjusted. Maybe my stomach shrunk a bit as I can't now pig out even if I want to!

mhook760

One thing doing the 5:2 diet taught me that I am grateful for is the difference between the feeling of an empty stomach even though you've had all necessary calories and nutrients for the day, and actual 'need to eat' hunger. Nowadays I follow 16:8 for some of the benefits of fasting and find it super easy. I got to bed with the empty stomach feeling, sleep way better than i ever have before, wake up with energy and the empty feeling has gone. Then I have breakfast when I've been up 2/3 hours.

If I feel really really empty and it's bugging me, (rare)I have a hot herbal tea - no different to soup IMHO

If i know I've had what my body needs for the day, that's it I'm done. It feels great.

I will add the first few days getting used to my new practices were harder but it soon all adjusted brilliantly

I'd also recommend having a higher fat and protein content in your diet. days when I have higher carbs, I have way higher hunger. Fat is your friend, use your macros to your advantage

jgnatca

That's a 600 calorie difference; big adjustment. What is your weekly weight loss goal?

healthygreek

I eat LOTS of veggies, protein and a good amount of fat,
Also weigh your food to make sure you're eating enough!!!
Do you eat back your exercise calories?
Oh and a sweet potato is amazing for feeling full and full of nutrients!

Liftng4Lis

I find, if I eat more protein and fats, I feel sated longer.

amsnew

rabbitjb wrote: »

Make your diary public ...1600 calories shouldn't make you starving if you eat the right foods

What kind of food do you like? Have you learned to adapt them to lower calorie filling version, do you allow yourself to snack

Starving is a different signal from hungry and yes you have to learn to accept not feeling over full, but not starving hungry every night ...sounds like you aren't eating enough

I just wanted to point out one thing about eating more.... Sure yeah if you're eating 1600 empty calories of sugar and high calorie junk you'll be hungrier because the quantity of food is a lot less. That part is true. But I think that should be qualified as "eat more food" but not necessarily "eat more calories.

Whether 1600 is "enough" really depends on how tall the OP is, her age and activity level and how much she weighs now. I am only 5'1 and I'm an older lady with a sedentary job so 1600 is a bit too much for me. It sucks but at this point I need to keep my calories around 1400 on an active day and around 1200 or less on a recovery or rest day. It's a huge adjustment to go from overeating a lot to eating the proper amount.

I'm hungry on this number of calories sometimes, btw. But if I want to lose weight, I'm just going to have to be slightly hungry every once in a while. I am not ravenous or starving on these numbers though. But I think it's ok and normal to be a little hungry sometimes.

Not to nitpick at the person who posted that, but MFP forums like to sometimes throw around the advice to eat more without really explaining. It tends to be weigh lifters/really fit people, taller people or young people who recommend this, and those people tend to be able to get away with that. But it's not appropriate advice for everyone. I'm not trying to rip your post at all rabbitjb, but I feel like it's important to make the distinction because I bought into the starvation mode thing for a while and it really derailed my weight loss. I got fat eating like I did in my 20s, so it doesn't really follow that eating like that again is going to make me successful at losing weight.

As far as the OP, you should adjust soon enough. People above have given some great advice (eating for bulk with veggies, making sure you get enough protein and fat) but one more thing. I also used to eat really fast when I was a lot heavier, which meant I ate well past my body's satiety signals. Adding food to your plate that you have to slow down and chew well (my go to additions are celery or a couple oz. of baby carrots) really helped a lot to get used feeling those stop eating signals. Make sure you're drinking enough water, too. Sometimes "starving" is really "thirsty".

higgins8283801

I have lost almost 50lbs and am in maintenance.

For me.

1. I drink water. Wait 10 minutes. Sometimes hunger pains are just thirsty cries.

2. If I really am hungry, I stick with low calorie snacks, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, veggies, nuts. Things that don't take much to produce a full feeling, but still satisfy me.

3. If I have calories to spare I will throw in some peanut butter or hummus.

4. If I want sweet, I do fruit, smoothies, and frozen yogurt.

SwankyTomato

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

I find, if I eat more protein and fats, I feel sated longer.

Same here.

PrzemekR

I am taking glass of water in these moments and trying to drink it. If you are still hungry, get another one.

beemerphile1

What are you eating? No one can give any meaningful specific advice without knowing what you eat now.

If you eat calorie dense processed foods you have to eat much less quantity than if you eat whole foods that have less calories per volume.

wkwebby

SwankyTomato wrote: »

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

I find, if I eat more protein and fats, I feel sated longer.

Same here.

Same here. I find that I'm actually hungrier if I don't eat enough protein so end up going way over calorie goal vs. eating under because I'm so full on protein all day. But I'm prediabetic and the carbs just spike my blood sugars, so this helps on all sides.

Alty63

My downfall is snacking for whatever reason
Some good ideas above, and how about distraction techniques - e.g when you feel hungry do something energetic - climb the stairs, run round the block, chase kids round garden.

davis978

Do you know what your BMR is? For me, if I eat less than my BMR I have nightmares.

To be successful at weight loss, most people have to learn to be satisfied with much smaller portions. But, if you are really truly hungry when you go to bed at night that's a problem.

Your 600 calorie deficit might be too aggressive or you might want to look at the type of foods you are eating. For me, protein is key.

cruzcrzyMarie

I remind myself of the phrase "Hunger is not an emergency". I also tell myself I can eat tomorrow. Sometimes this works, sometimes it does not. Try brushing your teeth.

JasonH_DFW

For me chewing gum helps. Making sure to drink alot of water before your meals helps alot too.

jillianedwards

I find whenver i eat about a 200-300g serving of Brussels sprouts cooked with about 15-30g of shredded cheese that tends to fill me up nicely! Maybe try eating lower calorie things that you can eat in more volume??

cwolfman13

Eat satiating foods.

GothyFaery

It would help if you made your diary public so we can see what you are eating. Sometimes people eat a lot of high calorie food and that is why they are hungry and have a hard time sticking to their goals. Can't really help if we don't know what you are eating that is making you so hungry.

NancyN795

Exercise.

I hate being hungry. I don't get over it in a few days, a few weeks, a few months. Instead, I eventually break down and eat even more and even worse.

I also don't truly like to exercise. If I could give it up forever and not suffer negative consequences, I would.

But... When I discovered that exercising DOESN'T make me hungrier, but DOES allow me to eat enough to not be miserable, well... I decided that exercise is the lesser of two evils. Besides, it has other benefits in addition to allowing me to eat enough food.

I'm still not a great example. I exercise faithfully every day, but I eat things I shouldn't and don't always track what I eat as well as I should, so my weight loss has been slow. But, I'd never have made it this far if I tried to do it on diet alone.

maillemaker

For many people, hunger and reduced metabolism is just part of weight loss. It is part of your body's defense mechanism to defend body fat stores.

There is increasing evidence that once you are obese for some period of time this causes a permanent physiological change. Your body will from then on fight to maintain that weight.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(15)00009-1/abstract

I have always found that when I am losing weight I can tell it because I am cold (reduced metabolism) and hungry. I can tell it without ever getting on a scale. This is true regardless of what I eat - it is about whether my body is burning body fat not the composition of my diet.

You can mitigate hunger to some extent by eating more protein but for me appetite suppressants are the only sure-fire way to stay on track.

SLLRunner

danigrl8 wrote: »

Before I was logging, weighing , measuring etc I was eating about 2200 calories. My calorie goal is 1590 and I stay at that but I'm so hungry when I get to bed! Am I so used to eating a lot that I can't be totally satiated? Will my body adjust?

Your ticker says you've lost 2 pounds and have ten to go. Up that calorie goal to lose .5 pounds a week. You need to eat more. Make your diary public for more detailed advice.

If you're hungry when you go to bed, you need to work in a bedtime snack. I have one just about every night and I've lost 44 pounds and have been maintaining for over a year.

Also, how long have you been dieting? I recall it taking awhile for my appetite to adjust. I also learned to differentiate between hunger and thirst.

lgwmab

Lots of veggies, and water helps a lot! One of my favorite I'm hungry, like my belly button is going to eat my back bone hungry times, I'd eat some baby carrots, and peanut butter! I'm getting back on track myself, as I try to quit smoking, and deal with TONS of stress. Feel free to friend me, we all face our own battles, and we are all here to help, good luck!