Does anyone else feel like this?

fidangul

At the start I used to feel fuller with less, even though I was heavier. Now I am much lighter, however, I seem to feel hungrier or at least need to eat all my given calories for the day plus any earned. The hunger I'm talking about is not feel "starving" but I might fancy a little more than usual.

I know it gets more difficult towards the end. And I'm more than 2/3s of the way. I've incorporated a kitchen scale too, and I think it's great because now I'm eating more.

Anyway, still interested to hear from others, and their experience...

Thanks

mylittlerainbow

I just noticed this week (and I'm getting near my goal, too) that I have been hungrier these past few days than I was in the beginning of the diet. Interesting. Maybe we're healthier all around and that's more normal? Or maybe we are learning to listen to our appetites instead of just eating whatever/whenever (certainly MY problem before!), and the appetites are now coming alive?

fidangul

I feel my appetite is increasing too. But I still want to reach my goal. I don't want to feel comfortable where I am.

mylittlerainbow

I fully intend to reach my goal. I'm saving some calories to eat after dinner (I was avoiding that because of metabolism concerns - was trying to front-load calories into the day) and also thinking about pushing more water.

sarab920

Yup I'm pretty much always hungry now. Before I could literally go a whole work day on cereal or a bagel. Now every 2-3 hrs I need to eat again.

piheart

100% agree with this. It has been harder and harder to stay within my calories the closer to goal I get. Switching from logging my burns on MFP to getting a Fitbit has helped as it has let me eat more, even though I still only eat back 75-85% of the exercise calories it gives me.

pondee629

Are you talking HUNGER or merely "I could eat" hunger? I thought it was subcoming to "I could eat" hunger that caused us, or at least me, to be on this site.

Unknown

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jshay295

Maybe it's because when we are heavier, our body uses up our fat stores for fuel, but as we lose weight and our fat stores, our body needs to be fueled more regularly as it can't rely on our stored energy for fuel. I'm not sure how to properly word that, I'm sure someone will come along who can say it better.

missblondi2u

I go back and forth. Some days (or even weeks) I feel like I want to eat everything I see, others I'm fine. People say that weight loss is not linear, and I don't think hunger is either. Maybe you're just going through a hungrier time now and it will pass.

TasnimEz

I definitely feel like I need more food now than in the beginning, even though I'm lighter now.. O.o

Roughgalaxy

This can be pretty normal. If you are eating properly there is an effect known as reverse dieting where your metabolism can actually speed up (check out the videos by bio-layne for more infomation). The result is you can eat more and still lose.

mikevandewetering

Roughgalaxy wrote: »

This can be pretty normal. If you are eating properly there is an effect known as reverse dieting where your metabolism can actually speed up (check out the videos by bio-layne for more infomation). The result is you can eat more and still lose.

This

runningforthetrain

sunparakeet wrote: »

jshay295 wrote: »

Maybe it's because when we are heavier, our body uses up our fat stores for fuel, but as we lose weight and our fat stores, our body needs to be fueled more regularly as it can't rely on our stored energy for fuel. I'm not sure how to properly word that, I'm sure someone will come along who can say it better.

I think this is correct. Your body knows when it needs more food. It's only been the past couple hundred years of our millions-years-long evolutionary history where food has been constantly and readily available. Before then, it was eat everything you see or die. Your lizard-brain doesn't know that we have grocery stores now. It simply knows that your body is running low on stored energy, a.k.a fat! However being "low on stored energy" is how we all strive to be, so it's a constant battle with ourselves.

Interesting!

Maxematics

This happened to me. I started here at the end of June at 139 pounds and was 123 by the end of August. I slowed down my rate of loss because I was getting hungrier more often. At the end of October I was 117 and decided to take a week to eat at maintenance after noticing I always felt hungry. It worked like a charm and now my hunger levels are better and I'm continuing to lose the last few pounds.

VintageFeline

I think taking a break can help. I had a couple of weeks where I ate a bit more than I have been. You are eating less than your body requires in order to force it to use up stored fat and lose weight. But I feel like that can take its toll mentally and physically if you do it for extended periods. I am finding it easier to stay within goal having taken a break but I can see me needing to take a "proper" break at some point soon and just eat at maintenance for a week or two.

fidangul

There are some interesting points made. Some in particular that never crossed my mind. However, it is good to know that it's not only me. Sort of like reassurance. I think I might look into 'reverse dieting' and I'm also considering purchasing some sort of activity measuring gadget I think that I'll be more comfortable to eat more. But for now I've put my trust into MFP.

robertw486

Over time even a small calorie deficit can leave you hungry. For me I've found that what I eat helps keep me less hungry, and in my case making sure I'm always in line with protein, then fat, seems to work. Carbs just sort of exist as filler even though I enjoy eating them, but I can eat high carbs and be hungry again sooner.

I think for some people (including me) making sure you eat things you enjoy also plays into the picture. If you never satisfy a craving it still lingers until you do. But done right you can eat your favorite foods in appropriate amounts as they fit into your diet. I often use heavier exercise days to fill these urges, since the extra calories allowed gives me room to eat things that I normally wouldn't include.

A couple days back I was not really hungry but had exercised and needed to eat quite a few calories after a real light day and lean dinner. And some milk chocolate, peanut butter, a cookie... and then a protein bar finished the day off nice. And really I needed the fat in the peanut butter and chocolate, so they were good choices at the time.

fidangul

I too feel fuller and content with more protein. In particular: lamb & chicken. I guess listening to my body is key. But I like to see the green at the end of the day. The guilt kills me, so I'm reluctant to go over.

(FYI: MFP is set to lose 0.5kg/week that's 1500cals +burn)

Liftng4Lis

Lower your rate of loss and make sure you're getting enough fats and protein for satiety.