Hungrier the more weight I lose?

violetpurdy

Nine months ago I started losing weight and I could eat low calories with no problem. In fact (I know it's super unhealthy, but it wasn't forced) some nights at the start of my journey, I'd eat like 1000 calories a day simply because I wasn't that hungry.

Now, after losing 50ish pounds, it's getting so hard to eat weight loss calories. I'm finding that even 1600 calories feels like not enough and leaves me super hungry.

I haven't been working out any extra, I actually took 10 minutes off my workouts.

Any reason why I'm hungrier now than I was in the beginning? I always assumed it would've been the opposite.

st476

I don't know if there's an actual scientific reason but I've been feeling the same way! I think it might be because I'm getting more comfortable with logging/tracking calories and I'm much less scared of food than I was in the beginning when I was extremely uncomfortable with my body. I used to be scared to eat something slightly unhealthy but now I'm starting to eat more things, and that's banking in the calories. I don't know if you're maybe feeling the same way but I just wanted to share

AspenDan

I felt the same way..I think for me it was switching from high calorie, low volume food to low calorie high volume food made me feel full a lot more often on far fewer cals...I could easily go a whole day under 1200 calories..

Now I struggle if I try less than 2000.

Think it's the volume thing

Clarewho

To put in simple terms. At the beginning your body can access fat reserves to burn - this is how most of your weight is lost. As you lose more there is less available/spare. Hence hunger... It gets harder the nearer you are to goal I'm afraid.

lasirena624

I am also hungrier (stomach growling at times!) as I get closer to my first big goal. I am 5'3, 156lbs and almost 42 years old. I started at 180lbs in March 2016. Every 10lbs I have had to reevaluate my calorie intake and exercise routine to create a deficit and feel satisfied enough to keep my stomach from growing. After loosing 24lbs I am just six pounds away from my first goal. Eating about 1200-1300 calories a day and exercising 3-5 times a week and only eating a portion of calories burned back. Slow going now and harder!

EttaMaeMartin

that would also explain why it is harder to lose the last few pounds. hungry due to less fat and body trying to hold on to fat so harder to release the pounds? maybe? sounds good!

VelociFit

I looked into this myself not long ago. There's a hunger satiation hormone called leptin--having plenty of it tells your body that it's got plenty of food around. After a significant weight loss, you produce less leptin, which causes that greater feeling of hunger.

That extra-hungry feeling is (one reason) why many people regain weight they've lost and then some. But! After about a year, the body's leptin levels start to recover. If you can maintain the healthy weight for that first year, you should be past the worst of it.

Good luck, and congratulations on your progress so far!

Maxematics

Yes, this is very true. I'm 5'3" and started at 139 pounds. I was able to eat 1200 calories without an issue back then and I didn't even eat exercise calories (this was before I knew any better). Now I'm 112 pounds and I go through phases of not being hungry and being hungry all the time. However, I don't eat anywhere close to 1200 now, as I maintain on 2000+ calories. I've been trying to eat at a slight deficit lately and on some days it's easy but other days I just want to stop the deficit altogether. Every few weeks I have a day where I just keep eating until I feel satisfied.

Catfishbabs

Yes losing weigh will change your the hormones that affect your appetite and hunger.

Teemo_sucks

Me tooooooo!!!!

Francl27

Same here. There's a reason I've been maintaining 5 pounds from my goal weight

zuly886

Im the same way but i think dinner time is the worst because you eat a smaller meal and you stay hungry is tough now is hard for me to lose more weight after losing 30lbs im 5'1 and 150 lbs and trying to reach my goal of 135 i also work so it has been hard for me. Good Luck