Does it get easier?

antinomiancelestial

For some background, I weigh 189.4 (after losing my first pound thanks to this wonderful site!) at 5 foot 6 inches. My goal is to lose one pound a week, and since I'm sedentary that leaves me with an allotted 1520 calories per day.

To be clear, I was never an emotional overeater or someone who ate lots of fast food or anything. I gained the weight for two major reasons. The first reason was that my medication slowed my metabolism and made me feel hungrier than I otherwise would. I'm thankfully almost completely off that medication now, but the weight still has to come off. The second reason was that my roommate (who is lightly active, muscular, and truly blessed in the metabolism department) and I were cooking all our meals together for a while to pool money and resources. Of course, she can eat /any/ amount and stay thin, so I was eating portions that were right for her rather than for me.

Unfortunately, I guess my body is used to over 2,000 calories per day, and now I'm trying to cut it down to 1520. Even when I eat regularly, I still feel hungry a lot. Does this get easier with time? I really hope so because to lose 40 pounds (as my minimum goal), I'm in this until at least Christmas.

brenn24179

I wish it did. It is doable but never easy. Logging every day and watching what you eat is no piece of cake. Being fat is no piece of cake either. Have to choose what you want.

Nikion901

The only way I can stay 'less hungry' is to carefully monitor eating fruit and grains, starchy vegetables. Thus I have a hard time staying at my target calories a day ... on the days when I don't have fruit such as apples, bananas, cantaloupe and also don't have any bread/pasta/rice/oatmeal I end up eating very light on calories and can go for many hours without food. Then on the days I have some of those foods I'm hungry sooner and eat more often, and my calories are then closer to maintenance than loss-land.

Okohme

I find that it did get easier, just because I got used to the idea of things and decided that this was what I really wanted. I find small snacks like apples and carrots really help.

antinomiancelestial

Thanks, all. It's ultimately true that no matter how hard this is, being fat has been harder on my self-esteem and on my body in general than this diet has been. Maybe the low 190s isn't exactly "My 600 Pound Life" or anything, but it has made me feel more sluggish and lethargic, achier, and just a lot less self-confident.

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antinomiancelestial

@Look_Its_Kriss - Thank you for your inspiring story! Are you saying that adding exercise, allowing yourself to eat more, made the hunger less challenging to deal with?

Francl27

It gets harder. Being active helps a lot though, sorry to tell you. It's just a huge difference when you can eat 2200 calories instead of 1600...

subcounter

It gets easier if you start learning how to cook healthier meals, and use less fat. Vegetables, and lean meat needs to be your best friends. Ground Turkey, Ground lean beef, chicken breast etc are great. You need to eat stuff that fills your stomach. You can eat huge portions if you cook them right.
Workout helps a ton but be careful about overestimating your calories burned.

JeromeBarry1

It got less confusing when I figured out simple meal formulas for breakfast and dinner, at home, and lunch, at work. That was ok until weekends. It took a while to figure out simple meal formulas for weekends. Sometimes, "No, we can't go out to eat" has to be part of the formula.

size102b

Until you sort out your head as why you comfort eat it will never be easy believe me 29 years yoyoing about 300 lbs plus in chunks on and off
Just take it a day at a time

alicemargaret88

It gets easier in some ways! One thing that is quite helpful when you are adjusting to a lower calorie/macro intake (mine felt low because based on my BMR and petite frame I am not allotted many calories) is eating high volume foods that don't aren't overly nutrient dense. By this I mean broccoli, cabbage, zucchini 'noodles,' spaghetti squash, dark leafy greens. I feel very satiated when I opt for higher volume choices such as these, and I genuinely enjoy vegetables! Hope this helps.

yondaime8

Hello there, in my opinion, yes it gets easier. Your body will get accustomed to the diet sooner or later. I don't know if you have ever tried fasting before. But once you do it for a few days, your body stops claiming food at certain times because it knows it won't get any.
What you can however do is this, you know your goal and main objective is to keep under calorie goal, but you feel hungry after not eating what your stomach considers enough, so you need to find low calorie filling food. The magic answer is salad. Lots of salad. You can spice it up, maybe even use some sauces to make it more interesting (be careful though, those are highly caloric) but make it your main meal, it sure is mine. The other thing is protein rich food, such as meat. That kinda meal really fills you up with a controlled amount of calories.
But besides all this, keep in mind you're barely starting. Weight loss is a process that I'd like to compare to a wheel. That is really hard to get moving at first, but then it'll start moving because of its own momentum. Take pictures, weigh yourself often, that sort of indicator will push you through tough patches of hunger. I for example keep a calendar with my weights marked on every day to remind myself how far I went every time i feel weak.

PS: I'm currently at a daily calorie intake of 1400, 2 weeks ago I was on 1200cal/day and I workout 5 days a week. If I can do it, you sure as hell can. Good luck

amtyrell

I'm only a few weeks in myself but I have found in life that if i can push myself into doing something for 8 weeks it becomes a habit and no longer takes pushing. So i have found if i want to make bug changes to instead make a small change then keep it up for 8 weeks then make another small change. I'm not sure this works for everyone but try it.

antinomiancelestial

Thanks, all.

I want to clarify that I don't comfort eat. I'm not talking about craving a snickers bar when I talk about hunger; I'm talking about actually going into the fridge and eating raw produce because I'm so ravenous that I'll eat anything I possibly can. The dieting isn't working out right now because I wake up from hunger, I can't focus on my job because of hunger, and I'm constantly listening to my stomach loudly growling. This is at 1520 calories a day. It's so frustrating. I'm probably going to refeed for a few days and then switch to trying to lose 0.5 pounds per week. Apparently I am either eating all the wrong things or just not capable of trying to lose weight at 1 pound a week. I don't know what the issue is.

TeaBea

alicemargaret88 wrote: »

It gets easier in some ways! One thing that is quite helpful when you are adjusting to a lower calorie/macro intake (mine felt low because based on my BMR and petite frame I am not allotted many calories) is eating high volume foods that don't aren't overly nutrient dense. By this I mean broccoli, cabbage, zucchini 'noodles,' spaghetti squash, dark leafy greens. I feel very satiated when I opt for higher volume choices such as these, and I genuinely enjoy vegetables! Hope this helps.

High volume (high fiber) doesn't do much for me.

OP - protein, fiber & fat are satiating.....but it's different combinations for everyone. It will get easier over time because you will learn what foods are satiating for you.

Adding exercise to bump up your calories will help too.

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ritzvin

It'll get a bit easier. You'll get used to what you can eat, what is more satisfying, etc. You'll start to amass a variety of regular staple foods that work for your calories, desired protein content, etc. Also- If cutting certain things out (or eating them very rarely) because they don't fit well in your calories & macros, you'll generally crave them less and forget a bit what they taste like. (I had a donut - Pazcki- OK-more than 1 actually- at a dance on Mardi Gras.. for the first time in months,..OMG I had pretty much completely forgotten what that wondrous starchy-sugary rush felt like. Not that I had purposefully cut them out, I just don't tend to go out and grab fast food anymore).

samuelgina91

You know what we have very similar stories. Add me I sent you a request and my diary is open you can see for yourself, that you can get a lot of volume to fill yourself up so you wont be hungry all the time, with a moderate amount of exercise nothing crazy cause I did that before and turned into an angry and hungry person who couldn't focus past the hunger. One of the things I found helpful was timing. Get up early (5-6:45am) eat an early breakfast (7 am), if I sleep past that I don't eat breakfast I wait till the next time which is around 10 am for a snack, then lunch at 11:30 am-1 pm, then another snack at 3/4pm and dinner at 6 pm. If I am not on time I get ravenous and it is almost uncontrollable, and sometimes I get hungry later in the night and that is at 8/10 pm and usually a warm glass of milk, water, some juice, maybe some nuts something small and light and that keeps me full enough. Honestly, try to focus on the scale less and the body measurements/how clothes fit more, it will keep you sane. And I tried the slim fast thing for about 2 weeks, just to get used to what feeling full and satieted was at such a low calorie diet, I didn't continue with slim fast other then if I need something ridiculously fast and I don't want to think about the meal especially as by doing it for those 2 weeks gave me bad headaches at the end.

xmichaelyx

subcounter wrote: »

It gets easier if you start learning how to cook healthier meals, and use less fat.

Not for me. Fat & protein make me full; carbs make me hungry.

Changing my eating is tough for about 3 days, and then it gets very easy. I also eat pretty much the same thing every weekday, which make sticking to a caloric goal easy.

WickAndArtoo

It got easier as I began noticing and finding foods that make me feel full for a long time, and I agree with others ...exercise - all I do is walk usually -makes such a huge difference! Even short amounts in the beginning make a huge difference, and being able to eat another 200 calories can completely change my day around!

sarraheclark

It gets easier over time. I am on round 2 (after 3 years) and the third month. After the first 2-3 weeks, it got much easier for me. The cravings subsided and making better food choices got much easier. I also found out what eating habits worked for me (timing, what kept me full, etc).

I am netting 1200 per day, but generally taking in about 1500 with exercise calories. 17 lbs down in the first 2 months told me that my body did want to carry that extra weight another day. Feel free to add me; my food diary is open to friends. I still have about 35 lbs to go between now and the end of the year.

mantramoon

I've been doing this a little over 2 months, have lost 10 lbs so far. (I'm 5' 4", started off at 171lbs). Exercising is the only way I ever manage to stay at, under, or close to my calorie goal. Make sure you eat plenty of nutrient-dense food, that helps too (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, etc.). I have definitely not been perfect but I am having gradual success anyway! Good luck, you can do it! It's not easy, but worth the effort!

kristinhowell

It gets easier, but there are still days where it's hard. I have gotten significantly better about my stress eating, but I still want to eat some days out of boredom.

Like others said, exercise helps a lot. For one, that's 30 minutes - an hour that I'm not eating, lol; and two, it gives me more calories to eat on. I usually burn around 2,500 - 3,000 calories a day when I'm tracking it and making an effort to be more active, so that's 2,000 - 2,500 calories I can eat on a 500 calorie deficit.

I'm also vegan now, and I eat a lot more vegetables and fruits than I used to, so I'm able to eat bigger portions than if I was eating meat and cheese, so that helps as well. Once you find what works for you, it gets much easier, even on days when you don't have motivation.

Good luck! There's a lot of support here on days that are hard.

shelley987

Try focusing more on what you are eating rather than how many calories it adds up to. Eliminate any added sugar; look at labels because sugar is in so many things. Eat healthy fats and very little bread/pasta/rice/crackers/carrots/corn. Eat nuts/seeds/eggs/chicken/green veggies. Drink lots of water and see how you feel in 2 weeks. That has helped me.

laceyslabaugh

I agree with @kristinhowell Some days is a breeze and it's very easy - other days I'm starving and can't seem to eat enough

Tazzie0208

It will get easier as you are able to eat better daily and exercise as well. Even if it's a 15 minute walk around the block, at least you started with that.. daily... then increase the speed a little the week after...and so on. At home, try stretching daily.. as much as your body allows, increase everyday.. then start watching exercise videos.. pilates is great.. challenge your body little by little. Do not eat out, cook your meals.. make smoothies.. someone recommended fasting; yes, it does work by "rebooting" your body, thus decreasing your cravings. Even if it is until 3pm and then have some broth or liquid meals.. no dairy when you're fasting. no sweets, no fried food.. bland only, steamed veggies.. one thing that has worked for me, pineapple and cucumber smoothies.. 8oz before every meal. it would be a good start for you i'd hope. Best of lucks!!

Kullerva

At my highest weight I was right where you are now--188.8. I have set points throughout that range (now I'm 145) that are tough as nails to break through, and at some of those I was STARVING. I literally wanted to eat my hand (assuming nothing else was available) on some days. I've learned to run for water first--or wine if I'm home--as both of them will deal with the "it's not really hunger" hunger, or what my mom calls phantom hunger. If I'm hungry after that, fiber (I love fruit). And if I'm hungry after *that*, protein. Usually by that point it's time for a meal anyway.

Phantom hunger will likely be with you forever, but you will not feel STARVING all the time. (To me, that was the hardest thing to fight. Being a little hungry is okay. Hulking out because you haven't eaten *enough* is different.)

If you exercise more, you can eat more--that's true--but you'll also be hungrier. I've known women who have *gained* weight running because they were eating more than they should have been. There's a balance there that's very individual, and it's something you'll have to find for yourself. I've slowly become an active woman (biking and core work these days) who is vegetarian and would sooner walk through fire for a handful of cherries than a piece of cake, but that didn't happen overnight. And I still have "hungry days," for which I keep the vats of sugarless jello on hand.

Everyone has different strategies to get through it. I will say that the first three days is the worst. As you accustom yourself to fewer calories, your stomach will shrink (externally and internally), but the process takes time.

yondaime8

Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »

I am nosey and tend to read others comments, the above quote is something that caught my attention.

As a man, the minimum requirement for proper nutrition is 1500 calories per day.
This is AFTER your exercise.

So if you ate 1500, burned off 300 in exercise you would then need to eat yourself back to 1500 calories again.
If you are using the food you eat to fuel your workouts and underfeed your bodies basic functions (Heart, lungs etc) then the body will then use itself to get what it needs.

Yes, totally aware of this.
What I'm doing atm is temporary. I'm in a transition phase, that relies less and less on extensive cardio workouts, more on strengthening exercise, and with higher calorie intake. I used to not use MFP so my calorie intake used to be wild and uncontrolled. I made up for that with workout. Now that I'm checking in everything, i'm putting things in order that's all. As I said, last week i increased my intake by 200 calories, next week i'll add further 200 probably to balance it out. I'm just doing it gradually to maintain control.
Anyway, I'm also slowly drifting to maintenance calorie intake as I am but 2 kg away from goal.

Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »

You also will stand the possibility of losing your hair. Without proteins your hair will just fall out after some time.
People who under eat are not doing themselves any favors. a bigger deficit is not better.

No worries there, have already been balding ever since I started engineering school when I was 18
Thank you for being nosey, need all the feedback I can get

EttaMaeMartin

antinomiancelestial wrote: »

For some background, I weigh 189.4 (after losing my first pound thanks to this wonderful site!) at 5 foot 6 inches. My goal is to lose one pound a week, and since I'm sedentary that leaves me with an allotted 1520 calories per day.

To be clear, I was never an emotional overeater or someone who ate lots of fast food or anything. I gained the weight for two major reasons. The first reason was that my medication slowed my metabolism and made me feel hungrier than I otherwise would. I'm thankfully almost completely off that medication now, but the weight still has to come off. The second reason was that my roommate (who is lightly active, muscular, and truly blessed in the metabolism department) and I were cooking all our meals together for a while to pool money and resources. Of course, she can eat /any/ amount and stay thin, so I was eating portions that were right for her rather than for me.

Unfortunately, I guess my body is used to over 2,000 calories per day, and now I'm trying to cut it down to 1520. Even when I eat regularly, I still feel hungry a lot. Does this get easier with time? I really hope so because to lose 40 pounds (as my minimum goal), I'm in this until at least Christmas.

The more you want ti, i think the easier it gets. you have to make up you mind, that no amount of food tastes better than being goal weight. I love that this is not a diet, but a too to teach you correct ways of eating just for you. i have always been very determined in what I do. it does not bother me logging daily. i think i have hit a year with a few starting over points, ie. always have a digital scale. don't trust label, weigh it all! beat wishes in your journey!