Is being hungry every/most days an indication that you're in the right calorie deficit range?

Sheluvsbread2much

For those of you who have been accurately weighing and measuring your food and losing weight as a result, do you feel hungry throughout the day or do you feel satisfied? I'm wondering on days I may feel hungry or light headed, is it normal? Par for the course? Or should I up my calories? If I'm not hungry, I think I must be eating too much. I've been hitting my calorie goals and feeling fine? Is that fine???

JaydedMiss

If your hitting your calories....and feeling good...why would you question that...? Do you think you need to struggle?

Annie_01

NVM I seem to have upset the woo pusher.

L1zardQueen

How many pounds have you lost so far? In what time frame? Nothing wrong with being a little grumbly before the next meal but if you are always hungry all day long, that is no fun.

adarbyem

I have found I have started to get hungry very near my regular meal times. I eat 5 times per day. The one that gets me feeling the most hungry is #4, which is the meal just before I hit the gym. I had to tweak a little bit to get a few more carbs and protein into that meal, but it made my workout better and made me less hungry before meal #5.

So, mostly I feel satisfied up to meal time. It did take a while after I started before the hunger got better. A few things you could try:

1. Drinking more water. I have heard from a number of sources that sometimes dehydration can present itself as hunger.
2. Try eating more slower digesting foods, like proteins and complex carbohydrates.
3. Eat smaller meals more often.

I'm no expert, just giving what has worked for me. You'll figure it out though, we all do.

estherdragonbat

I eat a lot of low-calorie foods that fill me up, so I don't feel hungry most of the time. I generally feel hungry if:

1) I've gone a day or two significantly under my protein target
2) I opted for a larger meal earlier and didn't have room/chose not to have a snack. (Doesn't need to be a high-calorie snack. Cherry tomatoes, a Fiber One bar, a piece of string cheese. I think there's definitely a psychological component; if I miss my snack I feel deprived even if the meal I had earlier had more calories than I would've normally had. It's more that I have an expectation that midway between lunch and supper, there will be something to eat, and if there isn't, I miss it.)

AnvilHead

To me, being hungry every/most days either means you're eating too few calories or you're eating too many calorie-dense foods which aren't satisfying enough.

Nothing wrong with being hungry by mealtime, but if I was walking around hungry all day long I wouldn't have lasted a week.

AnnPT77

Once I figured out what timing of eating, and which foods/macros, were satiating for me while losing, I mostly didn't feel hungry until close to meal time. If I did, I'd usually slip in a small but satiating snack. It took some experimenting to find the best approach, though . . . and the formula seems to vary by individual.

GottaBurnEmAll

I tend to agree with AnvilHead that being hungry every day or most of the time is a signal that you're eating too few calories/dieting too aggressively or are eating too many treat foods/calorie dense foods at the expense of more filling nutrient dense foods that would satiate you more.

A little hunger near meal times is normal on a diet. A lot of hunger isn't normal.

A lot of us are conditioned to think that we have to be miserable to lose weight and that's really not the case.

jefamer2017

I only get hungry if I'm eating too much "junk food" or if I've been working hard. Most days I eat and I'm full until the next meal. I do have the occasional craving but it's not hunger it's because I'm bored. Today I was starving after work and it was because I barely ate at that point. As long as I choose foods that keep me satiated I'm fine. If I decide to get McDonald's or eat a high carbs low protein I get hungry fairly soon after I eat. That's how it works for me at least.

jefamer2017

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I tend to agree with AnvilHead that being hungry every day or most of the time is a signal that you're eating too few calories/dieting too aggressively or are eating too many treat foods/calorie dense foods at the expense of more filling nutrient dense foods that would satiate you more.

A little hunger near meal times is normal on a diet. A lot of hunger isn't normal.

A lot of us are conditioned to think that we have to be miserable to lose weight and that's really not the case.

I had a friend ask me if I was hungry all the time now since I'm counting calories. That goes along with being conditioned into thinking you have to be miserable. Another friend thinks to lose weight you can't eat anything or small amounts. I told him that's not necessarily true. If you choose the right foods you can actually eat high volumes of food.

sgt1372

I found that the cals that I needed to maintain my weight (1650 cals @ 155-156) were too restrictive (and made me feel hungry between meals) but the only way to "fix" that problem (assuming the cal limit was accurate, which based on the data, it was) was to increase the cals that I burned exercising and eat all of those cals back so that I could eat more but still maintain my weight.

So, now I eat 2200 cals/day and burn 550 cals/day exercising for a net of 1650 cals/day which allows me to maintain my weight at 155-156 and not feel unusually hungry between meals during the day.

There are some days that I feel that this requires too much effort but the alternative is either to eat less and feel hungry all day or eat more w/o exercise and gain weight.

Neither is an acceptable option. So, I just continue to workout more to eat more.

__TMac__

I only feel hunger (except right before meal times), when I make bad choices. I need protein and fat to feel satisfied. If I eat just carbs, I’m ravenous again within the hour. For example, 175g of plain nonfat yogurt for breakfast won’t last me more than a half-hour. But 175g of plain whole-fat yogurt will last until lunch. So hunger all day might mean too aggressive of a deficit (check your weekly weight loss trend to know if that’s it) or it might mean you’re eating things that don’t satisfy you.

nutmegoreo

I'd be more concerned about feeling dizzy than feeling hungry, although the two could be tied together. Finding a right combination of foods and timing can go a long way in fixing the hunger. Dizziness could be too low calories, along with a number of other things. If you're feeling dizzy, see your doctor. That isn't a normal part of trying to lose weight (being hungry all day shouldn't either, mind you, but others have covered that part of your post).

apullum

Feeling hungry isn't necessarily a reliable indicator of calories consumed. You can easily eat a lot of calories worth of food that doesn't make you feel full. You can also eat large quantities of low-calorie foods and feel full without meeting your calorie goal.

If you feel lightheaded, something isn't right. It could be that you aren't eating enough calories, that you're not eating often enough, that you're not eating effectively for any workouts you're doing, or something else. Feeling lightheaded isn't a normal or acceptable consequence of cutting calories, but without more info, it's hard to say whether the problem is simply too few calories or something else.

elisa123gal

This guy has it right. Figure things out..you will fall off track if you're hungry all the time.

AnvilHead wrote: »

To me, being hungry every/most days either means you're eating too few calories or you're eating too many calorie-dense foods which aren't satisfying enough.

Nothing wrong with being hungry by mealtime, but if I was walking around hungry all day long I wouldn't have lasted a week.

singingflutelady

My hunger level does not correspond with my calorie intake.

cebreisch

Before being “on program”, I can honestly say that I don’t think I remember ever actually being hungry.

Whenever I legitimately track, I do get hungry. And depending on the macro’s, dictates how hungry I might get. I remember talking to a bariatric nutritionist and telling her that i was in reasonably good with tracking and was hungry all the time. She told me to increase my fiber intake. That actually helped A LOT. That, and making sure my protein numbers were up. I was told that if I focus on the protein, the fats/carbs wil take care of themselves, and have found that to be pretty accurate. Now I just include fiber in there, and I am not as hungry as often.

If I do end up being hungry, I look at the macros and try to make a good decision on where I can spend those calories....if I have to have protein or if I can actually have a carb or two along with the protein.

jennifer_417

Being hungry occasionally is normal. Being hungry constantly is not normal. I find it slightly concerning that you think you might be eating too much if you're not always hungry.
Sometimes we have to tinker a bit with our calorie goals and what foods help up to feel satisfied longer than other foods.
While keeping your calorie deficit bigger may seem like a great idea (because hey, faster weight loss, yay!) It's not always a great idea, because it makes it more difficult to stay on track.

h1udd

when I am eating in a surplus, I still get hungry

paperpudding

Sheluvsbread2much wrote: »

For those of you who have been accurately weighing and measuring your food and losing weight as a result, do you feel hungry throughout the day or do you feel satisfied?

can't claim to ever have been the most accurate weigher or measurer - but i did lose weight as per plan so I must of been eating at around correct calorie level.

No I didnt feel hungry throughout the day - I felt mildly hungry before meals, and sometimes bit peckish between and a snack would fix that - that's all.

Me personally - if I dont eat breakfast i feel hungry in a nauseous sort of way by late morning, and at work i dont go to lunch till 1:00 so that is a problem. That is regardless of how much calories I am eating though.

LivingtheLeanDream

Even at maintenance I get hungry days, only because I need to bank calories for the weekend. If my calories consist mostly of protein/fibre and fat then hunger stays at bay.

Sheluvsbread2much

Thanks everyone for your advice. I was checking to see if I should just suck it up or not if I was feeling hungry at the end of the day (or whenever) but I will manage my proteins and definitely work to get more fiber in. I truly appreciate all of your comments.

Running_and_Coffee

Not from the kinds of foods I currently eat, but some foods do not fill me up no matter how much I eat of them, which is why I don't eat them much anymore!

littlebear0121

I was wondering the same thing, OP. I have been tracking faithfully for almost four weeks, gone over my calorie limit a little bit three times, and I've gained weight (weight "gain" might have been water weight because the day before my last weigh-in I went way over on sodium and drank a gallon of water, plus a lot of tea and Diet Coke.) I am eating a LOT less than before I started MFP. I am hungry and dizzy often. I would call it hangry. Like I'm crabby most of the time, and I'm not usually crabby at all. I understand that many people underestimate their calorie intake and maybe I am, but I am surprised with how I feel.

Sharon_C

I only feel hungry if I blow my calories during the day and have nothing for the evening. But for the most part I eat 6 times a day so I won't feel hungry and I make sure I eat a high protein diet to keep me satiated.

sgm1168

I think it is really a matter of trial and error and very individual to everyone. That's a bit frustrating at times because we are so anxious to jump in and achieve our fitness goals. But if you look at this as a new lifestyle then you have all the time in the world and can enjoy the journey! I think you are doing great!

littlebear0121

For those of you who don't get hungry and dizzy often, what is the percentage of protein you eat each day?

GottaBurnEmAll

littlebear0121 wrote: »

For those of you who don't get hungry and dizzy often, what is the percentage of protein you eat each day?

Dieters need more protein than the RDA's. You should get .65-.85 grams per pound of ideal body weight (err towards the higher side if you're active) if you're dieting or are an older person. Both of these populations are at higher risk for muscle loss.

The current RDA's are only for sedentary individuals already at a healthy weight.

I should add that giving macros as percentages of one's intake is often not helpful information because it misses the context of their overall calorie limits and doesn't give you absolute numbers, which are important, especially when it comes down to nutritional requirements like adequate protein or fat. You should be hitting certain goals when it comes to those.

__TMac__

littlebear0121 wrote: »

For those of you who don't get hungry and dizzy often, what is the percentage of protein you eat each day?

For the last 7 days, I’m averaging 19% protein. For me, fat is more satiating, so I’ll include that number as well: 38%.

That said, I pay no attention to the numbers themselves. I don’t often eat carbs by themselves or as the dominant item in the meal, and my dairy is full-fat. That usually covers it.

Lounmoun

Being very hungry, being hungry all day, feeling light headed, dizzy are not really normal. Your calorie goal may be too aggressive.

If you feel slightly hungry sometimes and fine physically and losing at expected rate that isn't really concerning.