I'm Hungry

blackcows15

So I decided to loose about 30 pounds, I am 6' 2", 46 years old and weigh 230 pounds. According to MFP I need to eat 1500 calories a day to loose 1 to 2 pounds a week and I am hungry. I haven't done a formal count but I have no doubt I was eating 3000 plus calories a day including soda and snacking. I haven't had soda in a week and will have no trouble giving that up but I am hungry, I don't feel like I am getting enough to eat. Is this normal?

ladynocturne

According to your stats you maintain your current weight at 2550 calories per day with zero exercise.

You have MFP set to lose 2lbs a week, which is a 1000 calorie per day deficit from your maintenance calories.

Please consider setting it to lose either 1lb or 1.5lbs per week.

Remember you are suppose to log and eat your exercise calories.

1500 calories for a male of your height seems extreme to me.

1PatientBear

I'm 5'8*, 40 years old and 175 pounds. I'm eating 1900 calories a day to lose 1/2 a pound a week. How much weight are you trying to lose weekly? MFP won't let you set for 1-2 pounds a week, so which is it? If you're hungry all the time, you won't stick to it. So, slow down, set it to lose 1/2 pound or 1 pound a week and EAT.

I_Will_End_You

Well no wonder you're hungry. I'm a 5'6, 120 lb female and eat more than you....and still lose weight!

blackcows15

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

MoreBean13

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

That sounds like a sensible approach. Good plan!

lorenzovonmatterhorn7549

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

Eating food that are high in fiber will help with the hunger. Also drink lots of water.

SoDamnHungry

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

Great! It sounds like you'll be feeling better now. And remember, if things stop working for you, you can revisit your goals anytime. Some people end up needing to eat more or eat a little less, depending on how they lose and how much they work out.

Fullsterkur_woman

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

Well done! You'll be getting off to a much better start that way!

dlittlebear

for me I am insulin resistant so I should not eat anything carby. what I do to try and keep the hunger pangs away are 1 gallon of water a day. Not enough water can manifest as feeling hungry. I also try to have half to 1 full cup of greens per meal, for my I do collard or turnip greens I sometimes feel so stuffed after 3 meals of this when I get home I do not feel like eating. the greens are 1 net carb. If you have not done it try to eat a lot of small meals a day I try to do 6 myself.

XsnakyX

Drink more water as well. Sometimes we confuse hunger with thirst.

Pollywog39

Eat more protein, too...................it keeps you fuller, longer.

There are MANY good recipe threads here............take it slower, and know that it took you a LONG time to gain, and you shouldn't try to lose too quickly..............this is a lifestyle, not a DIET.

Much success to you!

gowrirao81

Well no wonder you're hungry. I'm a 5'6, 120 lb female and eat more than you....and still lose weight!

Yes, This ^^^. I am 5'1, 128 lb female and I eat minimum of 1500 cals and I still cut. No wonder you are hungry ... try not to eat less than your BMR.

K_Serz

I'm a little teapotShort and stoutsHere is my handleHere is my spoutWhen I get all steamed upI just shoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a very special pot It's trueHere's an example of what I can doI can turn my handle into a spoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a little teapotShort and stoutsHere is my handleHere is my spoutWhen I get all steamed upI just shoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a very special pot It's trueHere's an example of what I can doI can turn my handle into a spoutTip me over and pour me out

ice1200s

I drink about 16 ounces of water 20 - 30 minutes before I eat. Then when I sit down to eat, I don't feel as hungry that way, and I get full on less food.

SoViLicious

I'm a little teapotShort and stoutsHere is my handleHere is my spoutWhen I get all steamed upI just shoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a very special pot It's trueHere's an example of what I can doI can turn my handle into a spoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a little teapotShort and stoutsHere is my handleHere is my spoutWhen I get all steamed upI just shoutTip me over and pour me outI'm a very special pot It's trueHere's an example of what I can doI can turn my handle into a spoutTip me over and pour me out

You ok bro?

ice1200s

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

Now you're talkin'!

bostonj1

Hi !!
I know what you mean by being hungry, so here is something to try that is definitely working for me.
You eat a huge and I mean huge breakfast - about 700 calories heavy on protein. Then you eat about 400-500 calories for lunch and only about 200 - 250 for dinner.
I've been stuffing myself in the morning and eating lunch about 1pm not even feeling hungry! I'm not kidding. I found this study that showed that a big breakfast with most of your calories for the day kept hunger away and increased wt loss by more than twice as much as in the study group eating a regular style 3 meals plan.
I'll try to find the article and send it to you.
Here is what I ate this morning - oatmeal porridge, molasses, kiwi, 1/2 fresh tomato, 1 oz old cheddar cheese, 2 cups coffee with 2% milk, 1/4 cup reg yogurt, 1/2 slice bread with 1/4 tsp butter. The other day I ate a boiled egg, slice of baked ham, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tomato, oatmeal with milk and 2 tsp brown sugar, 2 cups coffee with milk. I feel so stuffed I don't want to eat a thing! for hours.

blackcows15

I have always been very results driven whether it be my job or my personal life so what I am struggling with is how I know if I am really losing one pound a week? At first I set my goal at 2 pounds a week because that would equate to a number that I thought I could actually see on the scale in a month, close to 10 pounds. How do I see 4 or 5 pounds in a month. To be honest until this week I have rarely stepped on a scale the only reason I had an idea of what I weighed was because once in a while I would step on the scale holding a suitcase and then weigh without to see if it would be under 50 pounds. This week I have been on the scale about 20 times, which I am sure is a horrible idea, and I weighed anywhere from 225 to 230. How and when should I weigh?

Alatariel75

First thing in the morning, naked, after having a wee. Then don't step on it at any other time.

Every quart/litre of water weighs a kg/2.2lbs. The food on your plate weighs, and when its in you, it shows on the scale. By weighing first thing after not eating overnight, digesting etc, you are at your most "stable" weight, not affected by the transient weight of something you ate or drank.

IronCakes

Please for the love of god, go here http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ and type in your stats.

I tried to do it for you, but I don't know how many times a week you exercise.

Pollyanna75

Thanks for the advice, I had it set to two pounds a week because I am impatient I have moved it to one pound a week with the understanding that I can eat that much but I don't have too. In addition to changing how much I eat I have changed what I eat....no more soda and trying to limit sugar. I have added fruits and vegetable which I never ate before. I am also exercising 2 hours a week which I have not done previous so hopefully these changes will make a difference.

Eating food that are high in fiber will help with the hunger. Also drink lots of water.

Agreed. That is what I do. High fiber will help.

elyelyse

I have always been very results driven whether it be my job or my personal life so what I am struggling with is how I know if I am really losing one pound a week? At first I set my goal at 2 pounds a week because that would equate to a number that I thought I could actually see on the scale in a month, close to 10 pounds. How do I see 4 or 5 pounds in a month.

The reality is you probably won't see exactly a pound a week. Sometimes it might be none. Then one week it might be 3. Sometimes, it might even go up even if you're doing everything right. It's not linear.

I weigh in every couple of weeks. Don't even have a scale,I go to my Dr office. I try not to think about that number too much, and just focus on eating right and exercising. The weigh in, for me, is more about checking in and make sure I'm doing things right over the long term, than a daily test.

psuLemon

First, eat more. Second, stop worrying about the scale. Your weight doesn't determine how you look naked, your composition does. With aggressive weight loss, you have a greater chance of losing a lot of muscle. So by the token, your goal should be to lose fat, and maintain muscle. Set your goal to 1 lb per week, eat 50% of your exercise calories and change your macro's to around 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fats. This shoudl help you hit 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass. Also, make sure you do some good weight training and add in some cardio. I suspect you will be eating more around 2400 calories.

Jenume123

You could try eating food like porridge or oats for breakfast or even as a substitute for snacking when you get really hungry. It really makes you feel full for at least 3-4 hours.