Hunger

polkadotpianos

Does anyone else get really hungry when they stop eating sweets and sugary snacks? I get so hungry and I have the worst headaches, and I'm wondering how to conquer them 😎

springlering62

Hi @polkadotpianos welcome to MFP!

What’s your daily calorie goal? Current weight, height, sex, activity level?

These are usually indications that you chose too aggressive a weight loss goal and are undereating.

Are you also tired and lacking energy? Dozing off unexpectedly?

Alternatively, could be an indication of dehydration. Dehydration can mimic hunger cues and would certainly cause headaches.

But as a new user, I’m guessing you’re enthusiastic and are cutting extra hard. Because…..most of us have done that. It’s a learning experience. 🤷🏻‍♀️

AnnPT77

Good advice from Spring upthread.

I'd add a couple of things:

- If you're trying to quit sweets and sugary snacks cold turkey, but having negative consequences, maybe consider tapering off the amounts/frequencies of those things more gradually, over a couple of weeks to a month or so.
- Since headaches are among the negative symptoms, have you by any chance cut out (or dramatically cut down) sweet coffee drinks, sweet tea, sweet energy drinks, caffeinated soda pop, or other sources of caffeine? For sure, cutting those things hard and immediately will trigger headaches. If that's part of the problem, getting equivalent caffeine from non- or low caloric sources will help the headaches. You can then taper off the caffeine slowly, if you wish.

I know we all want to lose weight fast, so an instant revolution in our eating routine is tempting. It's also hard.

My thought process is that the big goal here, the harder goal, is finding a new set of eating and activity habits that will not only take us to a healthy weight, but keep us there long term without much stress, strain, white-knuckled motivation, etc. Taking a few weeks to gradually transition in that direction is an investment in a happy, healthy future.

By contrast, an instant revolution that makes us so miserable we can't stick with long enough to lose a meaningful total amount of weight . . . well, that's not going to end well, is it? That's the standard go hard, give up, regain cycle many of us were on for years, until we decided to get off that crazy merry go round. Honestly, misery is optional, and can be counter-productive.

You can do this. Consider taking a gradual off ramp from your current eating/activity habits, toward some new reasonably happy - at least tolerable and practical - new routine habits. It's a different mindset from the "jump off a cliff to the perfect diet and exercise" approach.

Just a thought, from experience, though. Best wishes!

kshama2001

Yep, I too think it's likely the headaches are caffeine withdrawal and hunger because your weekly weight loss goal is too aggressive.