Reached Calorie goal and I feel like i'm starving!

Spiderkeys

What do you do in this situation?, it's a first for me, I was given a bowl of pasta in beef tomato sauce, and I had also had just one piece of garlic bread, then I went to log it, and MFP puts my calorie count over 850 for that dinner, I just excercised 250 off by going for an hour walk, and i'm still over by 73.

Yet I consumed a total of 1,839 calories today, and I feel like i've eaten nothing at all, my stomach feels like its growling, I just drunk a big glass of water but it didn't help.

Ok, no snacking tonight, and tomorrow is a new day, but any suggestions what i could do to get rid of my hunger pains? It not i'm going to have one long miserable night...

TavistockToad

your calorie goal isnt that high for a man? what are your stats?

had a quick look at todays diary, your not getting that much protein, aim for 100g per day, it'll help you feel fuller.

it may just be that todays a hungry day!

Spiderkeys

MFP reduced my calorie goal to 1,500 from 1,600, usually I eat lower than 1,500, like 1,400 and save 100 and feel statisifed, I could of had more pasta and more garlic bread, but after logging i'm glad I didn't.

Forgot how important protein was, tomorrow I'll concentrate on it, first time in my 55 day diet, I actually felt very hungry at the end of the day...

jennifer_417

These times are inevitable when losing weight. You have 2 choices:

1.) Don't eat and stay hungry, but closer to your calorie goal for the day.

2.) Eat, and blow your calorie budget for the day.

Rock, meet hard place.

Samstan101

Besides more protein I'd add in a lot more veg. I find lots of veg fills me up without using up a lot of my calorie allowance.

Weebs628

I feel like you should be eating more... I'm a 5'3" female and I eat 1,600 a day to lose. More protein will help keep hunger away. One thing I use instead of pasta is spaghetti squash. Much fewer calories and very filling cause you can eat a lot of it!

Spiderkeys

Your correct, I rather eat 3 bowls of vegges than 1 bowl of pasta anyday, anyway I decided to stay hungry for the night, it will be worth it, if the scales drop.

ThePlight

Perhaps next time you can still eat the paste BUT make the portion a third of what you ate today? You shouldn't totally cut off what you love, but eat it in smaller portions so as to not give up. (Well, that works for me, not sure if it will work for you not, but totally a suggestion if you really really want to eat it :P )

Go4it1985

MFP reduced my calorie goal to 1,500 from 1,600, usually I eat lower than 1,500, like 1,400 and save 100 and feel statisifed, I could of had more pasta and more garlic bread, but after logging i'm glad I didn't.

Forgot how important protein was, tomorrow I'll concentrate on it, first time in my 55 day diet, I actually felt very hungry at the end of the day...

Hi, IF you were eating white pasta and white garlic bread it's because those are unrefined carbohydrates that get processed very quickly into sugar in your blood stream (this is why you get hungry not long after eating them).


I would recommend that you cook an egg or two or eat an alternative source of protein to keep you full for the rest of the night.

If you would like to eat carbs, try eating wholegrain pasta and rice (brown) and vegetables are full of fibre and complex carbs which will satisfy you longer These take longer (especially protein) to break down in your system and that's why you will feel full for longer.

Protein is a "dieter's best friend" - not only will it keep you full for longer, help repair you body when you workout but your body expends much more calories trying to break it down (it takes twice as long to break down then a simple carbohydrate) creating a thermogenic effect. So..you feel full for longer AND your body burns more calories trying to break it down - double whammy

You might want to do some research into ghrelin and insulin (that will explain your hunger)

JessHealthKick

I would suggest to look at www.iifym.com to calculate your daily intake for maintenance, and -15% from it.

1500 is so low.. I would be starving on 1500 and I'm less than 140lb! I am guessing that you've told MFP your goal is to lose 2lb a week or something?

Wilhellmina

If I would listen to what MFP has to tell me I would starve to death. Try a TDEE calculator instead! Like this one:

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

MickeS

Calorie goal is just part of it. I felt like that in the beginning. I learned that when you eat less the quality of the food is really important. Good solid basic sources for carbs and protein is a good start. Vegetables is a good way to take away hunger without to many calories. (And lose the bread/pasta for potatoes/rice)

padams2359

I had pasta with marinara, chicken and parm cheese this weekend. First time in months. Unfortunately, if you are in serious weight loss mode, this is one of those things you will have to stay away from, plan ahead, or eat at the end of the day when you find you were busy and have a huge deficient at the end of the day.

meerkat70

I think it's probably worth cutting out trimmings like garlic bread, that don't give you much nutritionally and are very calorie dense. Save them for special occasions, but maybe don't have them regularly.

WHen I have pasta, I always have it with a lovely big salad or some steamed veg - fills me up, tastes yummy, and means my food isn't primarily carb based for that evening.

That said, I agree that your cals look quite low for a man - particularly if you're working out at all. You will get hungry if you're consistently undereating. I find if my cals are too low, I end up uncomfortable, but I don't really lose weight much faster - just feel more miserable doing it! It just doesn't seem worth it to me. Check your stats against a reliable tdee calculator, and work from that.

Noor13

I too think your cals are set out too low for a guy.
I am female maintaining at 2700 and losing at 2400 and I am not doing crazy exercise stuff for hours, just some lifting.
Focus on protein and get enough fibre (at least 30 gram) as well as enough water.
Have you calculated your TDEE?

Paul_Collyer

I reached my initial goal by end of May so took a break from MFP for the summer, and managed to maintain pretty much the same weight mainly due to taking up running and training for a couple of 10k's.

Anyway, I restarted MFB 8 weeks ago with the aim of losing another 5kg and it really hasnt happened for me. So I adjusted my carb-protein-fat ratios in the MFP settings and I have found things have slowly got going again. Essentially more protein and fat, and less carbs - especially later in the day - seems to be helping. And protein shakes have also helped - can even have a small one in the evening to stave off hunger at bedtime. I'm aiming for about 1750 per day btw although I do sometimes "skip" the odd day at the weekend ;-)

RoBalance

I agree with eating more veg.Maybe also try out cycling kcal. It kind of makes it easier to eat fewer kcal some days rather then every day. Good luck.

Spiderkeys

Wow the TDEE calcutor put my TDEE at 3119 calories a day and I should be eating 1,900 than 1,500, and did request to lose 2 pounds a week from MFP, as this is my first time dieting I don't have the patience to lose slower now, and now im at 96/97kg (half way from my goal weight), it looking now much slower to lose weight, increasing calories has now become unthinkable.

Maybe could try slowly increasing my calorie goal from 1500 to 1900, but overnight might now shock my metabolism, as I've never ever had even 1 cheat day

But don't eat pasta often and more rarely, garlic bread, 1 piece was fine, but more mad about the pasta not satisfying me.

Go4it1985

Wow the TDEE calcutor put my TDEE at 3119 calories a day and I should be eating 1,900 than 1,500, and did request to lose 2 pounds a week from MFP, as this is my first time dieting I don't have the patience to lose slower now, and now im at 96/97kg (half way from my goal weight), it looking now much slower to lose weight, increasing calories has now become unthinkable.

Maybe could try slowly increasing my calorie goal from 1500 to 1900, but overnight might now shock my metabolism, as I've never ever had even 1 cheat day

But don't eat pasta often and more rarely, garlic bread, 1 piece was fine, but more mad about the pasta not satisfying me.

Do you exercise? To lose 2lbs (or 1kg) you will need a deficit of 7000 calories.That's a lot to accomplish only via cutting calories...

BTW, congratulations on the 1/2 way mark Way to go!

22sep2013

OMG i am a female (5.6") who only workout twice a week ... and i would starve at 1500 calories a day ... my lowest calorie intake yet is 1700 and this is for losing weight and not maintenance ... i cannot go any lower or i will starve ... please calculate your TDEE

meerkat70

OK. I'm a woman. I lift and I run, in total I work out about 5-8 hours a week.

I'm obese. I eat between 1600 and 1900 cals most days. I consistently lose 2lb a week at the moment - and I know because I've been this way before, that this is a pretty predictable pattern for me.

You don't need to starve yourself to lose.

1400 is way too low for a man who is lifting weights. It's likely too low for a youngish man like you, even if you were just sitting on the couch.

But if you don't want to take advice, no prob. But why post to complain about being hungry, if solutions aren't what you're looking for?

SezxyStef

Yes go with TDEE I currently eat 1600 (TDEE-20%) which in my opinion is agressive...for a man wow...even 1900 is my TDEE-5% meaning I a woman can lose weight on that and I lift weights.

BTW you need some patience for this weight loss thing...you didn't gain it quick...

it's a marathon not a sprint.

If you are going to up your calories yes do it maybe 100-200 at a time but remember you may "gain" weight (but it's not really weight) before your body realizes what you are doing. You don't have to be hungry while losing weight you just need to be in a deficet.

p4ulmiller

Don't get stressed out.

If you are hungry, have something to eat.

If you are losing weight generally with the calories you have, you're doing fine. If you want to eat more, eat more. Your weight loss might slow down a bit, that's all. But then again, it might not.

No biggie.

geekyjock76

With 35 lbs to go, you're looking at 1 lb per week weight loss goal, or 500 calories below actual TDEE. You should certainly be eating more than 1500 calories at your size.

Francl27

Poor food choices really. If you know you're hungry, don't have garlic bread, it won't fill you up at all.

Also go with TDEE-20%, IMO, and you should be able to eat more. I'm a 35 yo 5'5" female with maybe 15 lbs to lose and I eat 1600 and could probably eat more.

3laine75

are your macros still at MFP's original setting? you can change these if you want to, i'd suggest getting a lot more protein - you should then feel fuller.

i'd be starving too after a bowl of pasta and tomato sauce. you could have a fillet steak (at least 8oz), small baked potato and a massive salad for less calories

beachlover317

Your correct, I rather eat 3 bowls of vegges than 1 bowl of pasta anyday, anyway I decided to stay hungry for the night, it will be worth it, if the scales drop.

Wow. I would rather eat veggies most times, too. But if I want pasta I have it. I can not imagine "staying hungry" for the night or being excited about a scale drop from not eating. That's a very dangerous mindset. Maybe you just worded that poorly, not sure.

I usually look at days when I am more hungry objectively. Why am I more hungry? Was my workout harder? Is this genuine hunger or just a craving? If it's genuine hunger, I eat some protein. Maybe my body needed that extra today. Probably won't need it tomorrow. Start looking at your weekly totals and not obsessing over one meal, one day. It's a slippery slope.

LiminalAscendance

Like others have said, it's basically about your food choices.

It didn't take me long to realize that "spaghetti night" was a thing of the past, once I decided to lose weight.

I know the IIFYM crowd will say "eat everything in moderation," but I don't feel like being "moderately" hungry after eating that half Pop-Tart or single serving of ice cream. Sure, you can fit that stuff in, theoretically, but it doesn't offer much satiety.

I could eat a sandwich wrap, with 3 oz. of meat, spinach, peppers, etc., for less than half the calories of a Big Mac. Not only will it satisfy me more, but it tastes better (at least to me)!

Congratulations on your current progress, and keep up the good work.

Wilhellmina

Wow the TDEE calcutor put my TDEE at 3119 calories a day and I should be eating 1,900 than 1,500, and did request to lose 2 pounds a week from MFP, as this is my first time dieting I don't have the patience to lose slower now, and now im at 96/97kg (half way from my goal weight), it looking now much slower to lose weight, increasing calories has now become unthinkable.

Maybe could try slowly increasing my calorie goal from 1500 to 1900, but overnight might now shock my metabolism, as I've never ever had even 1 cheat day

But don't eat pasta often and more rarely, garlic bread, 1 piece was fine, but more mad about the pasta not satisfying me.

I just pushed my daily intake up to 1900 two weeks ago and guess what? I lost about 5 pounds in the first week! Now in my second week and still it is slowly lowering. Dieting is not about eating less, when you eat too little you wont loose weight either, it's more about eating differently!

phoebejeeby

You can eat the meals you like, but make simple substitutions to get the calories lower in your meal, so you can eat more and feel full. For example instead of pasta and beef spaghetti sauce, I use extra lean ground chicken instead of beef. (half the calories) And instead of pasta I used lentils. Sounds gross but its really tasty. Even my boyfriend who is a junk food veggie hater likes it. I would drop the garlic bread all together. You can add lots of garlic to your pasta sauce to satisfy that craving. The lentils give you the carbs and fiber to make you feel full and satisfied but at less calories. Or if you can't skip the pasta, use a small amount and have a really saucy meal.

StephLourenco

You may be eating the wrong types of food. Pasta is not always the best choice. Id go for something leaner such as Chicken or fish ... and try to eat complex carbs instead of refined carbs. Complex carbs will sustain you longer and they benifit your body.