How hungry to we have to get to lose the lbs?

jodie_t

I was having a discussion with a nutritionist who maintained we shouldn't have to get hungry to lose weight. I ALWAYS have to get hungry to lose weight, if only for a couple of hours a day, but if I don't, I don't lose it. I save my 'hungry time' for evenings cos then I don't have to think and I can't think when I'm hungry, but still it feels like wasted time, cos I'm too hungry to even get into simple hobbies, and it makes me bad tempered too, but I cannot lose weight unless I go thru this.

I don't like it but it makes sense - it seems to me that this is the idea behind a cal deficit diet? - it's going to make you hungry cos you're bod is not getting enough immediate fuel and so has to use up the storage instead, but using up stored fat takes time, doesn't happen immediately and doesn't stop immediate hunger. If I never felt hungry on a diet it would be so easy to stick to. ((sigh))

But given what that nutritionist said, I'm curious about others' experiences - maybe I'm in a minority here?

lucifa73

I rarely feel hungry at the moment. In fact I feel like I'm always eating because I find it hard to make my calorie target, let alone eat exercise calories, now I'm eating cleaner andworking out!

Unless I am having an off day and go for convenience foods - then not only am I hungry ALL THE TIME, I'm also over my calories by lunchtime!

Have you tried having 5 or 6 mini meals? Or having a glass of water? Heap the fresh veg on your plate - a mountain of lettuce, cucumber and tomato makes only a tiny dent in your calorie allowance but is very filling. Having soup/smoothies rather than just veg or fruit can be more filling because of the water content too. I find oat biscuits more satisfying than digestives or 'good' biscuits like Go Ahead.

ron2282

I don't think you need to be hungry to lose weight. Who wants to go through their lives being hungry all the time? If I'm hungry, I eat. Since I joined MFP and started tracking my calories I've never felt like I was starving myself and I have never been hungry. I just make better lower calories choices for my breakfast, lunch and snacks, I still make the same stuff for dinner I always did (with some slightly healthier modifications) I just watch my portions. If I go over my calories I workout a little more to balance it out. I never did well on diets when I was hungry all time, which is why I refuse to call this a diet - it's a lifestyle change.

apehead1

I never feel hungry either, I have a hard time eating my calorie and almost never make it, I think if you start tracking what you eat and become smart and eat the same but with lower caloire options you will be very surprised

Douniap

You actually don't get hungry at all if you track your calories..

faithstephenson

In my experience, I got so overweight by eating way more than I was hungry for. When I make the switch to eating less, I will get hungry because my body is used to getting more food. But as I stick to my plan, that decreases. As long as I'm making good choices about what to eat, and especially if I'm exercising so I get more cals, I can eat something if I'm hungry. But I'm also learning to have the discipline that if I've used all my cals and I'm still hungry, I just need to wait till morning for breakfast. But I'm generally hungriest in the morning, which is about right, since it's been 10-12 hours since I last ate.

erickirb

I was having a discussion with a nutritionist who maintained we shouldn't have to get hungry to lose weight. I ALWAYS have to get hungry to lose weight, if only for a couple of hours a day, but if I don't, I don't lose it. I save my 'hungry time' for evenings cos then I don't have to think and I can't think when I'm hungry, but still it feels like wasted time, cos I'm too hungry to even get into simple hobbies, and it makes me bad tempered too, but I cannot lose weight unless I go thru this.

I don't like it but it makes sense - it seems to me that this is the idea behind a cal deficit diet? - it's going to make you hungry cos you're bod is not getting enough immediate fuel and so has to use up the storage instead, but using up stored fat takes time, doesn't happen immediately and doesn't stop immediate hunger. If I never felt hungry on a diet it would be so easy to stick to. ((sigh))

But given what that nutritionist said, I'm curious about others' experiences - maybe I'm in a minority here?

I don't agree with this as you don't have to eat less food to loose weight just less calories. So if you replace calories from bacon with vegetables, you will have to eat a pile of veggies just to equal the calories in a couple slices of bacon, and the veggies will keep you full longer as there is "more" food and much more fiber. So if you want to lose weight and not feel hungry replace your calorie dense food with low calorie options such as veggies.

TammyBee

With previous attempts to loose weight i was ALWAYS hungry and it never worked. Now i am never hungry. In fact i have trouble eating the calories i am supposed to yet i am actually losing weight. I will say that i often feel that i shouldn't be losing weight eating as much as i do but it works so i keep at it.

sarahliftsUP

I have to say that my experiences have been different. I find if I am eating well (i.e. no junk) and not wasting my calories on crap food that I am full between meals and at the end of the day and lose weight. I try to drink lots of water in between meals and during meals. I snack throughout the day, usually between breakfast and lunch and then between lunch and supper.

Also by having a breakfast high in fibre helps keep me full longer. For instance I had breakfast at 6:30am, and it's not 9:30am. I don't feel hungry enough to eat my yogurt/fruit mix so I'll wait another hour, then have my snack so I'll be hungry again at 1 which is my lunch break.

I don't think you have to feel uncomfortably hungry in order to lose weight. Maybe some of these tips will help you!

pinkieme

I'm so hungry!! I feel like I can't eat anything cuz I have so few calories to eat a day. I get so tired of salad, and I use claories by having salad dressing. I feel like I can't win.

Becky_Boop

I sometimes get hungry at around 9/10pm, but I just go to sleep and get over it, or have a large glass of water. I think it is because I used to snack a lot at night and now I try not to eat past 7pm!

jennybunny

I rarely get hungry, but at first it was hard to listen to my body to see if I was hungry, thirsty, or just bored. I think staying hydrated helps.

singfree

I agree that you should not be hungry. You need to choose nutritionally "dense" foods, ones that fill you up without excess cals. Also, if you are eating too many carbs that are high on the GI (glycemic index) scale, your blood sugar could be affecting your hunger. Perhaps your nutritionist could monitor your diet and tweak it so that it is properly balanced for your goals and lifestyle. Good luck!

lucifa73

I'm so hungry!! I feel like I can't eat anything cuz I have so few calories to eat a day. I get so tired of salad, and I use claories by having salad dressing. I feel like I can't win.

Try a veg soup as a change - the fluid helps fill you up and makes a change from salad
Try a quinoa or cous cous based salad for a change
Have a sandwich but make it wholemeal/grain to get a sustained source of energy. Try rye breads rather than normal bread.
Exercise to get more calories...

YOur diary isn't public so I can't see what you are doing and make more directed suggestions.

jodie_t

OMG well I must be doing *something* wrong ! I'm really pleased you guys are managing to lose lbs without going thru the hungries!

I do track, I do eat mini meals all day (don't have large meals, don't like them) , eat loads of veggies, only wholegrains; 40+ g of protein a day; my only naughty stuff is a couple of square of dark choc. I'm on 1350 -1450 cals ...and I can only stay steady on that! And I exercise 3x a week.
The only thing I don't do is drink gallons of water, but do drink gallons of (weak) decaff tea/coffee.. there seems to be some debate as to whether that's OK or whether it t has to be just water.

I'm 5'3 and at the lower end of overweight BMI, but still I ought to be able to shift 10lbs without getting so hungry - if you guys can then I so can I.

Maybe I'm faced with the horror of having to give up my 2 squares of choc and replacing with a chicken leg or something. ((sigh)) :-(

loopybec2002

I'm so hungry!! I feel like I can't eat anything cuz I have so few calories to eat a day. I get so tired of salad, and I use claories by having salad dressing. I feel like I can't win.

Salad dressing you could try vinegarette The sainsburys version has almost no cals in what so ever and is rather tasty! I am a mayonaise and salad cream lover and when i started most of my cals were going on the dressing but i find the french vinegarette to do just as well at making the salad more tasty

Callmefia

I'm on WW and we have this thing called the "filling foods list"
Its a list of a lot of healthy, low point foods that fill you up.

I think you just need to reconsider your menu. I didn't look to see if you had it up, but try eating more whole grains, veggies, and fruit.

I count points instead of calories now - and I meant to run them side-by-side - but I havent. The nice thing about WW is a lot of fruits and veggies are low points or no points, so I can eat quite a bit without having to worry about it. As many of my friends on WW say "We didn't get overweight eating too many fruits & veggies!"

So if you are hungry, eat something, just make a good choice. This week my snack of choice is 1 whole cucumber sliced up and dipped in light dressing. Yummy! And it was a lot more filling than I expected.
A lot of people on both MFP and WW will point out that the packaged 100 calorie packs are just not a good way to go - because you don't get much bang for your buck. Its just not filling enough for 100 calories. Find out instead how much cantaloupe you can have for 100 cals

Another good snack that I've heard a lot of people liking lately is 100 cal packs of popcorn. I find this to be much more "filling" - and if you are a volume eater it works perfectly because it will take more time to eat all that popcorn than just a few bites of 100 cal pack of cookies!

loopybec2002

OMG well I must be doing *something* wrong ! I'm really pleased you guys are managing to lose lbs without going thru the hungries!

I do track, I do eat mini meals all day (don't have large meals, don't like them) , eat loads of veggies, only wholegrains; 40+ g of protein a day; my only naughty stuff is a couple of square of dark choc. I'm on 1350 -1450 cals ...and I can only stay steady on that! And I exercise 3x a week.
The only thing I don't do is drink gallons of water, but do drink gallons of (weak) decaff tea/coffee.. there seems to be some debate as to whether that's OK or whether it t has to be just water.

I'm 5'3 and at the lower end of overweight BMI, but still I ought to be able to shift 10lbs without getting so hungry - if you guys can then I so can I.

Maybe I'm faced with the horror of having to give up my 2 squares of choc and replacing with a chicken leg or something. ((sigh)) :-(

My allowance is 1200 and I stay within these and I dont go hungry I have 3 meals a day... Breakfast being the smallest because i just not good at anything in the morning not even eating. I always have a small apple and a packet of snack a jacks (Salt and Vinegar - they are the only flavour I like they taste like a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and not just carboard like the rest of them flavours) This is around 10.30 - 11 am I always get peckish and even though i know lunch is not long away i'd rather eat and not cheat!! I make sure these are catered for in my calories for the day
I then normally have a large salad for lunch with tuna and vinegarette and this keeps my going till 6 pm tea time this is also a very low calorie lunch and because I use the vinegarette theres no need for the mayo.
Then normally i will have something with rice or noodle just something really filling and Normally I dont feel the need to snack.

LotusF1ower

I was having a discussion with a nutritionist who maintained we shouldn't have to get hungry to lose weight. I ALWAYS have to get hungry to lose weight, if only for a couple of hours a day, but if I don't, I don't lose it. I save my 'hungry time' for evenings cos then I don't have to think and I can't think when I'm hungry, but still it feels like wasted time, cos I'm too hungry to even get into simple hobbies, and it makes me bad tempered too, but I cannot lose weight unless I go thru this.

I don't like it but it makes sense - it seems to me that this is the idea behind a cal deficit diet? - it's going to make you hungry cos you're bod is not getting enough immediate fuel and so has to use up the storage instead, but using up stored fat takes time, doesn't happen immediately and doesn't stop immediate hunger. If I never felt hungry on a diet it would be so easy to stick to. ((sigh))

But given what that nutritionist said, I'm curious about others' experiences - maybe I'm in a minority here?

Firstly, I get hungry sometimes.

Secondly, I think anybody going onto lose weight and cut back on their calories would have to be foolish to not expect, now and again, to get hungry. I do not mean stark raving lunatic mad, wanting to eat anything that crossed the path, but stomach rumbles surely cannot be ruled out - sometimes.

Cutting back on calories and being at a calorie deficit is going to involve the odd hunger pangs, the trick is to minimise this happening by eating stuff that is quite filling but staying below the calorie allowance for the day. Personally, I eat protein at every meal, this seems to fill me up. Carbs would do the same, but they would get used so quickly and I would get hungry far, far sooner and perhaps not last out until my next meal, then perhaps, I may start snacking on more carbs.

That is how it worked before joining MFP for me. This time, I changed my food all about though, more protein, less hunger.

I do expect though, hunger at the odd times and in my opinion, anybody that thinks they will not feel hungry on the odd occasion whilst at a calorie deficit is on a hiding to nothing and almost sure to fail.

Jansapphire

I wake up hungry in the morning - when I don't snack at night - which I find easier to cope with because I love breakfast..... but to tell you the truth is rarely happens because I snack at night - bummer !!! I gotta stop snacking at night - I'm not hungry then - it's just a habit

e1ny

I am fairly new to this, and I have trouble staying below my target calorie count. What are some good snack foods in addition to fruits and veggies, and avoiding the 100 calorie count packs? I saw the suggestion for the lowfat popcorn. Any other brands or items you guys can recommend? I saw one person mentioned oat cakes -- I have heard of rice cakes but not oak cakes...I only see recipes for them online, and realistically speaking, I am probably not going to make them! Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks.

lucifa73

e1ny - I'm in the UK - not sure where you are, and I eat a brand called Nairn's oat biscuits - they are 43cal per biscuit and make a satisfying mid afternoon snack with a cuppa. I also use oatcakes instead of crackers if I fancy cheese and biscuits. They are in the same aisle as cream crackers etc in our supermarket.

Timborino

I'm always hungry! Especially at night.

I think some people don't have the chemistry, or the complete chemistry, that helps the brain control the stomach. Often, it's my brain (taste, touch, smell) that desires food, my stomach is fine. Sometimes I can feel the texture of the food in my mouth and almost taste it and I fool myself into thinking I'm hungry.

So I think a communication breakdown exists between my brain and my stomach. I don't know if that is a learned (psychological) issue or physiological. Whatever it is, I feel it and it feels very real! Counting calories does not magically change the fact that I'm hungry or just think I am.

LotusF1ower

I'm always hungry! Especially at night.

I think some people don't have the chemistry, or the complete chemistry, that helps the brain control the stomach. Often, it's my brain (taste, touch, smell) that desires food, my stomach is fine. Sometimes I can feel the texture of the food in my mouth and almost taste it and I fool myself into thinking I'm hungry.

So I think a communication breakdown exists between my brain and my stomach. I don't know if that is a learned (psychological) issue or physiological. Whatever it is, I feel it and it feels very real! Counting calories does not magically change the fact that I'm hungry or just think I am.

Timborino you made me think about something I was doing yesterday now, I used to (before I lost some weight) eat many chocolate brownies with icing on the top (bloody lovely they were) however, they were high in carbs and calories.

Yesterday, something made me think of them and before I knew what I was doing, I was actually imagining eating one of those damned things and really could TASTE it!!! Before anybody comments though, it was not the same, in fact, I couldn't wait to get out of my workplace and away from the vending machine that sells them.

If I hadn't been so intent on losing this weight and been so good up until now, I may have been tempted there. Glad I wasn't though.

I am going to put the thought into my brain that any chocolate brownie is now covered in toenail clippings (somebody elses too) that should put me right off!

e1ny

Lucifa73 - I am in NY, so I should be able to get them somewhere. I will look for that brand. It was fun to read your reply since these are the terms I don't use in my daily life: oat biscuits, cuppa, cream crackers! Thanks for your advice!

bellinachuchina

I don't agree with this as you don't have to eat less food to loose weight just less calories. So if you replace calories from bacon with vegetables, you will have to eat a pile of veggies just to equal the calories in a couple slices of bacon, and the veggies will keep you full longer as there is "more" food and much more fiber. So if you want to lose weight and not feel hungry replace your calorie dense food with low calorie options such as veggies.

Agree!

Replace high calorie foods with filling low-calorie ones! I'm a salmon pusher, it's very good for you and only 100cal for a 4oz portion!

power90girl

hmm

Becka77

I've lost 29lbs in 2 months using MFP and exercising and I'm not hungry at all. When I start to feel hungry I eat.

Amandac6772

I'm always hungry! Especially at night.

I think some people don't have the chemistry, or the complete chemistry, that helps the brain control the stomach. Often, it's my brain (taste, touch, smell) that desires food, my stomach is fine. Sometimes I can feel the texture of the food in my mouth and almost taste it and I fool myself into thinking I'm hungry.

So I think a communication breakdown exists between my brain and my stomach. I don't know if that is a learned (psychological) issue or physiological. Whatever it is, I feel it and it feels very real! Counting calories does not magically change the fact that I'm hungry or just think I am.

Timborino you made me think about something I was doing yesterday now, I used to (before I lost some weight) eat many chocolate brownies with icing on the top (bloody lovely they were) however, they were high in carbs and calories.

Yesterday, something made me think of them and before I knew what I was doing, I was actually imagining eating one of those damned things and really could TASTE it!!! Before anybody comments though, it was not the same, in fact, I couldn't wait to get out of my workplace and away from the vending machine that sells them.

If I hadn't been so intent on losing this weight and been so good up until now, I may have been tempted there. Glad I wasn't though.

I am going to put the thought into my brain that any chocolate brownie is now covered in toenail clippings (somebody elses too) that should put me right off!

Toenail clippings...hahaha good one I'll have to remember that the next time a sweet binge hits me.

jheller

I have found I was only hungry when I was doing some program - WW, Diet Center, Jenny Craig. Now that I am doing "my own thing" I am not hungry. I eat healthy, often, and stay within my calories 90% of the time. The only time I get hungry is if I push off lunch or dinner due to being busy and not eating at my usual times.

tn2010

If I "let" myself get hungry and choose to ignore it, I just end up overeating or making bad choices. Counting calories, anticipating hunger by having healthy foods on hand, and getting plenty of exercise is the ONLY thing that has worked for me.