1200 calories = Unbelievably Hungry (What should I eat?)

jessebreanne

Hello all,

I have only been on the site for 10 days and I am very suprised at what I am learning even though I thought I was a fitness/nutrition buff before I had my babies in the last 2 years; however I am finding that the goal of 1200 calories per day allotted by the program is setting me up for a dive. I am 175 and trying to get back down to pre baby 130. I have been working out 2 hours or more per day to acrue extra food calories but that is just making me hungrier, as does eating fruits and veggies. Meat is not something I eat much of because I just don't like it.

Anyone have any suggestions on super healthy, filling and stick to your ribs meals for around 300-350 calories?

Thanks a bunch.


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sharonuk10

Why not just up your calories. I do not understand why people limit themselves to just 1200 I was getting hungry on 1500 when I reset my goals I have changed that and upped it to 1550 to see if that stops me being hungry. I am only on day two of that. So will see how it works in the end.

To lose weight (1 pound a week) you only need to cut 500 cals a day from your diet you do this two ways one totally lower cals by 500 or 250 by cals and burn 250 with exercise. Or however you wish to divide it out. I know MFP automatically sets our cals but you can change those to what you want.

Other than that I have no advice other than eat wholegrains and carbs too as those is what fills you up.

amy1612

Lean protein will actually keep you fuller longer, things like seafood sticks are great. Peanut butter is also good,Have it on its own or with a couple of rice cakes. For meals go for hearty soups,theyll fill you no problem:)

upsy

soups
tuna (in brine)
rice (etc) crackers instead of bread

and if something dont keep you full for hour or two, then simply DONT eat that product (i had this issue with pasta and cornflex - i could eat huge bowl, but hour later my stomack would scream for food literary)

my breakfast would be bowl of mixed salads + seeds + fish/ham/egg (i dont eat dairy products, but if you do, you could use cheese, cottage cheese) with 2 crackers topped with hummus/peanut butter with yougurt/dessert. My breakfast is main meal of day, so its ~ 400 kcals

lunch ususally soup with bread/crackers or meat/fish + vegetables
etc

Try to eat fruits and sweets before 2PM.
Dont forget your water! Whenever i didnt drink enough, i felt hungrier.

Athena703

After an intense workout, I eat a serving of protein and two servings of carbs within 30 minutes to recharge my body. I feel less hungry when I eat soon after exercise.

jez838

I eat loads of soup now. Its really filling and low in calories.

Try high GI foods they keep you feeling full longer.

Alternatively drink more water especially before eating.

giraffe

Hello Jessebenne,
I have been on a targeted 1200 calories per day for about 11 weeks now, the beginning is very difficult but it's getting better now. HOWEVER, I need to qualify that, I will eat more if I am working out that day, 1200 calories is for the no-workout day. I am actually not sure if it's possible or healthy to be at a low calorie diet for too long. Read that the body will go into starvation mode and slows down our metabolic rate - our God-created bodies are so efficient and if we are ever starving, this is a way to help us survive.

What works for me is complex carbs and lean protein, and lots of vegetables. My choice of complex carbs are 1) baked potato, plain, no toppings, no butter, 2) baked sweet potato, again, all plain, and complex carbs. I choose these over bread, even wholemeal bread, because bread requires shortening to bake, and that is fat. I eat 5-6 smaller meals instead of 3 like before. Usually, breakfast at 7.30am, mid-morning mini meal at 11am, Lunch at 1pm, Mid-afternoon mini meal at 4.30pm, pre-workout mini meal at 6pm, dinner at 8.30pm (or on rest day, dinner at 7.30pm).

I did the South Beach Diet and Atkins previously and I find that I feel better with complex carbs. I'd like to encourage you: I am happy to say that in 11 weeks, I have lost 7.3 lbs and gained muscle mass, and lost 1% bodyfat. That's with working out at the gym 4-5x a week though.

Remember though, all of us are built differently, so be patient and remember that, each healthy step you're taking is a worthwhile one All the best!

3110cynthia

hi t try old el paso traditional refried beans 1/2 cup, white rice 1/2 cup (i incorporated a little wild and brown rice for texture and health less than 1/4 cup),,4 oz pacific salmon filet total of all three is 367 (rice and beans are MUCH less cals than i would've ever expected and very filling) - i coated the salmon in lawry"s taco mix ( ya know those little spice pkgs) and i put some of the taco mix about 2 tsps in the rice before cooking and the whole thing turned out wonderful didn't even need salsa although that would be great too and extra vegis are always a plus - i was so impressed with myself haha anyway that's my idea for the day.!!

rybo

Eat more. Especially if you are working out 2 hrs a day.

amy1612

Its all well and good eating more if you are working out,but you shouldnt work out simply with a goal to be able to eat more-alot of people are overweight because of the amount and size of food they consume as well as the type.Teaching about healthy portion size and good filling foods is key....exercise should be a benefit and a healthy extra, not simply a way to be able to consume more.

astridfeline

I agree that you should eat more. Reduce your weekly weight loss goal from 2lbs to 1lb--this will be more sustainable as a lifestyle change. Add more protein to each meal. Cottage cheese and greek yogurt have good protein levels; kashi go lean cereals are high protein; protein bars; egg whites; maybe you could try some other vegetarian options like tofu or tempeh, since you don't care for meat. Also, are you eating 4-6 small meals per day, or sticking to 3 squares? It helps to eat every 3-4hours, a protein/carb combo.

Nelski

Try usng this site for a better judgement of how many calories you should eat, then you can adjust from there after giving the suggested amount a try. I think 1200 is too little for you right now.
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm#

clkinpa

I agree that if you're exercising two hours a day, 1200 calories is not enough. In women working out often just triggers a body response to be even hungrier. There was an interesting article about it in the New York Times a few months ago. It was on April 12, 2010: Weighing the Evidence on Exercise, By Gretchen Reynolds. You might want to read it, as I find that hearing that I'm not crazy and my body is acting normally makes me feel better about really, really wanting to eat more.

My only advice is to try to focus on getting your full seven servings of fruits and vegetables each day. If you eat most of them raw, it ends up being pretty bulky and filling. I also feel like when I'm concentrating on eating more (I don't always get all my fruit and veg into a day's food) I feel happier, because I'm not thinking about what I want but isn't a good choice and feeling sad that I can't eat a giant block of cheese.

Good luck!

preciousmc

You have to eat foods that are filling but low in calorie intake, such as beans, green veggies, salads, and fruits. Never forget the water. It's not only good for you, but it helps you to stay full.

rml_16

When I did another calorie counting program, it had me on 1,500 calories for the same weight I am now and I was losing fine. MFP has me on 1,200 and says I should lose .9 a week, but when I stick to that, I lose 2 a week. 1,200 seems awfully low for someone at 175 pounds. I agree that you should up your calories. And exercise so you can eat a little more, too.

Otherwise, make sure at each meal or snack, you're getting a little fat, a little protein and a little fiber. That will help you stay satisfied.

jessebreanne

Thank you all for your responses! I definatly feel less guilty for needing to eat more; I've also come to realise that perhaps my method of eating is incorrect. It's hard not to get caught up in the "only organic, non gmo, glutin free, whole grain only, dye free, salt free, sugar free, aspertame free, corn free, free range, grass fed, fat free, whole uncooked super food" thing. It got to the point I was so confused about what to eat that I was limited to only a few items available that didn't lead to stress when eaten.