Shouldn't I be Eating When I'm Hungry??

Jlab24
Jlab24 Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've started counting calories again. My CW is 217 and working towards my first GW: 180. MFP has assigned me 1200, with routine exercise. On the days that I do get to work out, I am starving! Typically I get 300-400 calories added on to the 1200 when I do work out, which brings me to 1500-1600 calories. I don't think that's enough for me, as we speak my stomach is wondering why the punishment. Is this normal? Will my body adjust...or should I consider changing my caloric intake. I would do it myself but I don't know where to begin with assigning an amount for calories, fats, carbs, etc.

Help!

Signed,

Hungry.

Replies

  • herobi
    herobi Posts: 8 Member
    It seems you are eating a really low amount that you won't be able to maintain. Honestly calorie amount doesn't matter as long as what you are eating is healthy.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I'm guessing that you chose 2lb/week? Try 1lb/week instead. It will assign a more reasonable deficit.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    It seems you are eating a really low amount that you won't be able to maintain. Honestly calorie amount doesn't matter as long as what you are eating is healthy.

    No, calories do matter - but try increasing them by 200-300 or so. You'll likely still be in a deficit hence lose...and won't be so hungry.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    Not sure how tall you are (I am 5,6") - my starting weight was the exact same as your current weight (217). I tried the 2 lbs a week setting at 1200 calories and gave up after 12 hours on day 1 LOL. Changed it to 1 lb a week and it put me around 1800 and I did very well there, and I ate back exercise calories almost every single day as well. And I actually lost at a faster rate than 1 lb a week there - closer to 2 lbs a week average.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    That link will hopefully give you a bit more guidance about more realistic calorie goals based on your own stats and then you can manually adjust them here.
  • herobi
    herobi Posts: 8 Member
    Calorie amount does matter in the sense that you are eating enough to be satisfied, but what I meant was focus more on what you are eating and don't worry so much about the amount. Your body knows best, so listen to it.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    It seems you are eating a really low amount that you won't be able to maintain. Honestly calorie amount doesn't matter as long as what you are eating is healthy.

    Very wrong. You can gain on "healthy" foods as well if you eat over your TDEE.
  • SummerRain43
    SummerRain43 Posts: 358
    I agree with what everyone had said but just wanted to add that I had the hunger pangs etc as well but I also noticed that after about 3-4 weeks, they started to get less and less as my stomach shrank...I do remember being quite cranky for the first month or so....lol....make sure your calories are set properly.... but for me, I just pushed through the hunger pangs too....
  • kerricus
    kerricus Posts: 165 Member
    Eat more calories. You might not lose as fast, but if it's the difference between sticking with it and giving up (or just being plain miserable), I think the choice is obvious.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Just to answer your question on the post...Yes eat...just choose wisely and you will be fine..don't plan an extra meal just because your a little hungry maybe grab some yogurt and fruit or a PBJ on Wheat Bread.....it just may do the trick and not add in a full meals worth of calories...or even try a smoothie.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Go here and follow the instructions for setting your calories. You can most likely lose weight on more.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Calorie amount does matter in the sense that you are eating enough to be satisfied, but what I meant was focus more on what you are eating and don't worry so much about the amount. Your body knows best, so listen to it.

    But this is STILL wrong, as well as mutually contradictory. 1) Listen to your body frequently does not result in healthy food, as my body would really, right now, like to down an enormous bowl of oily popcorn instead of the broccoli I plan to feed it. 2) It is absolutely possible to gain weight eating healthful food, if enough is consumed, and as well, it is absolutely possible to lose weight eating "junk food" such as Twinkies, if calories are controlled.

    Someone who's been tracking for a while may be able to stop and just focus on eating healthfully, once they've retrained their body to like the amounts of food it's been subsisting on. It is NOT a good idea for someone at the beginning of a diet to just "listen to your body".
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    Go here and follow the instructions for setting your calories. You can most likely lose weight on more.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Yes! Do this.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I'm guessing that you chose 2lb/week? Try 1lb/week instead. It will assign a more reasonable deficit.

    Agreed. It may take longer, but it will be much more pleasant and sustainable if you don't feel like you're starving. :flowerforyou:
  • Jlab24
    Jlab24 Posts: 9
    You all are lifesavers, literally! After reading what everyone had to say, I'm going to revisit my goals...and consider the amount I want to lose per week. I'm looking for results, but ultimately I'm also looking for something sustainable and long term.

    This week I'm going to see what happens with changing my weekly goal to a 1-1.5 lb loss, and report back.

    Thank you!

    Signed,

    Optimistic :happy:
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    You all are lifesavers, literally! After reading what everyone had to say, I'm going to revisit my goals...and consider the amount I want to lose per week. I'm looking for results, but ultimately I'm also looking for something sustainable and long term.

    This week I'm going to see what happens with changing my weekly goal to a 1-1.5 lb loss, and report back.

    Thank you!

    Signed,

    Optimistic :happy:

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I am 5'3" and I can't survive on 1200 calories!

    I have to eat at least 1500 to feel "okay" but I even have 2,000 calorie days and I'm still losing weight.

    Be patient, that's #1. It's a long, long road and a learning process. Just accept that over many months, you'll lose.

    Also, in the first month or so you'll feel hungry all the time. This is your body just readjusting to the fact that you're in a calorie deficit. Sometimes I feel this way during my period too, and sometimes I'll allow myself to eat more during that time. Just make sure you're being realistic and doing something you can keep up for the rest of your life :)
  • Bounce4
    Bounce4 Posts: 288 Member
    I started at 1200 calories a week too. I think they must give that number across the board to anyone entering a 2 pound/week loss - regardless of other data. I was starving the first two weeks but that did get better. I also learned that eating more protein and/or eating protein at each meal would help me feel more satisfied at the end of the day, and it did. After about 6 weeks I was still hungry though and just felt like it was way to limiting and I spent to much time thinking about food and wanting to eat. I upped my calories. My current goal (after I add my exercise calories in) is 1500. I eat at least that much every day and I'm still losing.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    Honestly calorie amount doesn't matter as long as what you are eating is healthy.

    No. Just no.
  • Jlab24
    Jlab24 Posts: 9
    You all are lifesavers, literally! After reading what everyone had to say, I'm going to revisit my goals...and consider the amount I want to lose per week. I'm looking for results, but ultimately I'm also looking for something sustainable and long term.

    This week I'm going to see what happens with changing my weekly goal to a 1-1.5 lb loss, and report back.

    Thank you!

    Signed,

    Optimistic :happy:

    A week later after increasing my weight loss goal to 1lb a week, and increasing my caloric intake to about 1600 calories, I am happy to report that I am no longer hungry AND I lost more than 1lb this past week. I had a 2.5 lb lost to be exact. Thanks again everyone for the suggestions.

    Signed,

    FULL :wink:
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
    WOOOHOOOO! CONGRATS! :bigsmile:
  • LoseYouself
    LoseYouself Posts: 249 Member
    I'm guessing that you chose 2lb/week? Try 1lb/week instead. It will assign a more reasonable deficit.

    This ^^

    Or even 1.5 lb/week.

    I've tried many times to do 2 lbs per week. I'm very active so that would bring me up to 1700-1800 on workout days, and a pathetic 1200 on rest days, but I found rest days are when I'd be the most hungry!

    So I changed my calorie goal, but instead of the MFP "eating back your calories" method, I took more of the TDEE approach and readjusted my calorie goal to be 1800 per day regardless of whether it's a workout day or rest day. That way it's more even and I'm not starving on rest days. Make sense? When I readjusted it to make it 1800 per day, it showed me that I'll actually lose 1.3 lbs/week, which is only 0.7 lbs less per week to have 1800 per day, and have much more energy for my workouts! It seems pointless for myself to set my goal as 2 lbs per week because I tend to have less energy to workout.. so I workout less, then get a smaller calorie goal which perpetuates the cycle.

    I'd definitely lower your weekly weight loss goal just for a few weeks to see how you feel. You might find you feel MUCH better, and that weight loss will be more enjoyable. It shouldn't be a miserable process!

    Good luck! :happy:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Calorie amount does matter in the sense that you are eating enough to be satisfied, but what I meant was focus more on what you are eating and don't worry so much about the amount. Your body knows best, so listen to it.
    No. If our bodies all knew best, we wouldn't need this site, now would we?

    OP, your hunger signals are all messed up, because being overweight throws off the hormones that regulate hunger. Plus you're eating less than your body is used to eating, so it's going to respond by telling you you're hungry.

    You need to track and log and stick to your goals.
  • LoseYouself
    LoseYouself Posts: 249 Member
    You all are lifesavers, literally! After reading what everyone had to say, I'm going to revisit my goals...and consider the amount I want to lose per week. I'm looking for results, but ultimately I'm also looking for something sustainable and long term.

    This week I'm going to see what happens with changing my weekly goal to a 1-1.5 lb loss, and report back.

    Thank you!

    Signed,

    Optimistic :happy:

    A week later after increasing my weight loss goal to 1lb a week, and increasing my caloric intake to about 1600 calories, I am happy to report that I am no longer hungry AND I lost more than 1lb this past week. I had a 2.5 lb lost to be exact. Thanks again everyone for the suggestions.

    Signed,

    FULL :wink:

    I just saw this after writing my previous reply, oops.

    Congrats! I'm glad lowering your weekly weight loss goal made you feel better AND produced results that you're happy with. Keep it up! :)

Categories