Can only lose when I'm always hungry

megbee617

Hi all,

It seems that the only way I can lose weight is if I'm constantly hungry. I'm on 1370cals/day, trying to keep it closer to 1200-1300. If I go over and eat 1600-1700, I'm satiated. But if I stay near my goal number, I'm starving! All day! But, if I stay in that range, I will lose weight.

And yes, I pay attention to macros. Lots of protein and fiber to keep me full, but it's like it doesn't help.

Does anyone else feel this way? Will I eventually get used to the calorie restriction? I can do good for 1-2 weeks before I crack and stop tracking.

bcattoes

Does anyone else feel this way? Will I eventually get used to the calorie restriction? I can do good for 1-2 weeks before I crack and stop tracking.

I would be hungry a lot on roughly 1300 calories a day. I'd suggest exercising so you can eat more and still be at 1300 net.

chrisharry830

I too am ALWAYS hungry--I tend to eat 3 meals a day and save up until then so I can eat more at one sitting. Not ideal, I know. This week I am trying something new and it is actually curtailing my hunger more that any other "diet" plan. I have been eating 5 300 calorie meals. I had never snacked before--it feels very foreign--and they are big snacks. English muffin with a T of butter, an entire 1/2 c of peanuts, baked potato with light sour cream. Would I like a nice big dinner? Yep, but since that hasn't been working I thought I'd try this. You might give it a go. I am a trained chef and work at a culinary school so I am constantly surrounded with food. I wake up thinking about it and go to sleep thinking about what I'm going to eat next. That certainly does not help in the hunger department!

ponycyndi

You've still got a wide range, between 1300-1600, where you could eat a little more, and as suggested, work out to burn some more. Don't forget fluids. I'm drinking twice as much now as I was in the cooler months.

jackjb2

Sometimes our bodies have to adjust to a drop in calories. If you go from 1600 to 1400 you might feel hungry at first because your body expects more. After a short period of time you get used to the lower amount and less hungry. Maybe going down in 20-50 calorie increments for a couple of weeks would help.

kmash32

Couple of questions:

1) Are you not losing at all if you consistently eat 1600 cals or are you losing just not as much as you want to? How much do you have to lose, if you don't have that much than don't expect to lose 2lbs a week necessarily which is what a lot of people mistakenly do.

2) Are you eating lots of veggies? I find that because a large majority of them are so little in calories I can eat a lot and they keep me satiated.

3) Did you use fitness pal to determine you calories? If so it is notorious for saying 1200 calories. Go to another site like scoobie to see what your BMR should be.

When I kept my calories to low I was barely losing I upped them and started to lose again.

MadDogManor

I'm right there with ya - always hungry in order to lose any weight. Good luck

hotsungirl

Really pay attention to labels. ie, if you have yogourt, add your own fruit and rationed amount of honey, don't do their 25grams of sugar in even the low fat yogourts, or having lean beef buys you way more satisfaction in curbing the hunger than cottage cheese. I choose tons of vegetables to help fill me up, ie. big salad full of veggies with protein on top is pretty satisfying. I didn't start losing at all, zero, until I went on 1200 a day and I don't eat what it calculates I burn with exercise. Finally the weight is moving. Sad but true.

Veil5577

I'm finding two things help. Water. Water, water, water. It really helps to block hunger and eat less.

I also try to keep in my mind that when I am hungry it means that my body is out of glycogen and is burning fat, so I'm going to let it do that before replacing its main fuel source. Mind over matter. (Note to anyone who will post telling me that this is not true.. I don't care if it isn't true or not. I'll lie to myself to keep the motivation going.)