new to mfp (again) - and I'm starving!

ekmbradley1982

I understand lowering my calories, upping my cardio, doing some weight training...all that good stuff. I've been working out 5 days a week for 3 months and not the smallest change. so it's got to be my diet, and here I am trying to fix it. But I have to be honest, I'm miserable. I'm hungry all the time, no matter how well I follow the "rules" of eating frequent small meals, protein, etc. I go to bed miserable because I'm still hungry after all of my meals. And I'm eating quite a bit according to mfp, but for me it's much less than usual.

shopgirl192

I'm new to My Fitness Pal too! The only weight loss thing that worked for me was calorie counting and working out 5-6 days a week. I'm usually on the treadmill for an hour (the free motion machine says I'm burning between 750-900 calories, who knows how accurate it is). I definitely find it beneficial to calorie count.... I'm a bit obsessed with it, but it's worked and I've already met my goal! Now it's just maintaining and not gaining!

bhb301

Open your food diary so we can see what you are eating

shopgirl192

Are you watching your red meat intake? Do you drink your calories? I try and stay away from drinks that have calories - I stick to water, diet soda, flavored water....

shopgirl192

How do you unlock the food diary?

spicegeek

Are you eating enough fat ? If you under eat fat you will feel hungry

Kathy11174

Have you tried making smoothies with protein powder? I actually use a slimfast add some tofu and fruit. I have that at night after working out and it keeps me full through the night!!

hutche

Eat lean protein with every meal.
Tuna, hard boiled eggs, turkey, cottage cheese are all fantastic 'snacks'. Combine this with a hundred grams of celery and carrot and you've got yourself a very filling 'in between meal'.

Make sure you're eating your exercise calories back. If you don't - no wonder you're hating life right now.

bhb301

Setting, diary settings then open

katiejarr

Share your daily food diary and maybe others can make suggestions on what you are eating vs how much...you can friend me if you want to

sarahsmom1

If your still hungry try eating oatmeal for your last snack thats what I do you can use it when your hungry instead of popcorn,fiber bars etc and not the wimpy instant in the individual. Real stick to the rib oatmeal

ejmcam

You must not be eating enough, or not eating the right things. If you are eating a healthy diet and the right types of food, then you should not be starving. I don't know what your eating, but fiber rich foods help you feel fuller and for longer.

FitToBeFab

I was kind of in the same boat as you when you started. People can give you all sorts of advice as to what to eat to make you feel full and whatnot but it isn't the same for everyone. My advice: tough it out! You're stomach will shrink (especially if you're eating enough according to MFP which is significantly less than you were) and you won't be as hungry.

That's what happened for me. I felt STARVING for the first two weeks, and now I'm fairly satisfied throughout the day. There is an adjustment period that you have to tough out. And it may take longer for you!

Don't get discouraged yet

sara21

Make sure you are drinking a lot of water also. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Drink a full glass of water before meals.

auntiebabs

I know some folks swear by the 5-6 small meals thing.
I gotta tell you it didn't work for me. @ 1200 calories that's only 200 calories a pop. I never got un-hungry.

Once, I went for the 3 300-350 calorie meals and used what was left over for snacks, what a relief it was.

And some folks swear by drinking a bazillion glasses of water. (I keep in mind something a nutritionist told me 1 cup for every 25 lbs of body weight. & I refuse to stress over hitting that.)

Watch your sugar intake.
Sugars and artificial sweeteners increase your appetite.
If I have a DIET COKE, no way I can stay under 1200 cal.
More foods now than ever before have hidden sugars in them and are sold as "real foods"
If I'm going to eat the sugar I want a cookie, gosh darn it!

I've also read about folks "zig - zagging" their calories. This I seemed to do naturally and worked out fine for me.
I would do 2-3 days at 1200 cal then a day at 1400-1500 cal (on my high days I just made sure I stayed under the maintenance calories for my GOAL Weight)

Good Luck,

ekmbradley1982

I only drink water and occasionally coffee with fatfree/sugarfree creamer

precious71701

Try drinking some teas, maybe artificial sweetner if you have to have the sugar effect...find some snacks you like...I read that apples turn to zero calories after digestion...don't know how true that is but how can you go wrong with apples...I felt hungry for about the first 3 days...now I'm okay...Im also drinking more water...I force myself to do that.,,,go to your food diary setting and change it from private to public...good luck

copperdave

I've got to agree with Sarah....water -- and lots of it! It will help keep your tummy feeling full. And there IS an adjustment period while your stomach shrinks. When you feel like you're "starving", stick it out about 20-30 minutes. This is the worst time -- the time when we cave in and head for the fridge. The hunger sensation will pass after that time period.

auntiebabs

Have you tried making smoothies with protein powder? I actually use a slimfast add some tofu and fruit. I have that at night after working out and it keeps me full through the night!!

slim fast has never kept me full for more than 2 hours.

beastmode_kitty

Judging by your diary it seems you don't cook a lot of meals. What is your weekly goal in terms of losing weight?

auntiebabs

It does look to me like you are eating a lot of sugar.
That really increase your appetite (artificial sweeteners too)

You can add one more category to track. Pick sugar at least for a week or so and see if you feel a difference when you reduce

(I get 25g of sugar a day. that's about 1 yogurt.
I see you've got yogurt (22-28g) Slim Fast shake (18g) Banana (14g)
Watch sugar in Lean Cuisine some are okay, but some are really high.
My favorite cookies have 9g for 15 cookies I use that as a reference point)

dhutt2011

Judging by your diary it seems you don't cook a lot of meals. What is your weekly goal in terms of losing weight?

I took a peak at your food diary and I would say maybe avoid drinking your calories. Even the non-fat latte's that you drink had 200 calories in them. Even the fruit smoothies were around 200 calories. Better to eat your calories like eating more fruits and veggie's. They are wonderful filler foods that help make your more full. I used to feel the same way about being hungry and I started eating more of them and that really seemed to help me. Also, eating more lean meat like turkey is good and you can eat more of that then red meats. Also, for sandwiches I found Nature's Best bread to be lower in calorie per slice and better for you (2 slices is 160 calories). Drink a glass of water before each meal and snack and that will help too.

Don't give up on yourself!

Just1forMe

I am very rarely hungry. I simply make sure that, first, I get a LOT of bang for my "calorie bucks" with lots of fruits and veggies, etc and second, if I am still hungry, I just earn more food by working out. I have doubled my normal loss rate since being on MFP (from 1/2lb a week to 1 lb a week) and I am eating twice the quantity of food (& quality) as I ever ate when not trying to lose weight. I eat almost all my exercise calories, staying just short of my daily goal. I kind of have a feel for how many calories I need to feel comfortable for the day and I just make sure I earn them! If you look at this as a diet and as it being restrictive, it will not be sustainable. I know that I have to eat this way pretty much forever, so I make it as easy as possible on myself--trying to eat as healthy as possible while not freaking out over a processed food now & then and I definitely need a treat or 2 every day. You can do it...it just takes some planning! Feel free to browse my diary...don't keel over at the length of it!

auntiebabs

Sugar
25 g -- Dates
20 g -- Naked juice No Sugar ADDED (not the same as no sugar)
18 g -- Special K Protein Drink
11 g -- Choc Cupcake
16 g -- Grapes
9 g -- Tomato Sauce in Eggplant Parm odds per 1/2c of sauce (guessing about)

That's 99 g of sugar... about 4 days worth.
In addition to increasing your appetite sugar also prevents the absorption of many nutrient (esp calcium).

I'd keep that 11g cupcake and reconsider everything else.

Look for more natural nutrient dense foods and you'll feel more satisfied

mumma2boyz

OMG! I would be starving, too! Honey- you are not eating nearly enough food. I eat all day long. Every 2 hours from the time I get up until I go to bed (I eat as late as 11pm sometimes). The key is plan plan plan. Before MFP, I lived on coffee all day long until 7pm and then ate dinner and a snack. Me? Eat breakfast? Yeah right! The new me has a meal plan that typically resembles this:

On drive into work: EAS advantedge choc protein shake - 110 cal
Around 9am: yogurt (greek or light n fit)
Around 11: piece of fruit and granola bar (south beach twice protein)
Around 1: Half sandwich (35 cal per slice bread, light mayo, meat- any kind...tuna, ham, chix, turkey) w/ soup or veggies. Sugar-free jello cup
Around 4: handful of nuts or other small snack
Dinner 7pm: 4oz meat (I eat beef, chix, turkey, ham and pork...as long as its lean n measured, eat it!), 1/2cup starch (rice, potatoes, pasta...just avoid added butter and salt), 1/2 plate veggies using zero cal spray butter)
Evening snack: 60 cal sugar free jello pudding and/or turkey slices w/special k crackers

I drink coffee, but have significantly decreased sugar and cream (yes, I have cream . My friends use skim milk and splenda in theirs. I don't drink juice. I switched to skim milk with dinner. If I eat bread, I exercise. I eat minimum half my calories back if I exercise. And I cheat sometimes. Took my boys to dairy queen the other night and ate what I wanted. But the next day, I followed my eating plan and put more effort into my workout. I sometimes go a whole week without exercising.

I have lost 14 pounds in 8 weeks eating more than I ever have. Make small changes each week. My challenge this week is to eat more veggies and fruit.