how long until you're used to less calories?

cjwolfjen

I've been at this for a couple weeks and I always feel like I'm starving.... Why? Will my body eventually get used to this? I'm eating 1800-2100 calories every day. Drinking only water. (Used to drink caffeine pop so is this why I'm also more tired?)

I am TRYING, but I am always feeling so hungry and its killing me. Also, does anyone know after how long should I alter my calorie intake and lower it so my weight will keep going down? I was told by a friend that her nutritionist told her that you should gradually lower your daily calorie intake as you continue losing the weight.

Don't get me wrong I'm feeling healthier already. But my energy levels are down and my hunger is SO often. When will my body accept this as the new normal?

captainlindarg

What are you eating?

ppiinnkkmmoonn

it took about 2weeks for me and i think it more of a mind thing too.

misscristie

Yeah, it really depends on the quality of the calories. They call em empty calories for a reason

stephajo

I've had the same problem since i started a month or two ago..but i HAVE noticed that i'm starting to feel less hungry....working out also helps sometimes! I'm curious to know the answer to this as well though!

michelletyler38

I've been at this for a couple weeks and I always feel like I'm starving.... Why? Will my body eventually get used to this? I'm eating 1800-2100 calories every day. Drinking only water. (Used to drink caffeine pop so is this why I'm also more tired?)

I am TRYING, but I am always feeling so hungry and its killing me. Also, does anyone know after how long should I alter my calorie intake and lower it so my weight will keep going down? I was told by a friend that her nutritionist told her that you should gradually lower your daily calorie intake as you continue losing the weight.

Don't get me wrong I'm feeling healthier already. But my energy levels are down and my hunger is SO often. When will my body accept this as the new normal?

It takes a LONG time. Probably not the answer you're looking for. I've been at this for over 6 months & still struggle everyday.

Nomomush

It only took me a week but I completely changed my diet to lower calorie foods but was filling. Now I feel like I am constantly eating and rarely do I get "hungry". I am usually eating BEFORE i get hungry (2-3 hours).

weagle81

I still get hungry too!!! But I also try to do a lot of exercise and not eat all of my calories back but if I want a snack I'll eat it and not feel guilty.. And somebody told me to eat food with lots of fiber it fills you up faster and longer!!

ratkaj

I was having the same issues until I took a look at what I was eating. The way this website works you can eat ANYTHING as long as it fits within your calories for the day... but not everything is going to keep you full with the calories it costs. My advise is to look at what you are eating and choose more low cal/low fat options in order to stretch your calories further.

Ex: I don't eat dessert any more... I eat cereal instead because it's half the calories and I can use those during the day for nuts and such to keep me full. Pistachios are AWESOME for that!!

Good Luck!

weagle81

missy1970eb

i think 4 me about a month, have had 4 weeks worth to see what calories r in what and then have mixed and matched

husker_gal

I had the same issue too...I really had to up my intake of lean proteins to help curb the hunger pains.... they have almost completely disappeared now...Just be mindful of what you are eating (simple carbs over complex and amount of protein)

weagle81

It only took me a week but I completely changed my diet to lower calorie foods but was filling. Now I feel like I am constantly eating and rarely do I get "hungry". I am usually eating BEFORE i get hungry (2-3 hours).

How do you get all that info on your posts???

"SW: 168 lbs
G1: 155 lbs by Feb 28 --met- WOO HOO
G2: 145 lbs
G3: 135 lbs
GW: 125 lbs

Last weigh in 4/1/11 147lbs "
???
Sorry it's beside the point but I've been trying to find out

I_Got_This_23

It took me a long time to find, not only the right foods, but the right timing to make sure I didn't feel hungry all day. I tried eating small snacks throughout the day, believing it would keep my blood sugar stable and not trigger a hunger response. Yeah, that didn't work so well for me. Since I love eating a big dinner, I found it easier to drink coffee in the early AM, eat a small breakfast mid-morning, a small lunch mid-afternoon, and a Luna bar to tide me over until dinner. Dinner ends up being more than half my daily calories, but that Luna bar (or any protein bar) really help keeps my hunger at bay. It took me about a month before I found the right combo.

Tiana405

I still get hungry too!!! But I also try to do a lot of exercise and not eat all of my calories back but if I want a snack I'll eat it and not feel guilty.. And somebody told me to eat food with lots of fiber it fills you up faster and longer!!

go to message boards and on that main page... towards the top... you'll see "signature". click on that and voila! : )

RMinVA

A healthy diet will be based on whole grains (brown rice), lean protein, fresh fruits/veggies, healthy fats, complex carbs, and low fat dairy. Notice I didn't say how much, because it's up to you to decide what works best for you.

I took a quick peek at your diary: hope you don't mind. Here are a few swaps I would recommend:

rolled oats for cereal
veggies for pretzels
add in some fruit...didn't see a lot of it, or a lot of veggies for that matter

Feel free to take a peek at mine. I eat a lot of food and usually come in between 1600-1800 cals.

husker_gal

I still get hungry too!!! But I also try to do a lot of exercise and not eat all of my calories back but if I want a snack I'll eat it and not feel guilty.. And somebody told me to eat food with lots of fiber it fills you up faster and longer!!

Yes! Fiber is awesome!!

pengwen1918

I started six weeks ago, have lost 9 lbs. but I was totally starving and even feeling weak at times, think I am doing better now, not as starving, and of course depends on foods I eat, if I still have a fat free cappucino from wawa and a dunkin donuts egg, bacon, cheese croissant, now this will fill be until lunch time, if I go with 100 calorie snacks or portions, sometimes starving by lunch, and of course want to eat more. I never ate dinner before, now again starving. So I guess it is all how your body reacts to what foods. Everybody of course is probably different, have tried everything from baby food (low in sugars and sodium, some zero) to boiled eggs, and raisins. But long story short, for me not as hungry and if I am just add another 100 calorie snack, and another if needed, until I do not feel jittery. Hope some or any of this helps.

Wolfena

In my case? Never.

I don't care how much low calorie, high fiber, high protein, bigger quantity with healthier nutrition yada yada yada - I ALWAYS want to eat more, and the unhealthy stuff.

I just can't or don't let myself do it (most of the time) I always feel like I am hungry and can easily eat more - it's been almost 5 years since I started this healthier eating change and I'm still not used to it.

shelly650

I was always hungry at the beginning (1200 cals) but then i changed to eating 5-6 times a day instead of 3 and im never really hungry!! Works for me....maybe you should give it a try!!

lumos39

When you get hungry, eat something. What you eat, however, is important.

Try eating the following: Apple, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Banana, Celery, Carrot, plum, pear, tangerine, grapefruit, or other fruits and vegetables.

You can eat A LOT of these foods and not use up too many calories. These provide a lot of bulk with only a few calories.

I like to eat Beef Jerky to keep me happy as well.

cbirdso

It varies for individuals, but most people have to eat 'differently' to adjust without feeling hungry. I had to stop any snacks that contained only 'one' food element. I can't have JUST popcorn, or JUST an apple. For me, each meal and snack has to contain a healthy fat, carb, and most importantly, a protein. I had to increase the amount of veggies and watch the GI index of what I was eating and had to make most (if not all) of my calories food (instead of beverages). I also try to eat more often and not let myself get too hungry. I also had to add some vitamin and mineral supplements.

Last but not least, I have to get some form exercise EVERY day. This not only allows me to eat more, but exercise really curbs my appetite. Hate to have to tell you this, but I have been eating like this for about a year, and I am STILL not completely used to eating less.

As to your question about lowering your calories as you lose weight, MFP does so automatically (after every ten pounds, I think)or you can do it manually yourself. This is your reward for losing weight!!!

cjwolfjen

What are you eating?

I eat a lot of chicken, skinless and boiled. Baby carrots with light ranch dressing. special k cereal w/ fat free milk. special k bars. turkey sandwiches w/ mustard instead of mayo on whole wheat bread. Tuna fish sandwiches w/ light miracle whip on wheat bread. apples. bananas. Usually if I have enough calories left for dinner I'll eat a small portion of whatever I fix for the rest of the family instead of eating my own "healthy foods" as they call them.

My main thing, I can't get from lunch at 12 until dinner at 6 without being VERY hungry in between, like not just a snack will hold me over, I need to eat something substantial like a small meal, and then I have no calories left to enjoy a good dinner.

cjwolfjen

In my case? Never.

I don't care how much low calorie, high fiber, high protein, bigger quantity with healthier nutrition yada yada yada - I ALWAYS want to eat more, and the unhealthy stuff.

I just can't or don't let myself do it (most of the time) I always feel like I am hungry and can easily eat more - it's been almost 5 years since I started this healthier eating change and I'm still not used to it.

Thanks for keeping it real with me! And you're doing something right, if you've lost that much weight! Way to go. Any advice? I'm looking to lose 50 lbs how long did it take you?

iamhealingmyself

It only took me a week but I completely changed my diet to lower calorie foods but was filling. Now I feel like I am constantly eating and rarely do I get "hungry". I am usually eating BEFORE i get hungry (2-3 hours).

I agree with above - I don't do diet foods per say, but I'll cut calories and carbs when I can and if I gotta have them I try to make them the best bang for the caloric buck.

I did a quick peruse through the last few days of your diary.
I don't know how the logging breastfeeding thing works as I wasn't dieting when I was nursing my 3. Sometimes I see measurements in ounces, sometimes just calories and sometimes not at all. How often are you nursing? If your nursing more than your accounting for it's got to be the equivalent of exercising and not eating back calories. Do you drink water while your actually nursing? Dehydration can cause fatigue as well as not eating enough. Remember too that sodas and drinks with caffeine will cause more dehydration than they cure. All drinks are not equal in terms of hydrating potential. Oh also alot of times thirst is mistaken for hunger. If you're not sure, drink an 8-10 oz glass of water and wait at least 15 minutes before you decide to eat something. At the very least you'll be increasing your water intake and if you're still hungry you haven't blown calories that won't satisfy you.

I would also reconsider some of your food choices if you can, maybe change one or two things at a time or at least cut back on some things (like the soda - 255 calories for a 24oz drink?) If you want to drink calories, then consider a protein drink or milk instead. You get a better nutritional bang for the calories and you will have a feeling of fullness from fat, fiber and protein. If you're just starting out it might be best to take a week or two and just log food without much changes to see where you stand overall. Then you can figure out what kind of nutritional changes you want to make. Are you concerned with sodium or fat intake? consider lower amounts per serving or changing from saturated and trans fats to healthy fats like olive oil and nuts instead of butter and cheese. Take a look at what kind of meats you are eating too - increasing your protein with the right choices will not greatly affect your calories and you can also add lots of veggies with minimal impact when that hunger strikes.

My diary is open to friends but you're welcome to take look and get some ideas where you can make small changes. One thing I noticed is your turkey sandwich comes in at 555 calories? Now, I don't know what ingredients you use but my sandwiches never run more than 250 and that's if I'm using a full calorie (like 80-90 cals per slice) bread. These kinds of small changes can really add up and give you more options.

Oh, also, with nursing I would expect you to eat more frequently than your log says you do. I see 3 meals but no snacks. That could cause you fatigue too if you're going too long in between meals. I generally eat every 2-3 hours as well and with my 1520 calories I shoot for 3 meals of 400 calories and 3 snacks (am, pm and evening) of 100 calories. If I work out I can either increase my meal sizes or have more snacks but since starting in January I've noticed a decrease in cravings for sweets and processed carbs. Although I do eat them, I'm not enjoying them physically or mentally like I used to think I did. Some things don't even taste the same.

So really examine if your logging all the calories you're burning and then consider making a few small choice changes that will give you more freedom between meals to eat more. Don't give up - every day is a learning process for all of us and we all have our own demons in the closet trying to keep us down. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!


ETA: you might want to reconsider your goals too. If you're set for 2lbs a week loss then maybe that's too big of a jump for you. People don't realize how much they've been eating until they have to start logging everything. Then the bells start to go off and you figure out...wow, that pkg of cookies was like 6 servings...OMG so a lot of us are probably used to eating well over 2-3000 calories a day and now we're asking our body to function on 1200? You'll never get used to that. Consider less of a loss at first to slowly decrease your calories. As you lose your body will need less just to function so it will adjust accordingly.

Wolfena

In my case? Never.

I don't care how much low calorie, high fiber, high protein, bigger quantity with healthier nutrition yada yada yada - I ALWAYS want to eat more, and the unhealthy stuff.

I just can't or don't let myself do it (most of the time) I always feel like I am hungry and can easily eat more - it's been almost 5 years since I started this healthier eating change and I'm still not used to it.

Thanks for keeping it real with me! And you're doing something right, if you've lost that much weight! Way to go. Any advice? I'm looking to lose 50 lbs how long did it take you?

I started in early June 2006 and hit my goal around Thanksgiving 2006, so 5.5 months.
-went from 208-148 (then down to 138, back up to 161, down to 144.5 and now back up to 152.5, working my way back down again!)


My advice is just stick to it.... even if you have a bad day, week, month or even few months - don't give up forever.

iamhealingmyself

Mindset is important too. If you just want to shed a few pounds on a diet and then go back to what you were doing, you'll never adjust or keep it off for long. If you set your mind to making better choices, eating whole foods, less chemicals, more fiber, etc. then you are making changes that will stick with you and will become 2nd nature after awhile. You're also setting a good example for your family. Don't impose the calorie restrictions on them but why can't everyone eat the same meal? Healthy eating isn't just for those on a diet.

angief26

It took me about two weeks, but i still have days when i want to eat more. I started taking a vitamin/iron supplement and that really helped with the tiredness.
Remember if u feel hungry u probably need to eat...get some low fat healthy/filling snacks in to take the edge off. X


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

outersoul

It took me a while to get used to eating better and not feeling so hungry. Now if I don't eat regularly I feel hungry. At this point I eat up to 6 times a day. I have your usual breakfast, lunch, and dinner but I snack in between on protein shakes and fresh fruit. That tends to keep me full and fueled all day.

I think others have said it, but the quality of the calories count.

disneyval

HI! I think it takes a while to used to eating less. I've read that your body actually gets very used to being fed at certain times and you'll notice that if you snack at the same time each day, you'll get hungry at that time. (My hungry time is 4pm - just after work!) Habits are so hard to break but stick with it! I'm on 1200 calories a day but earn more with exercise. I eat every one, too!

Again, try eating only whole wheat grains. They fill you up and stay with you for a long time. Eat some fat with every meal - 1/2 tablespoon of butter, a dozen nuts, real mayo - stuff like that. I've also noticed that soup really fills me up. Which is weird b/c it seems like mostly water.

You must be tall (or just young!) if you get 1800 calories a day. (: I think there's a place on this site where you can adjust your calories to lose more. Keep with it - it's so worth it. Valerie

cjwolfjen

You must be tall (or just young!) if you get 1800 calories a day. (: I think there's a place on this site where you can adjust your calories to lose more. Keep with it - it's so worth it. Valerie

I am 5'9 and 26 years old. Thank GOD I am tall so I've always carried my extra weight pretty well... still no excuse for it. I'm ready to be rid of it. I'm realistic though. It will be a few years of this lifestyle before I'm thin like my high school days. Right now I'm aiming for 25 lbs lost for my vegas trip in August!!!!