Apprehensive about losing weight because ...

Hadenuf

Have a question for all of you out there. When you lost weight and reduced your caloric intake, did you find that you were hungry all the time? Right now I'm at 1510 calories a day and on the days that I don't exercise, I can get quite hungry. I'm just thinking, if I continue on losing weight and my caloric intake say gets down to 1200/day, I'm going to be one starving girl! OR ... does your stomach shrink so much that when you eat, you get full easier? Just wondering about your experiences with a reduced caloric intake and hunger ... THANKS


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melaniecheeks

I was hungry fro a week or so, but then I think your stomach adapts to the new intake of food it expects. I'm rarely hungry these days, except when I miss a meal (which only ever happens by accident, I love my food!)

LorinaLynn

I probably eat MORE in volume than I did before, but since it's healthier food, it's lower in calories.

I mean, I could have a 350 calorie lean cuisine, or stir fry my own veggies and some pasta, and eat a lot more for the same amount of calories, with a lot less sodium.

Purple_Orchid_87

my over-eating led to my stomach being 3 times bigger than it should have been
this meant more food was needed to feel full
i never drank any water

my diet - the first week was hard, but i used yoghurts and lots of water to fill my stomach

i do think my stomach is going to shrink, and then it will be back to how it should be

LorinaLynn

Plus, the smaller you get, the less calories your body NEEDS to fuel itself. And as you get closer to your goal, you should up your calories some to aim for a half pound loss a week.

BamBam1113

When I was pre-MFP, I was eating 3 times a day, but consuming about 5,000-6,000 calories. I was hungry all the time. Now, I rarely meet my 2,000 calorie target (always under) and I eat 6-8 times a day and I'm never hungry. It took about a week to get used to it though. You can do it!

moranimal

Don't let yourself get hungry. You should be putting something in your stomach every couple of hours. Whole foods are low in calories will make you feel full so fill up on the meats and veggies and don't forget your water.

kylakesgal

My calorie defecit is 1200 calories and when I first started, I actually had a problem reaching that and was under on most days. The last few weeks though, I'm more hungry and eat around 1300 calories a day so I have to exercise to earn more calories lol. I think it does take awhile to get adjusted to the calorie limits plus the healthier eating habits. I eat 3 smaller meals a day and at least 2 snacks which keeps me from starving. I'm about 70 days into this program and I think my body is finally getting adjusted to this change. A high fiber diet with good lean protein helps a lot to keep you fuller longer. I love greek yogurt which has like 10 grams of protein for the brand I eat (athenos) and love making protein shakes with almond milk, yum:) Good luck to you!!

MelissaL582

Since starting MFP, it feels like I'm always hungry but being on this site has helped me to eat healthy. Before MFP, I would probably consume about 3000-4000 if I was lucky. Anything in site that looked yummy, I ate. Now when I get hungry, I'll tell myself that I can't eat something because that would mean another hour of working out or I would go way over in sodium. Instead, I'll eat some fruit, drink more water or chew on some gum to help.

brityn

Making wise food choices gives you a lot more food for a lot less calories. Right now I'm trying to triple my veggie intake. Example: if I want steak and potato dinner I cook a 3 oz. steak and bake a small potato then load up the grilled veggies and have a big salad. I make myself eat all the vegetables first then the steak and potato. Normally I wouldn't be satisfied with such a small portion of carbs and meat, but since I filled up on the veggies I was more than satisfied to finish off the meal with something delicious. You can still eat the stuff you crave, just cut back on the naughty stuff and load up on the good stuff

cocollections

I'm male and 200 lbs. I also have 1510 calories per day and find that I only use 1200. Now that my stomach has shrunk I find that I'm rarely hungry. I also found that if I had a hunger pang getting busy with something got my mind off of it. I lost 35 lbs since I started in mid January. Hang in there, you can do it.

ccrawshaw

LorinaLynn is right. As you settle into your new eating habits, you will find foods that you didn't think twice about before. Foods that are much, much healthier and will help you feel full for longer with fewer calories. You also will find new cooking techniques that will help with this also.

A tip that I have learned is to watch your fiber and protein consumption. Both of these will help you feel full longer and come in a variety of forms that are very weight-loss friendly.

I wouldn't sweat it. As you do this longer, you will find new habits that make it seem almost easy some days. Those days that it's impossible will still happen (I mean it's life, right?), but as long as they are few and far between, you will be successful!

jamielise2

I agree. Eat smaller meals of healthier food. I'm eating something small about every 2 hours. Also, be sure you're eating lots of whole grains and protein - especially in the morning.

olyrose

I find that the more I pay attention to the quality of my food, the more I have to eat! It's those typically bad foods that are packed with calories for little amounts. Good foods take a while to build up the calories and keep you full longer.

iamhealingmyself

Your hunger level will depend on how many calories you were eating before you started counting and the foods you're selecting now. Changing your carb choices to whole grains, adding more fiber and proteins will help you feel fuller longer. It could be that your weekly loss goal is set too high. It might be to your benefit, at least for now, to change your setting to a lower goal to give yourself a few more calories.

JoyceJoanne

Making wise food choices gives you a lot more food for a lot less calories. Right now I'm trying to triple my veggie intake. Example: if I want steak and potato dinner I cook a 3 oz. steak and bake a small potato then load up the grilled veggies and have a big salad. I make myself eat all the vegetables first then the steak and potato. Normally I wouldn't be satisfied with such a small portion of carbs and meat, but since I filled up on the veggies I was more than satisfied to finish off the meal with something delicious. You can still eat the stuff you crave, just cut back on the naughty stuff and load up on the good stuff

I try to do this too. Even if I don't want the salad and veggies (rare these days) I stuff them in first, by the time I get to the 'good' stuff I am already starting to feel satisfied. Plus then, I savor every bite so that my brain gets the message easier/quicker.

Good luck!