how do you deal with the hunger?

TrishJimenez

I am usually ok for a few days dealing with mild to moderate hunger and eating healthy foods several times a day where I feel full after a meal and not to hungry when I go to sleep. But usually about every 3 days it builds up and I get to the point where I feel like i will eat my right arm off and maybe even half my leg. You know that STARVING feeling. And you eat what you planed and your stomach is full but your stomach and body is saying 'I know you just fed me and there is food in my stomach, but I just want to let you know that isnt going to cut it. We need some REAL food." This isnt a stomach growling thing. This is the body saying it needs calories. I tell myself this is when the body starts going for the fat stores. Right? Or do you give yourself another little snack? This isnt a craving thing. This is like where you start looking around and asking yourself if any random thing is edible.

Oh and this is not a recent phenom on cuz I know the first thing some of you are going to do is go look at my food diary and I know that yesterday was completely off, even the last few weeks and I didnt make good choices last night. The past month has actually been tough due to dealing with a clinical depression and going on antidepressants. But I am back on track today and wondering how to avoid this issue in the future or if it is just going to be a fact of life during weight loss?

_eislek_

When I'm hungry I eat. Even if I'll go over my calories. That's probably not very helpful, but just the honest truth!

LosingTheWeight2014

I get that same feeling once or twice a month. As a matter of fact, today was one of those days. I even pulled up the Pizza Hut website, had my credit card out and then decided...I'm not really hungry, I'm bored!

I find unfortunately due to being bored I get that feeling, so I try to keep myself busy, find something to do.

infamousmk

I'm almost never ever 'hungry'. It looks like you don't have your diary open to view, so you should mention a little bit about what you're eating.

I always try to eat a protein, carb, and fiber every time I eat. I also graze, almost never having a full meal. So, I have breakfast and snack on it from 8-10am while I work. A couple hours later I'll start nibbling on my lunch, then I'll have a small snack about an hour before I leave work. This really works for me to not get so hungry that I go nuts and try eating everything in sight. However, on days that I feel more hungry and I truly want to eat a lot, I will eat. I listen to my body and I'm giving it proper nutrition and it's still telling me it needs more food, I do as it says. Happens maybe once or twice a month, I'd say, and not always in connection with hormones, either.

Hope228

I'm going to be watching this thread.. I think this applies to many of us. For me I usually have a rice cake with a teaspoon of Better than peanut butter and a glass of Ice water. That usually helps.
If it persists I brush my teeth.

sugarbone

I am literally never hungry now that I started MFP! I eat way healthier since I'm being held accountable for my food and I can visually see if I've been doing bad. Healthy food is not dense in calories at all so I'm full every meal :-)

dad106

I think it's a fact of weight loss. I know exactly what you mean.. I just ate a bunch of healthy food, but it's not cutting it. My body wants the sugar, fat and fried stuff.

How I combat this is(and this may sound nuts) to eat the bad stuff for my next meal. If my body wants a hamburger, then thats what it gets.. does it get the bun and fries? No. My body may get half a bun and half to a quarter order of small fries, but it will never have a full on hamburger and french fries. I also exercise, so there is room in my calories.

I also think about what I really want... and then have a small amount of that item. Normally, that small amount is enough to satisfy my "real" food craving, and doesn't make me go over my calories by a ton.

newmeat30

You shouldn't feel like you are STARVING. If you are, your body is trying to tell you something...EAT! How many calories are you eating and how many are you working out? Is your calorie goal set too low? Are your NET calories at least 1200 and are you eating back ALL/MOST of your exercise calories? Also, are the foods that your are eating "good" choices or are they "junk"? Sorry for all of the questions, but those are what comes to my mind if you feel like you are starving.

I'm not an "expert" by any means, but I feel like I've learned a lot in the time that I have been here. I eat 6-7 times a day, usually every 3 hours or so, I always eat back my exercise calories, and I *try* to eat a balanced diet. I find that eating meal that have a good balance of fiber/carbs/protein etc fill me up and keep me feeling satisfied. (My fav is vita-top, 5-6 oz of strawberries, 0.5-1.0 oz of cheese, and low sodium deli meat)

theberg

Big glass of water. If that doesn't curb the hunger then I must actually be hungry and salad works well for that. You can eat lots of it without killing your calorie counts

NoAdditives

The only time I was hungry was when my calorie goal was set too low. If you're eating enough calories every day (including exercise calories) and are eating healthy foods there is no reason you should feel hungry. I eat three regular meals plus two to three snacks most days. I eat almost no junk foods so I really get the most out of my calories.

My only suggestion is that you open your food diary so that we can make suggestions based off your eating habits.

nthnglsts

A Natures Valley Dark Chocolate trail mix bar or any of their bars that you like with a glass of cool water knocks out hunger for me and I always keep fudgesicles (look for 90 calorie supermarket brands) or 100 calorie Klondike bars in the fridge for that after dinner before bed craving. Keep grapes and cherries in the fridge and amazingly 20 tiny pistachios will stop that need to put everything in my mouth when I get home from work or exercise Keep 60-100 calorie portions of fruits and nuts handy and pre-measured to snack on and also I divide my snacks so that they equal 1/4 of my daily calories. Sitting down to see a movie and craving buttery popcorn? Try a veggie tray with some low cal ranch dressing or if sweet is your thing, a bowl of large strawberries with melted very dark chocolate. You get crunch and taste and no calories to speak of. I agree, eat when you are hungry but the trick is to have those little filling portions handy. I was amazed when I started here, to realize that all those handfuls of hershey's kisses or bite sized candies and between meal snacks of cheese and crackers I ate on impulse and out of boredom added up to so much.

Sharon009

I have this feeling quite often. I have problems with my blood sugar so I need to eat more protein and less carbs and that includes fruit. This could be the case with you. I dont follow the alloted carbs on mfp at all. I also eat lots of snacks. Not sure if this is your problem or not but if I eat a large meal high in carbs I will be hungry shortly.

Sharon009

All nuts and peanut butter are good.

LifeChanged1209

copius amounts of water with mio!!

nthnglsts

I do want to say that once a week I go ahead and make a bad choice, like 2 slices of pizza, but I'm learning to choose thin crust, extra sauce and light cheese with tons of veggies and meat if I want it. The other posters are right, every so often your body just tells you to EAT and when that happens, listen to your body---you will see by my diary, I go over sometimes. For example, I am not going to miss my own birthday cake!:smooched: You can't be perfect all the time but being good 80 or 90% is better than before you came here if you are anything like me!

val071418

As long as all your other things are in check, I would go for a short run or do some workout. I feel the same way VERY often. I am always hungry. It just doesnt go away for me. The other day I had eaten almost all my calories shortly after lunch and was thinking what a horrible day this was going to end up being. As I became hungry again I went and ran on the treadmill for 20 min, and did a little strength training. Not only did I open up some calories for the rest of the day I wasn't that hungry anymore and was able to make it to dinner and ended up staying under my 1410 caloric goal!! And as someone else said water. I drink 4-5 liters of water a day to try to curb my appetite!! Good luck!! Let me know if you find anything else that works!! Willing to try most anything to not feel hungry!! lol

TrishJimenez

I'm almost never ever 'hungry'. It looks like you don't have your diary open to view, so you should mention a little bit about what you're eating.

I always try to eat a protein, carb, and fiber every time I eat. I also graze, almost never having a full meal. So, I have breakfast and snack on it from 8-10am while I work. A couple hours later I'll start nibbling on my lunch, then I'll have a small snack about an hour before I leave work. This really works for me to not get so hungry that I go nuts and try eating everything in sight. However, on days that I feel more hungry and I truly want to eat a lot, I will eat. I listen to my body and I'm giving it proper nutrition and it's still telling me it needs more food, I do as it says. Happens maybe once or twice a month, I'd say, and not always in connection with hormones, either.

I thought my diary was open to view but maybe it is only to friends. I will check it out. Here is typical day before I fell off track last month

Breakfast
1/2 cup of rolled oats (the kind you have to boil for 5 mins) cooked with
1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of 2 percent milk (the milk is to make it creamy so I dont miss the butter and 2% cuz thats what I buy my kids and cant afford to buy a lot of seperate stuff just for me)
dash of salt and 1 tsp of brown sugar to sweeten
with coffee around 350 cals

My alternate breakfast is 2 eggs over medium with olive oil layed over a slice of 100 whole wheat bread and a piece of fruit
I also have a cup of coffee with 3 tsps of flavored creamer
total calories is usually around 250 cals

I works as a server so I dont get to sit down and eat a lunch I have to "graze" for 4-7 hours on my shift so I pack a piece of fruit, usually a banana/peach/orange along with a serving of almonds and a piece of string cheese. This is basically my lunch and keeps me from eating the free bread and butter or eating french fries or cream based soups that used to be how I got thru a shift.

Dinner I either pack a sandwich of lean ham, lettuce, tom slice of cheese on 100 whole wheat bread and half a tbls of mayo. And a fat free yogurt this makes me SUPER full and I either go home or too the gym. If I go to the gym I get a protein shake after my work out. and have another snack like edamame or steamed broccoli when I get home bcuz I usually aim to burn between 500-750 calories at the gym and I try to eat most of them back.

Most days I go over a little on protein but I weight train and dont want to loose muscle usually every few days I will have a day where I go over on carbs instead. But I try to keep most of my carbs whole grain.

poloplayer76

I am also battling to lose. Also on antidepressants and they make you crave sugars and make me continually hungry. Can you lose on antidepressants????

poloplayer76

how did you lose so much weight soooo quickly???? wow

kanonxbou47

If you're hungry, I'd say your body needs food. Try eating more food, but more low-calorie food. And drink water.

significance

When I'm a little hungry, I try to ignore it, thinking "good: that means I'm burning fat."
When I'm very hungry, I eat something, bringing forward a snack intended for later in the day, or finding some time to do more exercise than planned to increase my calorie allowance.
When I'm starving in the way you describe, it means one of two things:
1) I'm in my first week back on the diet after letting my body get used to too much rich food again; or
2) I haven't been eating enough - perhaps I did much more exercise than usual the day before and didn't "eat back" my calories, or perhaps I've done no exercise so my allowance is at its minimum and I've unwisely used some of that for sugar.

unsuspectingfish

Five month in to clean eating, I rarely ever have those extreme hunger moments, anymore, and then only when I'm seriously sleep deprived or I forget to eat. I have 3 meals and 3 snacks almost every day. If I'm still really hungry I either have extra yogurt with dinner or a spoonful of peanut butter.

ashesoh1234

When I'm hungry, I eat! I figure my body is telling me it wants some nutrition! I've lost 40 lbs in the past 14 weeks, so something is working. I'm active and I eat pretty well. Everything in moderation works for me. But, bottom line, if I'm truly hungry - not bored, or thirsty, or stressed, or angry, or sad - but actually hungry, I eat!

KHaverstick

I used to get that way when I'd try to "diet." I was actually eating too little, and also not necessarily the right kinds of things--not that I was eating "junk," but I wasn't focusing on eating things that kept me feeling satisfied in the long run. I have found that snacking between meals really helps me out. And my between-meal snacks are usually high in protein, which will help me stay satisfied longer than a carb snack. I don't usually have fruit or veggies for a snack, unless I'm combining them with something like peanut butter, hummus, cheese, nuts, etc. For me, eating a piece of fruit alone will leave me hungry soon after, since it will cause a blood sugar spike and then crash (which makes me feel hungry). That's why I always try to eat some protein with my snacks, to help even out the blood sugar and minimize that feeling of needing to eat my arm because I'm so hungry. Honestly, I am rarely hungry these days. And when I do get hungry, I eat. I also plan to eat something every 2-3 hours.

tickletickle

Protein foods and Water! We all have those naughty cravings though, i treat myself a couple of bits f something instead of a whole thing, you cant always go without!

tkacomet

in my experience: eat way more often. always include protein and healthy fats. evaluate if you're feeling emotional or tired. keep really yummy herbal teas around. also keep around the stuff to make a healthy "quick fix" - mine is almond butter with some hot cocoa powder and coconut flakes mixed in. sounds a little goopy but it's delicious and filling and nutritious and hits the sweet spot.

I have discovered that when I hit that voracious place, the last thing I want is fruit or a salad. so keep string cheese handy, just one for a quick fix, and THEN eat your salad. you WILL fill up, you WILL feel better, your brain just thinks you wont be happy without PIZZA NOW. so a quick little tiny something to shut up that inner scream and then EAT but make it something healthy.

I'm also a true believer in hot spicy soups. very little cals, lots of hydration, and it satisfies that inner screamer.

Rachaelluvszipped

Well, I had one severe bout of OMG...I am soooo RAVENOUS...and what I realized I had to eat super slow...but I also, realized my ABSOLUTE LOVE of SILK DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK! And that sooooo helps me, kills the hunger and craving! only 120 cals a cup! I so have it in stock now..haha..I try to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks or mini meals..so I am not hungry every second of the day..Hope this helps :flowerforyou:

NoAdditives

I'm almost never ever 'hungry'. It looks like you don't have your diary open to view, so you should mention a little bit about what you're eating.

I always try to eat a protein, carb, and fiber every time I eat. I also graze, almost never having a full meal. So, I have breakfast and snack on it from 8-10am while I work. A couple hours later I'll start nibbling on my lunch, then I'll have a small snack about an hour before I leave work. This really works for me to not get so hungry that I go nuts and try eating everything in sight. However, on days that I feel more hungry and I truly want to eat a lot, I will eat. I listen to my body and I'm giving it proper nutrition and it's still telling me it needs more food, I do as it says. Happens maybe once or twice a month, I'd say, and not always in connection with hormones, either.

I thought my diary was open to view but maybe it is only to friends. I will check it out. Here is typical day before I fell off track last month

Breakfast
1/2 cup of rolled oats (the kind you have to boil for 5 mins) cooked with
1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of 2 percent milk (the milk is to make it creamy so I dont miss the butter and 2% cuz thats what I buy my kids and cant afford to buy a lot of seperate stuff just for me)
dash of salt and 1 tsp of brown sugar to sweeten
with coffee around 350 cals

My alternate breakfast is 2 eggs over medium with olive oil layed over a slice of 100 whole wheat bread and a piece of fruit
I also have a cup of coffee with 3 tsps of flavored creamer
total calories is usually around 250 cals

I works as a server so I dont get to sit down and eat a lunch I have to "graze" for 4-7 hours on my shift so I pack a piece of fruit, usually a banana/peach/orange along with a serving of almonds and a piece of string cheese. This is basically my lunch and keeps me from eating the free bread and butter or eating french fries or cream based soups that used to be how I got thru a shift.

Dinner I either pack a sandwich of lean ham, lettuce, tom slice of cheese on 100 whole wheat bread and half a tbls of mayo. And a fat free yogurt this makes me SUPER full and I either go home or too the gym. If I go to the gym I get a protein shake after my work out. and have another snack like edamame or steamed broccoli when I get home bcuz I usually aim to burn between 500-750 calories at the gym and I try to eat most of them back.

Most days I go over a little on protein but I weight train and dont want to loose muscle usually every few days I will have a day where I go over on carbs instead. But I try to keep most of my carbs whole grain.

It sounds like you aren't eating enough throughout the day. Your breakfast should be bigger, mine is always around 400-500 calories. Your "lunch" should also be bigger, bring more foods that you can snack on. Going over on protein is fine, on days I'd go to the gym I would get almost twice my MFP protein recommendation. Bottom line, you need to eat more calories and eat more frequently. Your body is telling you what it needs, you should listen.

lmelangley

I'm there. When I have those days, I often try to eat a little something more that's healthy, but it never satisfies me. I've found that if I feel I need something, I need to determine what that something is and get it. Just a small serving is usually enough. If I don't do that, I start munching. And those munching calories add up quickly, even if they're "healthy" food.

TrishJimenez

Its almost always 1200 calories unless I go to the gym then the protein shake is 300? and then I eat the rest when I get home. I always net 1200 everyone once in awhile I dont get all my exercise calories in but I usually make up for it the next day.

TrishJimenez

I am going to try that! Sounds awesome. Maybe even use it to make my oatmeal in the morning. Or like you said as a snack.