Do you feel hungry when dieting?

CarolynKlum

Well, etymologically speaking, the word diet means the food you eat. That's all. We're all on diets because we eat food. Any negative or positive connotations with the word are simply a reflection of the person, not the word.

KSpiked

I feel hungry in the morning and hungry after a long workout. But mostly the rest of the day is just mild hunger before every meal time. Kinda lets you know the old metab is working. Food is a utility to me for the most part though. So sometimes have to go ahead and get something down even if my head is not telling me to eat.

arcticbutterfly

Just increase your protein. That will help you feel full longer. : )

esjaygee

Amazingly I almost never seem to be hungry since I changed the foods I ate in January. I use to be plagued by the late night munchies and thankfully they've stayed at bay so far. I suppose eliminating a lot of foods with white flour and eating a boatload of fiber every day helps a lot. Every time I "dieted" in the past it always seemed like a test of will power as the hunger was always there and eventually I'd give in.

mwcraig34

Last thing I'm saying here 'cos the thread be derailed.

Your right SORRY to the OP!!! Last for me too!

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

It happened to me too in the beginning because my stomach was used to eating large amounts of food until I learned how to eat properly without sacrificing your tastebuds or your stomach. See if you put it another way, its all psychological. First of all we must understand the true meaning of the word "diet", its DIET = EATING SENSIBLY WITH THE RIGHT FOODS. Now there's no such thing as good & bad food but there is a thing as quality foods such as those rich in protein, fiber, omega 3, vitamins & minerals, etc. However the problem with most of us when dieting is we tend to eliminate certain food groups, be it carbs or fat, so which explains why we go hungry faster or the phrase "I have been dieting but still didn't lose anything". Because our body is telling us that it need more nourishment. I'm by no means an expert or a nutritionist but I'm talking about experiences.

So eating quality foods rich in protein, fiber & good fats such as omega 3 will help you feel fuller longer.

fitforlife34

Normally i eat well. But as soon as i get in a diet, although im eating a good amount of calories, i feel always hungry. Think its more psychological than physic.

I think that everyone on this thread is addressing the physical issue, and the word "diet" not being the right word. However, not addressing what you said earlier, that it's more psycholgoical. I agree, for me, sometimes I'll keep eating even whenI'm not hungry. Just because it tastes good. That's why I don't keep yummy stuff like pasta, burritos, etc etc in my apartment. I noticed that if I stock my kitchen with healthy vegetables, fruits, etc I don't overeat, because psychologically my mind wants to grab something fattning, but I have nothing to grab! It's not as appealing, for some people, to overeat on vegetables, as say, potato chips.

Also, one thing I am going to stop doing is eating in front of the TV. it has become my habit. And they were talking on Anderson Cooper about how we will just be stuffin our mouths without enjoying our food. They said we should eat a bite, then put our fork down. etc. It's called "mindful eating."

So yeah, wish I could write more, but out of time. But I am here for you to support you. It's so super hard, I feel ya!!

freckledrats

I found I was really hungry in the first week or two, but after that I was more used to it and only a tolerable level of hungry within the hour before I am supposed to eat again. No big. You just get mentally and physically used to a certain amount of calories and your body signals for what it's used to getting, at least in my case.

vivekg

I've noticed this a lot when I actually got a lot serious about making healthy changes that chewing your food slowly can realllly help you lose those cravings. Its like tricking your mind into thinking your always eating when your really not. I just sit and chew on my snacks like almonds or peanuts for a long time and i realize ive eaten half as much then before. Don't know if this works for everyone but it sure works for me

Jules2Be

i know i am not alone in this, but i am or THINK i am hungry all the time...the reason may be actual hunger but its also when i am sad,happy,mad,avoiding something i dont want to do, etc.

pukekolive

Try upping your protein intake with healthy lean protein or nuts - I almost never feel hungry unless I have been eating more (refined) sugar which sets off cravings - keep your blood sugar levels even with low GI carbs and fruit and you should be fine

buzzcogs

I'm hungry a lot and often feel weak or light-headed. I attribute this to the fact that I'm losing weight. If losing weight was "comfortable" it would be easy. Nature doesn't like it when we lose weight it tries to "trick" us into eating, therefore feel crappy when dieting! ;-)
I figure it's not going to kill me to feel hungry and to get used to it. As long as you are eating healthy just figure you are losing weight when you feel hungry and you will feel better about it.
It's been proven that people with sedentary "thinking" jobs crave carbs (which help the brain). If you have a job like that, that may be another reason you feel hungry. When I had a more physical, moving job I would actually not feel hungry as much.
I drink a cup of green tea slowly and it helps kill the "hungries"
Good luck!

SalishSea

I felt more hungry all the time when I was eating in my old ways. I would be hungry every two hours because of the spikes in my blood sugar.

Now that I am trying to make my eating more compatible with a healthy and slender life I don't get as hungry. I still can be very hungry at times. Just not in the same way.

When I am hungry now I find myself in a quandary. Do I eat my meal now and not have enough calories for when I am hungry later in the day? Or do I push thru this hunger so I can eat later in the day which will satisfy me until dinner? Decisions, decisions!!!

I know a hungry person does not make a slender person. My weight loss coach tells me you have to eat to lose weight. The key is eating the right thing. Most often that is protein.

I hate being hungry. I lose focus and control. When I am hungry is when I make terrible, sabotaging choices. Trying to stay satisfied with foods that fit into my calorie allowance will be a challenge for the rest of my life. I am not alone in this challenge, most slender and fit people deal with this everyday too.

I bought some shirataki noodles today. I am going to dry-fry them. I hear that is the way to cook them. I am hoping these noodles can be part of my arsenal to avoid hunger yet stay satisfied.

Tajdancer

I definitely do! The healthier I eat, the hungrier I am. It's very annoying b/c I hate feeling hungry ;(

Then I would suggest you aren't eating enough. Just mho. I eat healthy, and if I'm hungry, I eat more healthy. Hence: never hungry.

Shirvona

I usually feel like I am starving even though I can physically feel that I am full, and then would break down and eat something anything (chips, chocolate, soda, cookies, etc) that would make the starving feeling go away so I could continue my day without feeling awful. I had to change it, so this is what I do most days and I don't get that bad "starving although I am full" feeling:

Start right from the time that you wake up:
-Smoothie (I usually have a green smoothie, something with leafy vegetables w/fruit and yogurt) (250-350 cal)
-Do my workout for the day
-grab raw veggies and fruits put on a platter/bowel, with some raw almonds, couple slices of turkey/chicken/ham and a bottle of water (I keep the veggies and fruits in portioned out baggies in the fridge to help keep them more convenient to grab, especially if I got to go) (about 350-500 cal)
-put them where I am going to be walking by the a million times a day or if I am not moving around a lot the I put them in arms reach of where I am sitting and munch out all afternoon(10am to an hour or so before supper)
-have a normal meal for supper (if I make it then it is usually around 350 – 500 cal, if my husband makes it then it is load with salt)
-go for a walk for 15min to an hour
-get ready for bed
-go to sleep

I feel full all day because I am eating all day; if I finish my platter then I just go and grab more veggies. Also I never feel like eating a full plate of food at supper, just enough for the rest of the night. If I want dessert then in my freezer I have fat free yogurt pops.

I don’t usually eat an all of my exercise calories; I usually leave them as a buffer, so that I am never over. I am never usually too much under.

ashnm88

That's the problem. People do these "diets" instead of changing the lifestyle to a healthier one.

jpfost

I eat like 6 times a day, I am full all day long.

albinogorilla

double post delete........

BPayton27

I don't diet. The minute I start thinking "diet," I panic. I am hungry and miserable ALL DAY. It definitely is a mind game. Really though, don't think of it as a diet. I still eat unhealthy foods from time to time, but it is in MODERATION. I eat a lot less than I once did and work out 5-6x a week. If I went organic or restricted myself from certain foods I would not continue to lose. For me, that causes binging.

If you're feeling hungry, maybe your weight loss per week goal is too ambitious right now. More protein and water will help!

albinogorilla

Why do we always get so caught up on the verbiage? This person is looking for help and it never fails that people will always pick a part the word diet! If you are hungry it maybe because you are having withdrawals from certain foods! Your body has to get use to eating health foods and once it does it will be satisfied with them and it wont crave the quick fix of poor food choices! Or not I just made that up off the top of my head!!!!

Because people need to make a distinction. Dieting is restriction - a form of punishment and not something you want to sustain. A positive lifestyle change on the other hand is about balance, control and learning to respect your body for the rest of your life. A positive lifestyle change is a permenant fix.

well eating at a deficit is a restriction.........a punishment if you will for eating too much for too long..............lifesyle change refers to eating healthier, not eating a a deficit (which most people on here are) for the rest of their lives..........so i think calling it a diet is fine..............you are restricting your calories to undo the damage you have done.........but you won't eat at a deficit forever.........at least i would hope not.............

side note, been here over 300 days, and have been hungry everyday..........