Lowering calorie intake without being hungry all the time?

merica821

Hi, I'm trying to lose weight by lowering my caloric intake and being more active. Before deciding to be more healthy, I counted my calories for just over a week, and I consume ~2,300 every day. (I'm a 5'7" girl). I would like to reduce that number, but I've found it quite difficult.

I've been eating pretty healthy (I eat either oatmeal or hard boiled eggs for breakfast, tons of fruits and veggies, no fried foods, etc), but I've found that even though my food choices are healthier, I'm still eating the same amount of calories. Whenever I try to get down to the 1,600-1,800 range, I feel deprived. I've tried drinking more water and eating more 'filling' foods, but no more than a couple of hours later, I'm hungry again.

Please help?

jweymann

i have the same problem!
i have to eat breakfast before 0630 andim STARVING by lunch.
recently ive been drinking protein for breakfast.
yeah it has quite a bit of calories, but you start off with protein and it really keeps me full.
theres plenty of yummy kinds too.
hope this helps!

Superchikanthem

I eat every 3 hours or so and I eat smaller meals it helps me from getting that starved feeling and it helps to keep my blood sugar more consistent. I to am 5 7. Instead of trying to drop suddenly to 1600-1800 calories a day try cutting back 200 cal for a week and then the next week cut back another 200 cal.

pantsdailyon

Go low carb. Since I went low carb, I struggle to get in the daily calories MFP gave me as a goal.

felicity_phillips

Drink lots of water! I always drink water (usually about 10 or 11 glasses a day) and I am always struggling to reach my daily intake goal for the day.

focus4fitness

I think it takes time to get used to it. Maybe you're going to low too fast. Your body will get used to it. But I do know what you mean, if I just try to jump into my lowest calorie level after not dieting I feel super hungry. But now I eat 1200 and feel fine. Just keep logging those calories, logging actually really does help.

kimmers1027

I am also 5'7" and eating 1250 calories a day. At first I felt hungry but now I am totally use to it and sometimes have a hard time eating the 1250. When I go grocery shopping, I check calories on everything I buy before I buy it. I eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. You can do it !! Ive been on this site about 2 1/2 weeks and it has helped me a ton. Good luck !!

bcattoes

I would suggest dropping your calories gradually. Instead of dropping from 2300 to 1600-1800, drop to 2000 for a week or two, then to 1800 and then, if you need to, drop from there. But at 5'7" you'll probably lose at a good rate with 1800 calories.

Dropping 200-300 calories from your diet is going to be less noticable than 500-700.

callady10

I am 5'5". In January I weighed in at 212 lbs. I started eating natural whole foods only and cut out all unnatural sugar. No processed foods either. I eat 6 meals a day and drink about 130 oz of water a day. I eat roughly 1600-2000 calories a day and have lost 31 lbs since January 9th. It's all about the choices in your food.

Number one...ditch artificial sweeteners and sugars. That means also ditching all diet drinks, fruit juices, sweetened teas, etc. Empy calories right there.

Secondly, eat a protein at every meal. If you are eating fruits or veggies by themselves you will spike your blood sugar and you will be hungry shortly after. Throw in a handful of almonds and you're set.

Thirdly, add some resistance training to your workouts. It's a proven fact muscle burns fat. the more muscle you build, the more fat you burn.

Last but not least.....DO NOT CUT CALORIES below 1400 unless you are morbidly obese and can't walk.....your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to weight. Do some research on how Sumo Wrestlers gain their weight....they don't eat!!!
And give it at least 4 wks for your metabolism to kick in.

myfitnessnmhoy

Hi, I'm trying to lose weight by lowering my caloric intake and being more active. Before deciding to be more healthy, I counted my calories for just over a week, and I consume ~2,300 every day. (I'm a 5'7" girl). I would like to reduce that number, but I've found it quite difficult.

I've been eating pretty healthy (I eat either oatmeal or hard boiled eggs for breakfast, tons of fruits and veggies, no fried foods, etc), but I've found that even though my food choices are healthier, I'm still eating the same amount of calories. Whenever I try to get down to the 1,600-1,800 range, I feel deprived. I've tried drinking more water and eating more 'filling' foods, but no more than a couple of hours later, I'm hungry again.

Please help?

Here's what I did, your mileage may vary.

- I start eating "lunch" around 10:30-11 when I start getting hungry. I eat little bits at at time, and pretty much snack once an hour most of the day. I pack my lunch, so I can focus on having the calories available I need to get through the day.
- I started tracking all the components of calories (fats, proteins, and carbs). Carbs (the oatmeal and fruits you mention) made up too much of a percentage of my diet, and I wasn't eating foods that satisfied hunger and KEPT IT SATISFIED for any length of time. I cut out some fruit from my diet and added some fats and proteins, and I'm a lot less hungry now.
- Exercise = extra food you can eat. I upped my workouts so I could afford bigger suppers.

Here's my regular diet:
- Breakfast: One-half bagel with cream cheese, coffee, 2 fish-oil pills (my wife is into that sort of thing, it's only 25 calories). The carbs in the bagel get me going, the fats and proteins in the cream cheese give the small breakfast some lasting power.
- First hungries 10-11AM: Half a wheat tortilla with turkey, cheese, and mustard. Has some fats, proteins, and a few carbs.
- +1 hour: The other half of the wrap.
- Lunch-ish: Workout for 30-45 minutes minimum, followed by a banana (sugars + potassium, great recovery food).
- + 1/2 hour: 1/8 cup mix of sesame sticks, almonds, walnuts. Big quart bag full of veggies.
- Afternoon snackies: 1 apple and 1 piece of citrus.

Supper is whatever I can "afford" with my remaining calories. With a light/no workout day, it's a sparse meal focused on proteins and fats that keep me satisfied overnight. With a moderate/heavy workout day, it includes a glass or two of wine, and maybe a few dark chocolate chips for dessert. On a cycling day when I've had more than 2 hours in the saddle, it's a big meal and I still leave 1000-2000 calories uneaten.

pantsdailyon

Number one...ditch artificial sweeteners and sugars. That means also ditching all diet drinks, fruit juices, sweetened teas, etc. Empy calories right there.

I don't see how anything with zero calories can be called "empty calories."

LiddyBit

I am 5'5". In January I weighed in at 212 lbs. I started eating natural whole foods only and cut out all unnatural sugar. No processed foods either. I eat 6 meals a day and drink about 130 oz of water a day. I eat roughly 1600-2000 calories a day and have lost 31 lbs since January 9th. It's all about the choices in your food.

Number one...ditch artificial sweeteners and sugars. That means also ditching all diet drinks, fruit juices, sweetened teas, etc. Empy calories right there.

Secondly, eat a protein at every meal. If you are eating fruits or veggies by themselves you will spike your blood sugar and you will be hungry shortly after. Throw in a handful of almonds and you're set.

Thirdly, add some resistance training to your workouts. It's a proven fact muscle burns fat. the more muscle you build, the more fat you burn.

Last but not least.....DO NOT CUT CALORIES below 1400 unless you are morbidly obese and can't walk.....your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to weight. Do some research on how Sumo Wrestlers gain their weight....they don't eat!!!
And give it at least 4 wks for your metabolism to kick in.

Totally agree about the first part of your post (diet soda may not have calories but those sweeteners are not good for you) except, can you post a medically or scientifically verified source that says your body will go into starvation mode? I've never been able to find one. I also couldn't find that sumo wrestler diet you mentioned, it sounds very interesting. Could you post a link?

mandylooo

Increasing your protein intake is a biggie. It'll stop you feeling hungry sooner than the other macro-nutrients . Other than that choose foods which are low energy density so you can eat more of them.

Sabresgal63

I'm 5'7" and I take in around 1390 cals per day and am never hungry. I do go over now and then, but generally stay within that mark.

GURLEY_GIRL3

I starved the first 2 weeks cutting back to 1500 calories a day! but i promise it gets much better. drink lots of water and if ur stomach is growling eat a little something..wait and c if your still hungry. my fav filler was whole wheat tortilla w/ 1 tbs peanut butter and banana..i would eat half and half at snack. it really filled me up.

sherronh

what you need to do is eat foods with a low GI. Foods high in GI send a chemical signal to the brain and you get irrational feelings of hunger even if your body doesnt need anymore food.

IVe found that portion control with food that has a high GI is very difficult because it leads you to feel hungry every time even when your not

Try foods high in protein like egg whites, chicken, ect. I also like to have bowls full of steamed veggies (no oil) When I stuff myself with veggies I feel so full.

TeaBea

Make sure you are getting the most bang for your calorie buck. With fewer calories to work with, you really need to make them count.

Protein, complex carbs, healthy fats, and fiber .... ALL of these help keep you full longer. Cut out anything processed, white flour, added sugars, as much as you can.

anrebr88

When you are hungry go for something crunchy like an apple or celery for a snack. Low calories plus heatlhy for you.

In the morning I normally eat a Lara Bar (high calorie and high protein) but usually that's all I eat for breakfast and I feel fine. I've been on here about a month now and I love that it tracks exercise and foot intake. It's great and once I see what I've eaten all day I tend to do better.

auntiebabs

Nutrient Dense foods keep you full longer, I found once I started eating more "nutrient dense" foods the less I focused on eating... oddly enough I enjoy food more now...
I won't waste calories on something I don't enjoy.
I haven't banished any snack foods or treats.
I just don't over indulge like I used to and enjoy it more because it is a "treat" and eat it less often.

While proteins and fats (happy fats... plant based) appear to pack a lot of calories for the quantity you get to eat. A small amount will keep you satisfied longer. So it may be a better balance for you .

Remember BOTH sugar AND artificial sweeteners increase your appetite, i find cutting back on them makes weight loss easier, because I'm not hungry all the time. If I have a DIET COKE, no way I can keep at 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!

Food manufacturers add a lot of sugar under a lot of different unrecognizable names into products, because it's cheap and it increases your appetite, so you eat/buy more.

(I picked up a lean cuisine one evening forgot to check the sugar went to enter it to find out it had 30g of sugar, now
A) I only get 25g a day,
my favorite cookies are 9g for 15 cookies. If I'm going to eat sugar I want to enjoy a treat!!!

Prepared pasta sauces often have a lot of sugar. The brand I'd been using had 9g for a 1/2 cup serving. So I switched to plain canned tomato sauce and added my own spices, my last trip to the grocer I notice the sugar went up from 1g to 3g. I check the ingredients and now find they've added corn syrup.(grrr!). Also watch out for yogurts they're usually very high in sugar, buy plain and add a little hershey syrup or jam or cukes & dill at least YOU will be controlling your intake.)

callady10

Did you see that I also mentioned fruit juices and sweetened teas or just the diet soda part? And the diet soda is nothing more than a chemical wasteland. I'm giving advice on what works for me.....if it's not in your game plan to do that, then don't.

diddyh

I love to add sweetner to my coffee and tea. (All my drinks are mostly calorie free.) In fact I love sweets! I do find when I drink sweet things, I want more of them. For me it's kind of like eating bread or carbs. When I start, I want more. It's easier if I just say no to begin with. If I drink water, I don't really have the sweet drink craving.

callady10

I am 5'5". In January I weighed in at 212 lbs. I started eating natural whole foods only and cut out all unnatural sugar. No processed foods either. I eat 6 meals a day and drink about 130 oz of water a day. I eat roughly 1600-2000 calories a day and have lost 31 lbs since January 9th. It's all about the choices in your food.

Number one...ditch artificial sweeteners and sugars. That means also ditching all diet drinks, fruit juices, sweetened teas, etc. Empy calories right there.

Secondly, eat a protein at every meal. If you are eating fruits or veggies by themselves you will spike your blood sugar and you will be hungry shortly after. Throw in a handful of almonds and you're set.

Thirdly, add some resistance training to your workouts. It's a proven fact muscle burns fat. the more muscle you build, the more fat you burn.

Last but not least.....DO NOT CUT CALORIES below 1400 unless you are morbidly obese and can't walk.....your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to weight. Do some research on how Sumo Wrestlers gain their weight....they don't eat!!!
And give it at least 4 wks for your metabolism to kick in.

Totally agree about the first part of your post (diet soda may not have calories but those sweeteners are not good for you) except, can you post a medically or scientifically verified source that says your body will go into starvation mode? I've never been able to find one. I also couldn't find that sumo wrestler diet you mentioned, it sounds very interesting. Could you post a link?

http://www.kitchentablemedicine.com/are-you-on-the-sumo-wrestler-diet/


This shows how they skip meals to keep weight on.


http://women.webmd.com/features/boost-metabolism?page=2

This one from WebMD talks about starvation mode....if you want medical evidence....ask your Dr. I am sure they will tell you the same thing.


One thing I learned in this lifetime....and 20 years of dieting later.....keep doing the same thing and you will get the same results. All these folks cutting calories and skipping meals and guzzling down diet soda are still fat....period. I was that person 4 months ago...I changed my mind about this whole "diet" world and started feeding myself the proper fuel and poof....it works!

PayneAS

First, I would use the BMR calculator to roughly determine the minimum you should be eating daily ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator ). This number (if you don't already know) is how many calories your body consumes if you are basically in a coma. Generally you are supposed to eat above that number but below your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure which is BMR + exercise) to lose weight.

Second, it is okay to be hungry every couple of hours, if you are that kind of person. I am. I usually eat every 2 to 3 hours. My big meals (3 times a day) I try to keep at 300 calories and my small meals (4 times a day) at 150 to 200 calories. That is 1500, my BMR. Just before bed I'll eat something light (peanut butter, handful of nuts, tuna, chicken breast) to eat back part of my exercise calories. Plus it gives me the added benefit of not waking up hungry (although there are a ton of people who will argue to not eat at night, before bed, after 6, or a half dozen other theories). Find what works for you.

callady10

I'm not sure if you have a Kindle or like to read but there is a book out there by Tosca Reno called The Eat Clean Diet. It changed my life and helped me understand why all these diet mistakes I have made all these years did not work. Ok maybe they worked for a little bit...and yes I lost a little bit of weight but I always gained it back and then some.
She really helps you understand the difference between the quantity of calories and the quality of calories. I haven't counted calories in 4 months. I eat GREAT food AND I eat a ton of it.

If you are tired of doing the same old thing only to fail in the end...give something different a try

jilliew

Hi, I'm trying to lose weight by lowering my caloric intake and being more active. Before deciding to be more healthy, I counted my calories for just over a week, and I consume ~2,300 every day. (I'm a 5'7" girl). I would like to reduce that number, but I've found it quite difficult.

I've been eating pretty healthy (I eat either oatmeal or hard boiled eggs for breakfast, tons of fruits and veggies, no fried foods, etc), but I've found that even though my food choices are healthier, I'm still eating the same amount of calories. Whenever I try to get down to the 1,600-1,800 range, I feel deprived. I've tried drinking more water and eating more 'filling' foods, but no more than a couple of hours later, I'm hungry again.

Please help?

Eat lots of lean protein (chicken, fish, tofu, protein powder) - I make sure to have at least 30g with every mean, plus two snacks during the day of about 10g each.

Eat your daily reccomended intake of fiber - I think it's around 20-25g for women. It's easy to do if you're eating 2 or 3 servings of fruits and veggies.

Drink as much water as you can stand.

Eat often. I have breakfast, a snack, lunch, another snack, then supper (and sometimes another small snack if i'm working out). I find if I stick to my eating routine even if I'm not hungry yet, I never do get hungry.

This is what I do, along with about 20 min of excersize a day (at the very least), and I've lost 10 pounds in 12 weeks.

AmberLynn327

Thank you. This has been the most helpful post I have seen!

bumblebreezy91

I think maybe lowering it gradually would benefit you. Maybe decrease 50-100 calories every few days or so, so you have more than one day to adjust. You could even go week by week. 50 calories down for one week, another 50 the next, and so on. Take your time. Suddenly decreasing hasn't been working for you, so don't make it a sprint to the intake you're aiming for. It's okay to experiment with an intake range. I'm doing that. I was at 1210 calories, it was fine for a few weeks, then I started feeling deprived and I was simultaneously worried that I was starting too low (where can I go from 1200 calories when I need to decrease my intake in the future?), so I increased my intake to 1400 and now I'm seeing how 1300-1400 works for me. It used to be my perfect calorie range when I wanted to change my lifestyle a few years ago, and I also have room to bring the calories down if I ever need to (for a plateau, perhaps).

Edited for grammar error and ETA: I see someone suggested going low-carb and there's nothing wrong with that FOR THEM. A lot of people feel great after making the switch to low-carb diets, but if you're feeling deprived with 1600-1800 calories of diverse foods, I can't see how severely reducing your carb intake would benefit you as far as concerns over feelings of deprivation are concerned. You may feel you're getting enough food, but you may feel deprived of certain foods, and that's just as bad as having too low of an intake for your body.

stealthq

I am 5'5". In January I weighed in at 212 lbs. I started eating natural whole foods only and cut out all unnatural sugar. No processed foods either. I eat 6 meals a day and drink about 130 oz of water a day. I eat roughly 1600-2000 calories a day and have lost 31 lbs since January 9th. It's all about the choices in your food.

Number one...ditch artificial sweeteners and sugars. That means also ditching all diet drinks, fruit juices, sweetened teas, etc. Empy calories right there.

Secondly, eat a protein at every meal. If you are eating fruits or veggies by themselves you will spike your blood sugar and you will be hungry shortly after. Throw in a handful of almonds and you're set.

Thirdly, add some resistance training to your workouts. It's a proven fact muscle burns fat. the more muscle you build, the more fat you burn.

Last but not least.....DO NOT CUT CALORIES below 1400 unless you are morbidly obese and can't walk.....your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to weight. Do some research on how Sumo Wrestlers gain their weight....they don't eat!!!
And give it at least 4 wks for your metabolism to kick in.

Totally agree about the first part of your post (diet soda may not have calories but those sweeteners are not good for you) except, can you post a medically or scientifically verified source that says your body will go into starvation mode? I've never been able to find one. I also couldn't find that sumo wrestler diet you mentioned, it sounds very interesting. Could you post a link?

Don't bother looking up any sumo wrestler diet. NOBODY gains weight by not eating. To gain weight (fat, not water weight, obviously), you have to eat more calories than you burn. Period.

stealthq

To address the original question, gradually bringing down your calories as already suggested may help.

You might also want to play with meal timing and amounts, which don't matter as far as actual weight loss, but can make a difference to how hungry you feel. Some people like to eat small meals frequently. Others do better skipping meals and then having more to eat later on (me - I skip breakfast and like having a bigger dinner). Try both methods for a couple of days each, see which works better for you.

SailorKnightWing

Try gradually lowering your calorie goals.

Try spreading your meals throughout the day. It won't do anything to your metabolism, but it may help with your satiety. If you normally have a bowl of cereal and an orange for breakfast, maybe eat the cereal at the normal time and have the orange halfway between breakfast and lunch.

Try eating more fats and especially proteins. They may make you feel full longer.

Try drinking water when you first get hungry. Sometimes thirst feels like hunger. Drink a cup of water and if you're still hungry ten or fifteen minutes later, have a snack.

Don't worry, I got used to eating less after a week. It may take longer for you but you do adapt.

Elleinnz

Increase Protein, protein, protein - the miracle ingredient for not getting hungry. Make sure you eat some at every meal.
Increase your vegetable intake - lots - again the fibre helps with satiety - and you can eat heaps...
Less carbs than you would normally eat.....
And try and eliminate any sodas etc....

Fruit is great - in moderation - not more than 3 portions a day at the most

Starting the day with protein rather than carbs really turned things around for me - my goto is an omelette - 1 egg and a quarter cup egg whites (about 6 egg whites)