first day and starving!

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ExcusesStopHere
ExcusesStopHere Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
Today was my first day of counting my calories and limiting them. My goal is 1490 and I came up under that including eating the calories I lost from working out. I just ate dinner not long ago and I'm SO HUNGRY! Before this I was probably consuming around 3000, because I have obsessive eating issues. Has anyone else had this? And please tell me my body will adjust soon and I won't feel like I haven't eaten in days even though I ate like an hour ago.
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  • EstherZue
    EstherZue Posts: 39
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    Yes dear, your body will adjust. After you've changed your eating habits, many people here struggle to reach their calorie goal by the end of the day. But you might wanna think about what it is you had for dinner? Toast with cheese can have the same calories as salad with chicken breast, but the last one will keep you full for several hours.
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
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    Drinking lots of water is the key for me. I've herd people say that often times you confuse hunger with thirst.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    It will get better. For the next few days you might want to keep yourself really busy to avoid downtime where you might obsess about food. Go for walks, play games, go shopping- do whatever keeps you busy. You will adjust.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    It took me about a week to adjust. Adjusting wasn't a ton of fun, but it's not terrible if you don't dwell on it.

    It also took me a week to adjust after falling off the wagon. But, when I did, I still managed to eat slightly below what I would eat if I were maintaining instead of losing!
  • mrsjennifermaffei
    mrsjennifermaffei Posts: 469
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    I probably ate close to 2500 calories before dieting too and let me tell you, when you first start off...its never easy. My best advice is find all the best and lowest calorie snacks.

    fudgiscle pops- 90calories
    popcorn - 100calorie packs
    pickles - 0 calories
    freeze whip cream then slightly thaw and scoop like ice cream and add berries - under 100 calories
    diet soda, diet hot chocolate, crystal light for drinks - under 10calories

    etc....find them, they are out there and you dont have to change your life much. Fruits are sweet and will help curb cravings and keep you within your limits. I love grapes, bananas, peaches, strawberries best.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I think eating less does take a bit of getting used to - and you need to experiment to see what foods keep you full.
    Most people say that protein fills them up - but for me, I need some carbs in there too or I'm still hungry. There is no right or wrong here, its' all experimenting.
    Don't feel you have to eat less than the calories MFP has suggested - that amount already includes a deficit so you can eat everyone of those cals plus the cals you burn exercing and you still have your deficit to allow you to lose weight.
    If you find that this amount is still too little for you after a week or two, you might need to adjust your goals to make the deficit slightly smaller - for me, 1450 net cals (ie. 1450 plus exercise cals) is as low as I can go, or I get REALLY grumpy!
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    If you eat fresh foods you can eat alot more...processed & fast foods are high in calories!!
    Try eating fresh....clean foods.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I would urge you to make sure you eat the highest fiber foods you can find and pair them with protein and fat. A little fat is very helpful to satisfying hunger and the protein and fiber combination will help sustain that satiety much longer than a meal that is not complete i.e. carb only or carb/veg, or carb/protein (no fat) etc.

    Try and get carb/fat/protein at each meal and snack and lots of fiber and lots of water.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    I'd concentrate on eating a good source of protein first with some non-starchy vegetables at each meal, this should help fill you up.

    I had the same issues when I was consuming a lot of bread, pasta, rice and thinking it would 'fill me up', it didn't and I ended-up snacking.
  • katenmills
    katenmills Posts: 113 Member
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    It gets easier. Don't go for calorie dense food. For example, say you're aiming for ~ 300cals for lunch. This could be one single serve size pack of original flavoured potato crisps (230cals for the Smiths brand) and a banana. I would be hungry approx 13 seconds after eating this for lunch. Alternatively, you could have half a baked chicken breast, a big green salad and a small dinner roll for the same cals... this would keep you full wayyy longer.
  • littlelaurie14
    littlelaurie14 Posts: 224 Member
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    Truuust me, my first week I thought what the hell... How is it even possible...
    Your body will adjust and you'll also discover ways to make your calories go far. With a good bit of healthy, wholesome food and portion control you'll find that you can be satisfied and full :) if you're having trouble adjusting you could start slow.. Say at 1,800 calories at first. then lowering it as you get more used to it. Just an idea, but if you can do it where you are now, go for it :) good luck!
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Your body will adjust. I find a protein snack helps with hunger. If you like cottage cheese at all try that :flowerforyou: Good luck!
  • gijo76
    gijo76 Posts: 5 Member
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    Water is the key. Most the time u feel hungrey, you are dehydrated. Also, try foods that are healthier foods so u can eat more food through out the day. Also 5-6 small meals a day, w 16 oz of water w every meal.
  • MooMooooo
    MooMooooo Posts: 306 Member
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    Sorry to hear about your hunger pains! I have sooo been there.

    First few months I just couldn't break the 'cycle' and kept eating my usual aamounts of food.

    It took me ages of 'I'll start tomorrow' to get real.

    But now that I've been 'good' for a few weeks I'm finding it easier, this site helped me by understanding just how high in calories some things were - and how hard it is to exercise things off, now I'm able to eat enough to stay satisfied and lose weight too.

    It is a difficult process - but it does get easier.

    If you stick with it.

    *kisses*
  • ExcusesStopHere
    ExcusesStopHere Posts: 16
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    Thank you for the advice everyone!
  • Ahanaz
    Ahanaz Posts: 353 Member
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    Today was my first day of counting my calories and limiting them. My goal is 1490 and I came up under that including eating the calories I lost from working out. I just ate dinner not long ago and I'm SO HUNGRY! Before this I was probably consuming around 3000, because I have obsessive eating issues. Has anyone else had this? And please tell me my body will adjust soon and I won't feel like I haven't eaten in days even though I ate like an hour ago.

    It will adjust hun. I started 2 weeks ago, the first couple of days it felt like you describe here. I was hungry even though I had ate my 1200 calories, my stomach talked to my while I was trying to sleep, but I ignored it. But it gets better within the first week, at least it did for me. Now I have a hard time getting my 1200 calories because I choose the "healthier" food, the low-calorie food, when I can. And by the end of the day I'm full! :D I try to keep my meals around 300-400 cals max / meal, I only eat 3 times / day though.

    Try eat food that makes you full. Like egg. And when you have cravings, eat fruit or berries or maybe even a small snack/food that is equal to what you wanted to eat from the beginning in cals. That will keep you full longer too.

    I loved those mini twix and mini milkyway chocolate pieces. but one piece is between 80-100 calories. Then I rather take a finncrisp with a slice of cheese or a banana instead. The craving goes away because I get full in other ways.

    And as mentioned above... WATER! After I forced myself to drink 8 glasses of water for 1 week, the cravings disappeared. They weren't as strong or often as they were before. If I had only drank 4 glasses during the day (which was basically the first 3-4 days) I did not allow myself to go to sleep until I poured myself another 5 glasses and emptied them. It's painful in the beginning, but as you feel the hunger go day by day, you get encourage to continue all of it :D

    So keep it up! I've lost 2.5 inches in 2 weeks and 2 pounds, and I thought I would never be able to loose either weight or inches. If so many here can do it by sticking to their given calories, you can too! I believe in you! Train more/harder if you want to eat more :P But give it the week ... then it should be better ;)

    Good luck and add me if you want to!
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
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    I would urge you to make sure you eat the highest fiber foods you can find and pair them with protein and fat. A little fat is very helpful to satisfying hunger and the protein and fiber combination will help sustain that satiety much longer than a meal that is not complete i.e. carb only or carb/veg, or carb/protein (no fat) etc.

    Try and get carb/fat/protein at each meal and snack and lots of fiber and lots of water.

    Great advise!! Lentils and beans have lots of fiber, and so do flax seeds, apples and other fresh fruits and veggies. If you steer clear of white sugar, white flour, etc., you will feel so much better in a few days. I promise - it won't always be as hard as the first few days! You can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • Owen1972
    Owen1972 Posts: 4
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    Find low calorie meals that are satifying, and drink tea! I feel when I am organized and plan ahead, i prepare meals that I am more excited to eat and have way better nutrition.
  • 2fit4fat
    2fit4fat Posts: 559 Member
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    Water and look up the group eat more to weigh less
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    Okay, so by now you are probably overwhelmed with advice. The only advice I will give you now is to look for a forum thread from a few weeks ago on what you wish you had known as a newbie on MFP. There will be less mumbo-jumbo there. :)

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