I'm soooo hungry.

roseydo
roseydo Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everybody.
Ok I know I have only been doing this for 1 week but I'm finding just 1200 calories hard. I don't think it helps that I'm at home all day and ate out of boredom. I've done well this week to cut that out but I'm really hungry all the time. Does anybody know of any foods that are filling that don't pile on the calories? I'm probably living in a dream world here but any ideas would be very appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Rowan.x

Replies

  • juwan24
    juwan24 Posts: 27
    are you working out? if so you need to remember that the target is net calories. If you're truly hungry and not just bored, then 1200 might not be enough. Check out the calculator here

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    this gave me the number 2516 (37yr old male, 6'3 240) and it's spot on. Take whatever they give you and reduce it by 20% and see how it compares to 1200
  • mangohead100
    mangohead100 Posts: 62
    I'm also on the 1200 calories per day and find that I'm usually still hungry most of the day.
    Here are some low-cal snacks (app. 100 calories each) that I eat that keep me going between meals:

    -A cup of mixed raw veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, cucumber, celery, etc. with 2 tbsp of hummus

    -Apple with a very small handful of nuts or piece of cheese

    -A few slices of natural selections sandwich meat. I pick this brand to avoid nitrites and other weird additives

    I've found that drinking water/herbal tea also curbs my appetite.

    Good luck with this!
  • hjoyk
    hjoyk Posts: 6 Member
    I am interested to see what others say to this... it can be hard to figure out what is real hunger and what is boredom.
  • JoeD1968
    JoeD1968 Posts: 167
    This probably isnt a great idea but I clump most of my calories into a short time frame when i feel like eating alot without ruining my calories for the day
  • KGreen1122
    KGreen1122 Posts: 7
    I'm also on 1200 calories a day, with my b/f on 1600 calories a day. I do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred which earns me back some calories, but I've found that a combination of things helps me, as I am home all day too. First off, drink water! Lots of water!! Every time you think you're hungry, drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes. If you're still hungry find a healthy, high fiber snack. But most of the time water takes care of it for me. And stay busy! Whether it's cleaning something, doing laundry, run the vacuum, etc...staying busy keeps me out of the kitchen!

    Good Luck!!
  • Drevious
    Drevious Posts: 69 Member
    I have some advice that help me do 1200 calories a day:

    1. Drink lots of water (2 large glasses before you eat)

    2. Eat an apple before you eat.
    http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-01-08-no-hunger-diet_N.htm

    3. RAW BROCCOLI !!!! It has natural chemistry that sends signals to your brain telling you that you are not hungry!

    4. Get OUT of the house and go for a walk if you feel tempted. Also, go out for a walk if you feel that you ate too much. Walking always helps.

    5. Air popped popcorn is a great snack. It has tuns of fiber and is really filling plus you get that snacking crunchy fun that helps cravings. Air poppers are only $20 so it's a really inexpensive snack

    Good luck!!!
  • Drevious
    Drevious Posts: 69 Member
    Also, if you are interested the Sedona Method is really good for this. I would be happy to share more with you if it sounds like something that you would want to try.
  • dotti1121
    dotti1121 Posts: 751 Member
    Ditto! I've been doing MFP for a few months, but literally the past 3 days I have been ABSOLUTELY starving! I've just started excercising more so I know that's why, so I've upped my calories...but still! I'm so hungry, I'm eating something (healthy) like every 1.5-2 hours!

    So I'm curious to hear other's replies...
  • jmcdaniel0
    jmcdaniel0 Posts: 130 Member
    I am interested to see what others say to this... it can be hard to figure out what is real hunger and what is boredom.

    Also,

    A good portion of hunger pains is misinterpreted, you are really just thirsty... make sure you are getting the needing amount of water.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    1200 a day was way too low for me. I did not start losing weight until I went to 1400, then 1500. I am 5'3" and 43 years old. Not only did I get down to 114, I lost 4 more lbs eating 1500 a day and moved up to 1600 so I would stop losing.

    Do not go hungry, that is not fun.

    I also recommend filling those calories with foods that are low on the glycemic index such as quinoa or sweet potatoes.

    Good luck.
  • saustin201
    saustin201 Posts: 270 Member
    If you're hungry then you need to up your caloric intake a bit. Try 1400, if that doesn't work try 1500 or 1600. You'll still lose weight as long as you eat under your TDEE. But at least eat your BMR.
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    1200 is too low if you are working out. Have you figured out your BMR?? You need to do that first and figure out what your body is burning per day even if you were in bed all day. There is a lot of info here on this subject.
  • squirrleydoodle
    squirrleydoodle Posts: 58 Member
    eqq white are really low in calories and have lots of protein, you can make a scramble with them. also mission makes carb balance tortillas that have alot of fiber and they make a great quesadilla with a half ounce of cheese. i toast them in a pan dry (no added oil or anything) it makes for a nice filling snack for under 200 cals.
  • lorib75
    lorib75 Posts: 490 Member
    Now is the perfect time to eat watermelon. I cut it up and put it in a large Tupperware bowl in the fridge... it is sweet, and filling! If you are more of a savory snacker, try the air popped popcorn. This and lots and lots of water!!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Very few people need 1200 calories to lose weight. Most would actually do BETTER overall to increase their calorie amount.s
  • java_jack
    java_jack Posts: 1
    Ditto to what jmcdaniel0 said. My doctor told me to drink half my body weight in ounces of water every day. So if you weigh 150 lbs, try to drink about 75 ounces of water per day. I know it seems like a lot, but it helps with satiety. Also, when I feel that hunger coming on, i'll reach for an apple or some plain greek yogurt. You can add a little stevia or agave to sweeten it up a bit.

    cheers!
  • dbm037
    dbm037 Posts: 125 Member
    2 eggs and 3 bacon in the morning...thats no cards. Make sure you eat in the am. If will help you throught the day. When you feel hungry drink a large glass of water and wait for 15 mins before you eat, just to make sure you are hungry not bored.
  • limex
    limex Posts: 81 Member
    I'm on 1200 a day too (I'm 5', and that won't even get me to losing 1lb a week without exercise).

    There are definitely certain foods that fill me up for not too many calories. Eggs are a good choice. A hard boiled egg with half a tablespoon of light mayo is only 90 calories, and I feel super full afterwards. Makes a great breakfast too!

    For lunch or dinner, my new favorite is turkey breast and mashed potato - I prepared 350 calories worth of it today, and I couldn't even finish it in one sitting! Another good one that always fills me up is a ham and egg salad (made with laughing cow cheese) sandwich...300 calories, and I'm full for a couple of hours.
  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
    If you're truly hungry (not just bored and you’ve had a glass of water just in case you’re actually thirsty- your brain often sends the same signal for both), just eat something healthy (veggies, fruit, lean protein.) I snack on cabbage, bananas, string cheese, and almonds when I feel snacky, but don’t want to pack in the calories. If your snack happens to push you over by a couple hundred calories it won't really affect your end goal, in fact I’ve found I lose much more when I let my calorie intake fluctuate a bit. Exercising helps a lot for me too- not only does it take up time I’d be sitting around wanting to snack and allows for me to eat a little bit more when I feel the desire and still stay within my goal net calories, but it seems to make me less hungry throughout the day. If it really is boredom that drives your urge to snack, stop doing the activities you want to snack through. If you’re snacking at work only put healthy foods in arms reach of the computer and keep your water bottle full and at hand. If you listen to your body and eat when you really need to, you’re bound to stay on the right track, but you just have to make sure you understand what your body is actually saying.
  • missashley884
    missashley884 Posts: 188 Member
    1200 calories a day while working out is not enough. how are u going to expect your body to cooperate with weight loss when you arent even fueling it properly?
  • dhoddy
    dhoddy Posts: 35
    Ah! I LOVE watermelon! Glad I'm not the only one that users it to get by on the low calorie days. I'm doing Insanity right now, but on the rest days when I need to stick strictly to 1200 calories, I have a bowl of it with a teensy bit of salt for breakfast. 4-6 cups is less than 200 calories!


    I would also like to suggest suger-free gum! I'm currently addicted to Trident Layers right now, so whenever I want a taste in my mouth and something to chew on, I just grab a piece of gum! It's a big help in keeping me from needlessly snacking.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Protein will keep you feeling full for longer, try fish, chicken and lean steak.
  • Amryfal
    Amryfal Posts: 225
    i found that when i first started cutting down the calories, i was starving all the time. after a week or two, my body adjusted. so maybe that will happen for you. the only other times i've been really starving was when i started an exercise routine and was apparently burning more calories than i estimated...i realized when the scale took a sudden drop a couple of weeks later. i changed my estimation a little, because while it's nice to drop the weight, it's not fun to be hungry all the time.

    adjust your calories/exercise until you find the sweet spot - where the weight is coming off but you aren't starving all the time. it can happen! i found that increasing too much or too little led me to drive myself crazy - too little and i would get too hungry and snack-binge, too much and i'd get used to being full, and i'd get lazy about sticking to the calorie limit. ;o) there's a place that works for me - i still have to pay attention and curb my urges, but not starve myself - for me, that's 1650 right now (between 1 and 1 1/2 pounds a week, for my height/weight).

    filling snacks i like: a boiled egg; dill pickles (i keep a huge jar of GIANT dills in my fridge - about 26 calories each and i can barely eat a whole one, and it stops my craving for salty snack foods - also works late at night when i've used up my calories for the day and i get hungry/snacky, because it's not enough calories over my allotment to totally trash my resolve, lol); reduced-fat wheat thins and hummus (half serving of each = about 100 calories, for a snack - full serving of each is good for lunch); smart-pop popcorn, a 100-calorie bag; V-8 juice (50 calories a cup and surprisingly substantial).
  • degan2011
    degan2011 Posts: 316 Member
    Very few people need 1200 calories to lose weight. Most would actually do BETTER overall to increase their calorie amount.s

    ^this^ :)
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    1200 a day was way too low for me. I did not start losing weight until I went to 1400, then 1500. I am 5'3" and 43 years old. Not only did I get down to 114, I lost 4 more lbs eating 1500 a day and moved up to 1600 so I would stop losing.

    Do not go hungry, that is not fun.

    I also recommend filling those calories with foods that are low on the glycemic index such as quinoa or sweet potatoes.

    Good luck.
    Same here! I didn't lose a thing until I started eating at least 1500. I don't think anybody NEEDS to eat only 1200 a day to lose weight.
  • hjoyk
    hjoyk Posts: 6 Member
    Good points here... I am already a huge water drinker but it is always good to reach for that first.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    What is your protein intake at? Likely you could intake more than what you are and that will help you feel full longer. Protein, fat and fiber are good at making you feel full. Try swapping out some carbs for those and see how you feel.

    I have been on 1200 for quite some time and many days I have to eat a handful of nuts to reach that. I also eat 100+ grams of protein every day.
  • Soullesskiwi
    Soullesskiwi Posts: 2
    Please add me I'm failing I just had 5 hot Pockets when I came home from work... I work a full time job and I ate right all day but when I got home I got so hungry :(

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