Hunger holding me back!

Fitstephy

I did great friday because sushi really fills me up but today I ate great all day to..then that before bed hunger kicks in the the point of uncomfort.

I tried snacking on some celery and cereal and it worked awhile. then the hunger came back.

bam I just had another bowl of cereal and 3 small brownies... (cheerioes by the ay)

every time I start a weight loss journey this always happens and stops me!!!!

what can I do?

1994baileyboo

hi there!
i find this aswell but my best advice to you is when your feeling hungry like really really hungry you know your loosing weight drink a bottle of cold water and keep yourself busy
i was terrible for eating right before bed because my work hours are a little messed up but just keep yourself busy full pf water and motivated you CAN do it!

michellekicks

More protein.

Eat more protein than MFP gives you. Go for 30% of your daily calorie target as protein and eat some at every opportunity. Both snack examples you gave have virtually no protein in them.

Even better if you combine protein with high fiber. So instead of celery and cereal, have celery with cream cheese or peanut butter. Or instead of cereal and brownies, have greek yogurt with a few nuts.

Customize your MFP goals by clicking "My home" then "Goals" and then "Set custom goals"... it will start with what you have now and nothing will change... go in and change "carbs" from 55% to 40%... then protein should auto update to 30% and fat at 30%.

You're doing a great job sticking to your goals... now if you have goals that will work for you, you'll get rid of the hunger problem.

faireplay

Eating the right foods at meal times makes a world of difference in staying full. As the other poster said, protein, protein, protein. Carbs process quickly and leave you hungry sooner.
Also it's important to learn the difference between hunger and just wanting to eat. If you are truly hungry and put a decent amount of food in your belly, the hunger will subside. If you are "hungry" and only brownies or sugary cereal will do. then chances are, you aren't truly hungry.

WinnerVictorious

I did great friday because sushi really fills me up but today I ate great all day to..then that before bed hunger kicks in the the point of uncomfort.

I tried snacking on some celery and cereal and it worked awhile. then the hunger came back.

bam I just had another bowl of cereal and 3 small brownies... (cheerioes by the ay)

every time I start a weight loss journey this always happens and stops me!!!!

what can I do?

stop letting it stop you.

if it happens again, and it will, just accept that you're not perfect. try to be better tomorrow. try to have more good days than bad days. eventually the new habits will take hold and you'll have fewer "lapses". remember, you're changing your behavior and habits, not dieting. no one day can make or break you.

just remember to log it.

aimeelouwhite

I agree with the protein upping. Also if you want to open your food diary that might help us to comment on your food intake. Not high protein but I find if I pop 1/8 cup of plain popcorn I get a largish bowl to snack on and quite low in calories and it takes a while to munch thru. If you have no popcorn maker you can do it in a paper bag in the microwave

Fitstephy

I agree with the protein upping. Also if you want to open your food diary that might help us to comment on your food intake. Not high protein but I find if I pop 1/8 cup of plain popcorn I get a largish bowl to snack on and quite low in calories and it takes a while to munch thru. If you have no popcorn maker you can do it in a paper bag in the microwave

why can't you see my food diary? it's set to public. (I did it myself)

aimeelouwhite

Sorry I see now it is open.

TheRealParisLove

You may be thirsty. Often times thirst will present as hunger pangs in some people. Also, if you live up north you may be lacking in vitamin d and serotonin that exposure to the sun gives you in the warmer months. Carb cravings is your body's way of trying to produce more serotonin, and it works. But it also makes us gain weight.

Stephen_L

Do some exercise. It keeps your mind busy and burns your calories. House chores is a good start.

Firefox7275

I did great friday because sushi really fills me up but today I ate great all day to..then that before bed hunger kicks in the the point of uncomfort.

I tried snacking on some celery and cereal and it worked awhile. then the hunger came back.

bam I just had another bowl of cereal and 3 small brownies... (cheerioes by the ay)

every time I start a weight loss journey this always happens and stops me!!!!

what can I do?

Eat way more low sugar fruits and non starchy vegetables more veggies than fruit, get up to nine servings a day. You are not eating enough and the ones you are choosing are the highest in sugar and/ or the highest glycaemic index.

Eat protein and healthy fats at every meal and snack, starting with breakfast, carbs alone spike and trough the blood glucose triggering hunger and cravings. Be careful with vegetarian meat 'replacements' they are often high in carbs and low in protein so not a meat/ fish substitute at all. You are not really eating many fibre/ mineral rich foods BTW - beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and unprocessed wholegrains. Don't underestimate how much of this your body needs, especially if you are not having dairy.

RobynMWilson

Ok, bear with me b/c I only read the last 3 days of your food/exercise diary.

Are you dieting? Is this why your calories are so low? I could never survive on 1300 cals per day.

Are you exercising? That's a huge part of weight loss and maintenance. There is no way I would have maintained my 70-lb weight loss for all these years without exercise. And I get to eat more!

Also, break up your meals into 6 small meals per day and load up on lean protein. It helps keep you fuller longer.

shanmackie

you're eating mostly carbs. you need to up your protein like everybody said. try maybe 40% carbs then 30% fat 30% protein and see if you still feel hungry.

treagal

I had the same problem, this is what I did.
1) Drink tea! It's comforting and healthy. I like peppermint. Now it's a habit, if I feel like I need something, I turn the kettle on and that is what I go for first.

2) Go to bed or read

3) When I complete my food diary for the day it actually helps stop me from eating. So I try to complete it after I am satisfied from dinner.

Good luck.

UKMarjie

One of the things I think in general which is a first world problem - and this is me included in the problem - is that we fear a bit of hunger. It is likely if you are changing your eating habits that you will feel different things in your body. Obviously, if you are not following the guidelines as OP have suggested then you will be feeling hungry and adjustments need to be made. But there is also the psychological effect that needs to be worked on too. If you have had a lifetime to get you where you are needing a change then you should expect an adjustment period where all sorts of new experiences happen. Give it some time, be careful, but realize that being hungry isn't the end of the world...as your body adjusts to the new settings you are trying to get into it will probably kick a bit and you will have to ride it out. Your current situation didn't happen overnight and neither will rectifying it.

I try to drink water when I get hungry (people often mistake the signs of thirst for hunger and that will help you get to a better water consumption level).

odearja

Do some exercise. It keeps your mind busy and burns your calories. House chores is a good start.

This is one of the best suggestions so far. Protein (hard boiled egg without yolks are packed with protein and have only 17 calories) and fiber are great options. But dont forget that if you are on a treadmill or a bike, you are too busy to consume "extra" calories.

TwentyTreize

More protein.

Eat more protein than MFP gives you. Go for 30% of your daily calorie target as protein and eat some at every opportunity. Both snack examples you gave have virtually no protein in them.

Even better if you combine protein with high fiber. So instead of celery and cereal, have celery with cream cheese or peanut butter. Or instead of cereal and brownies, have greek yogurt with a few nuts.

Customize your MFP goals by clicking "My home" then "Goals" and then "Set custom goals"... it will start with what you have now and nothing will change... go in and change "carbs" from 55% to 40%... then protein should auto update to 30% and fat at 30%.

You're doing a great job sticking to your goals... now if you have goals that will work for you, you'll get rid of the hunger problem.

This is superb advice.

tekwriter

I think the idea of the tea sounded good, and there is also a vegetable juice or some warm broth to help feel satisfied. I feel like that often. sometimes I make it and sometimes I don't. I have committed to logging in each day this year and being honest with myself about what I eat I have struggled the last few days but I know I will get back in the groove soon.

itsdonna35

Everyone has given great advice. What helps for me is I eat 6 x a day..like this:

Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack

And the last snack of the evening is something with fiber and protein like fruit and nuts, whole grain cereal, etc.

sbbhbm

Have to agree with most everyone else- protein. Just look at what you've stated: sushi filled you up. That's protein. Then you snack on cereal and keep getting hungry. Carbs aren't satisfying for long, and you start insulin going up and down. If you feel the need to snack, have some protein.

AmiC0717

I know this sounds ridiculously stupid but it worked for me. I still sometimes get hungry before bed and honestly I think for me it's just a mental thing. So what I do is take water to bed and a diet rootbeer. Yep. I do. It gives me the feeling I have something sweet and it's not a brownie LOL. Diet AW rootbeer is my secret weapon when I'm craving sweets. It doesn't have caffiene so it won't keep me up like Diet Barqs. Another thing that I do because I'm usally cold at night now is to heat up 1 8oz glass of unsweetened almond milk vanilla (30 calories) and either mix in a splash of sugar free torani coffee syrup like pumpkin or vanilla or even 8 oz sugar free Chai drink mix (0 cals). That way I have a warm drink and then hit the bed.

kturpin1

I chew lots of gum! If I think I am hungry, I pop a piece of gum in my mouth and give myself into the flavor goes away. Then I reevaluate if I am actually hungry or not. When I need a snack, I go to a Fiber One bar. You can get either a salty or sweet taste if you have a specific craving. Also, low cal, and the fiber makes you feel more full. I also recently discovered turkey jerky...low cal and great protein. Try to switch things up from your norm. See what works for you. If you fall back on the same things every time, you will never change up the results.

Earguy

I too get that 8:00pm hungries. For me, I'd always go for a bowl of ice cream...a BIG bowl of ice cream. In other words, carbs.

When I was doing Weight Watchers online, and fruit was zero points, I switched to melons. I found I love melons. Watermelon not so much, but cantaloupes and honeydews. And especially some of the "they look weird I dunno about that" melons like casabas, canaries, and others that my farmers' market just label as "orange flesh" even though they look like honeydews. You just have to wait until they're really ripe, sometimes a melon may sit on my counter for a week.

However if you're a protein packer, others here have great advice. Or to keep it simple, budget in a 175-calorie protein bar in the evening.

And some of it is about breaking habits. Once I made the switch from icecream to melons, I've tapered off the evening melons and now it's only 2-3 nights a week.

Lleldiranne

It looks like you've stayed under calories the last few days, so you're doing okay, as far as that goes. (Unless you didn't log that last cereal/brownies).

It is possible that your calories are set too low. I keep hearing "but I'm a short woman" from people (don't know if that applies to you) … but I'm all of 5 feet tall and only have about 10 pounds to go and I would not consider dropping my calories below 1500 total, so I'm not sure where the idea that a short woman can only eat 1200 calories comes from.

I agree that you can snack on HEALTHY options that will fill you up. Celery and carrots, not so satisfying. But a handful of raw almonds with a slice of 100% whole wheat bread, or some tuna (no mayo) with wheat crackers often hit the spot for me. Get rid of the brownies if they're a weakness. I allow myself a treat each day, but I have to keep it to just one! (OKay, I'm off the wagon and climbing back on, so I've been really bad lately, hence the stall out and gain of a few pounds … :grumble: )

And EXERCISE!. You will feel better all over, plus it will "allow" you more calories!

hedwardsb

This happens to me especially if I've exercised. I've learned that I need to have a decent snack wih protein when the hunger begins. Graham crackers with peanut butter & chocolate milk made with Ovaltine stops it for me. The times I've tried to wait it out & go to bed have found me at midnight ransacking he kitchen as you describe. I've decided it's better to go over my calories with controlled snacking early on than to wait 3 or 4 hours & have a total ice cream breakdown.

amiscci

When I'm really hungry at night, I usually try to drink water and wait a while to see if it will go away first. If not, my go-to anytime of day snack is a big bottle of cold water and a Greek yogurt. I like plain but even the fruit varieties are packed with protien and <150-200 calories. I down that (love yogurt so its kind of like dessert) and force myself to wait a bit... Within 15 minutes I am totally satisfied and the hungries are gone. Even if I know it will send me a bit over my target calories, it works and its ot empty calories. Good luck. I also found that being hungry all the time was hardest in the first few weeks, but then it got better (or, I got better at being ok with being hungry?)

This happens to me especially if I've exercised. I've learned that I need to have a decent snack wih protein when the hunger begins. Graham crackers with peanut butter & chocolate milk made with Ovaltine stops it for me. The times I've tried to wait it out & go to bed have found me at midnight ransacking he kitchen as you describe. I've decided it's better to go over my calories with controlled snacking early on than to wait 3 or 4 hours & have a total ice cream breakdown.

2hobbit1

You have not mentioned your personal stats so I can't see if you 1300 calorie target is realistic but it is low to be sustainable for life. check out this link to see how to set yourself up with a target you can maintain for life. You mention that you can lose but not maintain - too low a a target can be a big part of this.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Also set your macros to at least 30-40% protein, aim for at least 25 gm of fiber a day and let the rest sort itself out. No need to go low fat/no fat as fat is also part of what keeps you feeling full. These simple cahnges will go a long way to feeling full and staying that way.

As for the craving urge - a few things to try

Brew a cup of tea - the time it take to boil the water, brew the tea, then let it cool enough to drink is often long enough for the craving to pass.
Take a 10 minute walk.
Put in a workout dvd and do a 15 minute quickie.
Put on soothing music.
do a stretching routine
play a round of Angry birds
Brush your teeth
10-15 minutes is usually enough for a craving to pass if you can find something else to occupy your mind and hands.

Fitstephy

stats:

age: 20
weight: 160 lbs
height: 5'3
female

I updated my goals thank you. what are some good sources of protein?

Firefox7275

stats:

age: 20
weight: 160 lbs
height: 5'3
female

I updated my goals thank you. what are some good sources of protein?

You don't have that much to lose, you'd be in the healthy weight range at 150 pounds, maybe aim for half a pound a week?

Lean, meat, fish, seafood, reduced fat dairy, eggs/ whites, nuts, seeds.

jzammetti

My initial thoguht when I looked at your diary is you are not eating enough. I guessed at your goal weight (125) and put your info into fat2fitradio's BMR/RDEE calculator. This is what I got:

Entered information: 20 year old female, 63 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds.

From the information that you entered, you'd like to weigh 125 lbs.


Harris-Benedict Formula


There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1553 calories.


How Many Calories Should I Eat?


Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.



Activity Level

Daily Calories



Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job)

1681



Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

1926



Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

2172



Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

2417



Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

2662


NOTE: Please remember that this calculation is just a guideline. Your metabolism may be higher or lower based on the amount of lean muscle you have. Use these numbers a a starting point and tweak them up or down based on your weight loss or gain. It may take a couple weeks to get your exact calorie level.


So, this means you should always eat above the 1550 BMR number and based on your activity level you can set your daily calorie amounts. If 125 is your goal, you can eat this way until you get there and forever, as these numbers are the TDEE for the goal weight of 125.

axialmeow

Eat something with some healthy fat and protein!!