Under goal and not hungry... what do you do?

Francl27

It happened to me a lot in the last few weeks... I'm at 1200 calories or less, dinner done, not hungry... My goal is 1530 calories. It sucks.

What do you do when it happens? I'm usually a bit over on sugar and 10g short on fat or something.

gapm

My first inclination is to think something along the lines of, "Oh goody! Time for chocolate!"

Then sense kicks in. If I'm not hungry, I let it go and don't worry about it. If I'm not hungry, there is no reason to eat.

Your situation might be different than mine. I am trying to at least maintain what I have lost or possibly lose a bit more.

AnniePenny

It happened to me when i was at 1400 that after a while i got used to it and wasn't hungry to reach my goal. I think the body gets used to it, also for what I've been reading all over the forums, this sense of not getting hungry doesn't necessarily means you're gonna continue to lose weight but more like the metabolism slowing down.

I would say even if you're not hungry take a random day and eat more than average. The moment I upped my calories and forced myself to reach that goal i started feeling hungry again. And now staying at the new goal my body got used to it and I don't feel hungry again (for the most part) but i'm losing weight (slow) eating way over 1400 cals.

Sorry if i ended up ranting.. hope you get the point. There are way more people with a TON more knowledge here that can tell you exactly why this happens though.. hope they put in their 2 cents

Duck_Puddle

I too have encountered this strange "not hungry" sensation a few times in the last few weeks while still having mucho calories remaining. It has been very unnerving since I don't lack the ability to plow down 2k calories without blinking (that's how I got here after all). For now, I am just letting it go. I figure I've had and will continue to have days where I'm over (way over), so might as well roll with a few way under as well. If I notice any trends or I start getting crankier (than usual) or I'm having trouble keeping up with my running schedule, I'll reassess. But for now, I'm just letting it go.

skydiveD30571

Did you previously eat less than 1530 calories routinely and have recently moved up to 1530? If so, you get used to eating at any (reasonable) level sooner or later. If the 1530 number is what you want to hit, a couple of handfuls of nuts will get you there. If you consistently eat at 1530 for a while, it will become the new norm and you'll be hungry at 1200 most likely.

dare2love81

Reach for the peanut butter.

CristinaL1983

I too have encountered this strange "not hungry" sensation a few times in the last few weeks while still having mucho calories remaining. It has been very unnerving since I don't lack the ability to plow down 2k calories without blinking (that's how I got here after all). For now, I am just letting it go. I figure I've had and will continue to have days where I'm over (way over), so might as well roll with a few way under as well. If I notice any trends or I start getting crankier (than usual) or I'm having trouble keeping up with my running schedule, I'll reassess. But for now, I'm just letting it go.

This^^ If I am under and not hungry, I don't worry about it. I will almost certainly be more hungry at another point during the week and go over. As long as my calories average out at the end of the week, I don't worry about it.

pwnderosa

I usually have a mini almond snickers bar. Or a glass of bubbly. Or save the calories to have some of those things on the weekend, but I try not to net under 1200 calories in any one day or I will have a bad exercise session the next morning usually.

wmoomoo

Nuts, avocado, peanut butter..... Look for calories dense food. 1 oz of nuts is like 170 calories, going to put you closer to goal.

1ConcreteGirl

Eat more. Listening to your body is what got us here in the first place.

The hunger-regulating hormone in your body is called Leptin, and it is produced in relation to the amount that you eat.

If you eat more, you will feel more hungry. If you eat less, you will feel less hungry. That's how you get anorexics eating 600 calories a day and saying they don't feel hungry.

Don't go by your feelings, go by the numbers. Slowly increase your calories daily with a tablespoon of peanut butter or half a cup of ice cream. Soon you will be able to eat all your calories. The important thing is that you don't starve yourself without realizing it.

lovelifehealth

Eat more. Listening to your body is what got us here in the first place.

The hunger-regulating hormone in your body is called Leptin, and it is produced in relation to the amount that you eat.

If you eat more, you will feel more hungry. If you eat less, you will feel less hungry. That's how you get anorexics eating 600 calories a day and saying they don't feel hungry.

Don't go by your feelings, go by the numbers. Slowly increase your calories daily with a tablespoon of peanut butter or half a cup of ice cream. Soon you will be able to eat all your calories. The important thing is that you don't starve yourself without realizing it.

Thanks! That's really helpful information.

I also struggle with getting in all my calories for the day. Before I started tracking I was unknowingly eating a lot less then I should so it's been a real process to eat more every day even though it doesn't feel comfortable or intuitively feel right.

cwolfman13

question OP...how much healthy fat do you have in your diet? I've often found that people who struggle meeting calorie goals, even when they are very restricted, have tried to eliminate or seriously cut fat out of their diets. They go all low fat/no fat everything...carryover from the '80s fat makes you fat thing I guess. Fact is, your body needs those healthy fats (just watch your saturated fats and no trans fats)...you need those fats for the brain, nervous system function, and heart health among other things.

Best part is you don't really have to stuff your face...sautee some veggies in a bit of olive oil, or roast them...olive oil is very good for you and calorie dense as well. 1 Tbsp olive oil has something like 160 calories. Peanut butter is another great option...couple Tbsps hovers around 200 calories...great snack with celery or an apple...very heart healthy. Handful of nuts...1 oz of almonds has about 160 calories. Avocado...1/2 an avocado is around 115 calories.

Not only will you up your calories, your nervous system will be great full...as will your heart.

Francl27

I still need to lose 70 lbs or something. Some days it's really hard to get 1200 calories, and a couple times a month I'm just starving all day and get closer (I haven't got over once yet though!). I exercise too, just unsure how much I spend and if I should eat it back or not. It's just hard to believe I can lose weight if I still eat 1600 calories a day I guess (plus it's hard to find food with calories and not much fat/sugars).

My daily fat goal is 53, most days I'm between 40 and 50. I get them from eggs, olive oil, avocado, salmon, low fat cheese, chicken etc.

I usually have a shakeology shake with 10oz of milk a day too. Might be what's killing my appetite?

lovelifehealth

I still need to lose 70 lbs or something. Some days it's really hard to get 1200 calories, and a couple times a month I'm just starving all day and get closer (I haven't got over once yet though!). I exercise too, just unsure how much I spend and if I should eat it back or not. It's just hard to believe I can lose weight if I still eat 1600 calories a day I guess (plus it's hard to find food with calories and not much fat/sugars).

My daily fat goal is 53, most days I'm between 40 and 50. I get them from eggs, olive oil, avocado, salmon, low fat cheese, chicken etc.

I usually have a shakeology shake with 10oz of milk a day too. Might be what's killing my appetite?

MFP expects you to eat back the calories you burn. If you're exercising and feeling like you're starving you're probably not eating enough. You might want to check out the group Eat More to Weigh Less. They have lots of information to explain how it works.

These are helpful resources for getting the most out of MFP:
Calorie basics- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Exercise Calories- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

I try to get a balance of plant and animal proteins and track my saturated fats instead of worrying about the total fat. That helps to make sure I'm getting in those healthy fats that are good for the brain and body and not too many saturated fats that can clog up your arteries and add to your belly fat. It also helps to up the total calorie intake by having lots of raw nuts and seeds. Proteins and fats will help you feel more satisfied long-term and not feel hungry throughout the day.