why am i so hungry??

PLEASE EAT!!!!! You should most likely be eating more than 1200 calories and unless you are being supervised by a medical doctor 800 is way, way too low! Days when you only eat 800 and don't feel hungry - it's because your body isn't burning anything at all! It's holding onto and storing everything you give it, which can really mess up your metabolism! As far as eating back your deficit goes, your deficit should be built into the net calories you consume each day, therefore you SHOULD eat most (ideally all) of what you burn back! For example, if I wanted to maintain my current weight I would need to eat roughly 2100 calories a day, I have built in my deficit by aiming to consume/net 1600 calories a day. If I workout and burn 1000 calories that would mean I only netted 600 - when I need to net 1600!!! I am begging you to PLEASE EAT!

*headdesk*

I just sighed quietly to myself. If i had a desk handy my head would be firmly on it too!

Are you eating back exercise calories? Based on personal experience, exercise can sometimes depress my appetite the day of, and then I'll be ravenously hungry the next day. Oh, also, if you aren't getting enough of some nutrient, that can manifest itself as hunger.

Agree

Hunger is a good sign, because it means the hormones that control your hunger are working properly. People who have been or are obese can get them messed up to a point where they never have peaks of either hunger or satiety, which might help explain why some people feel no hunger on low calorie diets.

As your system is working so well, rather than learning to trick it, fuel it properly. Try out the number of calories mfp thinks is your maintenance and see what happens. I would have lost over 1lb a week if I'd done that!

I am not going to comment on the # of calories you are eating b/c everyone else has but I feel like drinking more water helps to curb my appetite and I find that drinkiing diet sodas increases my appetite... not sure if you drink those but its a thought. Also exercise can cause more of an appetite.

I'd try increasing your calories from 1200...Just go up 100 at a time until you feel better. I think you'd be fine going up to 1500-1600 better to lose slower as you don't have huge amounts to lose and it will make this sustainable long term. To stay full eat lots of protein and fiber, moderate carbs and at least 2 litres of water! Hope that helps! X

800 calories is too low, and is very dangerous for your health. your starving because your actualy starving yourself. do you want to loose weight or do you want to kill yourself by causing multple organ failure?

I eat between 800 and 900 and trust me it's enough, if you can stick with it. I find small things that can fill me up and keep me that way..radishes and tomotoes are my go to filler. Or if I'm really hungry I will eat over my calorie limits. No need in depriving yourself if your hungry. Be sure it's hunger and not bordom. Brocolli slaw is very low in calories and such a great filler. I saute it in some olive oil spray and add some soy sauce and add shrimp, really yummy and one cup is 25 calories and there are about 3.5 cups per bag. Amazingly yummy.

You don't need your hormones anymore to have your period and babies so I think she shouldn't be listening to you at all! Are you happy to possibly damage her future fertility with your rediculous advice? Wake up please!

If she's doing this short term her fertility will be just fine. 8-900 calories a day isn't going to cause her any harm for a short term. I may be passed my fertile years, but I've done exactly what she's doing and still managed to have three very lovely children without any trouble at all. I don't see the point in scaring her and that's just as irresponsible as what you're accusing the first poster of being. She's not going days without eating anything and it's pretty unlikely she'll stick to that low of a caloric intake for long. That being said.... if you're hungry, then you should probably be eating more. I'm not saying gorge yourself, but add more healthy calories and eat stuff that sticks with you for a while... more protein and less refined sugar/carbs and take a good quality multivitamin. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. I was eating 8-900 calories a day for just over 2 months. I only had 20 pounds to lose and I've lost 17 of it. I'm adding more calories now because it's time to and will end with a 1500-1600 calorie a day maintenance. This works for me, I'm doing it with my doctor's full knowledge and approval, and I virtually never mention it on MFP because I know the plethora of "experts" that abide here will tell me why I'm wrong.

I eat between 800 and 900 and trust me it's enough, if you can stick with it. I find small things that can fill me up and keep me that way..radishes and tomotoes are my go to filler. Or if I'm really hungry I will eat over my calorie limits. No need in depriving yourself if your hungry. Be sure it's hunger and not bordom. Brocolli slaw is very low in calories and such a great filler. I saute it in some olive oil spray and add some soy sauce and add shrimp, really yummy and one cup is 25 calories and there are about 3.5 cups per bag. Amazingly yummy.

It's NOT ENOUGH for someone who is young adult. As people get older their caloric requirement goes down.

I'll give you that one and it's a valid point

I lost all my weight eating approximately 2000 cals a day, maybe a bit more. If I ever had a crazy busy day and ate a low amount (for me that would be 1200 or so), the next day was almost a GUARANTEED binge. You should be eating at a smaller deficit (250-500 calorie total deficit). If you're eating healthy foods and you're still hungry....EAT. MORE. FOOD. There is NO good reason to be miserable. You don't have to be hungry all the time to lose weight! I PROMISE!! :flowerforyou:

I eat between 800 and 900 and trust me it's enough, if you can stick with it. I find small things that can fill me up and keep me that way..radishes and tomotoes are my go to filler. Or if I'm really hungry I will eat over my calorie limits. No need in depriving yourself if your hungry. Be sure it's hunger and not bordom. Brocolli slaw is very low in calories and such a great filler. I saute it in some olive oil spray and add some soy sauce and add shrimp, really yummy and one cup is 25 calories and there are about 3.5 cups per bag. Amazingly yummy.

You don't need your hormones anymore to have your period and babies so I think she shouldn't be listening to you at all! Are you happy to possibly damage her future fertility with your rediculous advice? Wake up please!

Agree with the above ^^ I guess age does not always bring wisdom, if a 51 year old woman is encouraging an 18 year old to destroy their metabolism and health.

some days i can go be fine with 800 calories and somedays (today) I'm frikkin starving all day!

WOW.... thats too little. Your body needs calories to survive, and I don't think you are getting enough calories. You are probably putting your body into starvation mode. So when you come to eat food, your body may think that you will go into starvation mode again and retain energy.

Your biggest meal should be after your workout. Your body needs to be replenished of nutrients. And your metabolism is at a plateau so you need to jump start it by carb cycling. Don't be afraid to eat a little over your "maintenance" caloric intake once or twice a week. As long as you're eating clean not McDonald's.

If I am really hungry i find that protein helps me. Peanut butter is my favorite!

I eat between 800 and 900 and trust me it's enough, if you can stick with it. I find small things that can fill me up and keep me that way..radishes and tomotoes are my go to filler. Or if I'm really hungry I will eat over my calorie limits. No need in depriving yourself if your hungry. Be sure it's hunger and not bordom. Brocolli slaw is very low in calories and such a great filler. I saute it in some olive oil spray and add some soy sauce and add shrimp, really yummy and one cup is 25 calories and there are about 3.5 cups per bag. Amazingly yummy.


For the record, this is no way promoting anyone eat the way I do....this is my choice and my choice alone. I don't recommend it and I don't think it's for everyone. I was just answering her question.

Why would anyone listen to you? It's not like you've lost 156 pounds or anything... :bigsmile:

You shouldn't feel you need to explain what works for you in a thread where you simply answered the girl's question. My rule has been to stay out of this "starvation mode" debate on these message boards because all of the "experts" here will quote all of the other "experts" and you can't make a valid point without getting jumped all over. Nobody is trying to recommend that this girl starve herself. She just asked why she's so hungry. If you eat 900 calories of white bread and cookies, you're probably going to be ravenous. If you eat 900 calories of good, healthy food you are not going to go into "starvation mode" unless you're running a couple of marathons every week. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to do some non-MFP research on what starvation mode actually is. I'M NOT SAYING THIS CHILD SHOULD EAT 800 CALORIES A DAY!!! I'm just saying it can be done and still be healthy if you do it wisely. BUT... if she's saying she's hungry she needs to eat more.

Now a question for the OP..... have you stopped having periods? Is your hair falling out? Are you 10% body fat OR LESS? If you answered no to all of these you're going to be just fine. Now go eat and make all these nice folks happy.