Hungry, Hungry, always Hungry

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Xiaolongbao
Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok. This is just a whinge BUT I'm also posting it because I regularly see posts on here by people who claim there's just no way that they can stuff a crazy amount like 1200 calories into themselves. The last post I read the person claimed to be struggling to eat more than 900 calories a day.

I just feel like making a post to point out that we're not all like that.

I've been on MFP for almost a year. I've lost almost 20kg (just over 40 lbs). I'm vegetarian, try to eat "clean" about 80% of the time (although the last few days have been a bit dodgy so if you look at my food diary don't judge on them). And I pretty much always want to eat more. My appetite doesn't seem to have shrunk at all. I eat massive quantities (today's lunch included an entire head of broccoli) of high fibre, low calorie foods. I'm pretty sure I get enough protein (which you can't tell from my food diary because a lot of the foods I eat I don't know the nutrients for). I think I just happen to be a hungry person.

Surely I can't be the only one.

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    You could up the protein a bit more. Your protein intake is adequate but if you ate more protein and less carbs you'd feel fuller.
  • Coopsie6
    Coopsie6 Posts: 3
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    I burn a lot of calories being in the gym for a long time (1 h 45 min - 2 h) and so I am a hungry person! However, I still watch my macros and what keeps me from being so hungry even after a huge calorie burn (easily over 1000 cal on my workout days) is getting a lot of protein (and really not a huge amount of complex carbs surprisingly). I've done a lot of reading and asking fitness professionals over the years, and there really isn't such a thing as too much protein. At least, not what we would be able to fit into our bodies. So go ahead, add more protein, feel the hunger go away!
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    I have added more protein (hence a couple of egg whites every morning).

    I guess I could go down the protein powder route if necessary but apart from that I'm not sure how I could fit more protein in without sending my calories even further over my limit.
  • lenoresaari
    lenoresaari Posts: 500 Member
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    Try Natures Own Double Fiber Bread - 50 calories a slice and thick, dense, tastes good and very filling. LOVE IT
  • xscarletXbegoniasx
    xscarletXbegoniasx Posts: 74
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    24/7 ravenous!
  • DaniAni19
    DaniAni19 Posts: 91 Member
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    Hi, I'm also Vegetarian, for most of my life actually. I have been a Junk Food Vegan and also experimented with Raw Food. At this point, I am eating pretty clean but Vegetarian. So far, I feel great. A couple things I noticed that maybe you could change: instead of yoplait flavored yogurt, try a plain greek yogurt and add fruit or stevia to it. I made that change, and it has made a difference. It has a lot more protein and less sugar than the yoplaiy. Also, I cut out wheat/gluten for the most part and also immediately lost weight. It is something that I did for just a week to try it and now I can't imagine going back to eating bread/grains. Feel free to check out my journal for ideas. I make a lot of recipes at home and then add the ingredients in the recipe section on here. I'm not sure if you can see all ingredients but just send me a message if you would like my recipes!
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    Track your sugar for a while as see if you have any hidden sources...
    There were quite a few things in my diet I thought of as "real food" that had a ton of sugar in it. When I started reading labels and switched from a pasta sauce that had 9g of sugar to one the had 2g of sugar I didn't miss it at all in the flavor, but sure noticed a difference in my appetite. (I've got a sweet tooth If I'm going to eat sugar I'm going to make it count. For 9g of sugar I can have 15 Trader Joe's chocolaty cat cookies)

    Both sugar and artificial sweeteners increase your appetite.
    I can't ever seem to get as low as MFP suggests but still I find if I get all my nutrition in first and cut way back on the sugar it really reduces my cravings and my appetite.


    Good Luck!
  • xscarletXbegoniasx
    xscarletXbegoniasx Posts: 74
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    Track your sugar for a while as see if you have any hidden sources...
    There were quite a few things in my diet I thought of as "real food" that had a ton of sugar in it. When I started reading labels and switch from a pasta sauce that had 9g of sugar to one the had 2g of sugar I didn't miss it at all in the flavor, but sure noticed a difference in my appetite. (I've got a sweet tooth If I'm going to eat sugar I'm going to make it count. For 9g of sugar I can have 15 Trader Joe's chocolaty cat cookies)

    Both sugar and artificial sweeteners increase your appetite.
    I can't ever seem to get as low as MFP suggests but still I find if I get all my nutrition in first and cut way back on the sugar it really reduces my cravings and my appetite.


    Good Luck!
    what about natural sugar IE fruits? do they increase your appetite as well?
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    Track your sugar for a while as see if you have any hidden sources...
    There were quite a few things in my diet I thought of as "real food" that had a ton of sugar in it. When I started reading labels and switch from a pasta sauce that had 9g of sugar to one the had 2g of sugar I didn't miss it at all in the flavor, but sure noticed a difference in my appetite. (I've got a sweet tooth If I'm going to eat sugar I'm going to make it count. For 9g of sugar I can have 15 Trader Joe's chocolaty cat cookies)

    Both sugar and artificial sweeteners increase your appetite.
    I can't ever seem to get as low as MFP suggests but still I find if I get all my nutrition in first and cut way back on the sugar it really reduces my cravings and my appetite.


    Good Luck!
    what about natural sugar IE fruits? do they increase your appetite as well?

    I was going to say no, and something about how nature pre-pack that sugar with fiber and your body processes it differently, blah, blah, blah..... but then I remembered that Apples always make me hungry... The are good for you and I do eat them, but I eat them before a meal it so that I'm not looking for more snack afterward
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
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    I'm constantly hungry. This goes back to when I was a small 6 year old and I used to get in line during lunch for a 2nd lunch tray!!!! I don't know if I'm just hard wired this way or what.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    Glad to hear I'm not the only hungry one!

    Thanks for the tips everyone. One problem is that I live in Japan so I don't have access to some of the things you're suggesting. For example the "best" bread I can buy has a whopping 115 calories per slice.

    Same with not being able to get plain yoghurt. In fact I don't really care for yoghurt at all, I just added it in in the last few days to see if adding a small tub to my lunch made me any less hungry. I bought a pack of 4. Once they're gone I won't bother to get any more.

    Apart from my breakfast cereal, soy milk and bread pretty much everything I eat is cooked from scratch so I know I'm not getting hidden sugars etc.
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
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    I am food machine. I love food and Im typically in some state of hunger! lol

    overall, Ive lost 75 pounds, but since going to maintance about 9 months ago, I want to eat ALL DA FOODZ. And for the record, I eat tons of veggies, and a TON of protein (well, usually my body weight in protein, although that isn't seriously a ton, but it feels like it sometimes.)

    I wish this wasnt the case. But oh well, Ive come a long way and burn a lot of calories (marathon training and lifting) so who cares, I guess!
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
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    Heck yeah I could always eat too! haha

    Buuuut..... A couple weeks ago I decided to up my protein a bit (I'm a vegetarian too.) Just an extra 5-10% I noticed a difference that my hunger was a lot more under control. Added some more yogurts, cottage cheese, beans, peas, nuts...
    I think my ratios now are 45% carbs, 30% fats, 25% protein. My carbs & fats are 95% the good kind so I'm not worried about those numbers being higher.
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
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    The only reason I'm not eating even up to 1200 calories at the moment is because of horrendously bad stomach problems. It's KILLING me. I'm a real foodie at heart and to not be able to much away to my hearts content doesn't make for a very happy me. Example the portion size of my main meal is cereal bowl size, as that's what I can manage :( it sucks. Because of this though, I do make sure that what I eat is high calorie - I don't go near low fat stuff at present (aside from some low fat cream cheese I accidentally picked up instead of the normal one - damn same packaging!).

    I'm so jealous of people who are able to eat a lot and good on you for doing so. Have a bite for me! Haha.

    I know for a fact I won't lose any weight (apart from through the illness) by eating lower calories but I don't see a way around it at present.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    I was just complaining about the same thing today. Like, how did you get overweight in the first place, eating 900 calories? I have never had that problem.
  • sarah5423
    sarah5423 Posts: 152 Member
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    I'm the same - been at maintaining since September and I have an awfully low BMR of 1145 so need to exercise everyday to get my calorie allowance up and I average about 130 - 150 grams of protein (through food not protein powders) per day which is roughly 1.5 grams per pound of body weight and I still feel hungry. My day is filled with veggies, lean meat, greek yoghurt, oats, almond milk, berries - you name it healthy I eat it and nothing helps.

    I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions for you but at least you know you are not alone :smile:
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    Thanks again to all who have replied. Sometimes it's just helpful to know that others are suffering too!

    I also sometimes wonder if it's just a cluelessness on the part of people who claim to be struggling to eat 1200 (or less) calories a day. Either they have totally screwed metabolisms, the lifestyle of a sloth or they're just miscalculating what they actually eat.

    Oh well. We have to play with the hand we're dealt. I just have to keep trying to be healthy and managing my hunger. Today is the worst day I've had in a very long time but tomorrow I'll get back on the eat no crap band wagon.
  • Coopsie6
    Coopsie6 Posts: 3
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    I too wonder how people can barely make 1200 cal a day! I must be a furnace then, high metabolism or something, because I always feel hungry :( I average a little over 2000 cal a day (on exercise days). My BMR says I should eat 1400 cal on rest days....I bet that would be hard. I always try to incorporate exercise in my day so I can eat more, haha! Otherwise I'd be a whiny, craving mess. I just love food too much. Even the healthy stuff adds up quickly :(
  • lenoresaari
    lenoresaari Posts: 500 Member
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    I have found eggs really help fill up.Even though I dont like them, I pretend to like them just for the nutrition.
    I hide them with salsa, pepper, and any other vegs on hand.

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