Eating my calories and still hungry

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brendabryden
brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I only recently started MFP and have just 10 pounds to lose; plus wanting to pick up healthier eating habits. I am sticking to my calories, getting some exercise and have been fine until the past few days. Now I seem to feel hungry all the time. MRP has given me 1200 calories - I usually eat close to 1400 and work off 300 or more which only puts me a little under the 1200. Any suggestions on what to eat to keep feeling fuller but still sticking to your calorie goal.

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  • woodwardtm
    woodwardtm Posts: 361 Member
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    Protein helps you feel full longer as it takes longer for your body to digest (or so I have been told).
  • sphinctress
    sphinctress Posts: 202 Member
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    Lots of salad... with protein
  • verdemujer
    verdemujer Posts: 1,397 Member
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    Eat more protein and more good fats really help. Plus, I'm like you, I tend to eat around 1200 and to truly lose, I have to eat closer to my TDEE which is so hard. This site has all the calculators.

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html

    Some other posts I've seen here say to figure your TDEE, take about 20% from that figure, and that amount is what you should eat and you will lose weight. It will be higher than the 1200 because 1200 is roughly a person's BMR.
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member
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    If you only have 10lbs to lose I'd recommend working out your TDEE (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) and then just subtracting 10 or 15% from that figure. Drastically cutting your calorie intake to 1200 may just make your body hold on to whatever you give it... Worth a try :) I only have 10lbs to lose too and this method works for me.
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member
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    P.S. Protein all the way :) Cottage cheese, tuna, grilled chicken...
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    What is your weekly weight loss goal? Perhaps it's too high?
    With only 10 pounds to lose, maybe a 1/2 pound (or 3/4, if you wish) a week goal is sufficient? That would give you more calories per day. Being hungry could set you up for failure.
  • allisonlane61
    allisonlane61 Posts: 187 Member
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    I can only tell you what works for me, and my diary is open to the public (I think), but I eat around the same number of calories as you and I have volumes and volumes of food. Leafy greens takes up a lot of room, so I actually eat a lot of food, just not much processed and not boatloads of meat, which for the same calories, gives you less volume. If you do look at my diary, Wednesday dinner was not typical and was a treat for me since I had an event to attend.

    I am seldom hungry and I do enjoy playing around with the different combinations of food that I've chosen to eat. I guess I should "warn" you I am a Green Smoothie lover and that is always my breakfast ingredients, and my lunch is ordinarily primarily salads with lots of goodie ingredients.

    I am also a huge fruit eater and probably have at least 8-10 different types of fruits in my fridge at once.
  • misssiri
    misssiri Posts: 335 Member
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    Being hungry means you are hungry and not eating enough. You don't have to be hungry to lose weight! Do not net below 1200 and more than likely you should be netting 1300-1500 calories per day.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    If you only have 10lbs to lose make sure your weekly goal is set at 0.5lbs per week and make sure you eat your exercise calories back. Less to lose means a smaller goal you need each week.

    Fill up on protein, water, fiber and fat. All those things will keep you feeling full for longer.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    What is your weekly weight loss goal? Perhaps it's too high?
    With only 10 pounds to lose, maybe a 1/2 pound (or 3/4, if you wish) a week goal is sufficient? That would give you more calories per day. Being hungry could set you up for failure.

    This. And you should eat back all of your exercise calories. That will give you another 100 calories. You might be hungry because you aren't eating enough.
  • HeinzPrincess
    HeinzPrincess Posts: 92
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    What is your weekly weight loss goal? Perhaps it's too high?
    With only 10 pounds to lose, maybe a 1/2 pound (or 3/4, if you wish) a week goal is sufficient? That would give you more calories per day. Being hungry could set you up for failure.

    This. And you should eat back all of your exercise calories. That will give you another 100 calories. You might be hungry because you aren't eating enough.

    Yup! Just eat a little bit more! :flowerforyou:

    And, like other people said, don't skimp on protein or fat. 300 calories of some form of meat is way more satisfying to me than 3 of those 100 calorie snack packs.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
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    Thank you - I figured my TDEE at a 15% reduction and it comes to 1551 calories. This would be my new Net Calorie goal - correct? So I could eat around 1700 or a little more and net back to 1500 with exercise.
  • hc83
    hc83 Posts: 23
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    read Eat to live. :)
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    Calories aren't really the big deal it's eating more frequent smaller meals more often and what you eat when.

    Try and eat every 2-3 hours. Make sure you eat a protein selection every time you eat and try cut sodium and processed foods and stick to healthy grains. This should help you feel fuller for longer and see better results.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
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    I eat my TDEE - 20% = 1025 c. (I am very tiny.) This works for me.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
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    So I changed my Net Calories to 1500 - but it shows my Normal Daily Calories burn at 1460 - so it says I will actually gain weight with 1500 Net Calories. Do I not worry about what it says? Or is there someplace I change my Normal Daily Calories burned?
  • misssiri
    misssiri Posts: 335 Member
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    So I changed my Net Calories to 1500 - but it shows my Normal Daily Calories burn at 1460 - so it says I will actually gain weight with 1500 Net Calories. Do I not worry about what it says? Or is there someplace I change my Normal Daily Calories burned?

    If you are using the TDEE method your workouts are already included in that number. A lot of people that use this method log their workouts at 1 calorie and then use the memo line to track the actual calories burned (if you care). Be aware that the TDEE calculators are estimates and you need to give it some time to see if that number works for you. If you give it a chance, (like 4 weeks) you should have an idea if you need to adjust again.

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