Why so hungry??

Hi - I should probably explain, I make my own pasta salads but I usually just log them as the prepackaged versions (I think I had a Waitrose salmon pasta salad a few weeks ago and used it as a template). I guess I figure the Waitrose version will prob have more kcal, fat, sodium etc so if I log it as their version I'll always be under that number if that makes sense? I do the same for my exercise kcals - I log half an hour of PowerPlate as half an hour of yoga/stretching as this was the closest thing I could find (I don't have a HRM).

That may be where you are going wrong. If you are making your own food (as an example, lets say it cost 300 calories) and you are putting pre-packaged food into your diary, saying its 500 calories. By the end of the day youre hitting 1200 calories on MFP and being hungry because you havent actually eaten 1200, youve eaten 1000. Do this a few times a day or severasl times a week and youre severely cheating yourself on calorie intake. Not to mention other nutrition!

Try logging in EXACTLY what you eat for a few weeks and see if this makes any difference. Also, you should be able to eat more nad feel hungry less while actually keeping to your goal.

Also, this website is about learning as much as being healthy. you cant learn what kinds of calories/nutrients are in what kinds of foods if you dont look them up and log them in. If you do take the time to learn whats what you will find yourself knowing approximately what calories are in a meal before you have even made it, that is what has helped me.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody!

Just to explain a bit - I calculated how many kcal I should consume a day when I first joined MFP, and it was always set at 1200kcal. I thought it was a bit low, but then again I alsos et my activity level as sedentary, as I work in an office and don't do much activity to the day. I was also not doing much exercise when I joined.

I changed my daily kcal limit to U1800 yesterday, and actually felt a little better knowing I might be able to manage that in a day! I think I was a little demoralised before because I know myself and I KNOW I would never be able to keep U1200 a day!

That sounds a lot more reasonable to me! :happy:

Hi,
I think perhaps getting rid of smoothies etc will help. Try drinking only water for a little while. If you look at Saturdays diary. You had a mago smoothie for 150 calories and a white wine for 232 calories. They are calories you could be saving for eating by just having water instead. When I get sick of water I also have brought some low fat and sugar cordial. Hope this helps

I have had the same problem so I said to myself is it worth my health having a goal that can hurt me. I would rather eat more, I just eat healthy options inside of alot of prossed and refined foods. Also you should not strave your self on a diet if your hungry eat because it will lead you to binging later on and that can do more harm then good. But each to there own good luck and I hope you find what you want to do!

I agree, 1200 is unreasonable, unless you have a small frame. I began with mine at 1200 and also found it hard to keep up with. However, i usually went over by only 100-200 cals. So I kept mine at 1400 for several months and have lost 14 lbs. I moved it back down to 1290 and will try that this week to see how it goes (note I took a month long break from tracking, so I'm trying to jump start things and will move up again after I lose more). Oh and I always eat my exercise calories:-)

I think it's good you've set it back to 1800, maybe once you've got the hang of that, move down to 1700, 1600, 1500 as you lose weight.