starving

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lmbihn
lmbihn Posts: 18
in Introduce Yourself
Ok I really need help with this one, Please!!! I am doing the 1200 calories and I am totally starving all day, even thought I am eating Breakfast, Lunch, and a small snack, by the time i got home today I was so hungry I ate alot of ice cream just because I was stressed lol not a good reason. I have done ww and was never hungry like i am on this. any tips or advice would be great thanks

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  • CrazyCatLadee2
    CrazyCatLadee2 Posts: 65 Member
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    Are you eating enough protein and fiber for breakfast and lunch? Sometimes just the trick of adding a little more of each can really make the difference and keep you fuller longer.

    I am sure some would say what I eat for breakfast isn't the healthiest but I find it does pretty good keeping me full because if I don't eat something with protein and fiber I am starving. I found Thomas English muffins light - high fiber (8grams fiber - I believe 5 grams protein) with half the serving of peanut butter is a great start as well as Thomas bagel thins - half the calories and they have 4-5 grams of fiber and protein. Some fruit with them and a glass of 1% milk usually keep me full until lunch. I hope this helps!

    Mandy
  • jenlhugg
    jenlhugg Posts: 141 Member
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    Lots ofprotein and fiber, lots of water, and exercise, exercise, exercise. Take a peek at my food diary if you like, I eat tons during the day with spending all my calories. Good luck, hope it gets easier soon.
  • HIzara
    HIzara Posts: 187
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    I am on 1200 cal /day as well. I don't know if you are starting off your diet at 1200 cal/day.... If so, I don't recommend it. You should GRADUALLY decrease to 1200 cal/day. Maybe decrease 200-500 cal/week until you get to 1200 cal/day. 1200 cal/day is a very small amount of food to consume.

    I finish work at 6pm and workout at 7pm. I stop eating and drinking liquids 2 hours before my workout (so, that's 4pm). I take a Lite protein shake after my workout, around 830/900pm and I sleep at 11/1130pm. I don't eat dinner as the protein shake is filling. Protein shake is 170 cal versus eating a 500/600 cal dinner.

    500-170 = 330 cal less/day. Plus, I stop snacking by 4pm, saving another 200-400 cals. Total of 600+ cals saved!

    And, drink lots of water through out the day.
  • madjo
    madjo Posts: 17
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    Hi lmbihn - I am on 1200 cals a day too (but moe exercise you do the more cals you get) and I am going pretty good on it - check out my food diary if you like. I struggle at night time though, that is when I am most hungry!
  • tkrall
    tkrall Posts: 109
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    What type of food are you eating? I'm also on 1200 calories a day. I find myself eating a pretty big breakfast full of fiber and not really being hungary for lunch. Just eating something small, then a good dinner. Again, lots of fiber and protein. If you make your diary public, we can see if it might be something you are eating.

    I also, like to eat a yogurt or a pudding during the day. Helps me stay full. Oh.... and exercise!! I do it just so I can eat more. Even a 20 minute walk helps out ALOT! Because there are days where I can't handle only the 1200 calories.
  • RuthWorth
    RuthWorth Posts: 31 Member
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    It sounds to me like you really need to break your meals into 6 small meals allowing yourself 200 calories ever few hours. You might have to up your calories just slightly untill you get use to the new program. Also remember that there are a lot of vegetables that have very few calories and you can eat a huge amount of them; more like bulk eating until you are more stable. There are days when you are going to blow it--but don't sweat it. If you saw what I did sunday you would wonder about me. But I have learned it is easlier just to go on to the next day as it ia a whole new start. If you can get into a pool; swimming helps burn off stress as well as calories. Hang in there -- I have all the faith in the world in you. :wink:
  • Sharont213
    Sharont213 Posts: 323 Member
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    are you exercising? i can't make it on 1200 calories either but i exercise to add another 300 - 450 and that makes all the difference in the world.. plus lots and lots of water..
  • criches6
    criches6 Posts: 5
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    I second the recommendatiuon for water.
  • bubbleblower16
    bubbleblower16 Posts: 14
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    I'm on 1200 calories as well, it isn't so hard but if I'm having a hard day I just work off whatever extra I ate that day. Also I drink TONS of water, it help keep me full and also is super good for you!! Good luck and hang in there!! :smile:
  • Tamie_Girl
    Tamie_Girl Posts: 218 Member
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    At 1,200 calories a day you are probably set to a 2-pound loss a week ... I get more calories because my goal is for a ONE pound loss per week and that is what this site recommended what I signed up. I think one pound a week is fine. :heart:

    Me, personally, I would suggest going to ONE pound and then also what I've been doing is cutting out my snacking, thus allowing more calories for my actual meals...breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    Good luck to you -- you'll be fine.

    ~Tamie
  • gchick64
    gchick64 Posts: 73 Member
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    i find it hard to stay close or under my calories if i don't work out, i would also maybe recommend the one pound a week weight loss
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
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    Same thing happened to me. 1200 just isn't enough..Im a 200 lb girl! You can alter it though. If you make it 1 lb a wk, calories will go up. 1200 is a pretty small amount. You shouls gradually decrease to that. You shouldn't be starving, because it will be hard to stick to. Eventually, when u lose more, you will have to decrease to that most likely. Everyone is different though. I set mine to 1500, but just started so we will see if I lose any.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I'm short so even with only 1200 calories I can only lose 0.9 a week. I work out but eat only half of my exercise calories because I'm sure I have miscalculated/underestimated along the way (plus it would be nice to get that extra 0.1 :wink: )

    In any case, here are my most filling meals. In general, I have found low carb/high protein to be the most filling way to eat. These meals are to be preceded and followed by a glass of water to make sure you get water in

    Breakfast ideas (300 cals)
    Oatmeal (especially steel cut) with turkey sausage
    plan D flourless muffins (110 cals and very filling) with 2 boiled eggs
    Grapefruit, turkey sausage, and 2 boiled eggs
    2 egg omelet with spinach and low fat cheese
    Scrambled eggs, spinach, and turkey bacon in a quinoa wrap
    A cup of cereal in soy milk with an egg or sausage


    Lunch (300-400)
    Raw kale salad with tomatoes, canned tuna and galeo dressing (22 cals/tbsp)
    Green beans, hamburger patty, and brown rice
    Salad with grilled chicken breast
    Huge Veggie stir fry with tofu or lean meat
    Lentil soup with toast
    Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with salad or stir fry veggies


    Dinner 300-400
    Steak or chicken with portabella mushrooms and green beans or broccoli (all cooked together so the veggies have that taste)
    Hamburger with veggie stir fry
    Grilled chicken with sauteed collard greens +/- sweet potatoes
    Grilled salmon with spinach and brown rice
    Rice and beans with a veggie side

    Snacks 100-200
    Brown rice cakes with peanut butter
    Apple or other fibrous fruit
    Veggies with galeo dressing or hummus

    I usually eat till I'm stuffed, and most of the time I haven't finished the meal. I think the trick is to really pile on the veggies. Honestly I think if people focused on their 5 a day they'd naturally lose weight

    Hope that helps. :flowerforyou:
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Ok I really need help with this one, Please!!! I am doing the 1200 calories and I am totally starving all day, even thought I am eating Breakfast, Lunch, and a small snack, by the time i got home today I was so hungry I ate alot of ice cream just because I was stressed lol not a good reason. I have done ww and was never hungry like i am on this. any tips or advice would be great thanks

    I second what some of the others have said on here. Start off the day with protein, it fills you up and stops you wanting to snack inbetween and once you get off to a good start to the day, it makes you feel more motivated to keep going and then as the days go by, you won't want to break into your eating plan.

    :flowerforyou:
  • lmbihn
    lmbihn Posts: 18
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    Thank you everyone so much. I am not a big breakfast eater and i am thinking that is my biggest issue. so I will be changing that today. thanks so much for all the info!!!!!!
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    Try having more protein at breakfast. I usually eat the most calories at breakfast, then eat slightly fewer calories at lunch, and the fewest calories at dinner. You could also add in some exercise and eat those calories to keep you from feeling so hungry.
  • june_warner
    june_warner Posts: 126 Member
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    If you are exercising and eating only 1200 clories that's not enough calories. You are starving your body. You will lose muscle and your metabolisim will start slowing down, therefore you will give up. I have had to eat up to 2400 calories a day just to keep up with my body, I know everyone is diferent but increase your calories. I would try 5-6 small 300 calories meals a day. Don't eat anything 2 hours before you go to bed and drink plenty of water. (at least 64oz a day) Stay away from sugery food and soda. especially diet soda. Eat protein and fiber for your meals. Remeber even if it says diet or light doesnt mean it's good for you. A lot of that food is so over processed that it had no nutritional value to your body. Eat chicken, fish, greens, take it easy on dairy foods but you can have some. I eat protein bars and I also use a protein shake that is equivelant to eating 5 servings of veggies a day!!!
  • MomBo
    MomBo Posts: 24 Member
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    Something to ponder...if your are a coffee drinker or into caffeine sodas...they tend to increase your appetite...adrenalin rush followed by a sugar low will do that. If you are using artificial sweeteners (diet sodas) they may fool your mind that they are sugar, but not your body...you will start craving and feeling hunger...sometimes when we think we are hunger...we are actually thirsty..drink a glass of water then rethink how you feel in a bit...just a few thoughts.
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
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    coffee actually does the opposite for me...keeps me full..l.think it's all the fiber.

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