18 days in and starving

I have been doing this for about a month now - I am trying to not go over 1200 calories a day. It has been hard and I always want to eat, but it has gotten easier every day. Hang in there and try to think about how great it will feel when you get to your goal weight

Make sure you get the most out of your calories. Fill up on fruits and veggies and things that will keep you full. Some say a calorie is a calorie however, think about how many calories are in a few chips versus how many are in a large salad. Which will keep you fuller longer? I also sometimes mix chia seed into my water. It is good for you and helps to keep you full.

What is your current weight loss goal set to? If it's 1 lb/week, I'd suggest you change it to 1/2 lb per week to give you a bit more wiggle room. You would get an extra 250 calories/day if you need them that way. Then, when you have recovered from injury, you could bump your target back down.

Having said that, to stay more satisfied on 1400 calories, I recommend eating something with significant protein i.e. 7g or more in a serving for a snack, like an egg or a cheese string, every single time you eat anything. Try and get to a total of 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you eat carbs alone, they will process faster leaving you hungry sooner. Protein, fat and fiber are what make us feel full so also choose the highest fiber options when you can and avoid non-fat foods unless they're just naturally non-fat like fruits and veggies.

Break your calories up into reasonable amounts for your meals and snacks. I recommending loading earlier in the day rather than saving calories for nighttime.

I won't lie and say it happened overnight but it does happen. I average 1600 now but am down from an average of 2400! I figured out that I was getting a huge amount of calories from soda and high carb foods like fries and bread and rice. I dumped the full calorie soda for diet cherry coke or diet Pepsi, I reduced the carbs, and I increased my protein and fat but not too much. I lost 17 lb. just from those changes only in about 2 or 3 months (mostly during the holidays!). Now, I can eat 1400 and feel full. I never ever thought that was possible at all.

For me, bread, rice, fast food, carbs, etc do not fill me up and leave me hungry again a few hours later. They were not doing it for me personally so I dropped them down my scale. I started really eating more vegetables, more lean meat, and looking for low calorie, low carb swaps that we eat regularly now (I personally like some of the stuff on Hungry Girl better now). I started eating breakfast every day even if it is just a boiled egg on my way to the car. This prevents the crazy hungries at lunch. I eat a real large salad with next to no dressing for lunch most days. I try to eat pre-packaged nuts or an apple as a snack in the afternoon. I save some calories for dinner each day by entering dinner first thing on MFP; we try to eat dinner at the table together so I reserve that. I also plan for treats by leaving room one day a week for it. I try to prepare 3 meals for us on Sunday as we both work and falling for take out food happens if nothing is ready and a work project holds us over.

I hope you can work through this period and find the right balance for you. Intake is critical to weight loss but this will only work if you don't frustrate yourself beyond baring. You do have to give it time and bare a little bit of pain but do it in increments so that you won't give up. Maybe go up 100 for a week and then drop 50 and then another 50 until you get where you are going in a sustainable way. This really isn't a sprint to some goal. Hopefully you are not on a diet but are seeking a life change. Keep going and it will get better.

I wish you good luck and much success!

Calories are calories when it comes to losing weight but they are different when it comes to feeling satisfied. I agree with the above poster who says fill up on veggies. Add lean beef or chicken to that for a satisfying meal. Get some fat from nuts, fish or avocados. It will definitely take time for your body to adjust. I'm cutting down now myself and drink coffee all morning to leave calories for later in the day. It's not easy, I'm not going to say it is.

I am at 1200 per day because I have a sit down desk job. I weighed 221 and now down as of today to 213. I takes work but your stomach will shrink in time. I have given up soda and fries to start with. My big thing I do always is drink a full glass of water before I eat my meals. One it reminds me to drink it lol and it seems to help. My second little rule I came up with is to eat very smal portions, the key is I can "always go and get more to eat". (if needed) these little tips have helped me along the way....

add me as friend and we can help each other out.

Last all of the people on this sight are very helpful and help alot! Good luck baby steps is the key!

My goal is 1390, although I exercise and eat more. If needed though I have no problem eating under 1400.

The key is to have a lot of protein and veggies. My snacks are greek yogurt, quest protein bars (highly recommend them... really feel me up and they have 1g of sugar), low fat cheese, fruit. If I eat a breakfast sandwich in the morning (usually ezekiel bread, low fat American cheese, low fat deli ham and an egg) I'm full until lunch. I eat carbs but always with protein, and whole grains if possible, and try to avoid having pure carbs more than twice a day on most days.

I had protein shakes at first too (shakeology) and it really helped filling me up.

I'm on week 4 and I can honestly be full from what I eat. I'm around 1550 a day and some days I don't even reach that number because I'm full.

What certainly helped me in the beginning is VEGETABLES. When I wanted a snack in between meals I scarfed down some veggies like a whole cucumber. That really fills me up and they are relatively cheap

Another thing. DRINK A TON OF WATER! Drink MORE than 8 glasses a day! It fills your belly up and it's good for you That should be able to help with the hunger pangs

My nutritionist says if you are still hungry eat more protein that makes you feel full, and never eat a carb alone.

Make sure you get the most out of your calories. Fill up on fruits and veggies and things that will keep you full.

I agree 100%.

Are you tracking what you are eating? If so, that should help you tweak where you're wasting calories and where you should improve. For example, I never realized that bananas were so high in calories (MFP says 100/each) and sugar. I figured a fruit is a fruit, but that is so not true. I've cut bananas and replaced it with strawberries, watermelon, or other lower-calorie options. You get way more for the same amount.