im starving :(

If you are eating healthy food you will have a hard time getting enough calories in. Eat often so your blood sugar doesn't drop. Eat lots of raw fruit and vegetables. Eat small amounts of protein often. Raw seeds & nuts in small amounts. Low fat dairy is great, add granola and fruit to it. I had 1 cup of cooked spagetti squash (45 cal), spaghetti sauce and extra lean ground turkey meat balls, and ate till I was stuffed on just over 300 calories. I had so little calories by the end of the day I had to add brown rice crackers, pickles and cheese to make up some of the difference.
Stuff yourself and keep satisfied.

1) Exercise. You will be able to eat more.
2) Eat more protein. (You've already gotten this advice)
3) Eat a small snack (100 calories or less) and see if that gets you through the night.

At the beginning, and when breaking some plateaus, I will go to bed hungry. It sucks, but it can be effective if only done now and then.

First off, I have heard from all ends of the spectrum that night eating is bad. I do not disagree, however I am a server and I work during times I am supposed to be eating. I don't get off work till 9 or 10 some nights and I am starving....so i eat. I dieted in the spring and lost 20 pounds in a little over two months with eating at night at least 4 nights a week. Just watch what you eat. don't eat pizza or a pint of ice cream. I have heard dairy is the worst thing to eat at night. As I am typing this at 12:04 am I am having some matzo ball soup with home made chicken broth. (spit happens)

As far as feeling like you are starving. There is something I do that some might deem unhealthy. Whenever I am starting a new diet I nearly fast for a day or two. I DO NOT STARVE MYSELF AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!!!! But I will eat like 200 calories a day max. If I feel faint or dizzy I eat something right away. But dealing with a couple days a hunger gets me in the mind set and it might just be a placebo effect, but I feel as though it shrinks my stomach quickly and then the following days I barely feel hungry. I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT YOU EAT IF YOU NEED TO!!! Please don't think I am promoting anorexia. For me it is just a tool to jump start my diet. Everyone is different so listen to your body and be safe!!!!!!!!

As far as little tricks to ward off hunger...

--Chicken broth is a great filler for me. I make mine, but swanson chicken broth is really good and you can get the fat free stuff. Just warm it up and sip...mmmmmmmmm

--Also right before bed, chug a glass of warm water or milk.

--Chewing gum is a oldie but goodie

--I had someone recommend brushing your teeth, never worked for me but everyone is different so give it a try.

--KEEP BUSY make a list of things you can do instead of eat, sometimes we aren't really hungry, it is just boredom or habit telling us to eat.


Hope this helps. And I am going to be redundant... If you do choose to do a fasting type day or two...listen to your body, if you are shaky or dizzy or very irritable have a little something (i.e. 4oz grilled chicken breast, low fat yogurt, low fat cheese stick, or any veggie or fruit) Be safe, Be healthy and the best of luck on this winding journey...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

When I am hungry late at night now I grab a glass of water 90% of the time that deals with it.

I was hungry and headachy for the first 7 to ten days, after that my body got used to the lower calorie intake. Drinking lots of water and finding things to keep my hands busy helped.
Good luck and stick with it.
Kx

My journal says im only allowed 1200 per day. Then whatever i gain through exercise. I always feel so hungry all day and its so hard to not binge at night. I feel like im not getting enough calories Will this feeling pass over time?? Does anyone have any tips on getting through the hunger and to feel more full??

Protein does it for me.

A two egg omelette for instance is under 200 calories IF you use the 1 calories (or nil calorie) spray to grease the pan. Just two eggs with some mushrooms, 170 calories, nothing else added to it. Fills me up for a few hours and deadens cravings for some reason.

A chicken breast fillet, without the skin and not basted is very filling, nil in carbs but high in protein.

You will not "get through" the hunger by just ignoring it, it will start to consume your every waking moment and then one day you may think "oh just this once" and tuck into some cake or other high carb snack, then after that it takes a lot more willpower to not do it again than it would have just to avoid that snack in the first place.

It can be a catch22 situation. To kill the cravings you need to change your eating, have you always filled up on carb stuff? If so, change it to protein and see what happens.

This is what I did and it worked a treat, now I do not crave carbs and am able to stick to mealtimes and not snack.

Please try it, you can lose nothing except the lbs xxx :flowerforyou:

I absolutely HATE being hungry and I felt quite hungry on 1200, so I re-set my goal to a pound a week. It's frustrating sometimes to lose so slowly, but I'd rather lose slowly on an eating plan that I can maintain comfortably and keep it off than feel uncomfortable all the time and end up binging....

*THIS*
I would rather aim to loose a pound a week and be able to eat a bit more calories and establish an eatting routine and lifestyle that I can maintain forever than to starve myself in order to loose 2 pounds a week....I know myself pretty well and I know that I could NEVER last on 1200 calories a day, some days I struggle to remain with in my 1680 limit! but its possible and ive only not made goal like twice in well over a month.
Ive lost nearly 12lbs since joining and that is enough for me, I am SUPER happy about that! Im not starving, I exersize and eat within my goal and the weight is coming off, slowly but surely its coming off, I think more folks should try to be patient with the weight loss process...its not going to happen over night

I find that high fiber foods help. They fill me up, and they slow digestion so I feel more full for a longer time.

I agree with everyone esle, eat protein and fat, rather than carbs. Carbs make you crave food. If you eat carbs, make sure you eat it with protein, or soon after.

I've eaten 1000 cals today and I feel stuffed.

Oh, and salads!! baby spinach and rocket.....yum!! fills me up with the meat/fish/chicken of choice

Good luck, you really shouldnt have to 'starve' on a diet. Its a case of eating the right things that makes it easier :flowerforyou: