Why am I still starving? Will this get better?

It will get easier. Just make certain you are getting enough protein and (dare I say) fat in your diet. Both of those things will help you feel more full for a longer period of time. I am one of those people who cannot just have a salad and feel full ~ unless it is loaded with protein. Have you tried a hard boiled egg on your salads? THat helps me a ton.

eat more lean protien! Quite often I am going over the level of protien here on myfitnesspal to find that level of satisfaction. I will be under (or at) my level of calories and yet not be starved

I think eating slowly helps.. it gives you time to let your stomach tell your brain that its slowly getting fuller.
I hear that drinking some water before lunch helps too

Salads are not filling, plus you probably are having more calories than you think with dressing. It seems your brain is craving something savory. Try a lean cuisine meal with the extra veggies. That will satisfy you and last longer. The more you keep yourself away from what you want to taste you will crave it. Try the healthy low cal options such as Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine, you will adapt.

Yes it will get better! The first few weeks are the most difficult. It's like your body is going through withdrawals. Once your body gets use to eating less food and healthier foods you'll be surprised what you'll be craving.

If you're just beginning it off that way, you'll feel like you're starving often, but you're body will get use to veggies for lunch. Add a good piece of fruit to add more fiber. Lunches for me consist of: 1 slice of turkey deli meat, string cheese, 1/4 of canteloup melon, 5 strawberries, 1 peach and 6 nuts (cashew/almonds). I'll sometimes add 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 1/2 cup of yogurt to add substance.

I agree that salads don't fill me up. Sometimes I eat them as a side. I have to agree with more fiber and protein. This is the first time I am not hungry all the time and my fiber is always over. Sometimes I have felt not satisfied but that has gotten better with time.

Yes, it will get better. When I first started, I was constantly hungry for the first two weeks. I agree with the others. Add more fiber. I like those sesame rye flats and spread a wedge of the light laughing cow cheese on them. Mmmm. Two flats have about 80-90 calories, and one wedge is 35 calories. Also, try drinking a V8 or eating a fiber one bar. It will get better, promise!! Hang in there and good choice on the salad! Maybe add some cucumbers and baby carrots in there, too. (carrots are a great fiber source!)

The "more protein" to your lunch is a great idea.But make sure you are drinking a lot of water or tea.... that helps me out a lot.

I started "dieting" Thursday. By Saturday I joked that my stomach was trying to eat itself because it was growling so bad. (I hugged my husband and he could feel it "growling" LOL) I'm new and am still learning but I can honestly say that by Sunday I didn't have that "I'm going to pass out from starvation" feeling. Now I feel that all I am doing is eating (I used to be a breakfast and lunch skipper), I'm feeling healthier and my stomach only growls when it's my scheduled time to eat. I'm amazed! I was also one that was used to eating hamburgers, pizza, etc, as well as a chocoholic and thought I was going to starve to death from eating lettuce. I have had to buy things that make me think "filling junk" food, but they are a little healthier---vanilla wafers, yogurt covered pretzels (you can only have 5 and believe me, you eat all 5 and you're good to go), nuts, granola and grapes (the sweetness took the place of chocolate). Peanut butter helped take the edge off as well. Ezekiel bread is made from beans, full of fiber and is filling (in the frozen food or frozen health food section of your grocery store)...it might help you.

Whenever I REALLY feel hungry, I drink a lot of water..and it helps!

Hope I helped you, like I said, I'm still learning BUT...you're definitely not alone in this :-)
Wish you the best!

your body is just used to more food. the more you eat less the more you get used to it. i used to be a bottomless pit, but now after eating less it doesnt take much to fill me up. and if you want something to help keep you full have some complex carbs, like oatmeal, i eat that for breakfeast and it keeps me filled for awhile. just have 2 packs of the origanal and maybe add some brown sugar. like i said the more you eat less the more your body gets used to it, just dont under do it, eat a good meal. but dont overstuff or understuff yourself. hope this helped.

I have been hungry since I started this a month ago but I look at like this. If I am feeling empty than it might mean my stomach is shrinking. I have always heard that its good to go to bed feeling a little hungry. I hope I am not sounding like I don't understand because I really do. My problem was eating way too much, portion wise, and now that I am eating the way I am suppose to my stomach doesn't like it, but you know what its just going to have to get use to it. We will win this!!!!

Eat Quinoa, it's awesome - I used to get shaky and grumpy with hunger and then I started eating quinoa with my lunch meal and I could last easily to dinner x

Hi,

I have a proposition that many on here would'nt consider.
How about you eat as long as you're really hungry, and I mean REALLY hungry. There's no point in *starving* yourself, feeling hungry all the time, as I'm almost sure you won't stick with it when you're always hungry.
Eat until you feel ok, not full, but not hungry anymore either!
BUT!!! Watch what you eat, have fruit, popcorn, low fat yogurt and such.
Still watch for the calories!

And, as an example:
If you had 3000 cals each day, and now you're told to only have 1200, that's a HUGE difference.
How about you go down progressively, like having 2750 this week, 2500 next week, cutting down slowly so that your stomach can get used to have less.

As long as you're getting "good" calories, and not only junk food, that would be MY option.
Actually it was/is!
I'm logging food since August, first cut down on breakfast, then on dinner, and this week is the first that I managed to stay under my calorie goal. That way I have lost 4 lbs so far and I did NOT feel hungry all the time.

Hope this helps!

MM