I am STARVING!!

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daniellerigsby9
daniellerigsby9 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
I have cut down what I eat and am trying to eat more healthy. I need to loose around 80 pounds. However, I find that I am constantly starving!! I have also just recently cut out Mountain Dew and was wondering if this is just my bodies way of dealing with that change. Any tips on what to do to stay full on a low calorie diet? Here is an example of what my day looks like:
*Breakfast 5:30am - Quaker Instant Oatmeal packet (140 cal)
*Snack 7am - vanilla greek yogurt (120 cal & 12 grams protein)
*Lunch 11am - a frozen lean cuisine or weight watchers meal (around 250-300 cal & 8-15 grams of protein)
*Snack 1pm- beef jerky (100 CAL)
*Dinner 5pm- grilled chicken breast, carrots, and broccoli w/ brown rice and terakihi sauce (around 350-400 cal)'
*snack 8-9pm- special k cereal w/ 1% milk (140 cal)
*water to drink all day. I sometimes may have a 1/2 apple juice.
I feel like I shouldn't be hungry but I am! I am eating around 1200 calories daily.
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Replies

  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
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    If you've got as much as 80lbs to lose you need to take it slower than jumping straight into 1200 cals per day. No wonder you're hungry! Could you open your diary, please? Also, are you exercising? If you give us some more detail perhaps we'll be able to help you...
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
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    You are probably starving because you are eating fairly high calorie foods in low quanitity. Increase the amount of droits and veggies you are eating by alot and stick with fairly plain meats instead of sauces and such. Drink water instead of juice. If you don't do these things, you will probably be pretty miserable on a 1200 calorie diet. If you can't make some adjustments, you can increase your daily calories. You will still lose weight, just not as fast. But it is better than bingeing or giving up.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    Even using the high end of your calorie estimates, you are still only hitting 1100 calories. What are your stats, height, weight, activity level?

    Most responses will be "eat more" and I would follow that. Most people can reasonably lose on 1500 calories or more depending on activity level. You don't need to be hungry. Also, adding more protein and fat will help with the fullness factor.
  • Crateria_
    Crateria_ Posts: 253 Member
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    From my personal experience adjusting was very hard in the beginning. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with my stomach growling. The best thing I did was up my calorie limit to about 1300-1400 & eat as many filling foods as possible. Tuna, eggs, almonds & chicken have been my life force. I also like to bulk up my dinners with lots of veggies. Lettuce is very very low cal and adds a bit more substance.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    I feel like I shouldn't be hungry but I am! I am eating around 1200 calories daily.

    Well there's your problem.

    Hit your goal, hit your protein macro.. then fat.. then worry about filling out the rest with delicious carbs.
  • ThatSoundsHard
    ThatSoundsHard Posts: 475 Member
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    Even using the high end of your calorie estimates, you are still only hitting 1100 calories.

    Most responses will be "eat more" and I would follow that. Most people can reasonably lose on 1500 calories or more depending on activity level.

    This. All of this. I also agree trying to get in a good amount of protein too. But 'eat more' will be the most helpful thing you can do.
  • lattarulol
    lattarulol Posts: 123 Member
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    Stats? 1200 is probably too low for you. But, just some quick suggestions...
    - There are instant oatmeal packs that are only 100 cals. Make one of those with water. You could either add 1/2 a banana or a bunch of berries. Or, you could bank the 40 cals.
    - Get plain vanilla greek yogurt. You get a full 8 oz for 130 cals (more protein). Sweeten with stevia or add some honey or fruit (can use the 40 cals you saved from the oatmeal)
    - Lunch needs a major overhaul. There are many better things you could spend 250-300 cals on that will fill out up more. La Tortilla factory sells 50 cal high fiber/low carb tortillas. Fill a couple of those (100) with an oz each of deli meat (50 cal for 2 oz of turkey), and lots of veggies (probably less than 15 cals). can use mustard as a condiment or I would sometimes split a laughing cow between the two. That all is less than 200 cals. For another 150 you could make yourself a very large sized salad with some lower calorie (45 cals per 2 tbls) dressing. There are a lot out there that fit this bill. 100 cals of veggies is a large amount of food. You could even throw some beans on there to help keep you fuller longer. Or, a smaller salad and add a piece of fruit. When I was on lower calorie budget I ate some variation of this most days for lunch.
    - For dinner try swapping out the brown rice for some squash. It lets you eat a large amount of food for a lot less calories and it feels like a starchy side to complement your meal.
    - The cereal snack is not going to fill you up much at all. eat more greek yogurt or cook yourself an egg white omlet. You can make a huge one with veggies for like 60 cals. Throw in a piece of lower calorie bread (50 cals) and you have a snack that has staying power for around 100 calories. Try this for breakfast too if you have time to make it.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
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    This may sound odd, but for me: If I eat oats for breakfast I am hungry ALL day. It doesnt matter how much I eat for the rest of the day, if I start on oats I feel hollow all day and just want to eat, eat, eat. I just thought Id mention it in case Im not alone on this, it took me a few times to work it out. I dont know why, thats just the way it is for me :smile:

    Also I had about 85 pounds to lose, I have lost 12 pounds in 8 weeks so far averaging about 1800 calories a day with moderate exercise. I have set MFP goals to lose 1 1/2 pounds a week and I eat back half of my exercise calories. My diary is open if you want to have a look, I just thought Id share this so you could see you can eat more and still lose weight.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
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    Um, no WONDER you are starving! You aren't eating enough!!

    MFP is quite notorious for setting calorie goals FAR too low, regardless of height and weight. For example, it told me to eat 1200, and my BMR (the bare amount of calories I need to LIVE) is 1280. And I am extremely tiny, only 5 feet. So unless you are smaller than me, or bedridden, it is almost a CERTAINTY that you are eating too little. (This can result in lean muscle loss, chronic fatigue, metabolism damage, and bingeing due to over-restriction.)

    Go to

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    and enter your height/weight/activity level.

    Subtract 10-20% from the number it calculates for you, and that is the number of calories you should be eating a day in order to lose weight.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
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    If you've got 80lbs to lose, 1200 calories is WAY too low.
  • Azchange
    Azchange Posts: 110 Member
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    I have cut down what I eat and am trying to eat more healthy. I need to loose around 80 pounds. However, I find that I am constantly starving!! I have also just recently cut out Mountain Dew and was wondering if this is just my bodies way of dealing with that change. Any tips on what to do to stay full on a low calorie diet? Here is an example of what my day looks like:
    *Breakfast 5:30am - Quaker Instant Oatmeal packet (140 cal)
    *Snack 7am - vanilla greek yogurt (120 cal & 12 grams protein)
    *Lunch 11am - a frozen lean cuisine or weight watchers meal (around 250-300 cal & 8-15 grams of protein)
    *Snack 1pm- beef jerky (100 CAL)
    *Dinner 5pm- grilled chicken breast, carrots, and broccoli w/ brown rice and terakihi sauce (around 350-400 cal)'
    *snack 8-9pm- special k cereal w/ 1% milk (140 cal)
    *water to drink all day. I sometimes may have a 1/2 apple juice.
    I feel like I shouldn't be hungry but I am! I am eating around 1200 calories daily.

    Eat more. Start your day with more protein. skip the cereal.
  • ARDuBaie
    ARDuBaie Posts: 379 Member
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    One of the best things that I ever did was to eat protein big-time for breakfast. I find that I no longer eat a snack in the AM, am getting all my protein needs fairly well met, and tend to be fuller throughout the entire day. I used to eat oatmeal in the morning, but found that it just did not 'hold' me until lunchtime. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which have fiber that fills me up. I cook 95% of my meals. Staying away from lean cuisine and other such foods allows me to eat more. Those types of foods are not all that good for you for various reasons: 1) they have fillers; 2) they are loaded with salt; 3) they are usually high in carbs and low in protein (causing you to crave more carbs, whereas protein fills you and does not lead to such cravings - at least for me: it may be different for others or the same, don't know); and 4) they are not usually satisfying. Cook your meals and you will find that you will be more satisfied. If you want oatmeal, have a bowl for dinner. I often will have Irish oatmeal for dinner.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    Eat more protein and fat. For your carbohydrates, look for complex carbs high in fiber (fruit and veggies, beans, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice). Instant oatmeal packets, flavored yogurt, and frozen meals are going to be high in simple carbs, so you won't feel sated from it even though it's a reasonable number of calories. I'm not against eating these things, but make sure you're hitting your protein and fat macros in doing so or expect to be hungry.

    Also, eat more. 1500-1800 calories would be a much more reasonable target, and you'll still lose weight.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    Agree with every one who has said to eat more. Sorry, but 1200 cal a day is very difficult to just jump into and maintain. You will be hungry. You need to figure out your BMR & TDEE and stay in between those numbers. You will lose, but it won't be overnight (remember you didn't gain it overnight either). Also pay attention to your macros. Your diet looks high in carbs and not balanced with enough protein. Protein will make you feel fuller longer so try adding that in with your breakfast (eggs, greek yogurt, protein powder) and in with lunch and dinner (beans, quinoa, lean meats). Try to avoid sodium as well (beef jerky and prepackaged meals are loaded with it). Make sure you are MOVING during the day.

    Don't get discouraged and give up. Make changes to your diet and keep going for a few more weeks. I'm sure the inches will come off even if the scale doesn't move at lightning speed it will happen.

    Good luck to you!!
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
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    Stats? 1200 is probably too low for you. But, just some quick suggestions...
    - There are instant oatmeal packs that are only 100 cals. Make one of those with water. You could either add 1/2 a banana or a bunch of berries. Or, you could bank the 40 cals.
    - Get plain vanilla greek yogurt. You get a full 8 oz for 130 cals (more protein). Sweeten with stevia or add some honey or fruit (can use the 40 cals you saved from the oatmeal)
    - Lunch needs a major overhaul. There are many better things you could spend 250-300 cals on that will fill out up more. La Tortilla factory sells 50 cal high fiber/low carb tortillas. Fill a couple of those (100) with an oz each of deli meat (50 cal for 2 oz of turkey), and lots of veggies (probably less than 15 cals). can use mustard as a condiment or I would sometimes split a laughing cow between the two. That all is less than 200 cals. For another 150 you could make yourself a very large sized salad with some lower calorie (45 cals per 2 tbls) dressing. There are a lot out there that fit this bill. 100 cals of veggies is a large amount of food. You could even throw some beans on there to help keep you fuller longer. Or, a smaller salad and add a piece of fruit. When I was on lower calorie budget I ate some variation of this most days for lunch.
    - For dinner try swapping out the brown rice for some squash. It lets you eat a large amount of food for a lot less calories and it feels like a starchy side to complement your meal.
    - The cereal snack is not going to fill you up much at all. eat more greek yogurt or cook yourself an egg white omlet. You can make a huge one with veggies for like 60 cals. Throw in a piece of lower calorie bread (50 cals) and you have a snack that has staying power for around 100 calories. Try this for breakfast too if you have time to make it.



    this
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    while I don't really do weight watchers... I like their idea of 'free' fruits and veggies... If I'm super hungry all the time I let myself have as many fruits and veggies as I need to tide me over until my next meal, even if it would put me a little over for calories... Generally just takes an apple... sometimes more...Better than saying screw it and binge eating because I'm so hungry by the time I can eat again, or giving up all together. Best of luck
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    I have cut down what I eat and am trying to eat more healthy. I need to loose around 80 pounds. However, I find that I am constantly starving!! I have also just recently cut out Mountain Dew and was wondering if this is just my bodies way of dealing with that change. Any tips on what to do to stay full on a low calorie diet? Here is an example of what my day looks like:
    *Breakfast 5:30am - Quaker Instant Oatmeal packet (140 cal)
    *Snack 7am - vanilla greek yogurt (120 cal & 12 grams protein)
    *Lunch 11am - a frozen lean cuisine or weight watchers meal (around 250-300 cal & 8-15 grams of protein)
    *Snack 1pm- beef jerky (100 CAL)
    *Dinner 5pm- grilled chicken breast, carrots, and broccoli w/ brown rice and terakihi sauce (around 350-400 cal)'
    *snack 8-9pm- special k cereal w/ 1% milk (140 cal)
    *water to drink all day. I sometimes may have a 1/2 apple juice.
    I feel like I shouldn't be hungry but I am! I am eating around 1200 calories daily.

    Eat a more filling breakfast. Try eggs or something with your oatmeal. 140 cal is not a meal
    Stop eating the frozen meals, they are full if sodium and not filling at all
  • daniellerigsby9
    daniellerigsby9 Posts: 21
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    I am 5'4 and weigh 237 pounds. I have never had a weight issue before now, my original weight is 110 pounds. I have four kids and done really well loosing weight with all but my last one. That's why I have this weight to loose.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    I am 5'4 and weigh 237 pounds. I have never had a weight issue before now, my original weight is 110 pounds. I have four kids and done really well loosing weight with all but my last one. That's why I have this weight to loose.

    So you gained over 100 lb with one pregnancy? Why was that one different?
  • daniellerigsby9
    daniellerigsby9 Posts: 21
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    Thank you for your help. These are really good suggestions!

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