Always hungry?

RaggedyAnnazon
RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So when you count calories and are in a calories deficit are you going to feel constantly hungry?

I'm only halfway through my calories for the day and I am very very hungry.

Is it supposed to be like this?

Replies

  • intrinseca
    intrinseca Posts: 5
    I think it depends on the type of foods you eat. Lean protein is good at filling you up for a long time - it uses a chunk of your calories, but I reckon it's worth it to feel full.

    I personally find that salad doesn't keep me feeling full, no matter how much of it I eat. Vegetables such as runner beans, carrots, etc., seem to keep my tummy happier for longer in comparison.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I typically am not hungry....but I am sometimes...but that is due to my workouts.

    So no you shouldn't "always" feel hungry so the question is are you really hungry??? or do you think it's hunger?

    If you really are hungry are you getting enough protien? I try to get at least 120g a day to help repair muscle. How many calories are you eating? are you eating enough?

    with your diary not being open it's hard to really tell...
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  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    How long have you been at it? If it's new, like a couple of weeks or so, then you might feel hungry just because you're adjusting to a new intake. But overall, no - losing weight doesn't mean feeling constantly hungry, especially if you're eating the proper number of cals.

    So what is your height, weight, and your daily calorie goal? Are you exercising? Do you eat back exercise cals?
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    no. but then again it depends on many calories you are working with. i am only super hungry around t.o.m. and on other rare occasions where i feel like i just cant get full. thats about it. other than that i feel very satsifed. which is most days.
  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
    choose what you eat carefully - I have been having 2 servings of oatmeal for breakfast every morning and it keeps me pretty full til about lunch - then I have chicken and usually some sort of veggie (today my "veggie" was M&Ms - opps!) and that holds me over for a couple hours - then i have some sort of afternoon snack to hold me over til dinner. Try to avoid the chips and breakfast breads and sweets etc - it'll satisfy your craving but you'll be hungry again soon.
  • katesnewbody
    katesnewbody Posts: 62 Member
    Chances are, you simply aren't used to the feeling of hunger. Being overweight for a while may make people used to a certain intake, and they may "think" they are starving, when really, they simply aren't used to having to eat smaller portions of food.
  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
    Some days are rough. I do 1400 calories a day and today is rough but yesterday was fine.

    When you get super hungry, start drinking more water. I use water to take the edge off until my next snack comes up.

    If you are trying the "I'm going to rush this by doing 1200 calories a day" thing then yes.. expect to feel hungry all the time.
  • asciident
    asciident Posts: 166 Member
    There are days when I feel ravenous but it's usually around TTOM. Otherwise, no, generally I am able to stay within my calorie goal without feeling hungry, and I am eating at a deficit.

    For me part of it was learning to distinguish "I'm not hungry" from "I'm full" and "That would taste good"
  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
    Chances are, you simply aren't used to the feeling of hunger. Being overweight for a while may make people used to a certain intake, and they may "think" they are starving, when really, they simply aren't used to having to eat smaller portions of food.

    This is a very valid answer. It wasn't until I got used to eating smaller portions that I realized that "stuffed" feeling was no longer a norm. I went out one night and had a big meal like I used to and felt horrible! Once you get used to eating moderate and more reasonable portions, the hunger pains go away more.
  • persaud87
    persaud87 Posts: 6
    There are days when I feel ravenous but it's usually around TTOM. Otherwise, no, generally I am able to stay within my calorie goal without feeling hungry, and I am eating at a deficit.

    For me part of it was learning to distinguish "I'm not hungry" from "I'm full" and "That would taste good"

    This.

    Majority of people are not truly hungry. The addiction to food > hunger
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i feel that the less time i spend on MFP, the less i'm seeing posts about food, or thinking about my diary, that i'm able to eat less that day.

    but days when things are really slow and all i have to do is distract myself on myfitnesspal, all i do is think of food.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    My 5 tips:

    1. Make sure that your calorie level is appropriate for your size and activity level. Way too many people skip this step and then wonder why their body is trying to tell them to eat more.

    2. Look for foods with more protein, fat, and fiber. These keep us fuller and more satisfied longer.

    3. Drink plenty of fluids.

    4. Play around with your meal timings. Some people do really well on 6 small meals a day and others feel like they want to eat their arms off trying this. Some people do really well skipping breakfast and eating two large meals a day and others would kill their coworkers without breakfast. Meal timing doesn't affect you weight loss, but it might affect how you feel while losing weight.

    5. Wait it out and let your body adjust. Your body sends out hormones that control hunger partially out of habit (think of Pavlov's dogs). The good news is that it can be trained to stop that given some time.
  • FlatTummyTrish
    FlatTummyTrish Posts: 88 Member
    This is soo me! I'm always hungry, it's what made me binge for years. I eat more when I exercise too which is every day O.o I wish I knew effective ways to deal with this but one thing is drinking tea's all the time, especially in the evenings. I agree with proteins as well, and don't forget fibre! Eating Kellogg's Fruit n' Fibre can keep me satisfied for hours :)
    I hope I helped, let me know how you get on.
  • RaggedyAnnazon
    RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
    I typically am not hungry....but I am sometimes...but that is due to my workouts.

    So no you shouldn't "always" feel hungry so the question is are you really hungry??? or do you think it's hunger?

    If you really are hungry are you getting enough protien? I try to get at least 120g a day to help repair muscle. How many calories are you eating? are you eating enough?

    with your diary not being open it's hard to really tell...

    I just starting using my diary today. Looking at it wouldn't give you a good idea at all, it's very incomplete. I was hitting roughly 2300 calories a day, but last week I worked out 5 days that week, and overdid it on calories two day (by how much? Idk, went out to eat at a local mexican resturant) and only lost 5oz. So I got a food scale and have started weighting everything and doing input today.

    I honestly can't tell if it's hunger or not. I believe it is. But usually I make sure I never am hungry. Maybe I need a few more days to see where I could be going wrong if I am?
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I find that when I restrict carbs and focus on nutrient dense foods (i.e. more vegetables and fruits, protein, good fats vs. bread, pasta, sweets, junk food, etc.), I have virtually no hunger. That's a common experience with low carb high fat diets with sufficient protein, and is especially true if you have any carb sensitivity issues like insulin resistance, diabetes, etc. (I have IR).
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,566 Member
    depends on what you are eating I guess - protein keeps me feeling sated so on days where I don't eat enough protein I tend to graze all day - I usually try to get protein in at breakfast - also I tend to make sure I have a mid morning and mid afternoon snack to keep me going.
  • skrlec70
    skrlec70 Posts: 302 Member
    if I don't eat balanced at every meal I am starving constantly, since incorporating carbs back in my life im much more balanced.

    who knew carbs were energy and keep you full lol , I have both with each meal , well I try to and when I don't I feel like I could eat my left hand all day,
  • skrlec70
    skrlec70 Posts: 302 Member
    oops also if you are exercising are you tracking that on MFP ? maybe you arnt eating enough based on your activity, I didn't think walking the dog counted it does ! I get an extra 115 calories a day for his 30mins of walking :) 20 for today as I just came from the dentist :( my husband can take the next walk shift lol
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I felt ravenously hungry in the first 2-3 weeks I started MFP. I think my body was shocked at the calorie and food intake difference. I think my body was also shocked at the amount of physical activity I was doing. I worked through the hunger and would drink a lot of water after meals to make me feel fuller. In my first month I averaged 1550 calories a day, and in my second month I averaged 1650 calories a day and this (my third month) the hunger feelings are a lot more manageable, but I still feel it sometimes :/
  • leachjg
    leachjg Posts: 63 Member
    It really depends on SO much. How much do you have allotted for yourself for the day? What are you eating? Healthy foods will keep you fuller longer and junk food, i.e. fast food, something out of a package, box, or wrapper is generally unhealthy and will send on a roller coaster feeling full at first but within a couple of hours starving. I find I try to eat 2/3 of my calories by 3pm. For example I start my day with 1450 calories I try to eat around 900 or 1000 calories by or around 3pm so that I only have enough left for supper and maybe a light snack. I do try to go bed feeling slightly hungry. Also if have set your calories for two pounds per week weight loss your body may be adjusting to difference in calories you use to eat. I have some days where I am hungry, but I can usually find the reason why, #1 I haven't drank the amount of water I should, #2I've been eating unhealthy empty calories, #3 TOM. Other than that I am not hungry.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    Are you trying to lose too quickly? Are you eating back your exercise calories? Are you eating the bulk of your calories when you need them most? I have around half of my calories across breakfast/lunch/snacks and the other half for my evening meal - I'd have given up after a couple of weeks if I'd had to go to bed hungry! Using exercise as a distraction and to burn extra to eat might help you stay true.

    Weigh your food to make sure you're not guessing too high and doing yourself out of calories.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I am always hungry too. But, I eat 5-6 smaller meals daily which seems to workout for me.

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