I am still so hungry!!

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Ok, so I must be doing something wrong...At the end of the day I have eaten 1200 calories over the last few days and I am SO HUNGRY!! I need ideas of low calorie foods that are going to keep me full. Now, granted I am used to eating WELL over 1200 calories in a day (I work in a mall and ate mall food almost daily) so this is day 4 of under 1200 and it is taking every ounce of willpower not to cheat. Please help me!!

Replies

  • iamkelskels
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    I'm a little confused, are you saying you've eaten more than 1200 calories per day, or under? You should have at least 1200 calories per day to keep your body moving, sometimes even more depending on your activity level for the day-- like if you have a strenuous job that keeps you moving.
  • smuehlbauer
    smuehlbauer Posts: 1,041 Member
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    Make sure that you are eating protein and a lot of fiber!
    Try to cut out as much of the processed crap as you can. I know that will be hard with where you work but do what you can.
    You'll find the balance.
    Fiber up...
    And A LOT of water!
  • mrsannett
    mrsannett Posts: 257 Member
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    Try and snack on some fruit and veggies through out they day and maybe up your water intake...that may help. Or you can try and eat, then 2 hrs later have a snack after each meal. Maybe that will help out a bit and change your food choices up some so maybe you can stay under goal...and if you go over maybe add a little extra to your cardio. Hope that helps.
  • naidanueva
    naidanueva Posts: 26 Member
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    It's hard to stay full or stay under the 1200 calories when you're eating out, I know!
    Can you pack your own lunch instead??
    And if you only pack a snack, try Baby carrots...snack on those. They keep you full for longer. Or a small amount of dried fruit and nuts...
  • mml61104
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    I eat an apple with 1 or 2 tbs of peanut butter every day. It is really quite filling! Watch your fat content on the peanut butter though.
  • Ashlea_M
    Ashlea_M Posts: 165 Member
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    agreed- eat food with protein, fiber and drink plenty of water and fill up on veggies :)
  • GooBeGone
    GooBeGone Posts: 439 Member
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    u could try a low caloric soup as a filler. u can also try salads w/a little dressin. i prefer balsamic vinagrette b/c i can find a low calorie 1 & it doesn't take much 4 flavor. so for a cup of salad usually 1.2 tablespoons do it & the servin size is 2 tablespoons.

    u also may wanna try drinkin a bit more water. i find that when i think i'm hungry i'm actually thirsty. u can also try some crystal lite in ur water if u need flavor. it's not that much calories as other drinks & it satisfies a sweet tooth as well.

    i hope this helps :flowerforyou:
  • bjnelsonmd
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    you are probably eating too many carbs and not enough protein and fat. a simple carb will burn off in less than an hour, a protein in about 4 hours and fat will stay with you about 8 hours. by keeping your protein level to 30% of your consumed calories this will keep you full. have you noticed that after you eat cereal (carbs) you are hungry right away? a high protein breakfast is a must to start the day - i sound like my mother!!!!
  • taulbeesd
    taulbeesd Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm struggling with the 1200 a day too. I get up at 4:30 in the morning and work a physical job. The cold weather makes me hungry too. I'm trying to drink lots of hot herbal tea and add extra vegetables and fruit. Whenever possible I exercise so the extra calories are used up. My favorite low calorie food that fills me up when I just can't take the hunger is either a large mug of sugar free hot chocolate or a small bag of fat-free microwave popcorn.
  • barbgetsthin
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    Hi,

    Don't worry you arent REALLY hungry, its kind of a trick, you have enough calories in what you have eaten- you are just in the habit of eating more. Ride it out, I'm just at the start of my health kick this time and my tummy rumbled today just before lunch it was a great feeling. Our blood sugar needs to return to normal in between meals to keep our insulin production going properly.

    Having said that protien fills you up for sure, eggs, lean meat, soya. To get past the feeling of hunger much on green beans you can have half a bag for 45cal. We are still primal creatures that want to eat food when they see it to help us survive. You need to get out of the mall on your break even if you walk around the carpark! You need to be away from the mall food cos even if you have eaten the lunch you take with you - you will still want it! Thats not hunger - thats primal- what we have to realise is that our primal brain is worried there wont be any food tommorow- but we know in modern society that there will.

    Good luck with it!! You can absolutly do this!! You are reprogamming your body to only take what it needs energy wise and it doesnt like it! But you know best so stick to your guns

    B
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you, actually! I cut back to 1200 calories from a lot more a few days ago. It does get easier after a few days to adjust to eating fewer calories. :) I'd recommend getting the most out of your calories by eating stuff like carrots, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, chicken, and drinking lots of water or unsweetened tea. The water and tea will help curb your hunger, and you'll get a lot of good nutrition from those other foods. Also remember that if you're using any of those 1200 calories on soda instead of good food, you're hungry for a reason! Cutting out soda and replacing those calories with a healthy snack like carrots has helped me from getting so hungry over these past few days. I've noticed that soup is very low calorie and very filling if you pick the right ones. I have been eating 1/2 a packet of SunBird egg drop soup, and it totals around 80 calories including the egg! With half a sandwich it makes a great meal. :) I Hope some of this has helped. I promise it gets easier once your stomach gets used to eating a healthier amount of food! Oh, and whatever you do, try not to go UNDER 1200. Aim for 1200 to 1300. Under 1200 can send you into starvation mode and can actually set back your weight loss instead of helping you lose.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
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    I'm struggling with the 1200 a day too. I get up at 4:30 in the morning and work a physical job. The cold weather makes me hungry too. I'm trying to drink lots of hot herbal tea and add extra vegetables and fruit. Whenever possible I exercise so the extra calories are used up. My favorite low calorie food that fills me up when I just can't take the hunger is either a large mug of sugar free hot chocolate or a small bag of fat-free microwave popcorn.

    If you are working a physical job and only eating 1200 calories you aren't eating enough. The exercise from your job probably burns a lot of calories, so you should make sure to figure that in to your goals, or input an exercise similar to your work in the exercise tab and it will adjust your calories to compensate for that exercise. :) By the way, I've found that drinking tea has been helping me a lot too! I will have to try snacking on popcorn when I'm hungry too.
  • helenbeee
    helenbeee Posts: 130 Member
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    You need to eat oats it will keep you full right up to lunch. If you dont like porridge then try oatflakes but not the flavoured ones you can get flavour by adding fresh fruit. Make a big pot of vegetable soup (no potato, sweet potato) have it in the fridge and heat up a cup when you feel extra hungry. At dinner time do not increase your carbs its really important that you dont use carbs to bulk up your meals. Alternatives to rice is faux rice which is grated cauliflower lightly boiled or microwaved. If Im feeling really hungry Ill make a lean meat curry with 2 cups of faux rice this usually does the trick. Make sure you are drinking enough water unquenched thirst will mimic hunger so always try a glass of water before anything else. Dont give up it will get better just try to keep busy Ive made a list of jobs that Ive been meaning to do for ages if I feeling restless and hovering around the kitchen I look at the list and pick one of the jobs to do. Last night I cleaned out 3 drawers and found my cherry pitter !
  • helenbeee
    helenbeee Posts: 130 Member
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    you would do better with a mug of homemade vegetable soup it will feel more substantial than popcorn or a mug of hot chocolate
  • tomputnam
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    The first few days are always the hardest. Are you weighing yourself?

    If so, are the results encouraging?

    Just look at the progress and you'll see it's worth it.

    On the other hand, if you are not making progress, you are either cheating, eating junk or have a very slow metabolism and need to decrease the calories or start moving yourself about a bit.

    Loads of water and add a squeeze of lemon. If the lemon tastes sweet, you know that the right reactions are starting.

    And by the way, it can take a few days for a diet to start to work. The extra fluid that you are taking in can accumulate, buit then it starts to burn off the fat.

    Keep at it. You'll love yourself and so will everyone else after a only a couple of weeks. The change will become noticeable.

    Really good luck.
  • semiquaver
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    Why not get a step counter that tells you how many calories you have burnt. Then if you have a very active day you can allow yourself to eat a little more.

    Also have you included a low GI food like porridge? It is low calorie and leaves you feeling full.

    Good luck

    Keep going.
  • daynarivera
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    Thank you all for all of your words of encouragement! I was making a mistake though. I had not entered any of the physical activity I had been doing and was still trying to eat just 1200 calories. Thank you for all of the advice. I will keep at this!
  • minervasp73
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    Keep going! =) It's going to work now that you're adding your exercise.

    I switched to drinking hot green tea all day at work and I stay full, it's amazing.