so i think people are lying

Of course I can't speak to other peoples theories of dieting or logging truthfully their daily nutrition. But, speaking for myself and my own diet methods, keeping a log of my daily food and exercise has allowed me to give my diet plan a strong sense of purpose.

As for not being hungry at the end of our allotted calorie count, sure, from time to time I feel exactly the way that you do. Those lingering pangs of hunger are an aggravating distraction from the goal at hand. I fight these underlying desires all the time.

I have recently found "Dannon Light and Fit" Yogurts which at 80 calories are a very useful method of stemming these underlying desires to eat food that would put me past my stated caloric intake goals.

If your hopes are to actually lose a substantial amount of weight and learn to keep this weight off over a long period of time, then it is essential to train yourself to avoid the pitfalls of succumbing to snacking or eating food that would put you outside your goals.

I know that for myself personally, that aside from my Wife and Family, there has been no greater joy in my life thus far than to have finally shed some of the unwanted pounds that will ultimately help me lead a healthier life.

I wish the very best of good fortune with your diet and the hope that you will succeed in becoming the healthier person that you are choosing to be.

I think until you get yourself in a better balanced place you will be hungry.... it's a good thing. You need to feel that especially at the beginning.... you'll get used to it.... your tummy is trying to just maintain your weight... you're trying to decrease it from what you're used to. Stick with it.... make that many calories normal.... your fat would like to feed itself... what you feel is your body eating the fat stores that you have built up and your fat does not want that to happen... it does not want to go away... but go it must!!! Also... fill yourself up with the low calorie healthy stuff... carrots... pack your tummy with those instead of soda or juice...

Yes I agree with you; 1200 calories is way too little; I could handle but would be starved to death.

In the beginning I just changed my thought process on hungry. I knew that I needed to eat less to lose weight. I figured if I was hungry than my body was turning on itself and eating my fat. I was starving for 2 or 3 weeks. Then I wasn't hungry anymore. It seriously took very little food to fill me up. I had to try to get my self hungry. Now I find myself eating when I am not very hungry because I need the calories. It very well my not sound true, but this is my truth.

Wow,,,,your weight loss is amazing.
Can I ask a question please. ?
Do you eat your exercise calories?
I keep hearing conflicting stories.
Nat from Australia.

I've been averaging 1400 cals a day.

Somedays I'm really full. Other days (like last night) I am hungry.

Instead of dreaming of food, I just went and made myself a snack of an apple and 10 cheezits. LOL

That won't break my flow

completely depends what you eat and exercise, sometimes I struggle to eat 1200, well most times but then sometimes I eat more, and mostly I'm not hungry, but not always.
I actually believe we're very rarely hungry, it's boredom, gotta keep busy, if I'm busy at work I have to remind myself to have lunch, doesn't always have to be exercise. ;-)

MFP set my goal at 1200 calories. I can eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack or two and not hit 1200. It can be done. Some days I don't even hit it. 250-300 calories of a healthy high fiber breakfast is more filling and can keep you fuller longer than 500 calories of a bad breakfast.

1200 is the general number used as the minimum calorie intake for the day - it's higher for men. If you go under that for too long then yes your body will start to protest and hang on to fat. I'm living fact of that. Before I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia my day would consist of coffee all day and then dinner - and some munching at night. Lots of bad foods, no fruits and veggies, too much sugar, etc. I would go days without drinking any water. I didn't keep track then but I know I never hit 1200 - probably not even 1000. And I was putting on weight, not losing. I gained almost 20 pounds in a year.

And this isn't a lie. At this time last year I was almost 140 pounds - my highest ever. Now I'm at 126.8 And I eat more in a day than I ever have in the past. (I can get a huuuuuge salad from the salad bar at work. It will work out to around 350-400 calories and I can't finish it!)

I think it's very possible to eat 1200 calories and not be hungry. It just depends on what type of food you're eating. If you're eating high calorie high carb food for each meal, you're most likely going to get to that 1200 calories really quick, then be hungry because it's dinner time and you used most or all of your calories on junk. But if you change your eating habits, to eat more protein, fruits and veggies throughout the day, you can reach your 1200 and feel stuffed. Also when it comes to exercise, everyone isn't the same. When I exercise it actually subdues my appetite and makes me less hungry.

** This is almost word for word how my response was going to play out! My only opportunity to work out is after work on 2 nights and then after my grad classes on the other 3 (which gets me in the door at home around 10) my workouts often lead to lack of hunger, but i know ive just burned some of those cal's off, so ill try to get a low fat string cheese or maybe even a yogurt in and then call it a night..

I am sure there are people out there who are just saying they arent hungry, but there are those of us, who really dont feel hungry (after eating the right choices) after 1200 cals!!

Try switching up your diet, what a world of difference it can make

Good Luck