Hunger Pains

walk to the shop and buy something healthy? porridge to go with your banana or make a smoothie with the banana & yogurt

It's really hard when you are peckish and then all you can think about is food. Are you able to have the banana and/or yoghurt now and then take a walk to find some healthier ingredients for your recipes? Eating healthily can be expensive, I know. I think whether or not you find it easy to afford food then you need to plan ahead and just get a bit more organised about food than you might have previously been. Otherwise it's so easy to keep ending up in the state where you are eating food that's not helping you just because it's quick and easy or it's all that's available. Good luck!

If you can drink a fiber supplement. It really makes you feel full and it tastes pretty good if you can deal with the grit. I drink 8-10oz and a banana for breakfast everyday and no hunger at all for a few hours.

How many calories a day have you set? You could have eggs with a small amount of cheese (weigh & measure things) and still have a healthy lunch & evening meal. Read the 'Guide to sexy-pants' thread that's stickied at the top of the forum

Edit: Beaten to it!

It's only day 2 for me on MFP and I'm already struggling. I've had hunger pains for the past three hours. I ate a banana about two hours ago hoping they'd go away, but my stomach only stopped hurting for 15 minutes. Breakfast is in a half hour and I can't find anything healthy to eat. I don't like eggs without cheese. Sausage links and bacon are clearly bad choices if I intend on having lunch. I've came across a couple decent recipes but don't have the ingredients necessary to make them. I have yogurt and a banana but I don't find those to be filling.

Maybe I should just eat something small to take the edge off the hunger pains, take my walk, and nap until lunch if I can? I don't know. I'm tempted to just make eggs with cheese and sausage and pig out.

I don't usually even bother eating breakfast because I'm never hungry in the mornings. Is this happening because I'm exercising more?

I don't understand why you can't eat cheese and bacon. Just find better choices. For instance turkey bacon. You can find a way to make it fit. Eat in moderation.

I find that I am not as hungry for breakfast either. However, I still try to eat at least 20% of my calorie max or I will feel hungry sooner.

I have to say, when making a change like this, preparation is key. You're only on day 2 and finding your way. Do some planning so you have the things you need at hand and aren't scrabbling to find something when you're already starving. I know that doesn't help right now, but planning and having what you need on hand will be your best friend.

Let me guess, you're eating only 1,200 calories, right?

You just have to plan ahead better. I eat 1200 calories a day and have for 5 months (eatting back some of my exercise calories some times) and I am not hungry all day. I have just learned what foods fill me up, when to eat them, and I plan plan plan.. Its hard to get started but it will get easier!

I hope this doesn't come of as insulting but do you really need a whole cup of cheese with your eggs? That seems excessive and definitely on the all or nothing kind of mindset. There's nothing wrong with having sausage or bacon either, just have less than you used to. A couple eggs, a 1/4 cup of cheese and a few slices of bacon should run you around 400 calories. Even frying al of it up in a whole Tbsp of butter will only add 100 more calories. That's not a ridiculous amount for breakfast (IMHO) especially if you're exercising now.

For leaner choices, you can go with turkey bacon or sausage or even lean deli ham or canadian bacon. Get medium eggs instead of large to save a few calories if you want. I'd also suggest you start planning your meals for the week as much as you can. It's not always easy but you'll find you won't be stuck with these kinds of dilemmas, being hungry and not sure of what to eat.

I hope this doesn't come of as insulting but do you really need a whole cup of cheese with your eggs? That seems excessive and definitely on the all or nothing kind of mindset. There's nothing wrong with having sausage or bacon either, just have less than you used to. A couple eggs, a 1/4 cup of cheese and a few slices of bacon should run you around 400 calories. Even frying al of it up in a whole Tbsp of butter will only add 100 more calories. That's not a ridiculous amount for breakfast (IMHO) especially if you're exercising now.

For leaner choices, you can go with turkey bacon or sausage or even lean deli ham or canadian bacon. Get medium eggs instead of large to save a few calories if you want. I'd also suggest you start planning your meals for the week as much as you can. It's not always easy but you'll find you won't be stuck with these kinds of dilemmas, being hungry and not sure of what to eat.

+1

Losing weight doesn't have to involve starving yourself and cutting out foods you enjoy (I have ice cream just about every day for example. I also would never consider cutting out cheese).

Instead of using the MFP calorie system, I use this system: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

I calculated 1900 calories for myself per day, which is enough to keep me feeling satisfied and full (and I lose weight on that amount). I find that I can fit in just about anything I want to eat into those calories (even stuff like ice cream which I already mentioned and steak). It's all about moderation. I tend to eat a lot of "healthy" foods such as lean meats, vegetables, and fruit.. and then I eat the other more "sinful" foods more sparingly (but I still have them and enjoy them!).

Perhaps your plan right now is too aggressive. I am happy with a 0.5-1 lb loss per week. I think it's important to stick to a plan that you think you can sustain for the rest of your life. The weight loss may be slower, but if you stick with it, that's what matters!

ETA: I focus on eating enough protein, fats (Coming from eggs, olive oil, etc), and fiber. That helps keep me nice and full.

There is always an adjustment period (varies between people). Mine was 3 days of complete crapiness...then on the fourth day I found I had energy and my mood had stabilized (so had my sugar levels). I find that adding a tbsp. of chia seed to my morning oatmeal or yogurt really helps in the hunger department (chock-full of fiber those wee seeds).

I know it's tough, but you will see, it will be worth it!!

You just have to plan ahead better. I eat 1200 calories a day and have for 5 months (eatting back some of my exercise calories some times) and I am not hungry all day. I have just learned what foods fill me up, when to eat them, and I plan plan plan.. Its hard to get started but it will get easier!

^^^^ - this, except I eat at least half of my exercise calories back - more if I trust the figures mfp gives me.

When I started I had to really plan out my menus and pre-log it - usually the night before, so that I knew how much room I had for any extras. Stopped me eating something and then thinking - duh, now I cannot eat dinner!!

Because you are adjusting to eating less you may feel peckish at the beginning. When this happened to me I quickly learned that it wasn't real hunger (unless I was really undereating that day) and would be eased by drinking water - I take mine with a slice of lemon. No-one starved on 1200 cals a day - but if you want this to be sustainable lifestyle to which you are committed long term then accept that there are no quick fixes and eat the calories you need whilst keeping at a reasonable defecit. While treats are a good thing to keep you happy and smiling eating filling, more nutrient dense foods staves off hunger longer than chocolate or a bag of crisps I find!

I found day 2 the hardest with hunger, headaches, bloating, tiredness, etc, I think day 1 you get through on the food from the day before, novelty, determination, etc, and day 2 the hunger kicks in! You're making big adjustments, and it's natural for your body to react to that. It's also a huge learning curve, and on day 2 you haven't yet learned how to keep those hunger pangs at bay in a way that won't send you catapulting over your daily calorie allowance limit. The good news is things quickly get better, your body adjusts, you learn and adjust and things become easier. You've had some great advice here, so let that help you and just take each day at a time, you'll soon be looking back feeling so much better and wondering what all the fuss was about. Best of luck