Can't fight the hunger craving

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mandy81marie
mandy81marie Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm only a week into my diet and I am having such a hard time fighting the hunger cravings today. I've had my breakfast, a snack and lunch. I only have about 600 calories left for the day. All I want to do is pig out on the contents of my kitchen, lol. What can I do to help make the unbearable cravings stop?
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Replies

  • Dmatkin
    Dmatkin Posts: 8
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    What are you eating for those meals? Are you weight training?
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    Make sure you aren't hyper-restricting yourself. Don't automatically set your intake at 1200, if that is what you have done. Work yourself down to that. Add protein to your diet, and drink a lot of water. Other than that, just wait it out. It will get easier once you adjust :)
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    It gets better, hang in there...
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
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    I don't know about you, but I've failed every diet that I was hungry on. I just can't beat it. So this time round, I eat lots of veggies. I can eat bucket-loads for virtually no calories, so I stay full and get in lots of nutrition at the same time.
    I've been here since August and haven't given up. Maybe it would work for you too?
  • kirstengirl
    kirstengirl Posts: 32
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    I am also struggling with that too!!! I always feel hungry, even though I know I'm not really - it's more habit I think. I know I need to drink more water too, everyone says it helps, but it's not what I want. I'll hang in there with you too.
  • Adsnwfld
    Adsnwfld Posts: 262 Member
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    go for some low to no calorie substitutes, celery, strawberries, carrots... salad (watch the dressing) it fills you up and kills the craving without killing your calories for the day
  • Beckyburg
    Beckyburg Posts: 1
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    Try chewing sugar free gum.
  • Mrs_McFadden
    Mrs_McFadden Posts: 1,139
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    I'm going to buy some cookbooks for this but I'd suggest at looking at Volumetrics:

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/volumetrics-what-it-is

    Adding low calorie, healthy roughage to bulk up your meal essentially. Today I added about 1/4 cup chopped cucumber to my tuna- with a 1/2 Tbsp of Sriracha and a 1/2 Tbsp mayo, and that cucumber really helped!

    An example of volumetrics I've seen in a magazine would be eating grapes instead of raisins- the air and liquid present in a grape is *more* filling than raisins right?

    Plus it really helps to plan ahead ..at least a day ahead and make sure you're snacking throughout the day so you're not stranded and hungry.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Make breakfast and lunch larger meals, heavy on protein in your meals and snacks. Go by the calorie allowance MFP gives you.
  • fitzie63
    fitzie63 Posts: 508 Member
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    You're not getting enough protein to prevent those feelings of hunger. Drink 2 full glasses of water before your meal. Take at least 20 minutes to chew/swallow that meal. Relax and enjoy your meal time rather than "inhale it".
  • katiepool129
    katiepool129 Posts: 21
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    hang in there, its perfectly normal to get these kicks as your body adjusts to your new regime. I find doing some exercise stops me snacking, one it distracts you, two it helps you towards your weight loss gain, and three once you've exercises you really don't want to waste the energy you spent on exercising by eating again. Also don't leave loads of time between lunch and dinner as it can be quite a big stretch of time to get hungry. Hope this is helpful! xx
  • marniehodges
    marniehodges Posts: 264
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    Are you working out? I know when I started I was starving all the time too. Hubby told me (who has worked out for years) that it was because I finally got my metabolism going again. So that's a good thing! Eat lots of protein and fiber; it will keep you feeling full longer. And drink tons of water! Good luck!
  • rayemlls
    rayemlls Posts: 45
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    special k bars and shakes are amazing...They have different flavors and they have cracker chips that are awesome and help keep you full longer!!!Ive been slowly switching out my snacks and these have been the best by far!
  • judz46
    judz46 Posts: 359 Member
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    I find it's best not to get hungry - have a piece of cheese with low fat crackers before the hunger pangs strike.
  • Marigold15
    Marigold15 Posts: 2
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    A lovely treat Get six little bowls and fill them with one pint sugar free jelly, a 14 oz tin of mixed fruit in fruit juice and dollop a couple of tablespoons of no fat yoghurt on the top. No more than 104 calories per bowl and a nice treat in your fridge for the next six days. It really helps those hunger cravings.
  • dimoul
    dimoul Posts: 137 Member
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    I've been trying to follow a list when I get the munchies:

    1) drink a glass or two of water.
    2) drink cinnamon or some other herbal tea with no sugar
    3) eat some sort of vegetable (carrot, celery, salad, boiled cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.. whatever you have that sounds good at the moment)
    4) eat a piece of your favorite fruit
    5) if you have to eat something more calorie dense, eat it, but don't go crazy. decide how much in advance, log it in myfitness, weigh/measure it, put it away, eat it (this goes for everything you eat).

    This keeps me from diving into the cookies or chips. If you are in a position where you can just take a nap instead or got to bed earlier, do that. sleeping = no eating. and I find the more practice I get sleeping without eating something first is good for breaking my habit of eating before sleeping. Also, try something to distract you: read, walk, video games, whatever.

    I find that if I eat plenty of lean protein (chicken breast or fish) in the day and vegetables, I don't get as hungry. eggs in the a.m. help a lot, too
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
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    I agree with more food earlier and more protein. Things will eventually get better once your body adjusts.

    For times when I'm hungry, though, distraction works best for me - the busier I am, the less chance I have to think about food. I also try to drink plenty of water. I'll also give in and eat something (maybe vegetables, a snack ~100 calories) if I'm *really* hungry - after all, my body is trying to tell me something!
  • mandy81marie
    mandy81marie Posts: 3
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    thanks for all the tips :)

    The cravings weren't so bad until today and I've basically kept my menu the same. Today I had my normal cups of coffee, drank a slimfast shake for breakfast, had some cheez-it's for a snack then a chicken ceasar salad for lunch. I've also drank about 4-5 glasses of water so far today.

    As lazy as it might sound, I have not started any excerise yet. I wanted to conquer the whole "eatting right" thing first, lol
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Make sure your calorie goal isn't too low. If you're going from over 2000 calories per day to 1200 per day, you're going to be hungry for a while and it won't matter what you're eating. Make sure you're set to lose 1 pound per week at first until you adjust. As far as food goes, make sure you're eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, they're low cal and you can eat a ton. And drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
  • Mande_G
    Mande_G Posts: 599 Member
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    thanks for all the tips :)

    The cravings weren't so bad until today and I've basically kept my menu the same. Today I had my normal cups of coffee, drank a slimfast shake for breakfast, had some cheez-it's for a snack then a chicken ceasar salad for lunch. I've also drank about 4-5 glasses of water so far today.

    As lazy as it might sound, I have not started any excerise yet. I wanted to conquer the whole "eatting right" thing first, lol

    It's not just about cutting the calories of the foods you're eating, but also eating high QUALITY foods. I can't see your diary, but it sounds like you're eating a lot of processed garbage and not getting the nutrition you need. Instead of a slimfast shake, try making your own smoothies with greek yogurt and fruit and a little honey or stevia. Instead of cheez-it's, go for an apple with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter, or veggie sticks (think carrot or bell pepper or celery) with hummus. Stick closer to whole, natural foods -- you'll be getting a ton more fiber, which helps keep you feeling full, as well as the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function AND to feel satisfied. Whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, lean protein and lean dairy are your friends.

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