STARVING!!!! Not always, just today.......

Honestly - I've been so good with exercising and eating 1,200 calories. But today, I am absolutely starving. I feel like I could eat everything in sight! I'm still sticking to today's food plan, but I actually have a headache from the hunger. Why are some days like this? Should I just give in and eat something that's not part of my plan for today just to satisfy my hunger? What do YOU do when these days arrive?
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Thanks for all the advice you can give me!

Christine
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Replies

  • I felt like I was starving most of the time on 1200 calories so I just ended up upping my calories. I think if you want to stick to 1200 then just have a nice low calorie snack. Some veggies or something like that. The few calories that will add will be insignificant in the long run anyway.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
    eat and try not to go over maintenance. dont put yourself through headaches just to lose weight, this is supposed to be a life long change, i doubt you want to deal with headaches for the rest of your life
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    Eat!! The point is not to suffer. Most likely you're eating too little calories per day and your body is asking for more food. Can you really live on 1200 forever? Your body is telling you :noway:
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    Why 1200 calories? Was that a calculation?
  • Did you have a hard workout yesterday? I am always ravenous the day after a good workout, so I save my "eat back" calories for the next day, knowing I will be starving. If you're hungry, try something high in protein like cheese strings or yogurt to keep the hunger at bay
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    You're supposed to eat back exercise calories. If you're not, well, that's why.
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 528 Member
    PMS? That always turns me into a hunger monster. Maybe eat something with a little protein and a little fat.
  • kaspatore
    kaspatore Posts: 95 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    You're supposed to eat back exercise calories. If you're not, well, that's why.

    +1. Girl... EAT THOSE EXCERCISE CALORIES!!! YOU EARNED THEM!
  • Rmntrose
    Rmntrose Posts: 23 Member
    Eat and up your calories before this hunger happens more and more and you completely give up. Your body is needing more calories.
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    PMS? That always turns me into a hunger monster. Maybe eat something with a little protein and a little fat.

    +1 for hunger monster status during PMS
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    How carb heavy was your last meal? If I have a carb heavy dinner, the morning is a nightmare for me in terms of hunger (to the point my stomach hurts until I eat). This is my insulin talking though. The same goes for right after carb heavy meals, my hunger will come back stronger than prior to it, given some time. However, if I eat something sugary when I'm hungry, I'm even hungrier in about 20 minutes. The dips in my blood sugar make me miserable.
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
    Either eat back your exercise calories, or do TDEE with a deficit, that is not good for you and you will lose muscle and maybe worse that way.
  • KKishaA
    KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
    edited October 2014
    wkwebby wrote: »
    How carb heavy was your last meal? If I have a carb heavy dinner, the morning is a nightmare for me in terms of hunger (to the point my stomach hurts until I eat). This is my insulin talking though. The same goes for right after carb heavy meals, my hunger will come back stronger than prior to it, given some time. However, if I eat something sugary when I'm hungry, I'm even hungrier in about 20 minutes. The dips in my blood sugar make me miserable.


    This is exactly what happens to me.
    Should you eat? That is up to you. I wouldn't eat something completely off plan if I could help it. I do agree with some of the posts about how this is supposed to be a lifestyle so why suffer but at the same time, it is nice if you can just get your weight loss over with and get to maintenance without prolonging the process. Weight loss is uncomfortable. If it wasn't then there would be more people at their ideal weights. I know the majority of weight loss success stories that I read or hear about usually include some type of comment about some days being more uncomfortable then others. It is cyclical and most likely a part of the process.
    All of this is said without knowing you, looking at your stats, ect.. so its just a thought. Ultimately you know you!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Have you done anything to change up your exercise recently? I know anytime I go for a longer run or increase my strength trainig, I'm absolutely ravenous. That mixed with PMS this week is making me want to eat everything in sight!

    Also, as others said, you should be eating your exercise calories back if you're not already - at least half to be on the safe side (some overestimate). And 1200 may be too low for you. If you're set to lose 1.5-2 pounds per week, that may be why. With the amount of weight you have to lose (per your ticker), 1 pound per week would be more reasonable.
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    I too definitely have those bottomless pit days...usually once or twice a month, right around my favourite time of month :smile:
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,928 Member
    Hmm.. sometimes it's really worth it to give in. But make sure it's something healthy. Go with the line "If you're hungry, eat an apple. If you don't want an apple, you're not hungry". So if it's really hunger, make yourself something filling and healthy (maybe tuna salad or something like that. Protein?). 60 calories for half a can, add some salsa and sour cream - you won't be much over your calorie goals but you might feel a lot better. Especially since you have a headache.
  • today is my first day, where do I get the food plan?
  • icanplay3
    icanplay3 Posts: 173 Member
    I have had to experiment with different foods to achieve that feeling of "fullness". If I eat something sugary that doesn't help. At all. If I eat only a fruit or vegetable that doesn't help either. However, if I eat something with something else it seems to help. Example: apple w/peanut butter, oatmeal w/milk & 1/2 banana, almonds & a fruit, cheese and fruit, veggies and cream cheese, etc. I think the quality and the combination of foods you eat makes a huge difference on your hunger.
  • alska
    alska Posts: 295 Member
    eat, don't make yourself sick from not eating!
  • kaitimae
    kaitimae Posts: 727 Member
    Calories are important, but so is listening to your body. Your body is telling you it needs food!!!

    If I had eaten my allotment for the day and was experiencing physical hunger (vs. emotional hunger based on loneliness/boredom/etc.) then I would absolutely eat more even if it put me over my limit. I'd try to make them good calories though - don't use it as an excuse to eat junk. Have some fruit or veggies and some protein, log them, and move on!