Starving
ValentineNicole
Posts: 51 Member
I'm starving at almost 1000 calories today, and it's only 4:30pm here. I used to be able to eat 1200 calories a day almost every single day through college, and I was never hungry. Now, I feel like if I'm under 1600 for the day, it's a miracle. Does your stomach really stretch from eating too much? How long did it take most of you to adjust to a new way of eating?
I've only been logging my food for a week, but I've been trying to speculate what I can do to keep myself from feeling deprived. Distraction is about the only thing that works though, LOL - and that's not so easy at work. I've tried upping the protein, adding vegetables - but I feel like a bottomless pit.
What helped you when starting out to feel less deprived? What foods made you feel full, longer?
I've only been logging my food for a week, but I've been trying to speculate what I can do to keep myself from feeling deprived. Distraction is about the only thing that works though, LOL - and that's not so easy at work. I've tried upping the protein, adding vegetables - but I feel like a bottomless pit.
What helped you when starting out to feel less deprived? What foods made you feel full, longer?
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Replies
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If you've only been logging for a week then you definitely need to give it more time. I don't know your current stats so I don't know if 1000 cals. is safe and/or sustainable for you. No, your stomach doesn't actually "stretch". We get into bad habits of overeating, but that can be corrected with consistency and patience.
Drink water or a low calorie beverage (glass of soy milk or almond milk or whatever fits into your current diet) if you get hungry. Wait 10 or 15 min. If it passes, then it's probably not true hunger. If you are truly hungry, eat a small, healthy snack.0 -
Eating a reasonable amount of food should help. Set a reasonable goal, eat back your exercise calories, and it should be much more manageable.0
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Have you put on muscle since college? Increased activity level/cardio? In my humble opinion, the healthiest way to proceed is to aim for mildly hungry. Peckish. Never starving. I suspect your goal is too low for your activity level/metabolism.0
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I'd be starving too if I only ate 1,000 a day, or even 1200.0
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Why are you only eating 1000 a day? Bump that up to something comfortable and, more importantly, something actually sustainable.
Better to be a few months late on your goal than never get there at all because you starve, binge, and ultimately give up again, right?0 -
I was the same way - in college I could spend an hour on the elliptical and still only eat 1200 calories that day and be fine (and non of mine was protein either - just like easy mac and english muffins )... now I would be so incredibly miserable and hangry if I attempted to do that.
I don't know what exactly changed in the last 7 years for me but I am the same - I am miserable without at least 1500 calories a day at the very, very least. Luckily I can still lose at 1500, and with a decent amount of exercise every week, I can lose with significantly more calories than that.
Back then I likely maintained at 1200 a day because I was binge drinking pink panty droppers and soco and lime shots on the weekends, so my average calorie allotment was actually significantly higher than I thought it was (because how can you possibly know how many calories are in six solo cups of trash can punch)... maybe you're not/weren't as nuts as me though.
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Eat more. I'm eating over 1600 calories a day and losing weight.0
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I've usually eaten 1200 calories by noon. I'd be gnawing my arm off at 1000 calories by late afternoon. Eat more food! You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight.0
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These are my really general tips for hunger:
1. Make sure that your calorie goals are actually set appropriately. Don't skip this step. A lot of people set goals that are too aggressive and then wonder why they're having a hard time. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
2. Look for foods higher in protein, fat, and fiber. These help us stay full and more satisfied longer. If you're using MFP's default settings, try to consider protein, fat, and fiber as minimums to reach every day rather than maximums to stay below.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. Some people really do confuse thirst and hunger.
4. Get plenty of rest. This includes sleeping enough and taking rest days from the exercise. Sometimes our bodies look for food when they're exhausted.
5. Play around with your meal timings. Some people do really well on 5-6 small meals a day and others feel like they want to gnaw their own arm off eating like that. Skipping breakfast, eating breakfast, 16:8 fasting, 6 small meals, 3 larger meals, snacks, no snacks, meal timing won't make a big difference to your weight loss, but it may help your hunger levels, mood, concentration, gym performance, etc. throughout the day. Don't be afraid to try a different way and see if it helps.
6. Wait it out. If you know you're eating enough and the other steps above aren't helping, you may just have to wait it out. Our bodies send out hunger signals partially out of habit. If you eat at a certain time every day your body will start to get hungry at that time. The good news is that these signals can be retrained to stop telling you to be hungry all the time. The bad news is that you may just have to be hungry for a little bit while that happens.
7. I also think it's important to remember that there's a habitual component to hunger. This goes along with point #6, but if you eat because you're bored or you're used to eating in front of the TV or in the car or whatever it is, then you can replace those habits with others that are better for you. Things like keeping water on hand to sip instead of snacking or picking up hobbies that keep your hands busy or that get you out of the house more can help out a little while you're retraining your hunger cues. You might need to pay attention to why you're eating/hungry or what you're feeling when you eat and try to replace food with other things, but it can be really beneficial over time.0 -
i had a similiar problem. i was always hungry no matter how many calories i consumed. it was annoying. It took me about a week to not feel like that anymore, I have been using the 16:8 plan. My calorie intake is set at 1300, and, I really have to work on hitting that goal everyday. I eat in an 8 hour window. I drink tons of water & 4 cups of green tea before I have my first meal around 1pm. I feel so much better that i don't feel like i constantly have to feed myself. I am so much more alert in the morning. I am making better food choices. And, I am not starving before my lunch hour nor am I sluggish around 3pm.0
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Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm definitely not aiming for 1000 calories - just shocked I'm that high before dinner :-) my goal is set at 1440, and I'm aiming for 1400-1600. I am struggling to save calories for dinner, lol. I'm taking everything mentioned here to heart and I so appreciate it0
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mbcieslak87 wrote: »I was the same way - in college I could spend an hour on the elliptical and still only eat 1200 calories that day and be fine (and non of mine was protein either - just like easy mac and english muffins )... now I would be so incredibly miserable and hangry if I attempted to do that.
I don't know what exactly changed in the last 7 years for me but I am the same - I am miserable without at least 1500 calories a day at the very, very least. Luckily I can still lose at 1500, and with a decent amount of exercise every week, I can lose with significantly more calories than that.
Back then I likely maintained at 1200 a day because I was binge drinking pink panty droppers and soco and lime shots on the weekends, so my average calorie allotment was actually significantly higher than I thought it was (because how can you possibly know how many calories are in six solo cups of trash can punch)... maybe you're not/weren't as nuts as me though.
That makes so much sense, lol. Honestly, I'm not sure I even counted drink calories in college.
I'm in the exact same boat - needing more than I required back then. But nowadays, I work all day, work out, keep up a house, etc. Maybe that's just exactly what it is.0 -
ValentineNicole wrote: »I'm starving at almost 1000 calories today, and it's only 4:30pm here. I used to be able to eat 1200 calories a day almost every single day through college, and I was never hungry. Now, I feel like if I'm under 1600 for the day, it's a miracle. Does your stomach really stretch from eating too much? How long did it take most of you to adjust to a new way of eating?
I've only been logging my food for a week, but I've been trying to speculate what I can do to keep myself from feeling deprived. Distraction is about the only thing that works though, LOL - and that's not so easy at work. I've tried upping the protein, adding vegetables - but I feel like a bottomless pit.
What helped you when starting out to feel less deprived? What foods made you feel full, longer?
It does take time to figure things out but going around starving is not normal either. The weight regain after such a diet can be well over 100% of the loss.
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ValentineNicole wrote: »Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm definitely not aiming for 1000 calories - just shocked I'm that high before dinner :-) my goal is set at 1440, and I'm aiming for 1400-1600. I am struggling to save calories for dinner, lol. I'm taking everything mentioned here to heart and I so appreciate it
I find it helpful to log my whole day in advance the night before or in the morning. I usually put in my dinner entry, then lunch, breakfast and a snack. I don't run out of calories, am not starving and I can see how exercise will impact my day. If something changes I make adjustments but usually don't have to change much.
You might find it helpful to pre-log your whole day too.0 -
I hope you don't mind, but I took a peek at your diary
I noticed you eat some excellent things, but also there are a few very high (in my opinion) calorie items that don't give much bang for the calorie buck, like pesto (130 for 2tbsp) and chocolate squares. When working with a smaller calorie bank (I'm in the same boat), its sometimes better to go with high protein high fiber options that fill you up more. Also, some find readjusting the time of day they have their calories works for them. And: you are just a week in, so cut yourself some slack as you adjust to a healthier lifestyle. 
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+1 for pre-logging your day. That way you don't end up using up all your calories before dinner.0
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I hope you don't mind, but I took a peek at your diary I noticed you eat some excellent things, but also there are a few very high (in my opinion) calorie items that don't give much bang for the calorie buck, like pesto (130 for 2tbsp) and chocolate squares. When working with a smaller calorie bank (I'm in the same boat), its sometimes better to go with high protein high fiber options that fill you up more. Also, some find readjusting the time of day they have their calories works for them. And: you are just a week in, so cut yourself some slack as you adjust to a healthier lifestyle.
For most of my life I would have agreed with you, but now I have to respectfully disagree. Nothing wrong with pesto and chocolate, providing you are also eating lots of nutrient dense filling foods too. I would have dumped them in the past because I was trying to lose weight too quickly and had to make EVERY morsel that went in my mouth nutrient dense/calorie sparse. I am finally convinced to slow down the weight loss process, so there is room for treats.
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Oh I totally agree! There's nothing wrong with treats, I love chips, chocolate and especially wine! But all I was trying to say is that if you feel like you're starving, including these higher calorie foods that don't have much staying power might not be the best route, at least in the beginning if you're adjusting to a lower overall calorie allotment. Fiber i have found to be best for filling me up. Please forgive if it came across harshly or much to strict.
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what do you have your goals set to? If you have it set to 2 pounds/week, I would go and change it to 1, and change your activity level to sedentary. That should give you a few more calories to play with.0
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I hope you don't mind, but I took a peek at your diary I noticed you eat some excellent things, but also there are a few very high (in my opinion) calorie items that don't give much bang for the calorie buck, like pesto (130 for 2tbsp) and chocolate squares. When working with a smaller calorie bank (I'm in the same boat), its sometimes better to go with high protein high fiber options that fill you up more. Also, some find readjusting the time of day they have their calories works for them. And: you are just a week in, so cut yourself some slack as you adjust to a healthier lifestyle.
That's exactly why I made it public - hoping for advice! You're right. Pesto is one of my Favorite foods - and while it can be healthy, it's also high in calories and spread like. It doesn't add a ton of volume. I find the fats keep me satisfied a bit, but it's certainly worth trying cutting things like that out temporarily!!
I think the chocolate can be cut back too. Its a weakness, lol, and definitely not one I need every day. I'm finding a need it less and less as time goes on. I finished my bag of dark chocolate pretzels today (3 at a time, talk about willpower hahaha), so that will help at work!0 -
ValentineNicole wrote: »I'm starving at almost 1000 calories today, and it's only 4:30pm here. I used to be able to eat 1200 calories a day almost every single day through college, and I was never hungry. Now, I feel like if I'm under 1600 for the day, it's a miracle. Does your stomach really stretch from eating too much? How long did it take most of you to adjust to a new way of eating?
The stomach stretches when you eat solid foods or if you drink too much, but then goes back to normal, is one of the ways used for the body to signal that you are full. You are crazy eating so little calories. It will take to you until your body slows down your metabolis and your thyroid starts messing around.
Eat until you are satisfied, that is all.
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First of all, 1000 calories is not nearly enough! I feel strongly that anything less than 1300 is too little. I eat lots of veggies because I started the clean eating/whole food approach and since I have started that I find I am so full, I have a hard time eating all my calories. At the end of the night I sometimes have to force myself to consume more so I am not way under. Good luck, don't give up. Most importantly, eat your vegetables. Mom was right about that!0
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I'd starve too at 1000 calories! If you are exercising, you should eat more. I am set at 1200, but usually eat around 1500. I was hungry at first, but after a month I've become more accustom to 1200-1500 calories. Be safe and healthy! Don't starve yourself.0
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For all the people who didn't read the OP's post, she's not eating at 1000 calories, folks! She just said that she reached 1000 calories before dinner, and therefore had too few left over for dinner and the evening.
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+1 for checking fluid intake contributing to the hungry feeling. FWIW, I just spent 2 days in the hospital with NPO nearly the whole time. I was crazy hungry when I got home. I ate everything in site but stomach still growled. When I drank water, it felt extra good going down so I drank quite a bit my 2nd day home. Normally drinking that much water would have me running to the pot-ee several times during the night. None that night and no hunger the next morning.0
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It took me 2 weeks to get use to it, I used to eat 3-4 cups of white rice for lunch and 2 cups of whatever to mix it with... now I get full with 3/4 cup of brown rice. If you like rice and sweet potatoes these fill you up really well for lunch.
Also try to eat 6 meals than 3 big ones if you can try... I ate breakfast before.. usually a big bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, blackberries, banana, apple, cinnamon, walnuts and raisins. 1 bowl is about 300 calories on its own, but it's sooo filling that I am not so hungry for lunch. I even eat in between lunch a string cheese or something like laughing cow with some pretzels.
For lunch I'll have a cup of brown rice and fish or chicken about 400 calories with broccoli or any veggies.
Some more snack in between oranges and apple.
Dinner I have about 400 to spare so I'll eat almost same thing from lunch. I also know I work out that night so I add another 250 so I can eat about 650.
These worked out for me for close to 2 weeks and I didn't see any movement with my weight lost as much as I want to so I moved my diet to IF (Intermitent Fasting), I don't eat breakfast because I'm honestly not hungry in the morning and I'm super busy that I really have no time to really think of food. So come lunch I have 600+ to spare and eat to my satisfying, I'll eat some snacks in between and eat my dinner around 6-7. Then I wont eat again 'till next day at 11-12. Well that gave the extra umph for me and started to lose a little more.
I hope this helps some 0 -
If you like cereal, try Special K Protein cereal. The calories are low and it fills me for hours with a little milk and blueberries. I'm always amazed. I think getting a nice filling breakfast can set up your whole day nicely! Eating a giant spinach salad for lunch works well for me too. Also, I've been eating my deli sandwiches in wraps instead of bread. Wow, so amazing, it saves me about 200 calories and make me so full. Cedar brand wheat wraps... Tons of fiber and protein in those.
And definitely try pre logging like others said!0 -
These are all great ideas - thank you all so so much!!! @oncem0re - I love your oatmeal idea! I'm a huge fan of oatmeal - usually because it is so "stick to your ribs" - and I've forgotten all about it! I'm usually trying to get some yogurt in in the mornings to up my dairy/calcium - if I can almost guarantee I'll feel more satisfied with oatmeal, and maybe I'll stop eating my lunch so early. I actually have a bunch in my freezer right now
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I need to get better about pre-logging. I don't pre-log anything. Dinner is usually more up-in-the-air, relying on what everyone wants more than strict planning. That's honestly probably a downfall of mine - I cook mine separately with less oil and more veggies whenever possible, but it's really hard. Also, it's an Asian thing, but we buy rice in huge 50lb bags, and every meal is served with rice. I am only eating rice with dinner right now. It's delicious, but even a small small small portion is 150 calories of white carb - yikes! I think it's the rice that makes dinner so hard to plan - normally I'd have two cups of rice with dinner, which is a very very high 400 calories.0
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