Can you really lose weight and not feel hungry?

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  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    You need an additional 500-600 calories a day, just for breastfeeding milk production. You are starving yourself and baby. Eat more!
  • Ginnygirl5
    Ginnygirl5 Posts: 55 Member
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    1200 cals is not enough while your breast feeding! I would go to my doc and just talk with them. Good luck
  • Becka4Real
    Becka4Real Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Sometimes losing weight is not a matter of just eating less. We need to be using the fuel we take in. You shouldn't have to feel hungry ALL the time when losing weight. Consider 1)weighing your food to be sure exactly how many calories you are actually eating 2) Increase your calories by a 200-300 for two weeks to see how that affects your weight 3) Increase your activity and strength train to build more lean mass so that you burn more at rest
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    angella_jacobs93 wrote: »
    I am on a 1200 calorie/day plan and I never really feel satisfied so I am constantly going over. I also do not really feel 1200 is enough for me because I am also currently breastfeeding my son (he is also on solid food). Is it normal to still feel hungry? Or do I need to up my calorie intake?

    I am 155lbs (and have been for months now)
    I am 5'1"

    I'm not hungry all the time with my calorie goal. Still lost weight.

    You could change your goal to lose less each week and be more comfortable.
    You could change the type of food you eat. Eat more protein, fats and fiber to help feel more satisfied. Drink more water.
    If you haven't been losing for 3 weeks or more, check your logging accuracy. Weigh and measure and log everything.Make sure the entries you choose are accurate too.

    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/11477-if-i-am-breastfeeding-or-nursing-how-do-i-adjust-my-goals-
  • ChantalBremner
    ChantalBremner Posts: 5 Member
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    It totally depends on what you eat. I previously weighted about 240lbs and I'm 5'5. I obviously had a large calorie intake. In the past month I suddenly changed my calorie intake to 1200 a day, and have lost 20lbs so far. You won't be hungry if you eat lots of protein. For example, for breakfast I'll have a hard boiled egg and a Greek yogurt. Both have lots of protein and keep me full, longer. Drinking lots of water throughout the day also keeps you full and keeps the cravings away. And for lunch and supper I usually have chicken, because it's my favourite and some veggies, with a fruit for dessert. I mean, it's trial and error for everyone to see what works for you, but eat protein and you'll feel full longer.
  • Cevalite
    Cevalite Posts: 9 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    angella_jacobs93 wrote: »
    I have not but when I log everything and I am around 1500-1600 I feel really guilty and like I overate. It may be because I am very small framed (under all my fats).

    Yeah. You don't know how much you're truly eating until you get a food scale. If you're not losing (and it's been over 3-4 weeks), you're eating at maintenance.

    YES! Food scale is a must! $20 for the black Ozeri model on Amazon. Works like a charm and takes all the guess work out of it. It might seem way too tedious at first, but after awhile you might enjoy doing it (I do!).

    Also, you shouldn't feel hungry ALL the time, but some of the time you might :( I believe from an evolutionary standpoint we are MEANT to experience some hunger throughout the day. This is why these people who put themselves in major calorie deficit as a lifestyle live longer. There is mounting scientific evidence for the benefits of fasting too on disease prevention and longer lifespan. I'm not saying you should fast or practice mega calorie deficit (I certainly don't), but changing your thinking to accept that, yes, you might need to distract yourself for that last hour before your next planned meal makes it easier. Every other animal in the animal kingdom lives with that gnawing feeling without the ability to go to the fridge and quell it every time. Humans are capable too!

    Breastfeeding is different, though, I'd talk to your OBGYN.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    angella_jacobs93 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Shouldn't you not be consuming such a little amount while breast feeding?

    I did not think so..

    I would discuss how much you should be eating with your OB/GYN and pediatrician. You need expert advice on how much to eat.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    angella_jacobs93 wrote: »
    I am on a 1200 calorie/day plan and I never really feel satisfied so I am constantly going over. I also do not really feel 1200 is enough for me because I am also currently breastfeeding my son (he is also on solid food). Is it normal to still feel hungry? Or do I need to up my calorie intake?

    I am 155lbs (and have been for months now)
    I am 5'1" [/quote

    I have been eating 1200 calories since April 2013 and have never had hunger pangs. But I am not surprised that you do. I am under 4' 11" tall and almost 70 years old. I have a completely different lifestyle than you I assume with a different activity level ( even though walking for exercise, walking twice a day with the dog, walking to and from the store/bus/subway and taking care of my home and garden do not make me exactly sedentary ) that is different from yours. I do fine on 1200 calories and have lost 65 plus pounds.
    I do however think that 1200 calories is not enough for you even if you were not breast feeding. I would talk to a nutrition specialist, or maybe go slowly and increase my calories by 100 a week and try for a few weeks to see what happens. My maintenance is only 1439 so I don't have a lot of margin and with a 239 calorie deficit have been losing slowly, but I bet you have a much wider margin and can eat more and still lose, if that is your goal.
    Good Luck !
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
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    Can you lose weight without feeling hungry? In my experience, yes and no, some days when I'm busy I just don't think about it, and don't feel hungry - other days (usually weekends) I struggle. I suspect getting my meal frequency/quantity/timing right will help a lot, but I've not found my magic formula yet.

    What I try to do when I'm on my calorie target and feeling hungry is to just keep saying to myself "at this very moment my body's fat stores are depleting, if I give in to the hunger I'll be storing more instead'. It doesn't always work of course, in fact I'm not sure it's ever worked.

    Just make sure 1200 calories is right for you, it sounds quite low to me, but if you're very petite then it might be ok. I maintain a deficit of 15-20% of my requirement (calculated by the formula on this website).

    Tea (any kind: black, green, fruit, cinnamon,...) does help hold off the hunger pangs quite well I find.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    Yes 1200 is too little while BF. When I was BF I had to add 500 calories a day for BF alone.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    If you aren't losing (or gaining) weight, you're eating at maintenance.
    You should weigh your food and double check every entry with a reliable source (the "verified" nonsense is a joke).
    You should not aim for a dramatic weight loss as long as you are breastfeeding, or if you are at or close to normal BMI. 1200 calories suggests that you have chosen maximum loss rate.
    It is normal to feel a bit hungry before meals, most people do even when not dieting. Being hungry all the time sucks. If you are eating to little overall, or lacking any nutrients, you have to correct that. If you just aren't used to not feeling full all the time, get used to it. Try to distract yourself.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I never ate less than 1650 and it was fine for me until I got to my last 5 pounds. NOW I'm always hungry at 1800-2200. I'm 5'5", 37, and 133 pounds (been maintaining 2-4 pounds from goal for a year).
  • sarahthes
    sarahthes Posts: 3,252 Member
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    http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
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    I agree that you need advice of your doc while nursing.
    Otherwise -- just my experience -- yes sometimes I get hungry. Sometimes it's because I made less-than-optimal choices on high calorie foods that didn't stick with me, sometimes it's because of training recovery, sometimes it's because I under-counted something, or have been running it close to the line for a while without a refeed, but sometimes it's for no apparent reason. But I don't think you should have to be consistently hungry daily in order to lose weight, no.
    And of course there is a difference between "wanting to eat", even "wanting to eat really badly" and actually being hungry.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    edited October 2015
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    angella_jacobs93 wrote: »
    and I am obviously not losing weight with what I have been doing...so I am not sure.

    So you are eating at maintenance. Whatever you need to normally maintain this weight, plus an extra 300 calories or so, which is what you burn while breastfeeding. So definitely more than 1200 calories. 1200 calories would have probably been too low for a breastfeeding woman, but your average is probably much over this. Nursing can make you hungry, and it also can make you very thirsty (which is often confused with hunger, even if this sounds completely silly). Especially when nursing, following your hunger cues and especially following your cravings is not a good idea, if you want to lose weight. Get a food scale and start logging your food accurately. Figure out what you are currently averaging, without changing what you eat, since you have figured out maintenance, even if accidentally. Then aim for 300 calories less, and reevaluate based on progress after a few weeks.
  • MichelleMyBelle86
    MichelleMyBelle86 Posts: 45 Member
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    1200 is too little if you're breast feeding or not! Jesus I'd be starving :#
    I'm 5'3, weight 137lb and I'm on 1600 cals a day...not sure what you should be on but I would DEFINITELY be adding some more cals to your diet - could you ask your doctor? I'm sure they would able to advise.
  • tryin2die2self
    tryin2die2self Posts: 207 Member
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    I am on the wild diet. I have lost about 40 lbs in 4 months. I am not hungry. Earring the right foods instead of equating everything to cico changed everything for me.

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