How am I supposed to get to 145 pounds if I'm always HUNGRY!

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drlynned
drlynned Posts: 34
in Health and Weight Loss
I've managed to get to 161 pounds which is the lowest that I have been in FOREVER! I worked hard to get there from 205 pounds, but I am still considered "overweight". I am 16 pounds away. And that just seems like so much. I'm struggling with the idea that I just won't get there because I'm always hungry. I'm allotted 1200 calories a day, I have 700 left for today and its not even noon. I have not had lunch yet, and I'm hungry. Sigh.

Please, someone who's been where I am today, how did you do it? I make smart food choices like whole grains, fruits and water, but sometimes, I'm not sure I'll ever reach my healthy weight goal.

Replies

  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Let me see your food diary please....
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I felt the same way when I was eating 1200 calories a day. Then I learned I wasn't eating enough! This may not be the case with you, but I had MFP set to lose 2 pounds/week which was way more than what I should have been trying to do.
  • moPOETRYtion
    moPOETRYtion Posts: 24
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    Are you getting enough protien? I too was always hungry, and a friend suggested eating snacks that contained a lot of protien that make you feel fuller longer. I'm eating things like fat free greek yogurt, dry roasted almonds, hummus with raw veggies for dipping, and apples with a little bit of peanut butter. Most of these things are pretty low in calories, but last awhile in your stomach. Also make sure you are pushing the water too!
  • trosewine
    trosewine Posts: 88
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    What are your settings? Is 1200 calories for 2 lbs a week loss? 1 lb a week loss? One of the best things I read on here is that the closer you get to your "ideal" weight (healthy BMI I think), you need to adjust your expectations of what you can lose in a week. Slow and steady wins the race. 1200 for a 2 lb loss is probably unrealistic for you if you have 15 to go. So, recalculating your goals to .5 a week will give you many more calories to eat in a day. Additionally, how much are you exercising? Exercise more, eat more. :-)
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 986 Member
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    what is your weekly loss set to? Set it to 0.5 lbs per week, if it isn't already.....

    Also, Is your activity level set correctly? If you exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes or more, then set it to lightly activge.


    Hopefully, that will allocate a few more calories.
  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
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    more protein and fiber.
  • Fernandomike
    Fernandomike Posts: 95 Member
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    1,200 calories is awfully low. One of the reasons that I exercise is that I get the pleasure of eating calories that I wouldn't otherwise be able to. On a typical day, my 2,150 gets bumped up to 2,800 which keeps me from feeling like I'm about to starve. You might need to exercise and (or) bump your calories up a bit.

    I assume you get plenty of fiber and water? They certainly help you feel full when you're trying to cut back on calories.
  • Sarahmeridith
    Sarahmeridith Posts: 298 Member
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    Try eating some celery it is super low in calories and it takes some chewing. It helps me to eat a stick, the chewing seems to make me a little less hungry!

    Good luck, and congrats on the weight loss!!
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
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    1200 calories worked for me when i went from 184 to 160 but after that my body needed more food since i was much more active. i zig-zag calories (see my blogs on this) and eat an average of 1400 a day. I eat my exercise calories back too but not to the point to where i'm stuffed. i'm never hungry though and i have tons on energy.

    i highly recommend zig-zagging...it fits so well into a lifestyle where meals randomly come up.
  • froggy15
    froggy15 Posts: 154 Member
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    Good tips!
  • krissybug72
    krissybug72 Posts: 35 Member
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    1200 calories is not enough some days...I do 1450 and even more when I exercise. I weigh 157 and have a healthy BMI because I am 5'7". I still want to lose about 13 more. I have lost about 18 total since early March. Eat a lot of veggies to fill you up....and lift weights you will burn more calories.
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
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    I concur with the others, I think you might need to bump up your calories a bit. Also, you can change your goals manually to lower carbs and up your protein and see if that helps. Managing your protein throughout the day should help with the hunger as well.
  • khrys1
    khrys1 Posts: 444 Member
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    I've found that on days I eat totally healthy, I can eat SO MUCH more than on days I eat not-so-good things. You can eat like an entire head of lettuce for 100 calories!!! When I'm stuck, I also plan out my food and put it on MFP either the night before or the morning of, and that helps me stay on track. Filling snacks that don't have many calories include nuts, popcorn & fruit.
  • drlynned
    drlynned Posts: 34
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    Thanks for all the tips! I run 3-4 days a week, so I average about 12-15 miles a week, depending on my half marathon training schedule. I had put my settings to losing 2 pounds per week, but perhaps I should change that. Losing 1/2-1 pound a week isn't bad at all, and as someone had said "slow and steady, wins the race". I definitely have to up my protein as well.

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