Hungry

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KSween2016
KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP has me at 1400 calories a day. I work out 3-4 times a week. Everyday I'm hungry and I get really bad headaches. Maybe I chose the wrong amount of activity? I'm a student and I walk from class to class and go to the gym. I didn't choose the sedentary option but the one after for teaches, sales people, etc.

Should I switch plans or should I eat different foods?

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    DO you eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories? MFP expects you to - so if you're not that could be the issue.
  • chattycathy42
    chattycathy42 Posts: 30 Member
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    I would try different foods. Some more protein and veggies and fruit. Hope that helps
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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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.
  • marquitact
    marquitact Posts: 1 Member
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    Yes change your plan to increase your calories. You allowed to have eat 1400. When you excerise AND are very active throughout you daily life, your body eats up that little 1400 calories. So really your eating maybe 900, which is not good.

    Did you trying putting in you activities and excerise because the program or what should adjust to give you more leeway to eat more calories.
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
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    Make sure you are actually hungry and not bored. I added a water app daily and now am generally fuller because my stomach is always full of fluids. You can eat back exercise calories too if needed. Also add more fiber to your diet. It keeps you feeling fuller ---longer. As far as headaches go, are you using any kind of artificial sweeteners? (This is only a trigger for me, but not for all so let's not all jump on that bandwagon) Figure out if there is anything specific that triggers your headaches. I narrowed mine down to wheat and artificial sweeteners. Now that I don't either of those, my headaches have ceased...
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
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    mommazach wrote: »
    Make sure you are actually hungry and not bored. I added a water app daily and now am generally fuller because my stomach is always full of fluids. You can eat back exercise calories too if needed. Also add more fiber to your diet. It keeps you feeling fuller ---longer. As far as headaches go, are you using any kind of artificial sweeteners? (This is only a trigger for me, but not for all so let's not all jump on that bandwagon) Figure out if there is anything specific that triggers your headaches. I narrowed mine down to wheat and artificial sweeteners. Now that I don't either of those, my headaches have ceased...

    I don't use artifical sweetener. I like to use honey or agave to sweeten up things like coffee...when I get headaches it's combined with an eye ache and a hungry stomach...and then when I eat I feel as good as new. I think I just need to up my calories because I didn't think I was as active as I am.
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    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.

    Very helpful thank you!
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
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    marquitact wrote: »
    Yes change your plan to increase your calories. You allowed to have eat 1400. When you excerise AND are very active throughout you daily life, your body eats up that little 1400 calories. So really your eating maybe 900, which is not good.

    Did you trying putting in you activities and excerise because the program or what should adjust to give you more leeway to eat more calories.

    Someome above gave a test for me to take to see how active I am...w/out taking that test I have upped the calories to the next program and I feel better...but I still need to take the test
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
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    chattycathy42 wrote: »
    I would try different foods. Some more protein and veggies and fruit. Hope that helps

    Thank you!
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    DO you eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories? MFP expects you to - so if you're not that could be the issue.

    When I exercise I burn 150-300 calories each time I'm cardio (different every time 150 is a low it's usually over 200) and I also do some kind of strength training...this doesn't include walking to class, up and down stairs, etc. etc.
  • avj_78
    avj_78 Posts: 35 Member
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    I eat around 1400-1500 and workout at least 5 days/week. High protien meals are key for me. And lots of water; warm water fills me more for some reason. Also avoiding processed sugars...they seem trigger my appetite for the next 24hrs (3 tbls nutella one evening made me ravenous the next day). Also, it took about a month before I got used to eating less food and not needing to snack all the time.
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
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    How long have you been consistently eating at 1400 and how much weight have you lost? Whether you are eating enough will reveal itself over time.
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
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    ModernRock wrote: »
    How long have you been consistently eating at 1400 and how much weight have you lost? Whether you are eating enough will reveal itself over time.

    I just started this week...according to the app 5 days and I have not weighed myself yet
  • KSween2016
    KSween2016 Posts: 18 Member
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    avj_78 wrote: »
    I eat around 1400-1500 and workout at least 5 days/week. High protien meals are key for me. And lots of water; warm water fills me more for some reason. Also avoiding processed sugars...they seem trigger my appetite for the next 24hrs (3 tbls nutella one evening made me ravenous the next day). Also, it took about a month before I got used to eating less food and not needing to snack all the time.

    Thank you! That's very helpful!
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    avj_78 wrote: »
    Also avoiding processed sugars...they seem trigger my appetite for the next 24hrs (3 tbls nutella one evening made me ravenous the next day).

    This is exactly how it works for me too. If I stay away from chocolate I don't crave any. Same goes for cheese for me for some reason.
    But if I eat some choc I can't stop the rest of the day. I just crave it and other food like pregnant.
    If I eat healthier food like lean meat and veg and fruit and wholegrain I feel full and never think of food till the next meal. I don't snack at all.

    It might be different for people but for me this is what works.

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