I'm starving!!
chartrandpatricia
Posts: 2 Member
Hey I'm wondering if I'm the only one with this problem. I'm 25, 5ft2", 140lbs female. I've been doing my fitness pal on and off for a few years. I'm on a 1200cal diet, I eat whole foods, lots of vegetables ( I make my calories count). I exercise at least 5 days a week and I eat the calories I burn. I'm really determined to see results but I am freaking starving. How come other people I talk to seem fine with 1200 cals a day.
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Did you tell MFP you wanted to lose 2 pounds a week? Pick a more reasonable goal and you'll get a more reasonable number of calories.0
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I can only do 1.200 cal with eating lots of protein (eggs, chicken breast etc). Veggies etc. wouldn't work. I would be hungry all the time. On my higher cal. days (every other) I can eat a few more carbs. I also go to bed every night feeling slightly hungry. Got used to this. 1200 cal is just to low for most people.5
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1200 is really low. If you stay with that, I recommend filling up on a lot of grilled vegetables like onion, brussel sprouts, broccoli, etc. You can sautee them with a few ounces of chicken or ground turkey and it's very filling. Brothy soups are good, too.1
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I'm 46 yrs old and 5'2, I eat between 1700-1900 calories to lose weight. That's netting around 1200-1300 calories with exercise.4
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If you work out that much, 1200 is too low. I've tried that too. Did not lose much weight, was tired and hungry all of the time. I eat much more now, losing weight and have energy. It really is about what you eat. Eat protein, vegetables and good fats such as cottage cheese, avocados and nuts. And I never go to bed hungry. you don't sleep as well and sleep is super important for health and weight loss too.5
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I'm 4'11 and only have 1200 calories a day too! I find I get hungry a lot too but what has really helped is I bought an ALL natural supplement that is backed by science to help lose weight by helping you feel full longer (Its really just a certain kind of fiber) What it does it makes you feel full longer. Its a capsule you take 20 min. before eating and it basically expands in your stomach to give you that fuller feeling longer it really helps me a lot. It is called Konjac Root/Glucomannan. I attached a photo. Also, lots of protein, protein digest differently and takes longer to break down so it also helps you feel full longer. Another thing I do is drink water LOTS of water. I bought a nalgene and keep track I drink about 120 ounces a day! Hope this helps.-1
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Are you getting plenty of sleep? Sleep deprivation affects ghrelin levels. I call it the Ghrelin Gremlin.3
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I go for 1200, but I feel satisfied unless I stay awake too late, then I get hungry around midnight. But I get most of my calories from good, filling foods - 1200kcal can be taken in in so many different ways.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Did you tell MFP you wanted to lose 2 pounds a week? Pick a more reasonable goal and you'll get a more reasonable number of calories.
^^ This. Unless you are very obese, 2 lbs/wk is too aggressive.
.5 lb to 1 lb/ wk is a more appropriate goal, depending on how much you have to lose. This will give you more calories, and will be more sustainable for you.1 -
Eat back about half of your exercise calories. You can still do this and lose weight, but make healthier protein choices. Heavier proteins stay with you longer. I am also on the 1200 calorie diet, it's tough, but I noticed that when I eat back some of my calories the end of day - you'll weigh &*% in 5 weeks- is always lower. After reading this about 90 times, I decide to start eating back some of the calories, and I got out of my slump. Best of luck to you2
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Are you "eating back" the calories you're burning? 1200 is already low, if you're exercising even more off then yea you'd be hungry. Are you getting enough healthy fats in your diet, ie olive oils, avocados etc?2
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Hunger rules us all! It's an amazingly persistent sensation that has evolved such that many of us will overeat if given the chance. You have to override it with your rational mind. It does get better over time. Balancing the macros helps me.
Note that there's no reason to jump to any particular weight lost rate. You have chosen to try to lose 1lb per week, I guess, based on your numbers. That works out to about a 500kcal per day deficit. You can change your setting to .5lb per week and see if that's better for a while. Also, exercise calories are very hard to estimate accurately. You can adjust based on your actual weight loss.
Finally, if you have an active job, you need more kcals. You can set that in MFP or you can get an activity tracker (e.g., FitBit) which will estimate your daily burn including activity level, but their accuracy varies by what activities you engage in.
What is never debatable is your mean weekly weight change. The hard part is that you won't know it for a couple of weeks at least. I weigh daily and average.4 -
lesleyann0403 wrote: »I find I get hungry a lot too but what has really helped is I bought an ALL natural supplement that is backed by science to help lose weight by helping you feel full longer (Its really just a certain kind of fiber) What it does it makes you feel full longer.
What science? As soon as I started Googling it, all I could find was reliable websites saying it was unproven and "might" work.
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I have read that a lot of our hunger is actualy our bodies not having enough water. if you feel hungry even when you think you have eatin earlier drink a glass of water if your hunger goes away its a sighn that you could be dehydrated. it is a proven fact that we as people actually do not drink enough water even without exercise it is recommended we drink at least 8 8oz cups of water a day,and more if your exercising. hope this helps2
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Cave_Goose wrote: »lesleyann0403 wrote: »I find I get hungry a lot too but what has really helped is I bought an ALL natural supplement that is backed by science to help lose weight by helping you feel full longer (Its really just a certain kind of fiber) What it does it makes you feel full longer.
What science? As soon as I started Googling it, all I could find was reliable websites saying it was unproven and "might" work.
There are several science based studies. Here is just one link but I can send you more. Make sure what you are reading is a credible source. Some stuff on the internet can be inconclusive even though it may seem credible. Also, are you googling for "weight loss" or that it has been proven to curb appetite and make someone feel fuller for longer? Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac. Glucomannan is sold as a dietary additive, specifically as an emulsifier or thickener. It has a remarkable ability for absorption. To prove the point, you can empty a capsule of glucomannan in a small glass of water and the entire contents will turn to gel. To add to its value, it is very low in calorie count. The main reason it is so effective is because the fluids in your stomach cause it to gel and makes you feel full. I also study these things as a medical student and there have been several studies showing this supplement to help a person full longer over the course of my work. As with everything, different things react differently to different bodies, so it may work better for some than others. As in my experience, it has helped curb my appetite tremendously. There is also lots of other health benefits it provides as well.
.
https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/-1 -
lesleyann0403 wrote: »Cave_Goose wrote: »lesleyann0403 wrote: »I find I get hungry a lot too but what has really helped is I bought an ALL natural supplement that is backed by science to help lose weight by helping you feel full longer (Its really just a certain kind of fiber) What it does it makes you feel full longer.
What science? As soon as I started Googling it, all I could find was reliable websites saying it was unproven and "might" work.
There are several science based studies. Here is just one link but I can send you more. Make sure what you are reading is a credible source. Some stuff on the internet can be inconclusive even though it may seem credible. Also, are you googling for "weight loss" or that it has been proven to curb appetite and make someone feel fuller for longer? Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac. Glucomannan is sold as a dietary additive, specifically as an emulsifier or thickener. It has a remarkable ability for absorption. To prove the point, you can empty a capsule of glucomannan in a small glass of water and the entire contents will turn to gel. To add to its value, it is very low in calorie count. The main reason it is so effective is because the fluids in your stomach cause it to gel and makes you feel full. I also study these things as a medical student and there have been several studies showing this supplement to help a person full longer over the course of my work. As with everything, different things react differently to different bodies, so it may work better for some than others. As in my experience, it has helped curb my appetite tremendously. There is also lots of other health benefits it provides as well.
.
https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/
Glucomannan does help me stay full but it also gave me acid reflux so I stopped using it. You get 114 servings for $12.95 here: http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Glucomannan-100-Pure-Powder-8-oz-227-g/38548
If anyone is south of Boston and wants the rest of my bottle they are welcome to it. I will also give you some strawberry plants as they spread like weeds and I can't get rid of them fast enough on Freecycle.1 -
Where does it say she's trying to lose 2 lbs a week? I'm 4'11" and have mine set to 1/2 a pound per week and I'm at 1200 calories too. We're little. We don't need as many calories.
Also, I go through this feeling every so often. I've found that it helps to take a diet break or have refeed days. I've also read that eating at a deficit for too long isn't good for you and that taking deliberate diet breaks where you eat at maintenance for a week or two helps get rid of that sluggishness.
This is just one of the many articles out there on it.
http://www.muscleforlife.com/refeed/2 -
chartrandpatricia wrote: »Hey I'm wondering if I'm the only one with this problem. I'm 25, 5ft2", 140lbs female. I've been doing my fitness pal on and off for a few years. I'm on a 1200cal diet, I eat whole foods, lots of vegetables ( I make my calories count). I exercise at least 5 days a week and I eat the calories I burn. I'm really determined to see results but I am freaking starving. How come other people I talk to seem fine with 1200 cals a day.
OP says she eats the calories she burns so she is eating more than 1200 cal per day on the days she exercises.
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I'd try upping the calories a little bit and see if that helps while still losing weight. Yes being short means we don't get as many calories, but if you are feeling hungry you aren't getting enough, I'm 5'0'' and I find 1200 leaves me too hungry, I'm losing successfully netting about 1400, sure it'd be a little faster at 1200, but I'll take the slower pace in order to feel full and comfortable any day!
Play with the numbers, see what happens if you go up to 1300, do you feel full? Are you still losing? If yes that's a good number, if you're still hungry, try 1400 and observe again. All of our bodies are so different, the formulas used to calculate how many calories to consume to lose are helpful for finding a starting point, but you have to listen to your body as well and don't be afraid to play around with the number of calories a bit.
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I eat about 1200 calories a day and I find that spacing out my food to 4 meals a day keeps me from feeling hungry1
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Im on the 1200 calories a day. I'm 5ft, currently weigh 185lb aged 39. At first I really struggled on this low amount i was weak, moody, tired i realised that although i was eating my 1200 they were not being used on much food, now I'm learning to use my calories better, as a example I used to buy a small whole wheat spicy chicken pasta salad box from my local supermarket, thinking at 300 calories it was good and healthy, now I make my own, today I had a massive salad with 200g of chicken breast, rocket, tomatoes, cucumber and low fat mayo, total 304 calories. The amount I eat now is brilliant, and still in my 1200, today I went on a 90 minute walk and used half the calories it said on here to have myself a chocolate bar.0
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martin71967 wrote: »I have read that a lot of our hunger is actualy our bodies not having enough water. if you feel hungry even when you think you have eatin earlier drink a glass of water if your hunger goes away its a sighn that you could be dehydrated. it is a proven fact that we as people actually do not drink enough water even without exercise it is recommended we drink at least 8 8oz cups of water a day,and more if your exercising. hope this helps
Maybe.... i've heard this before but haven't actually tried the 8 glasses of water a day to see if it makes a difference...Maybe i will do this tomorrow0 -
lesleyann0403 wrote: »There are several science based studies. Here is just one link but I can send you more. Make sure what you are reading is a credible source. Some stuff on the internet can be inconclusive even though it may seem credible. Also, are you googling for "weight loss" or that it has been proven to curb appetite and make someone feel fuller for longer? Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac. Glucomannan is sold as a additive, specifically as an emulsifier or thickener. It has a remarkable ability for absorption. To prove the point, you can empty a capsule of glucomannan in a small glass of water and the entire contents will turn to gel. To add to its value, it is very low in calorie count. The main reason it is so effective is because the fluids in your stomach cause it to gel and makes you feel full. I also study these things as a medical student and there have been several studies showing this supplement to help a person full longer over the course of my work. As with everything, different things react differently to different bodies, so it may work better for some than others. As in my experience, it has helped curb my appetite tremendously. There is also lots of other health benefits it provides as well.
.
https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/
WebMD throws a big question mark on the effectiveness of this stuff.
Drugs.com states, "However, there is a lack of adequately sized quality clinical trials to support these uses." and then goes on to give a number of reasons not to use it.
Which goes back to the common sense approach--there is no magic pill for weight loss. It takes diet and exercise.0 -
martin71967 wrote: »I have read that a lot of our hunger is actualy our bodies not having enough water. if you feel hungry even when you think you have eatin earlier drink a glass of water if your hunger goes away its a sighn that you could be dehydrated. it is a proven fact that we as people actually do not drink enough water even without exercise it is recommended we drink at least 8 8oz cups of water a day,and more if your exercising. hope this helps
It's important to stay hydrated, and what we perceive as hunger can be thirst. However the 8 glasses of water thing is a myth. http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp0 -
You can probably have success eating a little more. I'm 5'2", 136 and am currently losing, albeit slowly, on 1400 calories per day. I don't calculate exercise. I just eat 1400 every day. I started at 148 in January. For the first two months, I was able to lose on 1500 calories.
I try to eat at least 120 grams of protein a day and my carbs and fats vary. That amount of protein helps keep me more full.
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I try to avoid that starving feeling. We know that our bodies try to compensate for reduced calories. I rest more deeply, fidget less, and although I can usually muster up the energy for exercise, I get a whole lot less housework done when I'm overly hungry. I take that starving feeling as a sign that I'm pushing too hard. A calorie level that leaves you "a little hungry" each day should be your goal.0
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Wow, thanks, that's a better deal than capsules. Love this stuff!kshama2001 wrote: »lesleyann0403 wrote: »Cave_Goose wrote: »lesleyann0403 wrote: »I find I get hungry a lot too but what has really helped is I bought an ALL natural supplement that is backed by science to help lose weight by helping you feel full longer (Its really just a certain kind of fiber) What it does it makes you feel full longer.
What science? As soon as I started Googling it, all I could find was reliable websites saying it was unproven and "might" work.
There are several science based studies. Here is just one link but I can send you more. Make sure what you are reading is a credible source. Some stuff on the internet can be inconclusive even though it may seem credible. Also, are you googling for "weight loss" or that it has been proven to curb appetite and make someone feel fuller for longer? Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac. Glucomannan is sold as a dietary additive, specifically as an emulsifier or thickener. It has a remarkable ability for absorption. To prove the point, you can empty a capsule of glucomannan in a small glass of water and the entire contents will turn to gel. To add to its value, it is very low in calorie count. The main reason it is so effective is because the fluids in your stomach cause it to gel and makes you feel full. I also study these things as a medical student and there have been several studies showing this supplement to help a person full longer over the course of my work. As with everything, different things react differently to different bodies, so it may work better for some than others. As in my experience, it has helped curb my appetite tremendously. There is also lots of other health benefits it provides as well.
.
https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/
Glucomannan does help me stay full but it also gave me acid reflux so I stopped using it. You get 114 servings for $12.95 here: http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Glucomannan-100-Pure-Powder-8-oz-227-g/38548.
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The major problem with MFP is that it sets protein too low. Aim for at least 120g of protein on non-exercise days and at least 150g on exercise days, that should help with the hunger. Apart from that, it will get easier, just stick it out with the whole foods, complex carbs, healthy fats, good luck 0
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Similar stats here (142 pounds and 5'4", trying to lose 10-20 pounds) and similar calorie goal (I eat back some of exercise calories but sometimes I don't to make up for higher calorie weekends, etc.).
I pair my dinner with a big chopped salad. Lots of lettuce, kale, celery, carrots, radishes. I make a home-made low-cal dressing (super easy to make with some apple cider vinegar, roasted garlic seasoning, soy sauce) and I top the salad with a few tablespoons of salsa. It is so satisfying and great for the warmer weather.
Or, you can steam a pile of vegetables. Frozen vegetables work in a pinch too.
I recently discovered frozen fruit as a snack. I thaw it in the microwave for 30 secs, but not all the way through so it's still somewhat cold and crunchy, and it makes for a great snack in the evening.
A few other tricks... I find coffee, tea and other low-cal beverages really help
If you want a snack, cucumber sticks, carrot sticks and celery will make a big serving and usually very filling.
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