Fighting Tooth and Nail Over Every Pound Lost

lisaisso wrote: »

tlflag1620 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

lisaisso wrote: »

Something I've been made aware of... hunger is a feeling. Like being tired, angry, etc. So as long as I get my calories in set by MFP, my body is fine. These feelings will pass, and I don't have to act on them.

is that really hunger then?

I ask because my hunger is my stomach actually is empty...it's a physical manifestation of the requirement for food. If I go too long I get dizzy, weak and lightheaded...my stomache growls and rumbles etc.

now my appetite is totally different...ie when I feel like I want to eat a couple more wings after eating 5 already...it's not hunger driving it...that would be appetite.

I agree - if you can distract yourself or wait for hunger to "pass" it's not really true hunger, more of a false hunger (be it a craving, boredom, habit, low blood sugar, whathaveyou). It can feel very real, but it's not the same as that actual stomach rumbling feeling.

lisaisso wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

lisaisso wrote: »

Something I've been made aware of... hunger is a feeling. Like being tired, angry, etc. So as long as I get my calories in set by MFP, my body is fine. These feelings will pass, and I don't have to act on them.

is that really hunger then?

I ask because my hunger is my stomach actually is empty...it's a physical manifestation of the requirement for food. If I go too long I get dizzy, weak and lightheaded...my stomache growls and rumbles etc.

now my appetite is totally different...ie when I feel like I want to eat a couple more wings after eating 5 already...it's not hunger driving it...that would be appetite.

Idk honestly, but I get what you're saying, as far as semantics go I know, for me, I have to equate this to something I've learned, called HALT- basically to never get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. When I do, I act up in all kinds of ways

I'm familiar with HALT, but the first thing is to not let yourself get too hungry. If you ignore hunger, aren't you going to get too hungry? I think that's where differentiating between true hunger and just a desire to eat comes into play.

Right, agree. And if I follow my calorie intake per MFP, I don't get too hungry or more importantly, HANGRY haha

I hear you! However, if the op is trying for too large of a deficit, the hunger will be there even if they eat all the calories allotted. Also, for many people the sources of the calories have an impact - protein, fat, and fiber tend to leave people feeling more satisfied (this can vary of course). Likewise, meal timing and frequency can make a difference in perceived hunger (some preferring small, frequent meals throughout the day, others preferring two or three larger meals, perhaps "saving" calories for the time of day they are most hungry). For me it's not simply about calories. I could quite easily eat all my calories before 10am and be downright hangry the rest of the day. Experimenting with macros, timing, and frequency has made all the difference (allowing me to lose the weight without going hungry). And I think that is very important for maintenance. If you have to go hungry a lot for loss, you're going to have to do the same for maintenance. Going hungry all the time doesn't strike me as particularly sustainable (not directed at you lisaisso- just saying the op would benefit both in the short term, and the long term, if they find an eating pattern that keeps them from being hungry all the time).