How do you deal with hunger?
Options
daniip_la
Posts: 678 Member
Title says it all. I've been having a really easy time for the last few months. Logging everything, walking a lot, just have a nice time losing weight. But for the last week or so, I've been incredibly hungry.
Not bored hunger, stress hunger, or anything like that. Just actual I-want-to-eat-everything hunger. I've been eating in a deficit still, but usually I'm at a 1000kcal deficit, and the last few days I've definitely not been at that deficit because of my increased hunger.
I guess I'm just wondering what others do when/if they feel like this. I'm disappointed in myself for not having my normal deficit and letting myself eat more. Do others up your intake? Do you just power through it?
(My weight supports that large deficit, it's a 0.65% rate of loss per week. I'm also probably getting close to my period, the timing has been off lately with losing weight.)
Not bored hunger, stress hunger, or anything like that. Just actual I-want-to-eat-everything hunger. I've been eating in a deficit still, but usually I'm at a 1000kcal deficit, and the last few days I've definitely not been at that deficit because of my increased hunger.
I guess I'm just wondering what others do when/if they feel like this. I'm disappointed in myself for not having my normal deficit and letting myself eat more. Do others up your intake? Do you just power through it?
(My weight supports that large deficit, it's a 0.65% rate of loss per week. I'm also probably getting close to my period, the timing has been off lately with losing weight.)
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Replies
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i notice i get ravenous when im getting close to my period also. i guess.. i mostly try to willpower/logic my way thru it. 'im not ACTUALLY hungry, see, look at our diary. you're eating plenty. you're comfort-food craving. pound some water, make some tea. brush your teeth. if you're STILL hungry, what can you have that fits your limits?' and then try to find something interesting to make, because cooking soothes me.0
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It seems that hunger is a highly individual feeling. Just as pain is. For myself, between meal hunger is something I can just ignore unless it occurs on top of other stress. Some people's blood sugar issues make them have to address hunger without delay, though.
Consider whether your calorie deficit is appropriate for you. Eating way too little can eventually backfire. Maybe your body is telling you something.1 -
For me hunger comes and goes in waves. Sometimes it's easy to eat at my calorie goal and I'm just happily cruising along, and other times I just want to eat everything in sight.
I have a few go to foods that really fill me up, like hard boiled eggs, protein bars, brussel sprouts or pretzels. So my first focus is to eat more of those foods.
The second step is to give myself less time to think about food, so more chores or outside activities.
And finally, if all else fails I just reduce my deficit for a week or so. It probably evens out in the long run, gives me a little mental break and might keep me from binging or giving up.2 -
Tea and flavored water ( with Lemon and Lime) help me.. Also gum- but that is a rare treat for me.0
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I keep mine to a minimum by keeping my meals evenly spaced out (it's easier to handle hunger when there's six hour increments between meals). When I do get hungry, I usually drink water/flavored water.1
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If you are hungry all the time then you may want to increase calories a little bit. If it's a once a month type thing because of time of the month then you could try increasing calories just for a few days. I try to get protein in all my meals. Protein helps keep me satisfied for a longer period of time even though I try to eat every 2-3 hours.0
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Chew gum! And drink water. I work in a bakery so it's especially important that I drink a ton of water and keep minty gum on me at all times. Make sure you dont keep your meals too far apart. I like to carry protein bars with me or if there is a fridge nearby baby carrots or part skim cheese sticks in case of emergency.0
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Eat more. There's absolutely no reason to starve yourself with a 1000 calorie deficit when you could still lose weight with a 500 calorie deficit.
Also, lots of protein, fat, and fiber, and less bread and 'empty' carbs.0 -
Eat more. There's absolutely no reason to starve yourself with a 1000 calorie deficit when you could still lose weight with a 500 calorie deficit.
Also, lots of protein, fat, and fiber, and less bread and 'empty' carbs.
As I explained in the first post, I'm far from starving myself. At my weight, I could have a 1500kcal deficit to lose 1% of my body weight a week.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.0 -
Stock / bouillon as a drink. Convinced me I am eating and fills me up.
Savoury is always the key for me.3 -
Sometimes I just can't ignore it and have to eat a big meal and I'm back to normal again. There's also times it goes away after a little while. The last time I really really struggled with hunger I discovered I was pregnant so sometimes it is your body saying you need a little more.0
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If I get that real gut-growling hunger, I eat. If I get a bit high on calories, as long as they're from real food, I don't worry too much, and I don't try to "make it up" because that way lies madness, at least for me.
If my mouth gets bored (usually a sign my electrolytes are off), a couple of olives or a pickle (mmmm pickles) usually works. Lemon/lime water with salt also. A handful of nuts or an ounce of cheese works too.
I've heard it said that taking a walk will take your mind off hunger, but that doesn't really work for me. Drinking water does, but then I walk around with my belly feeling all sloshy, LOL.
Good luck!0 -
Title says it all. I've been having a really easy time for the last few months. Logging everything, walking a lot, just have a nice time losing weight. But for the last week or so, I've been incredibly hungry.
Not bored hunger, stress hunger, or anything like that. Just actual I-want-to-eat-everything hunger. I've been eating in a deficit still, but usually I'm at a 1000kcal deficit, and the last few days I've definitely not been at that deficit because of my increased hunger.
I guess I'm just wondering what others do when/if they feel like this. I'm disappointed in myself for not having my normal deficit and letting myself eat more. Do others up your intake? Do you just power through it?
(My weight supports that large deficit, it's a 0.65% rate of loss per week. I'm also probably getting close to my period, the timing has been off lately with losing weight.)
I get that way leading up to TOM as well; I just want to eat everything. Often I'll let myself eat at a lower deficit or even at maintenance, if I'm particularly ravenous, just during those days. A handful of days a month eating at maintenance or at a 750 or 500 calorie deficit instead of a 1000 calorie deficit isn't going to make much of a difference in your weight loss in the long run. You could even save up extra calories leading up to those extra-hungry days, so that you're still overall at your 1000 calorie deficit.
ETA - I'm jealous of your N7 jacket in your avi.
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Eat more. There's absolutely no reason to starve yourself with a 1000 calorie deficit when you could still lose weight with a 500 calorie deficit.
Also, lots of protein, fat, and fiber, and less bread and 'empty' carbs.
As I explained in the first post, I'm far from starving myself. At my weight, I could have a 1500kcal deficit to lose 1% of my body weight a week.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Oh sure. You're always hungry and eat at an unnecessary deficit but you're not starving yourself.. whatever you say...0 -
Title says it all. I've been having a really easy time for the last few months. Logging everything, walking a lot, just have a nice time losing weight. But for the last week or so, I've been incredibly hungry.
Not bored hunger, stress hunger, or anything like that. Just actual I-want-to-eat-everything hunger. I've been eating in a deficit still, but usually I'm at a 1000kcal deficit, and the last few days I've definitely not been at that deficit because of my increased hunger.
I guess I'm just wondering what others do when/if they feel like this. I'm disappointed in myself for not having my normal deficit and letting myself eat more. Do others up your intake? Do you just power through it?
(My weight supports that large deficit, it's a 0.65% rate of loss per week. I'm also probably getting close to my period, the timing has been off lately with losing weight.)
I get that way leading up to TOM as well; I just want to eat everything. Often I'll let myself eat at a lower deficit or even at maintenance, if I'm particularly ravenous, just during those days. A handful of days a month eating at maintenance or at a 750 or 500 calorie deficit instead of a 1000 calorie deficit isn't going to make much of a difference in your weight loss in the long run. You could even save up extra calories leading up to those extra-hungry days, so that you're still overall at your 1000 calorie deficit.
ETA - I'm jealous of your N7 jacket in your avi.
I ended up letting myself eat more the last few days. A week of eating at maintenance isn't going to kill my progress.
Thanks, I love my N7 hoodie! It's probably one of my favourite possessions!2 -
If I allocate more of my calories to protein-rich foods, I am less hungry. We're all a bit different, but that has been working really well for me.0
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I've actually had this the past couple of days, and since I have been going for so long I indulged myself for once. I actually stayed at maintenance or just below each day, so no real harm done.
I actually had a slice of vanilla Cheesecake for breakfast. It was awesome.2 -
Eat more. There's absolutely no reason to starve yourself with a 1000 calorie deficit when you could still lose weight with a 500 calorie deficit.
Also, lots of protein, fat, and fiber, and less bread and 'empty' carbs.
As I explained in the first post, I'm far from starving myself. At my weight, I could have a 1500kcal deficit to lose 1% of my body weight a week.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Oh sure. You're always hungry and eat at an unnecessary deficit but you're not starving yourself.. whatever you say...
From a scientific standpoint, it's not possible that I'm starving myself.1 -
Eat more. There's absolutely no reason to starve yourself with a 1000 calorie deficit when you could still lose weight with a 500 calorie deficit.
Also, lots of protein, fat, and fiber, and less bread and 'empty' carbs.
As I explained in the first post, I'm far from starving myself. At my weight, I could have a 1500kcal deficit to lose 1% of my body weight a week.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Oh sure. You're always hungry and eat at an unnecessary deficit but you're not starving yourself.. whatever you say...
From a scientific standpoint, it's not possible that I'm starving myself.
Or maybe the fact that you're constantly hungry should be taken as the clue that is it.
But whatever. Good luck.0 -
I get days when I'm ravenous and days when I'm not that hungry. I find they balance each other out if I eat more on the hungry days and less on the not hungry days.
Cool to read that you decided to eat at maintenance during the hungry days! Sensible decision
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