Initial Withdrawal/Cravings

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mamabear1114
mamabear1114 Posts: 140 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Every time I try to eat better, I go through wicked withdrawals. Headaches, irritability, fatigue and I feel like I'm starving all the time. I know it ends eventually, but I'm having a hard time powering through the initial bit. I was hoping someone would have some insight or advice on how to curb some of this, because I'm miserable lol.
Thank you in advance!
PS just in case anyone needs to know,
I want to lose about 20-25 pounds and MFP grants me 1830 calories a day right now.
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    What are you eating? That seems extreme for an 1800 calorie budget and just 20 lbs to lose.
  • Ming1951
    Ming1951 Posts: 514 Member
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    Anytime I began to "diet" or reduce my calories I would go thru this. I have learned that my hunger many times wasn't even hunger, my stomach was full but my mouth/mind still wanted more. After 4 months I have learned the difference although it still occurs time to time and I just occupy myself and usually I'll forget about it. the headaches went away after a weeks and the fatigue after about 2. I am sometime tired, so I just nap, lol. I should also say that I use to eat tons of sweets. Now I do not, and overall I am feeling so so much better.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
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    Seeing as your diet amount is my sedentary maintenance I'm almost jealous you're still hungry on that! Are you having junk calories? Are you eating enough protein to keep you full? Are you just eating what you normally do but in moderation or have you made big changes to impact a withdrawal?
  • mamabear1114
    mamabear1114 Posts: 140 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    What are you eating? That seems extreme for an 1800 calorie budget and just 20 lbs to lose.

    Well, most of my calories come from snacky foods, as I prefer to munch throughout the day and eat smaller meals. I eat a lot of strawberries, grapes, blueberries, walnuts, granola bars, apples, yogurt, string cheese and etc. For breakfast I usually have oatmeal or cereal, a turkey sandwich for lunch and chicken with rice and a vegetable for dinner.

    I think the budget is lower because I am mostly sedentary. I am a stay at home mom with a four month old and so I don't get much exercise. I am 5'8 and 190 lbs.
  • mamabear1114
    mamabear1114 Posts: 140 Member
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    Ming1951 wrote: »
    Anytime I began to "diet" or reduce my calories I would go thru this. I have learned that my hunger many times wasn't even hunger, my stomach was full but my mouth/mind still wanted more. After 4 months I have learned the difference although it still occurs time to time and I just occupy myself and usually I'll forget about it. the headaches went away after a weeks and the fatigue after about 2. I am sometime tired, so I just nap, lol. I should also say that I use to eat tons of sweets. Now I do not, and overall I am feeling so so much better.

    I am the same way. I know it's from the lack of sugar lol. I've read sugar is as addictive as cocaine and I believe it.
  • mamabear1114
    mamabear1114 Posts: 140 Member
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    elliej wrote: »
    Seeing as your diet amount is my sedentary maintenance I'm almost jealous you're still hungry on that! Are you having junk calories? Are you eating enough protein to keep you full? Are you just eating what you normally do but in moderation or have you made big changes to impact a withdrawal?

    I left a comment about my typical diet since I've started trying to eat better
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What are you eating? That seems extreme for an 1800 calorie budget and just 20 lbs to lose.

    Well, most of my calories come from snacky foods, as I prefer to munch throughout the day and eat smaller meals. I eat a lot of strawberries, grapes, blueberries, walnuts, granola bars, apples, yogurt, string cheese and etc. For breakfast I usually have oatmeal or cereal, a turkey sandwich for lunch and chicken with rice and a vegetable for dinner.

    I think the budget is lower because I am mostly sedentary. I am a stay at home mom with a four month old and so I don't get much exercise. I am 5'8 and 190 lbs.

    That's not a low budget. My point was that you should not feel exceedingly hungry on 1830 calories. I would up protein and fat as most people find them more filling /satisfying.
  • flagrantavidity
    flagrantavidity Posts: 218 Member
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    It sounds like you have an addiction to food, psychological effects of any addiction are very hard to overcome. Remember what you are trying to accomplish, focus on the goal you have and, reflect on every time you overcome the cravings. Small wins are important, a series of small wins is what gets you to your goal.

    Your goal is to maintain your healthy lifestyle and loose a healthy amount of weight by maintaining a small calorie deficit.

    You Can Do It - stay positive. :smile:
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    I think the budget is lower because I am mostly sedentary. I am a stay at home mom with a four month old and so I don't get much exercise. I am 5'8 and 190 lbs.

    I'm 5'8 and have gone from 228 to 175.....the 1800 sounds a little high if anything especially if you aren't doing a lot of workouts. But if you plugged it into MFP just give it a few weeks and see what happens.

    Definitely sounds like you are just withdrawing from the snacky junky food. You just have to gut it out and avoid that kind of food for a few days. When I mess up and get re-addicted to junk food, I focus more on eating healthy quality food and less on calories for just a few days. Then I dial it back.

    Keep going!
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,694 Member
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    I have had a hard time when dropping sugar from my diet. I tell myself to give it two weeks, then reassess. Generally after a week I'm fine.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Your diet sounds really carb heavy, and low on fat (protein may need tweaked too, depends on how large those portions of chicken and turkey are). Look at protein, fat, and fiber goal as minimums to achieve each day, and fill in the rest with carbs as desired. I know lower fat/higher carb foods (like fruit, breads and cereals, and low fat/fat free dairy) leave me hungrier than if I hadn't eaten anything at all. You might try playing with your macros and see if that helps with satiety.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited December 2016
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    No need to cut out any of the foods you like, you just need to learn how to fit them into your calorie goals :)
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited December 2016
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    tlflag1620 wrote: »
    Your diet sounds really carb heavy, and low on fat (protein may need tweaked too, depends on how large those portions of chicken and turkey are). Look at protein, fat, and fiber goal as minimums to achieve economic each day, and fill in the rest with carbs as desired. I know lower fat/higher carb foods (like fruit, breads and cereals, and low fat/fat free dairy) leave me hungrier than if I hadn't eaten anything at all. You might try playing with your macros and see if that helps with satiety.

    Are you able to see OPs food diary, I looked but didn't see it? I think macros ratios are pretty individual though-I feel better on a higher carb diet myself, but know that others feel better with higher protein or fat ratios.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    She mentioned her typical meals and snacks in a follow up post. Cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, lean meat with rice and veg for dinner. Fruit makes up the majority of her snack foods. If the yogurt and string cheese are low fat, and the granola bars are also low fat (she didn't say), that leaves walnuts as her only real full fat food. I used to eat the way OP eats (with similar stats and a similar calorie goal). Yeah, I was starving all the freaking time when I ate that way.

    This may or may not be the issue, but it can't hurt for her to take a look. I found going low carb high fat is the only thing that filled the void enough for me to be satiated well enough to stick to the calorie goal long enough to lose weight. She (probably) doesn't need to do that, but upping fat, protein, and fiber is pretty standard advice for those complaining of hunger.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    What are you eating? That seems extreme for an 1800 calorie budget and just 20 lbs to lose.

    Well, most of my calories come from snacky foods, as I prefer to munch throughout the day and eat smaller meals. I eat a lot of strawberries, grapes, blueberries, walnuts, granola bars, apples, yogurt, string cheese and etc. For breakfast I usually have oatmeal or cereal, a turkey sandwich for lunch and chicken with rice and a vegetable for dinner.

    I think the budget is lower because I am mostly sedentary. I am a stay at home mom with a four month old and so I don't get much exercise. I am 5'8 and 190 lbs.

    Start the day with some protein instead of pure carbs. Makes a huge difference for me. Also it's nearly impossible for me not to be hungry if I have bread AND rice the same day. Pick one, and replace the other with a low carb wrap/more veggies/potatoes/some salad/soup etc.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    Ming1951 wrote: »
    Anytime I began to "diet" or reduce my calories I would go thru this. I have learned that my hunger many times wasn't even hunger, my stomach was full but my mouth/mind still wanted more. After 4 months I have learned the difference although it still occurs time to time and I just occupy myself and usually I'll forget about it. the headaches went away after a weeks and the fatigue after about 2. I am sometime tired, so I just nap, lol. I should also say that I use to eat tons of sweets. Now I do not, and overall I am feeling so so much better.

    I am the same way. I know it's from the lack of sugar lol. I've read sugar is as addictive as cocaine and I believe it.

    It isn't, though. No where near it. :/
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    Ming1951 wrote: »
    Anytime I began to "diet" or reduce my calories I would go thru this. I have learned that my hunger many times wasn't even hunger, my stomach was full but my mouth/mind still wanted more. After 4 months I have learned the difference although it still occurs time to time and I just occupy myself and usually I'll forget about it. the headaches went away after a weeks and the fatigue after about 2. I am sometime tired, so I just nap, lol. I should also say that I use to eat tons of sweets. Now I do not, and overall I am feeling so so much better.

    I am the same way. I know it's from the lack of sugar lol. I've read sugar is as addictive as cocaine and I believe it.

    False.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    madeline_land wrote: »
    Ming1951 wrote: »
    Anytime I began to "diet" or reduce my calories I would go thru this. I have learned that my hunger many times wasn't even hunger, my stomach was full but my mouth/mind still wanted more. After 4 months I have learned the difference although it still occurs time to time and I just occupy myself and usually I'll forget about it. the headaches went away after a weeks and the fatigue after about 2. I am sometime tired, so I just nap, lol. I should also say that I use to eat tons of sweets. Now I do not, and overall I am feeling so so much better.

    I am the same way. I know it's from the lack of sugar lol. I've read sugar is as addictive as cocaine and I believe it.

    If you're eating all that fruit, you aren't lacking sugar. I'm not touching the sugar addiction theory, it's hokum. What about caffeine? Have you reduced that? Caffeine withdrawal would be a more likely suspect.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
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    tlflag1620 wrote: »
    She mentioned her typical meals and snacks in a follow up post. Cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, lean meat with rice and veg for dinner. Fruit makes up the majority of her snack foods. If the yogurt and string cheese are low fat, and the granola bars are also low fat (she didn't say), that leaves walnuts as her only real full fat food. I used to eat the way OP eats (with similar stats and a similar calorie goal). Yeah, I was starving all the freaking time when I ate that way.

    This may or may not be the issue, but it can't hurt for her to take a look. I found going low carb high fat is the only thing that filled the void enough for me to be satiated well enough to stick to the calorie goal long enough to lose weight. She (probably) doesn't need to do that, but upping fat, protein, and fiber is pretty standard advice for those complaining of hunger.

    Ah, missed her follow up post, thanks!

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