Help!!! I'm doing my best but I'm soooooo hungry!

mcress0
mcress0 Posts: 12 Member
edited November 15 in Introduce Yourself
Hi all - I guess it's not just me that's trying to drop a few pounds post Christmas / New Year?
To be fair, I only need to lose a couple of Kilos of over indulgence, and I'm sticking to my daily allowance, and it's working - but - any tips on how to just ignore feeling hungry? I'm not snacking and have no desire to, but how do I stop the hungry feeling when it's still a couple of hours till meal time?
Appreciate any serious suggestions, stupid suggestions and any other help!!
Cheers,
Mike.

Replies

  • healthyrachel1979
    healthyrachel1979 Posts: 414 Member
    Are you eating enough? Protein? Drinking water?
  • markwebber_2012
    markwebber_2012 Posts: 10 Member
    Maybe cut your meal sizes down and eat more often I eat every 3 hours that works for me
  • andrea4736
    andrea4736 Posts: 211 Member
    I come on here and read forums. I find if I'm distracted, I forget about feeling hungry. Sometimes it's more that I'm bored than legitimately hungry.
  • mcress0
    mcress0 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks for the replies! I think my protein intake is good - I know I don't drink enough water - I never actually seem to feel thirsty, so will maybe set a reminder to drink every couple of hours?
    Andrea you may be right though, I'm in front of a computer all day with periods of not much going on, so I'll also try your method and spend more time on the forum.....
    I'm always up for a chat!
    Cheers,
    Mike.
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    I sit in front of a computer all day. I eat every 2 hours or so. Be smart on your snacks. You can eat a ton of veggies as a snack with dip and not use up too much of your alotted calories. String cheese, yogurt, a handful of mixed nuts, dried fruits...
  • mattdhall
    mattdhall Posts: 85 Member
    You might try food with a larger volume for the amount of calories in it. I have a canned soup I like that is 80 calories per serving, and 160 cals for the whole can. Eating the whole can for lunch makes for a filling and very low-calorie meal.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    It's usually not hunger, but habitual behavior that's the issue. People that sit in front of computers all day have a tendency to snack. Chew gum or a pencil (lol I had a client that actually did this) and you may find it's not hunger at all but a habit.

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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • mikepicher
    mikepicher Posts: 23 Member
    I hit coffee in the morning until about 10 then switch to water. I just keep some in front of me all day at the computer getting up to refill it is a good keyboard break. I'll also sprinkle in a morning and afternoon snack to take the edge off (like a 50 calorie Quaker Caramel Corn Rice Cake).
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    mcress0 wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies! I think my protein intake is good - I know I don't drink enough water - I never actually seem to feel thirsty, so will maybe set a reminder to drink every couple of hours?
    Andrea you may be right though, I'm in front of a computer all day with periods of not much going on, so I'll also try your method and spend more time on the forum.....
    I'm always up for a chat!
    Cheers,
    Mike.

    Gum helps me. I spend all day in front of a computer also. So I sip on water all day and chew gum. The other thing is to take a serious look at the food you're eating and try and modify it to be a little less calorie dense. That'll help you to be able to eat a little more and feel less hungry.
  • letme1
    letme1 Posts: 522 Member
    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    mcress0 wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies! I think my protein intake is good - I know I don't drink enough water - I never actually seem to feel thirsty, so will maybe set a reminder to drink every couple of hours?
    Andrea you may be right though, I'm in front of a computer all day with periods of not much going on, so I'll also try your method and spend more time on the forum.....
    I'm always up for a chat!
    Cheers,
    Mike.

    Gum helps me. I spend all day in front of a computer also. So I sip on water all day and chew gum. The other thing is to take a serious look at the food you're eating and try and modify it to be a little less calorie dense. That'll help you to be able to eat a little more and feel less hungry.

    That is exactly what i DO,, lots of gum and waterx,, lol
    but hey, it works :)
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    mcress0 wrote: »
    Hi all - I guess it's not just me that's trying to drop a few pounds post Christmas / New Year?
    To be fair, I only need to lose a couple of Kilos of over indulgence, and I'm sticking to my daily allowance, and it's working - but - any tips on how to just ignore feeling hungry? I'm not snacking and have no desire to, but how do I stop the hungry feeling when it's still a couple of hours till meal time?
    Appreciate any serious suggestions, stupid suggestions and any other help!!
    Cheers,
    Mike.

    Aim for macros instead of calories, and your calorie intake will fall into place at the right amount:
    adequate protein (1g/lb of lean body mass---find an LBM calculator online)
    increase your fiber intake slowly (3-5g/day) until you get to 45g or more fiber per day
    plenty of healthy fats....don't be afraid of fat....avocado, nuts, ghee or butter, olive oil, coconut oil, don't eat industrial oils like canola, supplement with fish oil.
    enough complex carbs to fuel your workouts and your day, but not extra.

    It may take a few days, but your appetite will moderate to your body's actual needs. Eat the right macros, choose nutrient-dense foods. Weigh your food in grams and track it so you can see what's going into your body.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Try drinking a full glass of water or tea. Sometimes we think we're hungry when we're really just thirsty...
  • Lizakabibbis
    Lizakabibbis Posts: 370 Member
    I'd say have a glass of water - if after you finish that water you still feel hungry (head hunger is the devil). Then have a low cal snack. My favorite is usually a cheese stick w/a handful of baby carrots or sliced cucumber.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Since you only have 7 lbs to lose, your deficit may be too large. with so little to lose an ideal rate of loss would be 0.5 lbs/week, or if you follow TDEE, do TDEE - 10%. You can also eat more veggies, a lot of bulk for very little cals.
  • cambridgestylist
    cambridgestylist Posts: 37 Member
    edited January 2017
    Personally, I need snacks to get through my day. Sometimes it works out I that ate more calories in snacks than I did in meals! I try to keep it to something that is just enough to keep me going, like a hardboiled egg, a half an avocado or a protein smoothie. It definitely helps and I manage to stay under my calories for the day. I'm about to eat some avocado right now!
  • HappyNSmilinKaz
    HappyNSmilinKaz Posts: 80 Member
    Some great tips x
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    What's your weekly weight loss goal set to? When I joined on MFP, I only had 10-15 lbs to lose. I started out with a goal to lose 1lb/week and quickly realized it was too aggressive, as I was hungry all the time. Changing to .5lb/week made it MUCH more manageable for me. Incorporating more exercise also helps, as it allows me to consume more calories in a given week.
  • Destinychngr
    Destinychngr Posts: 103 Member
    I found that drinking water helps, and what devilwhiterose mentioned is good advice, too - smart snacking. When I first started out I snacked all the time, but WHAT I snacked on was keeping me overweight: chocolate, chips, crackers, cookies - just junk food. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies now with ranch dip, but my weight loss consists of eating low carb, which has been extremely effective.
  • lseed87
    lseed87 Posts: 1,105 Member
    More protein and fiber.

    Perhaps eat every 2/4 hours?

    Nuts and other things when feeling peckish.

    Water
  • mcress0
    mcress0 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks for all the tips - I did my 2 week weigh in today and have lost 4 pounds. As I set out to only lose 1 pound per week (and have been following the suggested calorie limit from MFP) it would indeed seem that I am probably not actually eating enough - I can put that right :)
    Two things I have noticed since cutting out all (well, most) of the junk from my diet.
    1. I have more energy (yay!)
    2. My skin has become noticeably softer!
    Thanks again for the advice, feel free to add me as a friend!
    Cheers,
    Mike.
  • melm1903
    melm1903 Posts: 29 Member
    I drink Mint Green Tea! It helps when I'm sat at my desk with not much going on and definitely fills me up until my next meal :)
  • mcress0
    mcress0 Posts: 12 Member
    Last night I had beer, and went 500 calories over my daily allowance, I think I should get a good telling off......
  • misstyr
    misstyr Posts: 13 Member
    One day going over your calories when dieting is ok if you don't treat your self once in a while you'll fall back into your eating habits you had before dieting, if I do anyway
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    i try to "like" the hungry. that may sound dumb, but once i get past how much i hate it, i start to realize it's a sign that i am in control. and it's temporary. (probably easier for someone to say who is in for 10-20 lbs than someone who is on a much longer road.) i also eat dinner EARLY since that is typically my higher calorie meal. like 5:00 sharp. if you're waking up hungry in the middle of the night though, maybe add 100 calories and see if you keep losing.
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