I am SOO hungry all the time.

mou_254
mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'4'' and weigh 230lbs, female.

I eat 1500-1600 calories everyday; have been taking 10,000 steps almost daily for the last 2 weeks. The thing is, I feel so hungry all the time. I do eat fruits and veggies as much as I can. I also have a thing with sugar addiction; I quit for about 15 days,and Incorporated it back 10 days ago, and I am still struggling with cravings of sugar, especially after meals.

Please advise.
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Replies

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    How big is your daily deficit at your current calorie intake?
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    So, my maintenance is about 2150 cals, and estimating 100 cals burnt for every 2k steps, that would put me in a deficit of about 1000 cals. (If I take 10k steps everyday, but my weekly average is 60k I think).
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I do eat fruits and veggies as much as I can.

    Are you also eating meat, fish, eggs, dairy, (whole) grains and other starches, beans, nuts and seeds, butter and oils?
  • reneec257
    reneec257 Posts: 39 Member
    If you don't eat enough carbs, you will always be hungry. I know so many people on low carb diets, but then they binge eat. Try to eat healthy sweets like dates or peaches in a cup, even if you feel you are overeating healthy sweets it is better than a cupcake or candy bar. Try eating popcorn, it takes a while to eat a small bag. And don't forget to drink water. Also try eating gum after you eat, sometimes that will help when you feel like eating more even though you are full.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    I'm also 5'4" and your weight is just shy of my starting weight, but I'm older. I'm eating 1200 calories.

    These are things that worked for me...

    Carb/protein/fat with every meal
    Drink water I try for 48oz
    Get 7-8 hrs of sleep at night (less increases hunger hormone which in turn makes you hungrier)

    I don't normally eat my exercise calories back but I don't walk that much. You may want to eat 50-75% of your calories back.

    Hope this helps!

  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    edited January 2017
    That can't be your maintenance. That's less than my maintenance at sedentary and I am 158 pounds and you are moderately active. You're not eating enough.

    I'd eat more but also look at your macros. I'd bet dollars to donuts that you need more fat and protein.

    Eta: sorry. I don't know what happened there. Somewhere between all the comments I got your numbers mixed up. I do still think your maintenance estimation might be a little low though.
  • brundell88
    brundell88 Posts: 12 Member
    edited January 2017
    If you struggle with eating too many sweets you should try to cut them out of your diet completely. That way you eventually won't get crazy cravings for sweets. If anything eat some fruit instead.
  • dgobbett
    dgobbett Posts: 53 Member
    I like snacks as well, it is OK to put something you crave back into your diet to help with the urge. I like potato chips, I eat snack sized baked Lays chips maybe once every 1-2 weeks and it keeps me from getting crazy urges and binge eating.

    Also another tip a friend recommended was Metamucil. It seems odd, and is commonly seen as a laxative but I have been using it for a few weeks now and the fibre helps me to feel full longer. I drink one in the morning, and one before dinner and it helps me keep my portions and snacking in check.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    I think where I struggle the most is with eating fats; I am scared of them for no good reason.

    Can anybody please suggest some quick, low calorie snacks? I feel especially hungry at office between 5-6pm, I think. I am 23, by the way.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    Also, most of what I eat count as carbs, I think. And so far, they are not helping that much with satiety.
  • reneec257
    reneec257 Posts: 39 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    reneec257 wrote: »
    If you don't eat enough carbs, you will always be hungry.

    Some people find that carbohydrates promote satiety, others find they don't make much of an impact or they even make them hungrier. I love carbohydrates and eat a lot of them, but if I eat some fruit (especially dried fruit) by itself, it just unleashes my hunger.

    If I had to choose between overeating dates or having a controlled portion of dark chocolate (which I find very satisfying), I would choose the dark chocolate every single time. Why? Because maintaining a calorie balance is a key to maintaining weight loss (overeating will result in weight gain) and I find the dark chocolate to be much more satisfying.

    That isn't to say I won't enjoy dates or peaches as part of a larger meal or snack, but overeating is what led to my weight gain in the first place. Why would that be healthier for me than a reasonable portion of candy or cake?

    Most people that are overweight cannot eat just a reasonable portion of candy or cake, that is why they are overweight. It is better to learn to eat healthier foods than put yourself in a situation where you end up eating more than a reasonable amount. This forum is for opinions, not to bash other people's opinions....

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    2 pounds/week is pretty aggressive. It is the biggest deficit recommended. Some people can sustain that for a long time by balancing their macros, so no one can say out of hand "your deficit is too big." But a too big deficit will result in hunger. That is the most likely cause if your hunger persists.

    You can:
    1) back off to a 500 cal daily deficit for several weeks to see if that is more sustainable for you
    2) start experimenting with macros (e.g. more fat & protein, fiber, too) to see what keeps you full longest
    3) wait it out. You're only 2 weeks in, and often people are hungry in the beginning & their perception of hunger does change.

    Good luck!
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    I think where I struggle the most is with eating fats; I am scared of them for no good reason.
    I feel ya, sister. I grew up in the "fat makes you fat" era, and oh, if I could get those years back. Fat is essential. You can't synthesize hormones without it. Aim for a MINIMUM of 0.35g per pound bodyweight per day.

    If your meals tend to be low fat and you struggle to get enough fat, google "fat bombs." They are sugarless flourless treats (made with nuts, nut flours, artificial sweeteners, butter, etc). And yum-mmy.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    Actually 2lbs/week gave me 1200 calories, and 1.5 gave me 1460 or thereabouts, so I manually changed the calories to 1500. Have been doing this for about 5 weeks, it's just that being hungry makes me cranky. Thank you for your advice. I shall try more protein,I guess. I hit my fibre goal almost daily :)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    I think where I struggle the most is with eating fats; I am scared of them for no good reason.

    Can anybody please suggest some quick, low calorie snacks? I feel especially hungry at office between 5-6pm, I think. I am 23, by the way.

    I find fat to be incredibly satiating. I am always feeling hungry when I don't get enough.

    Your body actually needs a certain amount of fat. It's nothing to be scared of. They're calorie-dense so you want to make sure you're accurately measuring and logging them, but fat can be one of your best friends when trying to lose weight.
  • Fitforevermore
    Fitforevermore Posts: 399 Member
    I would up your protein, protein makes you fuller for longer. I love snacks and have a sweet tooth so make sure I have calories for a mid morning protein bar (pretty much a chocolate bar, I'm not saying it's healthy), mid afternoon maybe a small chocolate (100cals) or raspberries, and after dinner I allow myself a 150 cal sweet snack like skinny cow mint chocolate chip lolly. My other meals after well calorie controlled so it works.

    Favourite snacks between 1 and 200 cals:
    Melba toast and cheese spread
    Peanut butter in yoghurt with cocoa powder
    Skinny cow mint chocolate chip
    Promax mint chocolate protein bar
    Coconut collaborative mini chocolate pots
    Ombar raw chocolate
    Graze chocolate cherry tart
    Graze fudge cookie

    Ice lollys and diet Fanta are low calorie says to satisfy my sweet tooth.

    Hope this helps
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    reneec257 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    reneec257 wrote: »
    If you don't eat enough carbs, you will always be hungry.

    Some people find that carbohydrates promote satiety, others find they don't make much of an impact or they even make them hungrier. I love carbohydrates and eat a lot of them, but if I eat some fruit (especially dried fruit) by itself, it just unleashes my hunger.

    If I had to choose between overeating dates or having a controlled portion of dark chocolate (which I find very satisfying), I would choose the dark chocolate every single time. Why? Because maintaining a calorie balance is a key to maintaining weight loss (overeating will result in weight gain) and I find the dark chocolate to be much more satisfying.

    That isn't to say I won't enjoy dates or peaches as part of a larger meal or snack, but overeating is what led to my weight gain in the first place. Why would that be healthier for me than a reasonable portion of candy or cake?

    Most people that are overweight cannot eat just a reasonable portion of candy or cake, that is why they are overweight. It is better to learn to eat healthier foods than put yourself in a situation where you end up eating more than a reasonable amount. This forum is for opinions, not to bash other people's opinions....

    Pretty sure she didn't bash your opinion...she asked you a question.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited January 2017
    mou_254 wrote: »
    Actually 2lbs/week gave me 1200 calories, and 1.5 gave me 1460 or thereabouts, so I manually changed the calories to 1500. Have been doing this for about 5 weeks, it's just that being hungry makes me cranky. Thank you for your advice. I shall try more protein,I guess. I hit my fibre goal almost daily :)

    Good job on the fiber. If your deficit is 1000/day including your steps, that's 2 pounds per week. You might want to reassess your total daily energy expenditure (including steps & exercise) in addition to the deficit you can live with for the duration.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    Fitforevermore wrote: »
    I would up your protein, protein makes you fuller for longer. I love snacks and have a sweet tooth so make sure I have calories for a mid morning protein bar (pretty much a chocolate bar, I'm not saying it's healthy), mid afternoon maybe a small chocolate (100cals) or raspberries, and after dinner I allow myself a 150 cal sweet snack like skinny cow mint chocolate chip lolly. My other meals after well calorie controlled so it works.

    Favourite snacks between 1 and 200 cals:
    Melba toast and cheese spread
    Peanut butter in yoghurt with cocoa powder
    Skinny cow mint chocolate chip
    Promax mint chocolate protein bar
    Coconut collaborative mini chocolate pots
    Ombar raw chocolate
    Graze chocolate cherry tart
    Graze fudge cookie

    Ice lollys and diet Fanta are low calorie says to satisfy my sweet tooth.

    Hope this helps

    I have been trying out diet coke lately; I don't want to have it daily (I'm not really a soda person), but sometimes it works!! Not so much, other times. Like today :(
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    are you eating back at least some of your exercise calories?
    are you hungry or is it appetite?
    or are you thirsty?

    I know that last two seem odd but those things can be mistaken for hunger.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I'm not an expert, does anyone think OP's chosen/stated calorie burn for steps is awfully high?
  • dancinon2
    dancinon2 Posts: 5 Member
    I struggle with afternoon snacking too! Lately I've found it helpful when the urge strikes to first have a vitamin type drink (I like Advocare's Fruit Punch Spark) with a fiber supplement stirred in. I don't sell it so I'm not trying to push it but if you are unfamiliar, it is a non-carbonated, 15 calorie, caffeine drink with lots of vitamin B which helps with mood. The fiber helps with snacking until dinner. I just use the grocery store generic brand of unflavored Metamucil - can't even tell it is in there.

    My favorite snack right now is Dannon Light and Fit Greek vanilla yogurt with 2 Tbs peanut butter powder stirred into it.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    I try to drink water between meals and when I first feel hungry; it's weird actually, at first I think I feel hungry and then I just start thinking that I am hungry and feel hungrier. I don't know how to control it. If I could, I would!
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    it's weird how personal satiety is, but i need fats to feel satisfied. i'm over my recommended fat macro pretty frequently. i can eat 2 poached eggs on toast and still be pretty hungry right after, but if i add some extra fat with a half avocado i'm super full and happy.
  • dwulet130
    dwulet130 Posts: 108 Member
    mou_254 wrote: »
    Also, most of what I eat count as carbs, I think. And so far, they are not helping that much with satiety.

    Are you eating protein? That helps a ton with feeling fuller longer, as well as not losing muscle mass along with your fat. If you're still feeling hungry after eating a salad, eat a salad with a grilled chicken breast.

    Best of luck you!
  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    Looking at your food diary, I'm seeing you rarely have anything logged before 1 pm except occasionally some tea. If you're hungry all the time, you might want to try eating some solids for breakfast, even just a banana an egg or something some like that.
    You also have your goal set to netting 1500 calories which looks like it would be 2 lb/week for you (based off my stats; I'm a year older and 15 pounds lighter than you), but you are regularly netting 300-1000 calories below that, which is likely contributing. Yesterday, according to your diary, you ate just under 1300 calories, but burned 905 calories on top of your maintenance caloric burn, which you say is about 2100 calories. Therefore, you burned a total of around 3000 calories, but only consumed 1300. Doing this every once in a while isn't a major concern, but overall, you should eat more, especially if you're actually hungry, and not just eating because you're bored or have a compulsive need to.
    It's difficult to look at the macros you're eating, because they're wrong. Based on your macros for today, you should have been ~1700 over your goal, but your diary says you're 200 under. Make sure that the nutritional info for the food you're eating is correct, and then look to see what kind of balance you're eating.
    As far as snacks throughout the day, nuts are quick and easy and have fats, since you're concerned about not eating enough. Hard boiled eggs are good too. I usually snack on what I don't finish of my lunch, so it's usually baby carrots or a cheese stick, and I keep instant oatmeal in my desk in case I'm hungry enough to risk being caught eating at the microwave in the break stairwell.
  • mou_254
    mou_254 Posts: 153 Member
    It's really difficult finding Indian food accurately logged in mfp actually(I live in India); on top of that, I live in a hostel, so although I weigh my food, I cannot accurately write down the recipe. I'm moving to an apartment next month and I'm gonna cook for myself (total novice), but I guess that will make the tracking a lot easier (and better).
  • missmagnoliablossom
    missmagnoliablossom Posts: 240 Member
    Echoing lots of great advice here - try to start at least a mental, if not physical list of foods you eat that satisfy you. Try to reflect after meals/snacks - did this make me feel full? Do I feel satiated? Discovering these foods and incorporating them into your calorie intake will help you feel full and be successful. :)

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