How to deal with hunger while dieting?

I plan to eat every 1-2 hours so if I get hungry I know it's not long to wait until I can eat something. If I can't wait then I'll either drink water/tea/coffee to fill the stomach or eat sugar free sweets to take my mind of it.

Stay busy and drink plenty of non-carbonated zero calorie liquids. The busier I am the less I eat, but if I sit around the house and veg, then I get hungry.

Also, you say you are eating a balanced diet, but you might need to tweak your diet some to find what combo keeps you satisfied longer. For me, carbs are a big no-no, but protein and a little fat helps. Carbs just make me want more carbs.

Distract yourself.
Drink water. Go for a short walk. Read a book.
Keep low calorie veggies prepped and on hand.

There's nothing wrong with carbs, they're in everything. I think the poster was talking about starchy carbs such as those found in bread, rice, potatoes, crackers, etc. While I occasionally eat starchy carbs, I find they don't keep me satisfied for long periods.

Lots of protein does the trick, for me. I start my day with Greek yogurt, which keeps me satisfied until lunch. If I find that I'm getting hungry, I keep some beef jerky sticks in my desk drawer. It takes a while to eat (SERIOUS chewing work-out... lol), tides me over, and is less than 100 calories per serving. Another good, high protein snack is yogurt.

If you find yourself hungry between meals, before reaching for a snack, stop to think a moment. Are you hungry, or are you actually THIRSTY? Many people find that they were actually thirsty, and have misidentified thirst as hunger. So, get something to drink, wait 5 minutes, and if you're still hungry, get a nutritious snack and log the calories. I've found that if I don't get a snack, when truly hungry, it's harder to stay on track.

for me it helps to think in terms of blood sugar. Try eating like a diabetic. You can even get a blood sugar test kit at the pharmacy and experiment if you want, but I try to keep my blood sugar fairly constant when I am trying to lose weight. That means, limiting sweets, eating every few hours, and making choices that do not spike blood sugar.

It works well for me.

Is the hunger genuine? it takes a while to adjust to less calories, drinking water helps this. Also what kinds of foods are you mostly eating - plenty of protein/fat/fibre will see you are fuller for longer.

It could partly be habit, you will have to re-train yourself as we are creatures of habit so new habits have to be formed. If you know you can't be hungry because its not long since you've last eaten a filling meal then its more a mental game. Again I would say, sip on water, it really does help.

Have you set your loss too high per week which means an aggressive calorie deficit? perhaps you should re run the numbers in MFP for losing at a slightly slower rate and that will give you more calories to work with.

Try to eat three meals per day, at around the same time. Eating smaller, more frequent meals is a myth when it comes to weight loss. Your body is receiving a constant infusion of insulin and therefore not breaking down fat. It takes a while to get your body trained if you are used to eating more frequently. Once you do, your weight loss will be improved.

I have found a glass of water when I am hungry helps me.

Make sure you are getting enough fiber, protein, and healthy fat in your diet. A tiny bowl of low fiber cereal and skim milk will leave you wanting to pull the curb at fast food. Instead, do a quick stirfry with a cup or two of veggies and a little avocado oil, maybe 1/4 cup leftover whole grain, and throw in an egg. Make hearty soups with beans, chicken, greens, grains. Top salads with beans, nuts, berries, olive oil, and a nice flavored vinegar. Fill a roasted half of a winter squash with cooked grain and top it with a thin broiled fish fillet and fresh herbs. Top your old fashioned oatmeal with fresh fruit, nuts, and plain yogurt. Eating enough of the right food is key.