Why am I always hungry?

Thanks for all the tips!

I do drink quite a bit of water, but I could try drinking more often when I actually feel hungry. That would probably help.

I do eat my exercise calories. When I say I'm 100-200 calories over every day, that's over my NET, which includes the calories I earned from working out. My goal net is 1220.

I've been eating mostly fruits and vegetables, nuts, eggs, yogurt, and things like that. I tend to eat a lot of salads with spinach or romaine lettuce, lots of fruit, and some nuts. I've considered adding chicken to them, but I haven't gotten around to that. In terms of increasing protein, that would certainly help.

I have another question about my net calorie intake. I calculated my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) on the Tools section of this website, and it reported 1377. This is apparently the amount of calories that my body would burn if I were to do nothing but rest all day- it does not take into account daily activities or exercise. How can my net calories be below this? I'm running around all day using up calories, and trying to eat less than it takes for my body to function. It seems obvious that I would be uncomfortable..

Your net calories could be below that based on your age, if you put a weekly weight loss goal of more than 1 lb/week or if you are close to goal. For example, I am 43, 2 lbs. from goal, and I have my weekly weight loss set to 1/2 lb/week. My base calories are 1530. If I were to change my weekly goal to 1 lb., MFP drops my calories to 1280 -- way too low for me.

Some people who are very active find that they must move their goal to maintenance calories to lose the last 5-10 lbs.

blessings.

Hm, interesting. I'm 25 and I've never really been "overweight", in the sense that my BMI has always been within the healthy range. I've noticed that I have trouble with food, though. I tend to get bored and eat junk food rather than decent meals. This is essentially a way to keep me thinking about my fitness and health so I don't lose track. I'd also like to lose 10-15 lbs because I'd feel more comfortable at that weight than I do now. (I'm currently at a BMI of 23.3 and I feel a little- squishier than I want to; losing 15 lbs would put me at about 21.) I've found out a few things that I think will help.

For one, I have set my goal to 1/2 lb/week and I have a new net calorie goal of 1480. I think at this goal, I'll be able to stay well within my suggested calories most days (about once a week, I eat out with friends, and I always go over on that day, despite trying to get more exercise- there just aren't low-calorie restaurants around). I hope to keep my actual calories at least 100 below this (around 1380)- which I think is totally doable.

I also realized, while adjusting my goals, that I listed a "sedentary" lifestyle, which is not entirely true. But my lifestyle is pretty inconsistent. I'm a student, on summer break. I work a desk job, but only a few hours a day. When I have free time, I try to do something active, but then at night, I tend to spend a few hours watching TV or movies or reading a book. So essentially, I will need to record EVERY active thing I do. For example, my boss had me moving some old computers around (lifting heavy boxes, walking at a pretty decent pace, etc.). The job took me at least 45 minutes, and I estimated the calories burned by entering similar activities; it worked out to about 180 calories. I do little things like this so often that they really add up, and it's no wonder I was always feeling like I didn't have enough calories to work with.