Dealing with hunger

Make sure you get a bit of protein at every meal. Also make sure that you are not confusing hunger for thirst. Drink that water.

Drinking lots of water is a good idea. Sugar-free fizzy drinks (or sparking water) can be good for making you feel full for a few/no calories. You should also look at what and when you are eating. What food fills you up? For me, it's protein and fibre, so I try to base my meals and snacks around those. I also find that high volume but low calorie foods (e.g. salad, non-starch vegetables) help make me feel full. I personally do better with having lots of low calorie snacks and smaller meals so that I'm eating more frequently, rather than cutting out snacks altogether. So that might work for you, or bigger meals and fewer snacks might be how you work best! Try things out and see what works for you. Good luck!

Hunger and satiation are very individual. Increasing calories and losing more slowly (but with an easier path) is one option. You can also consider switching up your eating routine.

Experiment to figure out which foods are most filling for you - that part is very individual. Common satisfiers are protein, fats, complex carbs (like potatoes or grains), or high-fiber low-cal veggies. For some, it's a combination. Sometimes extra water or other zero-cal beverages help, too.

Another variable is timing - all that stuff like 1 meal a day vs. 3 meals, 5 small meals, snacks or no, etc. Again, everyone's different in this.

Think about other factors that influence perceived hunger: Are you getting too little sleep? Under a lot of stress? Does exercise influence your hunger (for some, it increases hunger, for others it suppresses hunger)? Are you drinking sufficient liquids (you don't need to go crazy)? Are there social triggers or trigger foods influencing how hungry you feel? Habitual eating cues you're responding to (TV is a common one)? Other psychological cues (for example, some people feel fuller if they use smaller plates - no lie )?

For some of these, events the day before can be relevant (some people feel hungrier the day after weight training, for example). Review your diary, look for patterns.

If boredom or habit are in the picture at all, consciously work on new habits. Take a brief walk or do something distracting when you feel hungry, to see if the feeling fades. Take up a new, absorbing hobby, especially one that requires clean hands (needlework, musical instrument, sketching, etc.) or makes hands too untidy to eat (gardening, woodworking, painting, etc.)

If stress is a trigger, find new de-stressers, like exercise, hot bath, meditation, or enjoyable music.

This kind of thoughtful analysis, and establishment of new habits, can really help us get into a new, permanent routine that's both healthier & more satisfying.