Day three - adjusting to less calories

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jessicastanfill
jessicastanfill Posts: 69 Member
in Getting Started
I am limiting my calorie intake to 1400. I have spaced my meals out every 3 hours, eating protein with each meal

Day 3 and it's real challenging - feeling hunger
In your experience, did you adjust to the calorie reduction, how long did that adjustment take, what did you do to get through the hunger pangs

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  • AJB1014
    AJB1014 Posts: 1,380 Member
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    First, I logged a day of what my "usual" eating had been like. I had regularly been eating around 3000 cals daily. So I took that number subtracted 500 to be around 2500, and tried to eat closer to maintenance for the first week (for me its around 2300). That way, I could logically tell myself - this is the amount of food it takes to sustain you, it's not real hunger. If the hunger naggingly persisted at around 2300 cals/day I'd have a 100 calorie protein shake and it would go away.

    MFP goal to lose 1lb/week for me was originally around 1600 - but the first week or so I didnt sweat it if I was over, as long as they were healthy choices. I was STARVING eating 1600 cals the first day so for me I was happy not to made such a drastic cut in the beginning. It took my body maybe a month to adjust to those gradual changes. I think half of it was the physical act of eating less, the other half was figuring out what foods satiated me best. I still use the protein shake if I have nagging hunger. The weight still came off in the begining despite my less than perfect food diary.
  • loveisapineapple
    loveisapineapple Posts: 38 Member
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    I eat three meals a day, it gives more quantity (obviously) in each meal and stops me feeling hungry. I can't do the constant grazing of eating every three hours because they never feel like more than a snack to me.
    Is there a reason you want to eat every three hours?
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    I discovered early on that if I ate breakfast I was hungry all freakin' day long. So, I started eating two meals, the first around 11 a.m. and then dinner and a snack before bed. Being small, I had a bit fewer calories than you to work with and it allowed me to have two larger meals than I would with three full meals. Plus, upping my protein helped a lot.
  • navdeeprana
    navdeeprana Posts: 473 Member
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    Every day is a struggle with evening the hardest....I mostly keep some calories feee near end of the day. It is a mind game. Stay Strong.
  • jessicastanfill
    jessicastanfill Posts: 69 Member
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    Thanks all for your replies! It's nice to hear how others are doing this. And the success stories!! 30 pounds in three months- amazing! I don't know why I've chosen to eat every three hours but it feels right because I'll be hungry about every three and I eat smaller portions that way.
  • c_englund
    c_englund Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm currently intaking 1,200 calories a day, give or take and working out four times a week. I'm currently three weeks in and my body is still adjusting to the calorie change. I usually start my morning off with a protein shake, then I will have a morning snack, followed by lunch, an afternoon snack and then supper. From my experience over the past few weeks, the most important thing I have learned is to listen to your body. Eat if you are hungry. Don't over eat, but eat enough to keep you satisfied until your next meal. I also try and save a bit more of my calories for dinner time!

    Hope that helped you a bit

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