Low calorie + low carb = always hungry

michsineath
michsineath Posts: 10 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you manage low calories and low carbs and not be hungry all of the time?

I'm a mid-40s male, exercise daily, but my metabolism seems like it's giving up on me. So I've started a new plan and am struggling; the plan is to stay under 1,976 calories with a macro breakdown of 40 carbs / 30 fat / 30 protein. I almost never hit my protein goal, but quickly hit my carbs and calories. But I'm always starving.

Just me? Any tips?

Thanks!

Replies

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    How heavy are you, and what's you're goal? How big is your deficit?

    There are different reasons: your deficit is too big for your size, or eating with such a macro distribution is just not for you. How approximately did you eat before? It's possible that you just need a different %. Some people simple feel great on high fat, others on high protein, and again others need lots of carbs to feel full and happy.

    So there are two things you could do: eat more, and/or experiment more with different types of food.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    edited May 2020
    Satiety is very individual. Some people feel more satiated increasing the amount of protein in their diet (and sufficient protein is also important to maintain muscle mass while losing weight). Other people are volume eaters: they feel satiated eating a lot of high volume low calorie density foods. Other people feeling satiated by eating (specific kinds) of carbs.
    An example: I find risotto a very satiating type of dish (high carb), but bread isn't very filling at all (also high carb). Warm meals generally satiate me more than cold meals: two slices of bread with a slice of cheese and ham, not so satiating. But those same ingredients in a grilled cheese sandwich seem to fill me up a lot more.

    It takes some experimentation to find out what works for you. But since you say you're not reaching your protein goal, that would be my first suggestion.
  • michsineath
    michsineath Posts: 10 Member
    195lbs trying to get to 175lbs. I’m usually 10g over fat and carbs and 10g under protein. My calories are within 100g but I feel like I’m starving myself.
  • michsineath
    michsineath Posts: 10 Member
    Food is tough for me as I’m a very picky eater that’s working within the no gluten/dairy/soy world. Popcorn with olive oil is my go-to snack followed closely by dark chocolate. I’ve also never met a cake I didn’t love.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    michsineath wrote: »
    195lbs trying to get to 175lbs. I’m usually 10g over fat and carbs and 10g under protein. My calories are within 100g but I feel like I’m starving myself.

    You may be starving yourself. How fast are you trying to lose your 20 pounds? How many calories are you eating? Are you eating a portion of your exercise calories back?

    If you are hungry then you need to stop trying to control your macros or eat like you may think you should to lose weight. Eat what you normally eat just slightly less of it. Make sure you are eating enough and not trying to lose weight too fast. For 20 pounds to lose you should not be trying to lose faster than 1 pound per week.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    concur with others - that seems like a fairly significant deficit - as a comparison as a female, 5'3" and 167 i maintain on about 2800cal a day (using a TDEE calculation)
  • michsineath
    michsineath Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks for the tips.
  • cmcollard
    cmcollard Posts: 7 Member
    I’m trying to do a similar diet plan as you. I limit my calories to 1850 and try to get minimum 125g of protein daily. My macros end up averaging about 40/30/30 protein/fat/carbs.

    I have trouble meeting the protein goal unless I start the day with protein and try to have 20-30g every 3-4 hours with meals and snacks. I’ve had to incorporate some whey protein shakes and some bars (on the run or at work). For example, if I have 5 eating times per day, that’s easily 100-150g right there. I used to eat very little protein and a lot of junky carbs. The extra protein is very satiating and keeps me from overeating calories.

    I let the fats and carbs fluctuate. Trying to avoid sweets and carbs made of flour, but I still have some.....you can’t restrict or you’ll fail. It’s working for me so far. I just think every time I eat....how am I going to get 20-30grams of protein? Hope this helps dude.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    michsineath wrote: »
    195lbs trying to get to 175lbs. I’m usually 10g over fat and carbs and 10g under protein. My calories are within 100g but I feel like I’m starving myself.

    You may be starving yourself. How fast are you trying to lose your 20 pounds? How many calories are you eating? Are you eating a portion of your exercise calories back?

    If you are hungry then you need to stop trying to control your macros or eat like you may think you should to lose weight. Eat what you normally eat just slightly less of it. Make sure you are eating enough and not trying to lose weight too fast. For 20 pounds to lose you should not be trying to lose faster than 1 pound per week.

    The danger of posting while working is you might think you finished a thought but you didn't.

    The idea is to learn from your normal way of eating then tweak it so that you can maintain a calorie deficit while not feeling like you are starving yourself. This may mean trying something like higher protein or fiber or other experiments like eating 2 meals instead of 3 but experimentation should only start if your normal way of eating does not satiate you.

    Only after you are able to get through a couple of weeks of sustainably losing weight do you turn your attention to overall nutrition. If you see a problem like not enough protein then you begin nudging it in a positive direction.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited May 2020
    I wouldn't do either for my goals or sanity.

    Why not eat more calorie dense protein?

    Usually keeps people feeling fuller because digestion is slower.

    At your age I would make sure to hit higher protein goals than the recommended coupled with resistance training for better health benefits.

    Unless you're clinically obese, I would suggest eating in a 10% deficit.

  • gma38059
    gma38059 Posts: 25 Member
    When going low carb, you don't need to go low calorie - you need the right calories for the average dietary recommendations. Don't go crazy and eat everything in sight, but limit the total NET carbs to 25 or less per day. Net carbs = Total Carbs-fiber-sugar alcohols. I started this early this year and have had pretty good luck. I'm now down a total of 22+ pounds since Christmas last year. The key is fiber - lots of it.

    A good reference is the Adkins diet which is the basic I'm doing. I'm using the macros they call for on the slow loss plan without the first 2 weeks of no carbs. It takes a little longer for your body to adjust to burning fat, but it will. You can also do a search for low carb veggies & fruits - most meats are already low carb if cooked right. Look at low carb gravies and desserts too. If you are like me, I want something a bit sweet at the end of a meal. Most of the time, I eat a Adkins protein bar or sweet treat - some of them are really good.

    Next tidbit - drink lots of water. If you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water. Low carb uses more water to flush the fat out of your system and your body will sometimes send hunger signals for thirst.

    Good luck!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I didn't go for low calories (1lb a week rate of loss for me), I also had an erratic calorie deficit and not an everyday deficit as I find that demoralising. I also boosted my calorie allowance with exercise as I find it far easier to manage a sensible deficit cut from a higher allowance boosted by exercise (eating back exercise calories).

    I definitely didn't go low carb as that would be hateful for me, increase the chances of giving up and I'd have to massively reduce a lot of foods that are enjoyable, good for me, my satiety, my health and my exercise. Low carb is a choice, not a necessity.

    I'd also recommend prioritising hitting or exceeding your protein goal, which of course is far easier if you don't go for a low calorie goal.

    PS - I highly doubt it's a metabolism problem!
  • rosegreen12
    rosegreen12 Posts: 35 Member
    Protein is important for satiety for me, but I do need to up my carbs a little before I exercise. Otherwise I don't have enough energy. There are a number of websites describing what low-carb dieter's who exercise a lot do with carbs. They might be helpful for you.

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