In a deficit and always hungry

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weedspot
weedspot Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I’m 32, 174cm (5’7), and at 71kgs (156lbs). TDEE is 2400 and I eat around 1900-2000cal per day. Workout 4-5 times a week.

I’ve been in a calorie deficit since September. I lost around 10kg (20lbs) in 20 weeks which matches my goal.

I only have a few more pounds to lose and they all seem to be located in my belly fat.

But lately I’ve been feeling so hungry all the time. I do my best to stay in a deficit but it’s really trying.

How do you fight hunger ? Especially in the evening.

Replies

  • MissBraeBee
    MissBraeBee Posts: 40 Member
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    Are you eating enough protein? Maybe you should increase your calorie intake since you workout quite a lot!
  • FitAgainBy55
    FitAgainBy55 Posts: 179 Member
    edited February 2021
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    Proteins and fats are more satiating than carbs -- especially simple carbs. When I lost weight for the first time 10 years ago I was hungry a lot. I learned over time, actually during maintenance, that higher fat goods, fewer carbs and higher protein worked better for me.

    My calorie budget is similar to yours and I workout 6 days per week. I only start to get hungry right before each meal. Try increasing the healthy fats and protein, eat food with more volume (veggies) and reduce simple carbs which can drive hunger.

    Also, if you are a snacker, try adding those calories to your other meals and stop snacking. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to get used to not snacking but I personally find it more filling to eat larger meals with no snacks.
  • thisvickyruns
    thisvickyruns Posts: 193 Member
    edited February 2021
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    weedspot wrote: »
    Hi,

    I’m 32, 174cm (5’7), and at 71kgs (156lbs). TDEE is 2400 and I eat around 1900-2000cal per day. Workout 4-5 times a week.

    I’ve been in a calorie deficit since September. I lost around 10kg (20lbs) in 20 weeks which matches my goal.

    I only have a few more pounds to lose and they all seem to be located in my belly fat.

    But lately I’ve been feeling so hungry all the time. I do my best to stay in a deficit but it’s really trying.

    How do you fight hunger ? Especially in the evening.

    given that you're close to goal, a diet break might be a good idea?

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,031 Member
    edited February 2021
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    When I was at 155 (also 5'7", female, in my 50s and retired) I was not working and I was walking almost every day for an hour on hills.

    I was eating at 1900-2100 to lose 1/2 pound per week. That included exercise cals on the higher days.


    Those last few pounds (I'm now at 140-142) took me nine months.

    Nine.

    I was always hungry.

    Two steps forward and one step back was definitely my game in those last 15 pounds. Did I mention I was hungry?

    Some weeks I just said, "No way," and ate at maintenance for the week. It's a struggle because hungry.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    Yep, what everyone said.

    I've lost a lot. I have 10 to go. I set my calories on maintenance and anything between 1200 and maintenance is fair game. I don't see red on MFP, I'm not going to go backward, and those days I want to gnaw my arm off (which I only experienced when I got close to healthy BMI) I can eat more freaking food.

    I wanted to eat more than I did a lot the whole time. I only got really, physically, hungry at the end.

    My calories zig-zag a lot. Most weeks I still end up with about 1500-2000 deficit over the whole 7 days. But there are absolutely days when I'm eating ALL my maintenance calories to stay sane for the NEXT day.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    How do you fight hunger ?

    Small weekly calorie deficit.
    Eating most of my food allowance when I'm hungriest.
    Saving my calorie allowance from the times of day when I find it easiest (skipping breakfast, avoiding a snack during the day).
    Not being hungry every day, eating at maintenance some or most days and only having a deficit some days.
    Having a large calorie allowance from a big exercise volume, I find it far easier to cut 500cals off a 3,500 day than cut the same amount off a 2,500 day.
    Mostly as you can see I try to avoid it rather than fight it but if I decide I need to fight it then I make that fight as easy as possible including making it a short, sharp battle rather than a war of attrition which bores and frustrates me.

    Especially in the evening.

    That's when I want and eat most of my food. Would feel far more deprived to cut cals in the evening compared to the day time. evening meal is the biggest and also the tastiest meal of the day, an enjoyable event and not just fuel.

  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
    edited February 2021
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    Try volume eating. (There is a volume eaters thread on the website)

    Also, look up greg doucette recipes on youtube. I have been eating like that for over 10 years and am never hungry. I was eating like him way before he even started making videos so when I came across him and saw he makes everything I have been doing for years I was like WOW finally someone else eats like me ahah.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjcdzqhNtZo

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