no weight loss yet, and i get so hungry!!!

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Replies

  • Josee76
    Josee76 Posts: 533 Member
    My suggestion..... if you want sound advice from the MFP folks.... make your food diary public, give the folks some insight and then we can help!

    Good luck on your journey!
    J
  • I try to make lunch my biggest meal because our bodies metabolism peaks between 12 and 2pm. I cook in the evening and pack a "dinner" portion for my lunch the next day. I eat a "lunch" sized portion at dinner time with my family. By the way my family ranges from 4 to 42. I serve vegetables with every meal. I also keep a bowl of nuts, fresh and dried fruits on my desk at work and in my kitchen at home.
  • mlc3409
    mlc3409 Posts: 45 Member
    You need to stop thinking about yourself as dieting. You need to be on a journey of a healthy lifestyle. This would benefit your whole family so you shouldn't need to have different food for them than for you. Still - healthy high-protien snacks mid-afternoon do wonders!

    You are SO right with this statement. The ONLY Reason that I am losing so easily now is because I STOPPED DIETING!!! I Just now know I have a certain number of Calories to eat a day (Just like money in my checking account) you can only spend so much so I track it just like that. Food is a Debit against my account and Exercise is a Deposit. and I use MFP Like my check book. Dont stress about WHAT YOUR eating as long as you are tracking ...the POSITIVE CHoices will come in time when you start seeing yourself overdrawn a few times and realize your not getting enough for your money lol.

    Now relate it all to something YOU understand and just relax. Enjoy the new freedom and learn how to get the best of it.

    PS Email me anytime you have a question or need help. That is what we are here for SUPPORT!!!
    :flowerforyou:
  • I really feel for you and understand. My main cravings occur in the evening and it's a non-stop fight to keep from eating everything in my house. And, like you, I sure wish there was a pill that would stop it...but there isn't. The most you can do is try...attempt to figure out what your triggers are and how to avoid them. When cooking meals, include things for you that are beneficial to you and your weight loss. You can still cook everything for everyone but don't forget about the most important person in the equasion...YOU!

    Think about it...no on else can do it for you. Ask your family for support and encouragement. And don't worry about no weigh loss yet, your body has to catch up with you and it might take a little time. And sometimes even though you may think you are eating less because you cut down on your meals, eating snacks throughout the day may add up too. Be conscious of everything you eat and why you eat it. Focus on getting your protein and cutting fat. You can do it, I believe in you!!
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Looking for answers too. The last 2 days I have been starving. Drinking lots of water & not eating different. Had a scrambled egg with a slice of wheat toast & half a banana for breakfast. Waiting 3 hours for my snack was torture. Had a half a cup of cottage cheese & an orange for a snack and was hungry half an hour later. Not really due for lunch for another 45min but I'm SO hungry.
    I'd suggest having two eggs for breakfast (better still two eggs AND the whites of a couple of eggs) and not having the banana, and having a piece of bread with the cottage cheese instead of an orange. Then later, have lots of vegetables with your dinner. That will help you to feel fuller.

    Yes the fruit contains fruit sugars, which some think are better for you than refined sugars (I have my doubts, refined sugar does still come from plants!) and yes eating fruit is far healthier in terms of macros and fibre than eating other sugary snacks but vegetables are far far better for weight loss than eating fruit, and I find that if I eat anything sugary (whether it's fruit with a high sugar content, or chocolate) I end up very hungry a few hours later when my blood sugar crashes.

    EDITED TO ADD: What also helps is concentrating on what you're eating and enjoying it (hunger has a psychological element too) and drinking something low calorie such as water with the meal so it fills the stomach more.
  • Your body will be hungry if it is not getting the nutrients it needs. I am not talking about calories here but vitamins/minerals/etc, so when you reduce your calories coming in you also reduce the amount of nutrients your body needs as well. If you want to diet and not be hungry it is important to keep your intake of nutritional foods high which is normally going to come from vegetables, meats, and a little bit of fruit. Foods like rice/grains/wheat truely provide very little nutrition for the calories they contain. Here is some analysis I did on nutrient density in foods:

    http://www.fatguyweightloss.com/real-nutrient-densities-of-foods-we-eat/
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
    I dont know what to do when i get SO hungry usually in the afternoon, I am new to this,, and keep thinking if there was a pill that worked to help me,, but been there done that dont work,,,,my supper is my biggest meal, and due to family i have to cook approperiatly for my wide range family ages and NOT dieting folk any idia's? please and thank you

    Your breakfast should always be your biggest meal. It is the meal that fuels your body for the day to come. Try making dinner the smallest meal and make sure to snack healthy through out the entire day.
  • Looking for answers too. The last 2 days I have been starving. Drinking lots of water & not eating different. Had a scrambled egg with a slice of wheat toast & half a banana for breakfast. Waiting 3 hours for my snack was torture. Had a half a cup of cottage cheese & an orange for a snack and was hungry half an hour later. Not really due for lunch for another 45min but I'm SO hungry.

    Switch to three eggs with some spinach mixed in with about 1/2 ounce of ham or sausage. This is actually the same number of calories (296) as your meal but this one will last you until lunch, no snack needed.
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    And don't think of foods as "breakfast foods" or dinner etc. some oatmeal with a tablespoon of pecans on top will keep you full and satisfied, I ate that the other night for dinner, but you could certainly eat it as a snack in the afternoon. Just make sure it's not instant oatmeal which has a ton of sugar. But the fiber and fat from the nuts, very satisfying.

    One time I had chicken and rice for breakfast, someone at work balked at it, but whatever, it's protein and a little carb, I don't mind reheated chicken, but I'm not a huge fan of reheated scrambled eggs, so it was no different then me eating eggs and toast.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Dinner tends to be the biggest meal for me as well since hubby's not dieting and frankly I like eating normal food! Nothing wrong with eating what everyone else does, the key is to make sure you're eating a smaller portion. For the typical, meat, potatoes and veggie meal, I take a small portion of meat and potatoe and fill the rest of my plate with veggies. For casseroles, try cutting down the meat and pasta/rice amounts and bulk up with more vegetables (peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, etc). Another thing you could do is have a salad on the side just for you if they don't care for veggies.

    One other tip that most people don't think about is your calorie limit. Maybe you set your goal too high so your calories are too low. If you're trying to lose more than 1 pound per week, your calorie limit is too restrictive for the amount your trying to lose (going by what's on your ticker on your profile page). Try to fit in exercise when you can to earn extra calories to make up the difference too. I don't think I would've been as successful as I have been if I didn't do that!

    Good luck
  • Jessastar
    Jessastar Posts: 234
    Well, usually i'd say eat slow. Otherwise, try making a home-made smoothie (healthy one) maybe fruits or a vegi smoothie.

    Also, have a snack but don't splurge yourself.

    2nd, is it actual hunger? Or is it boredom? A lot of the times, the two can be misconstrued as one-another. But, maybe have a small snack just in case.

    Increase the size of your veggies. & think about what will fill you up more. Protein usually works well for mornings/afternoon to wake you up (unless that's just me?)

    And drink water. Lots and lots. :)
  • In the past I have had that problem too. What works for me, very simply, is to make sure that you are eating protein and fiber in every meal. If you do that than you will stay full longer and it won't matter who you have to cook for because it is easy to make sure you have both things. I am drinking more water now too, but the protein/fiber thing worked without it.
    If you are just starting out than it is very important that you keep it simple and EASY. You don't want to get bogged down in too many details or restrictions because you will end up quitting.
    Also, if you are hungry all of the time and still not losing than your body is probably slowing itself down to fight "starvation." The best cure for a slow metabolism is some exercise...and eating a more satisfying meal. If you need some more help and encouragement you are more than welcome to add me as a friend...take care and good luck!
  • USCEE77
    USCEE77 Posts: 50
    You should never be hungry or starve yourself. When you starve yourself, your body starts storing calories, because it's afraid it will not be fed. Plus, you're probably going back for seconds during dinner because you are famished. Keep healthy snacks around to munch on, like celery, carrots, apples, etc. Raw almonds and cashews (remember raw, no salt added) are also good before a meal to curb your appetite. Have a big salad (oil and vinegar, no fatty dressings) with you lunch and dinner to help fill you up.
  • gayatrik
    gayatrik Posts: 173
    Even I am feeling very hungry since 2 days .... For past 2 weeks, I was eating very balanced and lost 3.1 lbs and on medication too.... But yesterday, I was feeling very hungry and weak too. Couldn;t stand the kitchen work for more than 40 mins..I usually can work for hours long ..... Don't know at this point where my health is not so good, I should eat more food or should I compensate the eating with more of veggies and fruits and try to stay on track. I am so confused. I don wanna gain those lost 3 lbs and wanna have energy to do some workouts (Got JM 30 day shred dvd) which am eager to start.

    Please suggest.

    PS: I am a pure vegetarian. All I can take are veggies, fruits and lentils. Thank you all for your guidance :)

    If you're vegetarian you may have low iron. That was a big problem for me when I was vegetarian. Make sure you're eating a lot of protein and iron rich foods.

    thank you for the response.... will sure make a note of it :) thanks a ton!!
  • If you are constantly hungry, you are not getting enough protein and good fat (mono and poly unsaturated). Eat a protein and fat (such as eggs or turkey) once every 4 hours. That will stop the hunger cravings.
  • one cup of plain greek yougurt with 2/3 packets of splenda or equal should do the trick. 24 grams of protein it's sweet and creamy goodness. Throw some banana, blueberries, apple, etc into it for a kick.
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
    It's hard to make a big change like this and you should be SO PROUD of yourself for making the decision to get healthier!

    Getting healthy and changing what you eat is as much mental as it is physical. For me, I OBSESSED over food my first 3 or 4 weeks after deciding I needed to make a change. Tough it out. It gets easier. In the meantime, keep lots of healthy snacks on hand and have a SMALL snack when you need it. Think one handful of one thing (you can gain weight from overeating "healthy" foods too). After a while, you'll realize it's mental and you don't really need to eat every 2 hours.

    My favorite afternoon snacks, still, are 1/2 a red bell pepper with hummus (single dip for each bell pepper stick); 10 cocoa almonds; 1 celery stick with 1 tablespoon of natural, unsweetened peanut butter; 2 pieces of Trader Joe's sliced turkey or chicken breast lunchmeat.

    It takes time to change old habits but YOU CAN DO THIS! Have faith in yourself. :)
  • I couldn't go with the calorie amount that MFP set for me right from the start because I was starving. I tracked a full week of regular eating (the old way), then cut the calories in half for the first week, 500 less the second week, etc. This week is the first week that I am actually shooting for what MFP set for me. If you are still fairly new and don't mind it taking a few extra weeks, cut down you calories gradually until you reach the MFP goal. I tricked myself into eating less that way (and still lost in the process).

    Also, for snacks, I try to keep a few things on hand in case my stomach is growling:

    Fiber One bars--these help alot with a big chug of water!
    Yogurt
    String Cheese
    Nuts

    Good luck!
  • Butiful66
    Butiful66 Posts: 5 Member
    Don't get discouraged, you will be fine, I myself am struggling.


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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • You need to stop thinking about yourself as dieting. You need to be on a journey of a healthy lifestyle. This would benefit your whole family so you shouldn't need to have different food for them than for you. Still - healthy high-protien snacks mid-afternoon do wonders!

    You are SO right with this statement. The ONLY Reason that I am losing so easily now is because I STOPPED DIETING!!! I Just now know I have a certain number of Calories to eat a day (Just like money in my checking account) you can only spend so much so I track it just like that. Food is a Debit against my account and Exercise is a Deposit. and I use MFP Like my check book. Dont stress about WHAT YOUR eating as long as you are tracking ...the POSITIVE CHoices will come in time when you start seeing yourself overdrawn a few times and realize your not getting enough for your money lol.

    Now relate it all to something YOU understand and just relax. Enjoy the new freedom and learn how to get the best of it.

    PS Email me anytime you have a question or need help. That is what we are here for SUPPORT!!!
    :flowerforyou:


    I absolutely agree with this too. Once I decided to stop 'dieting' and make a lifestyle change by not depriving myself of my favorite foods, it clicked.
  • rpantusa
    rpantusa Posts: 267 Member
    You may need to increase your calories a little. If you're at 1200 that probably isn't enough, especially if you're used to eating a lot more.

    As far as dinner goes, don't give in to other people's demands. You can make delicious meals that are incredibly healthy and low calorie. I make one meal for my family that satisfies my needs. My husband is trying to gain muscle mass so he just eats a lot more than I do. My kids either eat what I've made or they don't eat. You should make healthier choices for your family as well as for yourself.

    ^
    AGREED!!!!
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
    ...the POSITIVE CHoices will come in time when you start seeing yourself overdrawn a few times and realize your not getting enough for your money lol.

    I love this. What a great way of thinking of it!
  • Almonds, celery, water, and carbonated water like La Croix. During the cold months homemade soup hits the spot. When I know there's a big meal coming up (Wednesday is pizza night), I workout a bit more that morning and the day after. I don't go hungry nor do I get full.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    i try to keep myself busy and eat about six times a day. also drink a ton of water ..those three combined are extremely helpful for me not to be so hungry as you are describing.. i was always an eater ...just to eat ..didnt matter if i was hungry or not so now i do eat all the time but its healthy and smaller meals with lots of water so i feel full ..keeping busy is a big one for me because if im not thats when i get in trouble
  • Are you eating the proper amount of fruit and protein? Protein has staying power and fruit should help with cravings. In the afternoons, I find that something like a few nuts, fruit, perhaps Laughing Cow low fat cheese wedges and celery, make good 4 pm snacks. Water too is necessary
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