increase in hunger

This hit me after a week or so, too. I'm not losing, though. I wonder if I'm not getting enough calories. I wasn't hungry the first week. Now I'm really hungy. I wonder if it is hormones.

Eat more.... if you are eating 1200 calories and exercising everyday, you will need more fuel. Your body is signalling that to you. Try to eat most (if not all) of your exercise calories back. Don't worry about gaining...as long as you are in a deficit you will lose. I work out 4-5 times a week and eat an average of 1700-1800 calories a day.

Here's a NY Times article referring to a small study published in the New England Journal of Medicine along with some other studies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

i have noticed an increase in my hunger the last 2 weeks, i have managed great so far i wen i first started i stuck to 1200 calories a day now im going over by quite abit sometimes, im finding that im having to make sure i exercise each day to gain more calories. why is this and why am i now struggling to keep to the plan. i had a period the other week where i was hardley hungery at all now i cannot stop myself from snacking at work.any help woud greatley be apriciated, im nearly at my target weight but im scared im going to put my weight back on.

sorry for any bad spelling im trying to type quick at work.

I cant see your food diary to see exactly how many calories you are eating and what foods you are consuming but it sounds like you arent eating enough food and that your body thinks that you are starving yourself. We are constantly under this assumption that in order to lose weight we need to work out more and eat alot less calories but when you are dipping too low into a caloric deficit your body will actually start to store fat and you will not lose weight because your body thinks you are starving yourself.

I believe this is just your body's way of telling you that you need to be eating a little bit more food. Maybe add an additional 300 calories to your meal plan. If you are exercising quite a bit, maybe eat back atleast 1/2 of your exercise calories. For me, eating every couple of hours keeps my blood sugar and glucose levels even that way Im not starving all the time.

But as I say to everyone, different things work for different people and you might have to try a few things in order to figure out what is going to work for you.

two possibilities

you are much more active now then you've been for a while. awesome. guess what? if you drive your car a lot, you need to fill it up with gasoline more often. so you need fuel too!! feel free to go and readjust those calorie goals. maybe if you are at say, 2lbs loss per week, go to 1.5lbs per week. however, do not, i repeat, DO NOT, drink gasloline.

and two, well, you're just not eating the right things. you do need carbs in your diet, and protein. cut down on carbs in the high glycemic range, such as bagels, muffins, breads, pastas, cereal, pancakes, crackers, pretzels, rice cakes, tortilla chips, and cookies. i mean, don't cut them all out (i loves me pasta night), but maybe start your morning with oatmeal instead, which is a slow burning carb. and eat more protein, such as chicken breast.

I've experienced something similar - I've been eating steady 1250 calories and working out 4 times a week. Lately (like yesterday) I've been eating up to 1400-1500 calories. For me, I've been rapidly gaining lean muscle (I increased my work outs to 5 times a week and do strength training every day). When we gain muscle our metabolism increases and we burn more calories through out the day. Try increasing to 1250-1300 calories a day with protein filled meals!

Some of my favorites are:
peanut butter and banana on whole wheat toast/whole wheat flat bread
egg white omelet filled with spinach, mushrooms, and other veggies.
black beans and brown rice with 4oz lemon chicken breast

Your body may be signalling that you're not eating enough.....your diary is not available to view so I'm just guessing.

here's a couple links that you may find helpful....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/396638-minimum-caloric-intake

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories

I eat like 6 times a day...i'm hungry all the time!!! But I try to eat good food. And apparently if you mention 2nd breakfast people think you're quoting lord of the rings.

i have noticed an increase in my hunger the last 2 weeks, i have managed great so far i wen i first started i stuck to 1200 calories a day now im going over by quite abit sometimes, im finding that im having to make sure i exercise each day to gain more calories. why is this and why am i now struggling to keep to the plan. i had a period the other week where i was hardley hungery at all now i cannot stop myself from snacking at work.any help woud greatley be apriciated, im nearly at my target weight but im scared im going to put my weight back on.

sorry for any bad spelling im trying to type quick at work.

I cant see your food diary to see exactly how many calories you are eating and what foods you are consuming but it sounds like you arent eating enough food and that your body thinks that you are starving yourself. We are constantly under this assumption that in order to lose weight we need to work out more and eat alot less calories but when you are dipping too low into a caloric deficit your body will actually start to store fat and you will not lose weight because your body thinks you are starving yourself.

I believe this is just your body's way of telling you that you need to be eating a little bit more food. Maybe add an additional 300 calories to your meal plan. If you are exercising quite a bit, maybe eat back atleast 1/2 of your exercise calories. For me, eating every couple of hours keeps my blood sugar and glucose levels even that way Im not starving all the time.

But as I say to everyone, different things work for different people and you might have to try a few things in order to figure out what is going to work for you.

i have made my diary public
any food tips will be apriciated.
thanks

Up your protein...shoot for 0.7 grams per 1 lb body weight. Track your fiber and try to get the RDA of 25 grams.

Your metabolism sped up.... increase your calories and make sure that you are eating a good, substantial breakfast and snacks between meals. You should be eating every 2-3 hours.

The longer you diet, your hormones begin to resist weight loss stronger, increasing appetite is one way. Taking a week or two off and eating at maintenance can help.

i agree a small break helps me to keep the weight coming off and the cravings

69lb off so far so it must b working for me

i have it set to loose 1lb per a week but it says projected weight loss is 0.8 1b a week maybe this is because for my weight and height that is the most i can use??

i am just basing it on what my fitness pal reccomends shall i custom my calories and increase it then?

Consider setting it to .5 lbs per week. That should give you a little extra to play with.

I read in a recent Women's Health Weight Loss Guide that there are hormones secreted from our stomach called Ghrelin that trigger hunger. Hormone levels rise when you haven't eaten for a while once a person eats the hormones lower. There is also Leptin which is secreted from fat cells. When you lose weight and there's less fat leptin increases causes those who have lost weight to gain it all back due to the increase in hunger. Stress does help either. The best way to combat these issues is to eat foods that are filling and satisfying. This is why portion control, several meals a day, and paying attention to satiety will help with weight maintenance. Cooking your own food and cooking it so that its tasty and satisfying is also very helpful.