Still feeling hungry.

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I just started my 90lbs weight loss a couple days ago, been to the gym the last three days, been watching what I eat.
But I can't break the hungry feeling, I feel hungry even if I just ate like say I have a sandwich i'll still feel hungry because usually i'll have a sandwich and chips.
Then another thing that kinda gets me down is i'll go to the gym and the machine will say 100 calories or whatever loss, but yet come home and have lunch which is over 100 cals I feel if I do that i'm never gonna be able to lose weight.

Replies

  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
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    Stop beating yourself up; it's been a couple days. If you're doing a little better than last week, you're succeeding. Please read this post; I wrote it to help with people having problems just like this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/578928-give-yourself-a-chance
  • julieh1973
    julieh1973 Posts: 128 Member
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    You might try a sandwich with apple or carrots or low calorie soup, etc. Something that takes a long time to eat usually satisfies me better.
  • ajevans2674
    ajevans2674 Posts: 31 Member
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    When you first start restricting calories, hunger can be an issue - it definitely was for me! I found that over time (about 4-5) weeks, the hunger started to dissipate as my body started getting used to the reduced calories. The way I dealt with it was to drink tons of water all day, and try and choose high-protein foods whenever possible (tofu, avocado, beans, high-protein Kashi cereals, etc. - I'm a vegetarian, hence the no meat options here).

    As for burning calories in the gym, remember that it's okay to eat back your exercise calories. If you burn 400 calories and then eat an additional 400 calories, you're still eating the required number of calories that MFP provided for you to lose however much weight you selected (for me, a pound a week). I know some people choose not to eat back all their exercise calories, maybe 75% or so. Either way, you're still on track, so don't get discouraged. You have to replenish those calories, otherwise your body can't rebuild muscle and metabolize properly. Just keep working at it, and it will definitely get easier with time!
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
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    If you make your food diary available to read, then maybe we can help you make food choices that will make you feel more satisfied.
    I can feel full/ satisfied, even on low calorie days, its all about choosing the rite foods.
  • Miss_E_
    Miss_E_ Posts: 45
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    Maybe you still feel hungry because your usually use to that stuffed feeling, i know it took me a few days to get use to recognizing when i was full, also sometimes your thirsty but your body is giving you the signals that you are hungry, so maybe try drinking a glass of water after every meal, then see how you feel. x
  • ravenribbs
    ravenribbs Posts: 289 Member
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    For me, loading up on water helps a lot. I'm not a big fan of water, but I make myself drink those wretched 8 cups per day. Often, I'm so waterlogged, the idea of food is borderline repellant! I'm working on losing at least 70 pounds, so can commiserate with working really hard and feeling at a standstill, or not making progress "fast enough." Please persevere! This can and will happen for you! Glug down the water! Brush your teeth (food tastes gross after toothpaste)!

    I've been seriously (FINALLY) pursuing weight loss for 3 weeks now. 6 pounds down. Not much, almost 10% there, but a start. 2 pounds per week times 5 weeks = 10#, times 15 weeks = 30#, and so on, and so on.......... This is HARD, but soooooooo important and worth it for you and your family! High fives for your first 2 pounds!!!
  • sanniej59
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    My husband and I are seeing a dietician. She wants us to make a broth based soup like a minestrone or I suggested and cabbage, onion, tomatoe, broth soup. You can look up on the internet to find some healthy ones. Then she wants us to eat a cup of this brothy soup before dinner. Its suppose to really help curb your appetite.
    Hope this helps,
    sanniej
  • zen_mama
    zen_mama Posts: 51
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    there are days where I get that hungry feeling within an hour after I've eaten. If i drink a full glass of water or iced herbal tea and the feeling still lingers, I allow myself to have a snack, but I aim for something 100 calories or less. I have discovered the beauty of steamed veggies. I take up to 2 cups of frozen veggie mix (my current favorite is a Normandy blend which has carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and yellow squash), toss into a microwave safe bowl and nuke for about 1.5-2 minutes. This comes out to 80 calories if I don't add any butter and can keep me feeling full for a couple of hours. I also love to keep dried fruits on hand for snacking and will grab some dried cranberries (about 130 calories for 1/3 cup) or even dried blueberries. They help with a sweet craving and add great antioxidants to your diet as well as some fiber.

    I have also found, for me anyways, that some of the hunger pangs stem from the feeling of deprivation. Anytime I tell myself "I can't eat that!"- then whatever "that" is becomes the one thing I start craving and felling hungry for. So I now tell myself "I can have that if i really want it, but I'm gonna eat my veggies first." Usually by the time I've eaten a healthier snack, I'm no longer craving the thing I'm feeling deprived about. On some occasions- I just make sure to work the extra calories into my daily alotment. Yesterday my daughter asked for frozen yogurt to celebrate winning her softball game. I allowed myself to have a small cup with one topping and made sure to write it in my food journal, then i had a low calorie dinner and extra water, as well as a 30 mintue walk. i was still under my normal calorie alotment for the day.

    Some days you're gonna feel hungry, some days you will eat that bowl of ice cream or handful of chips. That's life. Just take it one day at a time and don't beat yourself up for it. Good luck to you on your journey and add me if you wants some new friends for motivational support. :-)
  • Raddichio
    Raddichio Posts: 163 Member
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    You're still in the early days. If you stick with it, the hungry times will be less. A good substitute for the chips is something else that is crunchy---like carrots. I also like to add some pepperoncini or other hot peppers, which give more of the savory taste (although not as salty) of things like potato chips. To be fair, I've never been a big potato chip or french fries fan, but there are some things which I like to have tortilla chips with. I like spicy beans and rice for lunch, but I especially like it with the crunch of the tortilla chips. Sometimes I am satisfied by just having some raw cabbage alongside it---however, only do that if you truly enjoy it, which I do. If you substitute something you don't like, you won't stick with it. Or, if I must have the tortilla chips (and sometimes I feel I must), I weigh the chips, allow myself 1/2 to 1 ounce, and record it in my food diary.

    Others have suggested water, which does help to fill us up when hungry or keep the hunger pangs at bay. However, sometimes I'm just hungry and water isn't going to cut it. I find having a small tangerine will help. I choose that because I don't really eat a lot of fruit, so it helps me remember to add extra servings of fruit. The tangerine takes a bit longer to eat and provides some satisfaction. A hard boiled egg is good, too---a little high on fat, but it has the protein that helps to keep me feeling full longer.

    The important thing is that it will get easier day by day. Find the strategies that will work for you and remember it takes time to develop a sense of what is satisfying and healthy for you. Try to do a little better each day and soon, if you make gradual changes, the new way of eating will become natural and comfortable for you. If you have a slip once in a while, just record it in your food diary and move on. The slips will become less frequent and won't derail your weight loss progress (although they may slow it down if they occur too often). Don't give up---it will get better.
  • cheree1969
    cheree1969 Posts: 98 Member
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    What works for me is eating most of the day. But I select healthy foods. Melba toast, veggies, yogurt, sugar free jello and so on. It seems to be working for me. I eat a decent breakfast too. Usually oatmeal with frozen fruit and I add almond extract and splenda to it. I don't eat past seven...unless its the weekend and I treat myself to popcorn. Drink lots of water too. If you get tired of water, add crystal light. Good luck!
  • kylesmommy89
    kylesmommy89 Posts: 356 Member
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    How many calories are you eating a day?
  • cwilli36
    cwilli36 Posts: 45 Member
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    Everyone has great suggestions! Make sure you eat "something" every 2 hours, then when you have your meal you aren't as hungry as you would have been if you waited 4 hours! Now the "something" can be lots of stuff people suggested, like a boiled egg, how about cottage cheese or lowfat yogurt? All of these have protein. They will help make you feel more full. Protein and vegetables ;)
    MFP has already restricted your calories to help you lose weight, so working out adds more calories you can eat but it is supposed to work that way. Keep up the hard work! This IS HARD!
  • Aerohead21
    Aerohead21 Posts: 333 Member
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    You must eat to fuel your body so don't worry too much about your exercise burning all the calories you took in. That's not safe. You just need to create a deficit, not negate it entirely. Also, the first few days are the absolute worst. It's part physical hunger due to changes in diet and psychological hunger because you will crave like none other. This is the time where you just need to stay strong. It gets better. You will have days and times you will mess up. I know this very well and am dealing with my own emotional turmoil caused by the expectations I set for myself. Just keep getting back on that horse! Congratulations on taking the first steps to a healthier you :)
  • Way_2_a_Healthy_Mel
    Way_2_a_Healthy_Mel Posts: 175 Member
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    You may not be eating enough calories. Are you eating close to or at your calorie goal set up by MFP, or did you just make up your own goal? It's already been mentioned, but if you open your diary, it would be easier for people to help you to see what kinds of foods you are eating, to see why you aren't getting satisfied.
  • Fairybow
    Fairybow Posts: 11
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    You should make sure that you drink a lot! Try some healthy food when you're hungry, it can calm your feelings of hunger until your body is used to it :)
  • LovelyLibra79
    LovelyLibra79 Posts: 569 Member
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    You may need to increase your calories!
    Also snacking on zero calorie foods since as pickles , sugar free jello helps me out alot!