Help - Can't Concentrate - Im starving

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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Sorry CoderGal whats tdee?? I think for now I will stick with MFP as I will love the motivation I have got back again, and if i get hungry i'm going to do as peope say satisfy my hunger. Thursdays I will have an evening snack before my 10pm tea x

    Fat2Fit has a method that you eat based on your goal weights maintenance. It's actually a very good method. So if F2F is suggesting 1600 calories, that means you eat a total of 1600 calories even regardless if you workout or not. This way, you don't have to play the chasing game. Also, keep in mind you can set custom calories (like I have done as well with everyone I work out) and you still use MFP. You just don't let MFP suggest the caloric intake. Now if your BMR is truly 2000 calories, then you should be closer to it. Eating more will fuel your body to repair itself and function properly. And you will find a lot more successful people eating 1800+ calorie that those on 1200 calories. 1200 calories will increase your chance of muscle loss which will cause weight loss to slow down. Now, I know you said you eat back your calories, but you may also be reaching too far based on your weight. Below is some good guidelines for weight loss goals.


    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
  • frosty73
    frosty73 Posts: 424 Member
    How to tell if you are truly HUNGRY vs. just having cravings:
    Would you eat a big salad? Would you eat just about anything? Then go ahead and EAT-- something healthy, ideally with protein. Cheese, chicken, cottage cheese, protein shake. Protein will help you feel satiated and not craving.

    If it is close to your TOM that could be why you are feeling starving--- hormones can definitely do that to you. As I heard one woman say, "I'm so hungry I could lick the paste off of wallpaper!" But again, as long as you are eating mostly healthy, it's OK. If you need a binge/cheat day, then just do it. I went over my calories by 1,000 yesterday because I felt like I was starving-- but I tried to eat healthy and I certainly don't do that every day or even every week.
  • lauraloo83
    lauraloo83 Posts: 42 Member
    Oh goodness I think I'm just really dumb!! Can I ask what you guys are eating based on this fat2fit ratio and what are you losing? I'ms cared not to go by what MFP says but it would explain why last friday/saturday/sunday work outs i really struggled x
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    There are also two ways people are talking as well that could lead to your confusion.

    Some people (me included) take a base number and eat back exercise calories. So on days that I don't exercise I would eat my base of 1500 calories. On the days that I do exercise I would eat say 2000 calories. 1500 calories plus my exercise calories of 500.

    Some people take their TDEE of Moderately Active, for example, deduct 20% or so, and eat that everyday and do not worry about eating back exercise calories, because it's already included in the moderately active multiplier. So if your TDEE is 2246 based on moderately active, then deduct 20% or so because you want to lose weight works out to about 1800 calories per day. You would eat that on days that you workout and days that you don't.

    ETA: in the end it works out the same. More or less.
  • lauraloo83
    lauraloo83 Posts: 42 Member
    Thank you that makes absolute perfect sense! I'm going to use your method don't eat it unless you have earnt it....

    However!! I'm still unsure why MFP is telling me to eat 1280 if it was not correct for me to lost 1lb per week. There are so many successful people on what MFP has given them. What I do not want to happen is say fair enough I'll try this fat2fit method then gain. I think i'd be heartbroken.

    Should I perhaps give MFP 1280 a go for at least 4 weeks and then review?

    LL x x
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
    If you are already struggling with your workouts, it means you don't have enough fuel (food). Please eat at least your bmr. And if thats a scary number to you.. up it slowly, by 100 calories at a time. And when you've been able to succeed at this level then start adding calories from your workouts so you are then netting your bmr.

    I know its scary to eat more when it's 'known' that you need to eat less to lose. But the question is.. how much less?

    Now that you're more conscience about what you eat it's more than likely that you are eating far less than you were when you gained especially if you didn't exercise as much as you do now. At least, thats how it is for me.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Oh goodness I think I'm just really dumb!! Can I ask what you guys are eating based on this fat2fit ratio and what are you losing? I'ms cared not to go by what MFP says but it would explain why last friday/saturday/sunday work outs i really struggled x

    I am eating 1660-1700 calories a day PLUS my exercise calories (or a good percentage there of). I am losing 1-2 pounds a week. I find if I go 1600 or less that my weight loss stalls. Once I upped the calories again, the pounds started to melt off.
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    I've set my own allowed calories to 1200, but only take in about 900. I don't use my exercise calories either. I do strength training 3x's a week, plus cardio. Well it finally came back to bite me in the butt yesterday. I was on the treadmill and my legs got so weak I could barely stand. I was extremely lightheaded. I knew I had to eat. I think I overate at dinner to try and get my energy back, but mentally I was still in a fog the rest of the day.

    I got on the scale this morning and gained a pound. I'm trying not to get discouraged after reading all the comments here. I think I'll definately force myself to eat at least the 1200 and possibly 1500 calories. I'm afraid I'll gain if I eat more than that. I've been losing at a good rate.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    I've set my own allowed calories to 1200, but only take in about 900. I don't use my exercise calories either. I do strength training 3x's a week, plus cardio. Well it finally came back to bite me in the butt yesterday. I was on the treadmill and my legs got so weak I could barely stand. I was extremely lightheaded. I knew I had to eat. I think I overate at dinner to try and get my energy back, but mentally I was still in a fog the rest of the day.

    I got on the scale this morning and gained a pound. I'm trying not to get discouraged after reading all the comments here. I think I'll definately force myself to eat at least the 1200 and possibly 1500 calories. I'm afraid I'll gain if I eat more than that. I've been losing at a good rate.

    Eating less and exercising more does NOT work. And until you get past that mentality, will stuff like what you are describing will continue to happen. It's a good thing you didn't fall and get hurt.

    Everyone, it's simple. Food is fuel. If you don't fuel your body, it will fail. It won't be able to repair the muscles, it will convert the amino acids from food into energy and your body will hold onto fat as much as possible.

    I eat 3000 calories a day to cut fat. But I have developed plans for over 200 people on this board and NOT a single person was under 1600 calories total and the majority of them were at 1800-2400 calories for women and 2600+ for men.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Oh goodness I think I'm just really dumb!! Can I ask what you guys are eating based on this fat2fit ratio and what are you losing? I'ms cared not to go by what MFP says but it would explain why last friday/saturday/sunday work outs i really struggled x

    1650 if I lye in bed all day, ~2000+ otherwise. Mfp grossly underestimatss when set up incorrectly.
  • debrapeterson
    debrapeterson Posts: 84 Member
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    Basal Metabolic Rate: essentially, how much food you need just to live. I'd suggest going and figuring out what your BMR is, and raising your calories up to that number.

    Please explain how to get my BMR. Thanks
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    You have to eat more. I was going by the 1250 calories MFP set for me and barely lost anything in like 8 months. I upped my calories to about 1500 plus exercise calories and now I'm losing. You can change the amount of calories on MFP from what they suggest. I would definitely increase it to at least 1500.
  • JaneInKansas
    JaneInKansas Posts: 82 Member
    Bump
  • ginnylee74
    ginnylee74 Posts: 398 Member
    There are also two ways people are talking as well that could lead to your confusion.

    Some people (me included) take a base number and eat back exercise calories. So on days that I don't exercise I would eat my base of 1500 calories. On the days that I do exercise I would eat say 2000 calories. 1500 calories plus my exercise calories of 500.

    Some people take their TDEE of Moderately Active, for example, deduct 20% or so, and eat that everyday and do not worry about eating back exercise calories, because it's already included in the moderately active multiplier. So if your TDEE is 2246 based on moderately active, then deduct 20% or so because you want to lose weight works out to about 1800 calories per day. You would eat that on days that you workout and days that you don't.

    ETA: in the end it works out the same. More or less.

    The second paragraph above works for me. MFP had me at 1200 calories and it was impossible to keep. I didn't lose weight for 2 months after an initial loss of 5 pounds. Constantly hungry, the only thing I could think of was food. So I understand. I went up to 1600 cals a day based on my TDEE. I did it by increasing 100 calories a day for a week. The next week another 100 added and so forth until I was at 1600 per day. I started losing with the first increase.

    I had been so afraid that I would gain that I was working against myself. Give it a try. You will be surprised. Now I plan my meals and don't think about food all the time.:bigsmile:

    Good luck,:flowerforyou:
  • jacque930
    jacque930 Posts: 122 Member
    Try adding in more protein to your diet. I have increased by protein and have less hunger pains. Protein and Fiber help to sustain you longer.

    As someone mentioned, be sure your not thirsty. If I don't drink enough water in the first part of the day, I will feel hungry more often.

    Hope all the suggestions help that everyone has provided.

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