Hungry all the time

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Replies

  • _whatsherface
    _whatsherface Posts: 1,235 Member
    Hi, I've been given 1200 cals to consume everyday but sometimes I go over :(

    I try to eat high fibre filling foods like wholemeal bread and rice and protein foods like eggs but I'm still so hungry! And then when I eat more to satisfy my hunger I go over the 1200!

    Does anyone have any meal ideas or tips or ideas of filling snacks please?

    (Wasn't sure which forum topic to put this in but figured me going over my calorie intake and therefore making me gain weight seemed like it belonged in general diet etc)

    Thanks :)


    I am the same way. Tips people give me and what has been scientifically proven just doesn't work for me. "Drink more water" "Eat more fruits and veggies" "Eat more fiber or protein." It just doesn't work. I am still hungry, and it doesn't matter. My stomach has a mind of it's own. I'm not sure anything helps me that's why I just snack =D
  • MeadowSong
    MeadowSong Posts: 171 Member
    Sigh...I lose count of the amount of times I tell people this but you need to up your cals, 1200 is more than likely under your BMR, which you shouldn't ever go under. It really annoys me that mfp seems to set everyone up on 1200, its just not sustainable. I your hungry all the time it's your body trying to tell you something, listen to it!

    Just make sure your food choices are the right ones. I don't believe in diets, just better lifestyle and food choices. I'm maintaining on over 2000 cals a day, i've eaten 1200 my mid day most days!

    Agreed! I started lifting weights--which this program doesn't give you extra calories for! I'm about 155 and am supposed to eat 1850 on the days I lift, 1500 on the days I don't and more on the days I do other work along with lifting. I am doing FAR better than I ever did at 1200. Now, haven't lost weight in this month I've been lifting because I've been going over (quite a bit some days, but haven't gained either!)--still suffering emotionally from sticking to 1200 for months and STARVING all the time and not losing. But WOW I feel better. Starting this month to track better and keep to my new calorie level and see if I can get this last 15 pounds off to reach my goal.
  • MotivatedMom2012
    MotivatedMom2012 Posts: 44
    Sigh...I lose count of the amount of times I tell people this but you need to up your cals, 1200 is more than likely under your BMR, which you shouldn't ever go under. It really annoys me that mfp seems to set everyone up on 1200, its just not sustainable. I your hungry all the time it's your body trying to tell you something, listen to it!

    Just make sure your food choices are the right ones. I don't believe in diets, just better lifestyle and food choices. I'm maintaining on over 2000 cals a day, i've eaten 1200 my mid day most days!

    First let me say I am straight, but you have a hot body! LOL Such hard work wow way to go! AN inspiration.

    I have to agree, I DO NOT believe in diets. Google "calculate BMR" you;'ll find lots of sites with calculators to figure out what that number is (the number of calories you would burn per day if you just sat and did nothing) You need ot be eating AT LEAST that many calories or your body may go into starvation mode (and perhaps hence your hunger).

    Come back to MFP and then your settings I think or goals...and then you can adjust your goals for calories.

    MFP also had the numbers for sodium and sugar and such out of whack (according to the university studies and American Heart association, etc) So I also changed those goals based on what AMA advised.

    Hope that helps!
  • chantels1
    chantels1 Posts: 391 Member
    What is your current weight/height and how much did you set MFP to lose per week? I am 5'4, 123 lbs and when I had mine set to lose 1lb per week, I had a 1200 calorie goal. I too was hungry all the time. Now I changed it to 1/2lb per week, and it made a huge difference. I eat back my exercise calories as well and I am still losing 1+lb per week.
  • sallyrodgers34
    sallyrodgers34 Posts: 2
    I tend to worry about being hungry all the time too. My doctor has previously put me on a 1000 calorie a day diet because I have polycystic ovary syndrome and find it hard to lose weight. I managed to stick to it for a year but when I reached my target weight I relaxed and it all went back on.

    MFP suggested 1200 for me too which I thought would be too much for me to lose weight but I am...very slowly! The big thing that made a difference for me with regards the "hunger fear" was to skip lunch for just one day. I must emphasise that this was a one off as obviously routinely missing meals is not a good idea but....what I realised was that missing a meal for one day will not;
    a) kill me
    b) be significantly painful/uncomfortable
    3) cause me hunger pangs that I am not able to resist if determined!

    Since that day I have never missed a meal but have been much more able to resist unnecessary snacks when I think back and realise that, on one day, I didn't eat from breakfast until dinnner and I am still here!
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    ^^^^^^^^^^^ Go here and read ALL THE STICKIES. You do not need to starve yourself to lose weight....1200 is going to kill your metabolism eventually. check out this group above. Very supportive...and if you post a topic Kiki and/Lucia will write you back very quickly. They have both gone through this process and are personal trainers. HTH!
  • MotivatedMom2012
    MotivatedMom2012 Posts: 44
    Also...when it asks you how much weight you want to lose per week. Be sure to keep that at 1-2 pounds MAXIMUM as a goal. Losing 20-30 pounds in one month is not only hard on your body, it releases stress hormones, which can lead to problems like heart disease and even cancer!! The slower you lose the weight, the more likely you are to keep it off :)

    If you have those weight goals up too high then MFP calculate will limit your calorie intake drastically (trying to make sure you lose the wieght you are hoping too quickly)
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    Sigh...I lose count of the amount of times I tell people this but you need to up your cals, 1200 is more than likely under your BMR, which you shouldn't ever go under. It really annoys me that mfp seems to set everyone up on 1200, its just not sustainable. I your hungry all the time it's your body trying to tell you something, listen to it!

    Just make sure your food choices are the right ones. I don't believe in diets, just better lifestyle and food choices. I'm maintaining on over 2000 cals a day, i've eaten 1200 my mid day most days!


    I agree with the above. You have to eat above your BMR, BUT BELOW YOUR TDEE to lose weight. Check out the group eat more to weigh less....TONS of great info and people there!
  • MotivatedMom2012
    MotivatedMom2012 Posts: 44
    I tend to worry about being hungry all the time too. My doctor has previously put me on a 1000 calorie a day diet because I have polycystic ovary syndrome and find it hard to lose weight. I managed to stick to it for a year but when I reached my target weight I relaxed and it all went back on.

    MFP suggested 1200 for me too which I thought would be too much for me to lose weight but I am...very slowly! The big thing that made a difference for me with regards the "hunger fear" was to skip lunch for just one day. I must emphasise that this was a one off as obviously routinely missing meals is not a good idea but....what I realised was that missing a meal for one day will not;
    a) kill me
    b) be significantly painful/uncomfortable
    3) cause me hunger pangs that I am not able to resist if determined!

    Since that day I have never missed a meal but have been much more able to resist unnecessary snacks when I think back and realise that, on one day, I didn't eat from breakfast until dinnner and I am still here!

    Skipping meals is HORRIBLE on your body - again it will release stree hormones. Same if you have an irregular sleep pattern. If you go to bed 8pm sometimes and then 2am sometimes, etc...it's messing with your body and brain. Those stress hormones may not cause trouble in a week or two - but if you keep skipping meals for say YEARS these horrible hormones will add up and cause a lot of damage to your brain, and organs.
  • skywa
    skywa Posts: 901 Member
    you might need to eat more. if your honestly committed to staying at 1200 and are losing weight steadily that way then you should stick to it till you stop losing weight, than increase your calories.

    Drink unsweetened almond milk as a snack. Its only 35 cals a cup.

    Eat more veggies and fruit. Fill up your carb macros with this. You can get a lot more bang for you calorie buck.

    Replace a meal with a protein shake. A good sized one is only 300 cals (40 g of protein plus fruit depending on the brand of protein) and it'll really fill u up.

    Drink more water. Take a sip between bites of food.

    Slow down when you eat. Taste your food, chew it completely. Dont watch the TV or distract yourself during the meal, really focus on the feeling of filling up. You'll likely eat less. If you have left overs, save them for later. Finish it off as a snack.
  • Erin754
    Erin754 Posts: 3
    Skipping meals is HORRIBLE on your body - again it will release stree hormones. Same if you have an irregular sleep pattern. If you go to bed 8pm sometimes and then 2am sometimes, etc...it's messing with your body and brain. Those stress hormones may not cause trouble in a week or two - but if you keep skipping meals for say YEARS these horrible hormones will add up and cause a lot of damage to your brain, and organs.

    I so emphatically disagree with you.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    If this is an appetite problem rather than true hunger I would recommend upping your exercise levels to buy yourself extra calories to eat. This works really well for me and I only ever feel hungry on days I don't workout. I'm not a snacker but like to have a big dinner at night.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    Exercise so you can eat more food. Veggies dont have much calories so go crazy. I wouldnt eat more than 1400 personally though. i did the 1200 and didnt los any weight i went up to 1500 and start losing 1 or 2 lbs a day.
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    Exercise so you can eat more food. Veggies dont have much calories so go crazy. I wouldnt eat more than 1400 personally though. i did the 1200 and didnt los any weight i went up to 1500 and start losing 1 or 2 lbs a day.

    You do not technically lose 1-2 lbs a day. Our bodies fluctuate by up to 5 lbs DAILY. Depending on what is going on in our bodies, organ function, TOM, etc. if you meant a week, that is far more attainable and likely.
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    I tend to worry about being hungry all the time too. My doctor has previously put me on a 1000 calorie a day diet because I have polycystic ovary syndrome and find it hard to lose weight. I managed to stick to it for a year but when I reached my target weight I relaxed and it all went back on.

    MFP suggested 1200 for me too which I thought would be too much for me to lose weight but I am...very slowly! The big thing that made a difference for me with regards the "hunger fear" was to skip lunch for just one day. I must emphasise that this was a one off as obviously routinely missing meals is not a good idea but....what I realised was that missing a meal for one day will not;
    a) kill me
    b) be significantly painful/uncomfortable
    3) cause me hunger pangs that I am not able to resist if determined!

    Since that day I have never missed a meal but have been much more able to resist unnecessary snacks when I think back and realise that, on one day, I didn't eat from breakfast until dinnner and I am still here!

    Skipping meals is HORRIBLE on your body - again it will release stree hormones. Same if you have an irregular sleep pattern. If you go to bed 8pm sometimes and then 2am sometimes, etc...it's messing with your body and brain. Those stress hormones may not cause trouble in a week or two - but if you keep skipping meals for say YEARS these horrible hormones will add up and cause a lot of damage to your brain, and organs.

    This is really not true. If it is, I would like a link to research that has proved this. I skipped meals ALL THE TIME when I was younger and have no significant long term damage due to this. The myth that you start your metabolism by eating breakfast in the morning has also been debunked.
  • Emilit_uk
    Emilit_uk Posts: 87
    The problem is with 1200 calories a day is it's just not sustainable! You can eat more and lose weight, there are whole groups on here with women who have done just that, and they are all healthy, happy, athletic and strong. I don't know about you guys, but I want to eat and give my body the best possible advantage so I can work out harder, go longer and get stronger. I don't want to be a skinny girl who can't open a pickle jar!

    I dropped the obsession with calorie counting by upping my cals to 2000 per day, not worrying about going hungry because I hadn't done exercise on rest days so hadn't earnt the calories....this is your recovery time, when your body is repairing and getting stronger! You shouldn't be restricting yourself during this process.

    Anyway, the point i'm trying to make is that once you stop worrying so much about your calorie intake, you start focusing on the quality of the food you eat, and making the right choices. Whatever has been proved/disproved regarding skipping meals, I don't believe going hours without eating is healthy. You can't play games with your metabolism. I eat 5 times a day, i've done low calorie diets and felt like crap. Now I eat when i'm truly hungry, I love food, love working out and feel amazing for it!
  • eliamunch
    eliamunch Posts: 18
    Thanks for all the help guys :)
    (i'm 5ft5" jsuk)

    I've upped my intake to 2000 because I've got really important exams this weeks but after I'll drop it to 1800. I try to fit in at least half an hour of exercise a day either jogging or biking or trampolining ;) so thanks for all your advice :D
  • xoxobollywood1991
    xoxobollywood1991 Posts: 75
    You should drink water. That will help. I was hungry all the time before I started my journey on Mfp...and drinking water fills up cravings and hunger!! :)
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
    ok. I tried the 1200 calories when I started. It DIDN"T work. I'm 51 and I eat over 2000 calories a day. I eat a LOT. One of these days I'll keep track. I haven't done that for awhile. When I first started losing I did 1500-1900 most days but I upped my activity level. I made myself walk at least an hour a day. As I got more in shape the more I fit into that hour. Now I'm a runner. Look at your activity level and try to make healthier choices in your eating and screw what they say about counting calories and special diets. Also you need both good carbs for energy (I eat a ton of carbs... and some not so healthy) You also need protein to rebuild muscle from the activity.

    Oh yeah. They're right about water. Drink a lot of it. Skip the sodas, no juice, eat fruit instead.

    Catch you later! Time for a run. : )

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