Really frickin hungry

24

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    Thankyou! I've been reading about that tdee stuff but jus couldn't get my head around it. You've simplified it for me thanks

    I'm 5'5, and 154lbs. Very close psulemon

    My MFP has always been set to lose 1.5lbs a week, I changed it to 1lbs and its still only given me 1,200 calories.

    I excercise 3 times a week minimum. Around 50mins of cardio, 10 mins strength training.

    Here is your TDEE (including exercise)


    TDEE = 1541 * 1.375 = 2118
    CN = 2118 * .8 = 1691

    Do yourself a favor, eat 1700 calories a day (do NOT eat back exercise calories and eat that every day, even on rest days). Set your carbs to 35%, protein to 40% and fats to 25%. If you start to exercise 5 days a week, add another 200 calories to each day.


    BTW, drop some cardio and really increase strength training. ST leads to greater fat loss. Below is a good article.

    http://www.metaboliceffect.com/topic/38-nutrition-lifestyle.aspx
  • ilovesparkle
    ilovesparkle Posts: 127 Member
    Up your fiber, don't drink your calories and veggies are a great option for low cal snacks. I can eat carrots and cucumber and be stuffed at the end! It gets easier over time when your body adjusts to the decrease.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    Are you eating your exercise calories? Personally, I try to eat calorie rich and nutrient dense foods as much as possible. I no longer eat foods that don't fill me up. I would eat potato chips over animal crackers because at least you are getting some satisfaction out of it.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    BTW, MFP sets your goal based on your inputs. Here is what I mean. I don't know your height but I estimated 5'5" for simplicity reason. You are about 155 lbs and 20 years old.

    Your estimate BMR based on Harris Benedict formula is 1541. BMR = metabolic rate or the amount of calories your body burns if you slept for 24hours.

    Lets also say, you have a desk job and you are sedentary. That means your Total Daily Energy Expended (TDEE) would be:

    TDEE= 1541 * 1.2 = 1849 <--- This is the estimated calories you would burn in a given day if you don't exercise. From this number you form a calorie deficit


    1/2 lb per week weight loss = 1849 - 250 = 1599
    1 lb per week = 1849 - 500 = 1349
    1 1/2 lb per week = 1849 - 750 = 1200 <-- there is a site restriction on going below 1200
    2 lbs per week = 1849 - 1000 = 1200 <-- See above

    Here is the issue. This site doesn't tell you what acceptable based on your goal. Below is the general guidance.


    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.



    With that said, you should be aiming for .5-1 lb per week so you don't lose lean body mass (LBM). Losing LBM means a slower metabolism and harder to tone since you have less muscle.


    Now lets say you exercise. This means you need to eat more so your body can maintain energy and burn fat. So lets say you burn 500 calories working out. That means your TDEE now increased by 500 calories:


    TDEE = 1849 + 500 = 2349

    This is really where you form your deficit. And to lose a lb a week it would be

    CN = 2349 - 500 = 1849.


    Sorry for being a math nerd but it's how I explain it to people. Also, larger calorie deficits don't mean faster weight loss. Mathematically they can, but in reality your body compensates by suppressing the metabolism and using LBM to get energy by converting the amino acids into energy.

    ^THIS! It works!
  • baxgilter
    baxgilter Posts: 246 Member
    I started MyFitnessPal a while ago but didn't actively do it. Now I am and at first I really really enjoyed it but lately it's become a struggle. It's still relatively early days too so need to nip this in the bud!

    MyFitnessPal put me on 1200 calories, which I thought was okay as at the time I rarely exercised and work at a desk. I lost 1lbs in the first week. Woo hoo.

    I did actually increase my allowance to 1300 though. As I didn't feel it was enough to work with.

    I started the gym two weeks ago and have since lost 5lbs more, but lately I've felt really hungry and miserable. I do eat back the calories I burn off so I didn't think there would be any problems.

    But today for example I'm really struggling. Feel dizzy and tired.

    Any ideas and advice?

    Check out the group Eat More To Weigh Less
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    Keep eating your exercise calories back and considering upping your goal another few hundred calories. Maybe somewhere between 1400-1600?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    if you appear to be eating enough and healthily then it may be good to consult a doctor. It may be something unrelated to diet, or if it is related to diet they will be able to advise you on the best diet to solve the problem.

    Unless her doctor also specializes in nutrition, she would be better off seeing a dietician or nutritionist. Most doctors know very little about weight loss.
  • mkcmurphy
    mkcmurphy Posts: 438 Member
    I've felt weak and way hungry, too, plus impatient and low, especially at the beginning. Figuring that my body was teling me something, I ate. I didn't want to be on stairs or in a car feeling like that, so I got my blood sugar and calories up, and gradually worked my way down to their suggested calorie allotment. It works for me; I listen to my body first and foremost. Good luck!
  • shortiy2k2002
    shortiy2k2002 Posts: 11
    For me its protein and fiber. I eat a lot of veggies daily and they do the trick of making me feel full but its the fiber that helps you stay that way. Also try snacking often. Try some kind of lean protein after working out too.
  • danapouncey
    danapouncey Posts: 31
    Thankyou, you've been a massive help. I'm defo going to do this and see how I go!


    Thanks everyone, really interesting points made. I just really want to do this without making myself feel ill ha.
  • Owens6
    Owens6 Posts: 5
    Hi, my name is Alda.I want to start off by saying congrats on the pounds you have dropped off so far. You are doing very good, keep it up. How much water do you drink? When you are feeling hungry, try drinking 20 ounces of water and wait 30 minutes before you eat. You dont have to starve yourself (if that it what you have been doing). You can eat as much as you want, as long as it is healthy. If you need to snack more throughout the day, do so, but snack on fruits and veggies. Cut up the fruits and veggies that you like and make a fruit/veggie bowl. That what i like to do when i want a healthy snack.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    One last thing, you might gain a lb or two in the first few weeks. Don't worry it's water weight. Within a month of eating like this, you should have a lot more energy and should be losing weight. BTW, you can't gain fat unless you eat 3500 calories more than you burn. So if you burn 2200 calories in a day, that means you would need to eat 2700 calories a day to add fat.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member


    Here is the issue. This site doesn't tell you what acceptable based on your goal. Below is the general guidance.


    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.

    The above is worth thinking about.

    My suggestion is changing your setting to -.5/week and exercising for extra calories. YOU will still lose weight. When it starts to feel like enough food, then you can change it to -1 / week. and gradually get it to the setting you are comfortable at.

    What is not often discussed in forums is the fact we have streched our stomachs so that a good sized meal can leave us hungry. Restaurant portions are generly 2-3 X's what people should eat at a sitting. Not saying that this is true in your case, but I have noticed that it is in mine. I no longer want to eat what I used to dish up.

    I hope someone can give a suggestion for you that fits.
  • mkvilmin
    mkvilmin Posts: 46
    Make sure your getting your water and protein
  • WendySue75
    WendySue75 Posts: 98 Member
    bump!!
    BTW, MFP sets your goal based on your inputs. Here is what I mean. I don't know your height but I estimated 5'5" for simplicity reason. You are about 155 lbs and 20 years old.

    Your estimate BMR based on Harris Benedict formula is 1541. BMR = metabolic rate or the amount of calories your body burns if you slept for 24hours.

    Lets also say, you have a desk job and you are sedentary. That means your Total Daily Energy Expended (TDEE) would be:

    TDEE= 1541 * 1.2 = 1849 <--- This is the estimated calories you would burn in a given day if you don't exercise. From this number you form a calorie deficit


    1/2 lb per week weight loss = 1849 - 250 = 1599
    1 lb per week = 1849 - 500 = 1349
    1 1/2 lb per week = 1849 - 750 = 1200 <-- there is a site restriction on going below 1200
    2 lbs per week = 1849 - 1000 = 1200 <-- See above

    Here is the issue. This site doesn't tell you what acceptable based on your goal. Below is the general guidance.


    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.



    With that said, you should be aiming for .5-1 lb per week so you don't lose lean body mass (LBM). Losing LBM means a slower metabolism and harder to tone since you have less muscle.


    Now lets say you exercise. This means you need to eat more so your body can maintain energy and burn fat. So lets say you burn 500 calories working out. That means your TDEE now increased by 500 calories:


    TDEE = 1849 + 500 = 2349

    This is really where you form your deficit. And to lose a lb a week it would be

    CN = 2349 - 500 = 1849.


    Sorry for being a math nerd but it's how I explain it to people. Also, larger calorie deficits don't mean faster weight loss. Mathematically they can, but in reality your body compensates by suppressing the metabolism and using LBM to get energy by converting the amino acids into energy.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    At the same height and about the same weight as you, I feel best eating 1400-1500 calories (BMR ~1400) and have been losing at the same rate eating that is I was the first month doing the 1200 thing.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    One last thing, you might gain a lb or two in the first few weeks. Don't worry it's water weight. Within a month of eating like this, you should have a lot more energy and should be losing weight. BTW, you can't gain fat unless you eat 3500 calories more than you burn. So if you burn 2200 calories in a day, that means you would need to eat 2700 calories a day to add fat.

    Okay that is just wrong. You need to eat 3500 extra calories to gain a POUND of fat. But if you eat 1750 extra, you can gain a half pound of fat. It isn't like 3500 is this magic number that makes your body go into fat making mode.
  • TheOriginalGinging
    TheOriginalGinging Posts: 171
    I agree with those who are encouraging balanced nutrition. You're body is telling you (dizziness) it needs something. Without seeing your diary it's hard to say-- but fiber is also needed--sounds like you have enough through veggies but you'll also need grains. Be sure to check with your Dr. also--it could be a sugar issue and a Dr. can check that easily. You can find a guide to balanced nutrition on MyPlate.gov-also look into how to balance soluble and insoluble fibers-- proper nutrition is key!! Best wishes-feel free to add me!
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
    What sort of foods are you eating? Are you drinking enough water?
  • BlueInkDot
    BlueInkDot Posts: 702 Member
    Usually if you're hungry that means you should eat something. Moreso if you're dizzy or tired.

    Eat your food.

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