How to eat in a calorie deficit and not be bloody starving!!

Eat reeeaaallllllyyyyy sloooooooowly

I eat under 1700kcals a day and don't really feel hungry. I say roughly because I allow myself flexibility as long as I stay in my weekly allowance of 11,900kcals.

I make sure I drink at least 2.5 litres of water a day because dehydration feels very similar to hunger. I usually add lemon and ice to mine because I'm not actually keen on water.

For breakfast I generally soak oats, 1.5tsb of ground flax in unsweetened coconut milk overnight and then cook it into porridge in the morning. I top that with a large banana or a portion of berries - that comes to under 400kcals and keeps me full until lunch time

Lunch is something like - 2 soft boiled eggs, a piece of wholemeal toast and butter, a portion of cheese, and 3x portions of fruit and veg. - thats under 500kcals and is again quite filling.

Dinner varies but always contains a protein. It's generally around 500calories.

Which leaves me with 300kcals for extras if needed. I tend to snack on fruit and veg and have a sweet snack in the evening.

I also make sure I chew my food properly because studies show that chewing each mouthful 20-40 times is optimal. It helps your body recognise that you're eating, and gives your body time to recognise when you're full.

I also don't deprive myself if there's an event or special occasion. I just resume my deficit the day after. I've lost 20lb so far and kept it off.

Up your protein intake.

In a similar boat. I have trained myself not to eat breakfast.....

Im used to it now so don't eat until 12.30pm

Vegetable Curry, lunch and dinner every day, not to everyone's taste but it's how I did it. It's liw lcalories (use cauliflour, squash, sweet potato etc rather than chickpeas or lentils) and the spicing made me feel fuller than eating more bland foods. Don't ask me about the science but it worked!

You are eating too many carbs.

Your meals need to be the protein.
Cut the granola, cereal bars, pasta & biscuits. All these will just make you more hungry.

Meat & veg all the way.

More fats and proteins less carbs and sugars, eggs and cheese are really easy sources of protein and fat and it will keep you fuller for longer.

Im on around 1400 calories a day and its easy enough

I tend to eat 12 - 8

I just have a glass of water most mornings, sometimes I make a milky coffee

My first meal of the day is a large portion of FF greek style yoghurt ( I make my own, Im talking yoghurt so thick you can slice it ) with a couple of tablespoons of oatbran and a vast amount of berries ( I use frozen )

Around 3ish if the hunger starts I will take a bowl of veg based soup to stop me reaching for the sugar ( I work in coffee shop, cakes everywhere )

Supper will be protein and veg - unlimited and something like a jacket potato, or air fried wedges, last night I had chicken, salad and jacket potato, tonight its baked salmon, asparagus, more salad,and probably sweet potato fries. Tomorrow its meatballs ( 5% mince ) wholeweat pasta and a hm tomato sauce packed with veggies

I avoid bread. Bread and cereals are just empty calories ( to me ). They dont fill me. If I do have bread its always wholemeal and usually a pitta. I can stuff a lot into a pitta. Rice is now brown, pasta is wholewheat. Couscous, quinoa, beans and lentils are now used as filler uppers

I use olive oil ( in a spray - not that low calorie stuff ). I skip butter ( I used to slice the butter on rather then spread) , if I want something on a jacket potato I use a low fat soft cheese spread.

If I want a curry or a chinese I have it - home made. If I want a cheese chip I have it - air fried hand cut chips . I dont go without. I do have the odd high calorific fat and sugar laden snack, Im human after all. I fancied a posh sausage roll from the place across the road so I got one. One , as a treat, in a week isnt going to derail me, same as I do sometimes reach for a cake , its when its a cake or sausage roll or bag of crisps every day that the problems arise. Im mindful. I dont deny myself, if the want is strong enough I go for it, but the want has to be stronger then my want to keep my BMI in a healthy range

I also get the steps in, two miles before work - with the dog so not fast, then I do between 4 and 6 miles in work then another 2 or 3 miles after work at pace when i can.

And sure being human, I do have days where I dont move off the sofa but I get an average of 90k steps a week

Oh that’s interesting; I lost 3 stone post menopause after I followed his principles, I couldn’t shift the weight before. I’ve kept the weight off too.

Because he uses outdated research that has been debunked to sell books.

Agree with pp’s. More protein and eggs for breakfast. One of the most difficult things about hitting perimenopause for me has been accepting that I can no longer eat pasta and rice. I have to focus on getting at least 100g of protein per day and the only way I can manage that is to lose the empty carb calories. It’s tough but it is doable. The cereal bars and pasta will be making you more hungry. Soup is fine, but you need some protein with it. Eg a piece of chicken or some fish.

I agree with this. On the fast days when it’s feeling a bit hard, I just remind myself that tomorrow I can eat normally and it helps me get through the fast day. It also helps with my general mindset - I find that if I am trying to eat lower calorie every day, then I think about food all day.

Tried to put a line through massive salad 😂😂.

For me it's about volume eating and fasting. So no breakfast a late large lunch with no carbs (usually full fat yoghurt and berries. Dinner fish and a massive salad.

I avoid breakfast, if I eat it, I tend to feel more hungry not less, although I do drink a lot of coffee with milk in the morning, need to try and learn to enjoy black coffee !
Loads of vegetables, either as a salad or as a big side with your meal, I tend to drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on salad and warm veg, it helps your body to absorb any fat soluble vitamins in the food, small sprinkle of salt, helps it taste delicious too.
Drink more water, quite often I would mistake being a bit dehydrated with hunger signals.
I weigh a lot more than you, and I see feeling hungry, a bit like a child using pester power, so I will have a drink of water and mentally tell my body to dip into its substantial stores, and no it can't have some processed carbs before the next meal
I basically eat protein, loads of vegetables, some good fats and some legumes. No processed carbs, no rice and I avoid potatoes because the urge to deep fry them is always too strong to resist

“Nonsense” how fucking rude are you?!

We are not thick we realise that thanks 🙄They are not “fad diets” they are ways for people to sustainably not overeat. IF was life changing for me as can still broadly eat what I like but stay in a healthy bmi and have done for 4 years now.

I’ve not RTFT because most of the answers are nonsense anyway but has anyone actually asked why 1600?

is that just a random number you chose? If you calculated your TDEE and then knock 300-500 off it that’s what you should be eating to lose weight.

it might be you’re in too severe a deficit which isn’t sustainable. Find a TDEE calculator and then subtract 300-500 from it to find your daily cals for weight loss.

also just a heads up to anyone saying that calorie counting doesn’t work, just try high protein low carb instead blah blah - they are ALL calorie deficit diets. The only way to lose weight is in a calorie deficit of some kind & that’s all that these fad diets are.

There’s no magic formula in high protein low carb, you’re still just eating less calories at the end of the day.

I wanted to get onboard with IF, and I did for a couple of weeks, but I really missed my cup of tea in the mornings. I tried taking it black, but it really wasn't the same I only take a splash of milk - no sugar.

It gets easier the longer you do it as your body adapts and you get used to it.

Try eating a larger breakfast and lunch and a smaller tea then when you get hungry in the evening it’s time to go to bed anyway.

Why do you say he’s a quack?

Impossible. Your body recognises you're in a caloric deficit. You just have to get used to being hungry I'm afraid. At least, when you feel hungry, you can tell yourself that's a sign it must be wokring. And you can stop when you reach your goal so it's not forever.

I completely agree with this. There is lots of helpful (a bit of unhelpful) advice on this thread about how to feel full for longer, which is great and would really help.

However, the reality is if you are eating in calorie deficit, you are going to feel hungry. Hunger is not a particularly pleasant feeling, but it is not all dangerous provided you are eating healthily and you will get used to it.

I am slim, but don’t eat within a calorie deficit and feel hungry a while before every meal. It is a normal feeling and I’m used to it.

Michael Mosley is similar but not as extreme, combination of calorie counting and high protein, some fat (ie. Full fat milk, cream etc as long as it's within the calories) and IF. It's a combo which is working for me cos I can't do skimmed milk. I'd rather have some full fat in coffee and then water.

Like others have said: Ditch the cereal bar. Skip breakfast 16:8. Have a black coffee with some MCT oil in in the morning. Lunch full fat Greek yog, berries, switch out granola for whole nuts/seeds.
dinner less carb higher protein, so chicken salad with egg for example or roasted veg. Up your fibre intake and good fats. Fibre is often ignored but super important.

Breakfast is the worst for me

If I don't eat breakfast, I'm good. If I have anything for breakfast then I end up hungry and eating all day

I generally only eat OMAD anyway - works for me but probably isn't the healthiest and I wouldn't push it to anyway

I'm very slim (7.5st at 5'2) but healthy. 2 DC, both breastfed, regular period, full head of hair