To be starving?

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

I'm trying to lose a stone and have started myfitnesspal app to do calorie control for a month and see how I go. I've never dieted before but ive just had 3 babies (in 3 yrs) and I found a love of cake in my second pregnancy.

Anyway, so far today I have had a bowl of porridge (decent size) made with whole milk, a big banana, a cup of tea and cup of coffee, both with whole milk. I am starving for the last 2 hrs! Surely that is a normal breakfast whether I'm calorie counting or not? I am physically hungry (growling tummy etc) and not just psychologically hungry.

AIBU to be hungry on that? Lots of people manage with no breakfast at all!

For the record, on paper my day of food doesn't look ridiculous for an average person who does no exercise. I'm only 4 days in so a bit early to tell if this method suits me.

AYD2MITalkTalk Hello DH, didn't know you were on Mumsnet

Honestly if I eat porridge for breakfast I am so hungry by 10.30am I could eat my own arm.

Me too. I don't care if porridge is 'good carbs' that are supposed to make you feel fuller for longer, it still sets me off on a hungerfest. Just like any cereal, toast or fruit.

A protein breakfast (usually an omelette or something egg based) is the only way for me to not feel starving by mid morning. In fact I tend to feel less hungry if I've had no breakfast at all than if I eat something cereal based.

I have been a fan of MyFitnessPal for 5 years now and swear by it, lost 22 lbs and have kept it off. I also exercise 5 days a week.
I too struggled with the breakfast thing and become starving hungry mid morning so switched my breakfast to mid morning.
Consider most mornings are quite rushed; getting ready, kids, school, work commute etc, etc grab a coffee and slurp as you go. Sometimes I have 20 almonds or 12 brazil nuts at around 10am if I am hungry or an Options hot chocolate. I drink endless cups of black tea and for breakfast at 11am I have 50g porridge oats mixed with 129 grams of fat free natural yoghurt, 80g frozen mixed berries, 60g of tinned pineapple in juice and a sprinkling of chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds a total of approximately 400 calories and I am stuffed to bursting, often too full to eat my lunch until 2 or 3pm.

Don't give up, your body will get used to smaller portions, less calories.

Don't call it a diet, a diet implies a short term fix, this is a life style change. Remember when you exercise you can eat back the calories burnt so its a win, win, a good incentive to keep moving too.

I batch cook eggs and eat them hard boiled cold from fridge

I have porridge oats soaked on water overnight, loads of natural yogurt with mango or similar chucked in

Then mid morning a banana, large milky coffee and perhaps cereal bar.

Have one or two boiled eggs or scrambled eggs and a slice of wholemeal toast.
Now'they' say that fat is not as bad for you as they thought - I am going to have a full cooked breakfast some days. When I do that, I am never even slightly hungry until about 6 pm!
Its the snacking that is the problem with weight gain.

You say you are quite sedentary op, and lack of movement will make a difference to weight loss. Try building walking into your routine. Park further away from the doors at the supermarket. Walk backwards and forwards hanging out the washing, build those steps up.

High protein (chicken chicken and more chicken) and carbs from fruit and veg works for me. Allergic to wheat and gluten free tastes like shit so have had to cut out a lot of baked goodies. Protein has to be digested in your stomach bag, unlike carbs which pass quickly into your intestines, meaning your tummy is empty quicker. This is why protein keeps you full for longer and can make you feel sick if you eat too much in one go (eg three boiled eggs bleurgh...) I also use protein shakes if I am training a lot but they are so sickly sweet. Pregnant now, but after pregnancy it will be long fast walks, lots of weightraining, protein shakes and mountains of veggies. And chicken.

MadSprocker (do you have a cocker spaniel by any chance?) I've never been a great lover of exercise but am starting back riding (horses) tonight and am thinking of swimming in the evenings too. It's been hard being pregnant and/or with a newborn for the last 4yrs straight.

That would be difficult! Enjoy your riding. I went back after a 25 year break, and the aching muscles. The Sprocker is my exercise, but I do the things above to build up my steps as I too loathe exercise.

Yes I agree have an egg every morning and maybe some of that revolting German black bread stuff, as it's low in carb's, but filling.

1200 cals, is that really sustainable?! I'd become obsessed by food if I tried that

Carbs and sugars tell your brain to be hungry again much faster than protein. A diet high in fat and protein will keep you full and help you lose weight faster.
I swear by the keto diet. Once you get to day 3/4 and are over the sugar withdrawals it's easy and you are not hungry.

I'm another one who is always hungry after eating porridge - although strangely muesli fills me up completely.

Try something else

This is really interesting as MFP tells me 1200 is the absolute highest for me (5ft 3, exercise 5 days out of 7 including a long run at the weekends, otherwise at home with kids). I do find it really difficult to stick to, so end up going off track after a couple of weeks. I have at least a stone to lose.

Eggs for breakfast works for me - often cooked in a fry pan with lots of veg (onions, courgettes, spinach tomato).

Ivegotyourgoat in response to your question about eggs, I think in the past people were told not to eat too many eggs to avoid high cholesterol. But more recent research shows that eating eggs every day does not increase the risk of heart disease.

I find that if I eat breakfast then I'm hungrier in the day (goes against normal advice). So I find 16:8 intermittent fasting works for me. 16 hours fast, 8 hours eating per day. I tend to eat between 11am and 7pm, as healthy as I can, but do have the occasional treat and am losing 1-2 pounds per week.

I can't have cereals - only because I can't stop at a small amount. Once I start eating them, I could easily finish off the box. When I have had porridge I've tried to have the 35g Slimming World amount but this just leaves me very hungry within an hour.

At the moment I am doing LCHF. For breakfast (7:30am) I have 2/3 egg omelette with ham/pepperoni, cheese and spinach. Lunch (12:30) I have a salad of lettuce, spinach, 2 cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sprinkle of cheese, ham, avocado and a few walnut halves broken up. Dinner (6pm) I will have some kind of meat with a side of cauliflower or broccoli or courgette. I try not to snack as this sets me off on a feeding binge, but if I do have to have something it is usually a handful of nuts.

It takes a few days of low carbing to lower my appetite then I don't get the hunger pangs. I do top up my diet with supplements - mainly Magnesium and Potassium.

Completely agree with Lonny It's fine to feel hungry. You will get used to it and I think you enjoy food more if you are genuinely hungry, rather than eating because you're tired or bored.

There are ways to suppress your appetite;
Exercise,
Drinking a lot of water, also foods containing lots of fluid (soup, melon etc)
Caffeine,
Eating protein with everything,
Filling up on fruit and veg.

If you have a weakness for cake, don't cut it out completely as you'll be tempted to think, sod this and eat a gateaux.
Best to have a small slice in the afternoon or mini cake like a teacake or scone. You then aren't depriving yourself of treats.

The sad fact is, if you want your body to use up your excess fat, you need to eat less than you need so you will be hungry. It's not easy.

Good luck,

Lambzig I'd say that 1200 cals a day is actually way too low for anyone.

Forget cals. At least 4 days a week focus on 'good' full fats (so not processed or fried things etc) but ff natural yog, milk, avocado, nuts etc plus lots of protein, veg and a small amount of carb. As little added refined sugar as you can manage. I do 5:2 and am losing (and keeping off) about 1 stone a year without even trying (I have wine and treats too).

A portion of porridge if you're doing weight watchers is 30g. That with a banana, a handful of blueberries and a drizzle of honey, should keep you on til lunch.

As I'm currently not working, I tend to grab a cuppa whilst making packed lunches, then take DS to school, then have brekkie about ten. I'm not ready for it before then so having it later means I then eat less at lunch and tea.

5:2 diet info here thefastdiet.co.uk/

It's basically 2 days 'fasting' eating 500 calories and 5 days eating 'normally' Don't do the 2 days back to back though.

I found I tolerated being hungry more on the normal eating days because of the feeling of hunger on the fasting days. So I naturally ate less than before I was dieting at all because I could live without a snack.

FWIW I'm really not sure you should be dieting whilst breastfeeding but that's your choice. I waited till my DD was finished before I did the 5:2. Lost a lb a week for 7 weeks (my target) then maintained it by doing 6:1 for the next few months till I got pregnant

I feel I need to stand up for porridge... When Teaching it's the only breakfast that sees me through to lunch. I add dried fruit and cinnamon.

There are porridge people and non-porridge people.

Some people find it super filling, others don't.

What DOES make a difference in the porridge conundrum is what liquid you use.

If I use water, I will be hungry almost immediately.

If I use full fat milk, it'll take a lot longer, due to the fat and protein which is more filling.

Porridge made with FF milk and a boiled egg is a good combination, maybe an apple mid morning if you eat an early brekkie.

Best breakfast ever? Full English breakfast, no toast