No hope if you don't eat salad

[Squiffy01]

I'm absolutely starving. I used to be so good at dieting and could so easily stick to a 1200 cal diet. No it seems so bloody hard. And I'm just so hungry!
I'm finding it so hard to stick to! I'm starving all morning as I don't really like any of the filling breakfast cereals just gave a bagel or crumpets and an apple then lunch is soup and a proper meal at night if I can 'afford' it if I haven't got into the snacks!

Does anyone count veg as free. I know they do that on WW and I think that would make it easier to stick to.
What are some tips for an already fussy eater to stick to 1200 calls. No fish!

16:8? I just skip breakfast entirely and eat from noon-8pm every day. Most breakfast foods are a carb-laden sugar fest anyway.

Skip breakfast rather than eating empty carbs. Have two proper meals later in the day.

You will feel much less hungry, honestly.

A slice of wholemeal toast with a poached egg (no butter but a smear of marmite if you like it) is only about 200cal and has enough slow release carbs and protein to keep you going until lunch.

Big bowl of soup for lunch; choose sides based on what it in the soup, thus a meaty soup you may want a little bit of bread. A very low cal veggie soup you may allow yourself a little cheese.

Dinner: a piece of lean meat with vegetables and a small portion of carbs.

Veg isn't 'free'. You aren't doing a diet plan you are limiting calories so all calories count.

Drink lots of water.

I'm in quite an active job so don't think skipping breakfast is the best idea as I'm feeling slightly off with the breakfast... But that probably just my chocolate cravings now I think about it.
Soup just doesn't fill me up unless I have loads which then defeats the purpose of having soup really doesn't it.
I keep on telling myself it is fine to feel hungry that it isn't a bad thing but I just don't want to be so hungry all the time that I'm going to binge.

Intermittent fasting is your friend. 5:2 was the easiest weightloss I ever did. And the forums on here are amazing.

You need to stay off carb based meals, then your blood sugar will stabilise and you won't get the hunger in the same way.

I'm not saying don't eat carbs, just don't have a meal which is just a crumpet or a bagel. A boiled egg and a slice of ham or smoked salmon would be a better start to the day.

A breakfast of grilled bacon and tomato with scrambled eggs keeps me full until at least 2ish.

I don't count fruit and veg. They are my go to snacks if I'm feeling ravenous. Adding them up sends me in a downwards spiral if I go over my limit.

"Soup just doesn't fill me up unless I have loads which then defeats the purpose of having soup really doesn't it. "

Just eat thicker soup. I like Sainsbury's 3 bean soup. I don't need bread with it and it fills me up. I eat the whole can for lunch.

On mfp when I was very active I had 1600 cal a day allowance and now I'm not as active but still on my feet all day my allowance is 1400.

I think your underestimating how many calories you can have to still lose weight 1 to 2 lbs a week.

When I looked at MFP it was 1200 calories. For short women who are not too large, it's 1200.

Oh I didn't realise it was height and weight as well. I'm 5.6 and only need to lose a stone that's probably why I have a higher cal allowance.

Yes, of course your initial size is relevant. Very large people are usually taking in a large number of calories so they wouldn't need to cut as much to see a difference. A short, slim-ish person needs to cut more to make a difference.

Larger people burn more calories when they exercise as well. It's something to bear in mind when you look at how many calories you will burn through doing a particular exercise - the guidance is usually aimed at the average person, men and women combined, so as a short woman I know I will burn fewer calories than the guidance.

The less you have to lose the MORE you need to cut calories, not the less though. The reason why you're on 1600 is probably because you're average height and not short, not because you only have a stone to lose.

I disagree with people who say avoid carbs. You just need to get into a Groove that works for you.

My hungry day staples are
Pasta (50g) with tomato sauce has just over 313 calories and 3-5 of your five a day (onion tinned tomato spinach) (I do also add a side salad)
Mushroom pasta (stock based sauce) 275 calories 3 of your five a day. (That calorie count does include salad) Add chicken for an extra 100 to 150
dhal (260 ish) (3 of your 5 a day)
Chicken leek and mushroom pasta (450cal) 3 of your 5 a day that calorie count includes a salad
Cheese and spinach omelet for 195cals ( includes a salad) one of your 5 a day

All of those give a decent sized tasty meal for a relatively low level of calories. Knock off about 30cals for the salad (although actually I have grown to like salad) Add bout 50cal to bulk up the pasta to 75g.

Theoretically you could have the omelette for breakfast, any of the pastas for main meal and dhal for other meal leaving between 200 cal and 450cal for snacks which I reckon is fairly decent. I eat a lot of coffee and popcorn.

Personally I have a sandwich thin toasted with marmite and coffee for breakfast (less than 200) which leaves me the bulk of my calories for a main meal. If any of the above appeals happy to give the recipes.

I know 1200 works for some people, but could you increase your calories? I am using MFP to track but used the NHS BMI calculator which then gives you an allowance that you can eat to gain weight slow and steady (1-2lb per week).

MFP gave me an allowance of 1200 and the NHS gave me an allowance of 1500 - 19something to lose weight safely (I am 5'6 and was over 14st). I am doing 1500 as my allowance (altered it manually in MFP) and in 9 days I have lost 5lb. I am cutting nothing out just altering portions and drinking water - making slightly healthier choices most of the time (though not always - have just had a cheese toasty and cornetto style ice-cream for my dinner so will eat healthy snacks tonight if I want anything)

MFP gives everyone an allowance of 1200 no matter what size they are

1200 really is very low and not necessary to lose weight unless you are 5ft nothing and about 8 and a half stone.