Daft question - is hunger inevitable?

[Evileyecherry]

Hi.

I’ve been on a diet since May 4 and have lost a stone. I’m really proud of myself so far - but I find it SO hard. I have another stone and a half to go.

I am so hungry and I find evenings particularly grim.

I’m desperate for each meal when the time comes so would find it difficult to delay them. If I’m lucky I have 100 cals left for a small snack on an evening.

I just wanted to moan really. And ask if it’s inevitable that dieting does mean some degree of sacrifice.

Sacrifice maybe, but of chocolate cake etc

But there really is no need to be hungry on a diet

You just need to eat the correct things and big portions of them

This is why most diets are sustainable, because at some point you'll give into that hunger

You need to make lifestyle changes that you can do forever

You'll lose weight slower, but then keep it off

If you only eat very watery-high-fibre-boring-green-vegetables then you could probably lose weight without being hungry. But you'd sacrifice tastey treats instead.

I'm doing the same and I'm starving all the time. Starting to look at more protein.. I feel your pain. Doing it too. It's miserable.

Sorry that wasn't helpful. Hope someone helpful comes along soon. You are not alone

The only other way, apart from restrictive eating, is to excersize it off. But that is massive work - as one mile run (the quickest exercise to burn calories) burns only 85 calories. So you''d have to be running over 4 miles before its actually worth it in weight loss terms. (Though I do recommend exercise/running as it makes you feel great, plus it helps your body in many other ways)

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Our brains often translate being dehydrated to being hungry. Aside from that, allowing yourself to get so hungry will ultimately sabotage your efforts. Have a healthy, low calorie snack like carrot sticks, celery, an apple or a hard boiled egg, etc.

You should be really proud of yourself! You've done a brilliant job.

The only diet I’ve found where I don’t feel hungry is reducing my carbs and upping protein but also certain fats. So things like full fat yoghurt for breakfast, eggs, cheese etc (things I’d have avoided when trying to lose weight in the past). As well as of course plenty of veg etc.

You can’t exercise it off, and more exercise often makes you more hungry!

Your appetite might reset, but I agree with others saying to increase lean protein to keep you feeling full. I’m veggie and eat loads of beans and lentils. Staying full isn’t an issue!

What are you eating now?

You need to keep carbs less than 50g and not be scared of fat. I'm currently doing the fast 800 diet and feel far less hungry following those principles than I did on weight watchers years ago which was probably more like 1200 calories, maybe also try combining with intermittent fasting? Ie don't eat until lunchtime and you can spread your calories more generously across lunch and dinner so you feel more satisfied in the evening? I also find eating breakfast kick starts my hunger whereas if I don't eat until lunch I'm absolutely fine

I second what PP have said. I've lost a stone doing the low carb/high fat diet

I have been eating very low calorie for about 10 or 11 weeks now and I would say I am generally never more than a bit peckish, certainly never really hungry. I make sure that each meal (including breakfast) is no more than a quarter of what is on my plate being a carby or starchy thing like rice or potato, at least half to two-thirds is vegetables (not often fruit as that is very sugary) and whatever remainder is something high protein. and make sure any bread/rice etc is wholegrain. if you are using your calories on swiftly-digested carbs like white rice you will be hungry again not long after eating.

I am normally not hungry at all when I wake up so I try to have breakfast quite late. yesterday I had breakfast at 10ish, and wasn't even mildly peckish for lunch till nearly 3pm. I then ate supper at 8:30pm and I admit I did feel peckish afterwards. not properly hungry, just a feeling that I could happily have eaten the same meal again, so it did take a little discipline to step away from the refrigerator - but now this morning even though I haven't eaten since then I am back in my morning "not hungry" state.

its not inevitable but there's nothing wrong with being a bit hungry.

It’s very common to feel hungry

But it’s not an urge which needs to be satisfied asap. Learning to recognise and ignore feelings of hunger is a useful skill both for weight loss and for not putting it straight back on. It is normal and OK to feel a bit peckish, or even downright hungry, for hours.

Thanks for all of your replies.

My info is I’m 5”10 and 12 stone. Have another stone and a half to lose.

I’m using MFP and calories set at 1200 a day. I earn about 100 each day in exercise. I do around 10,000 steps a day.

Typical day’s diet:

Breakfast - one piece of brown toast and two boiled eggs.

Lunch - 200g chicken fried with one cal spray with bell peppers, onion and mushrooms

Dinner - Salmon with roasted veg (similar to above)

Snack - boiled egg

That doesn't look like 1200 calories to me, are you having milk? Other snacks?

try having something non-carby with your eggs at breakfast - thin cut carrot sticks or raw mushroom can replace toast soldiers for dipping into a soft boiled egg. you may find that carrot or pepper sticks with a teaspoon of humous makes for a more satisfying snack for the same amount of calories as a boiled egg?

5 10 and 12 stone and wanting to lose a stone and a half?

That may be hard. Are you a very delicate build?

Am only a bit taller (6ft), and around 12 stone myself and a size 12 (do a lot of sport though and am muscular and def not “fat” or in need to lose weight)

Only talking about myself as we are comparable heights

Just wondering if you actually have a stone and a half of fat to lose?!

I’d managed to get up to 13 stone!!

I’d been in a weird denial about that...

To be honest I reckon I’ll be very happy indeed at 11st. I think 10st and a half is unrealistic but probably a weight I hold in my head as that’s what I was in my early 20s (I’m 38 now).

I know slimming world isn't for everyone but I didn't get on with calorie counting for this reason, I was always hungry. I had 6 stone to lose, have lost 2 so far. I'm losing between 1.5 and 4lb a week and eating much more than you are.

Yesterday I had
Fruit for breakfast with fat free Yog
Lunch was a cheese sandwich and carrot and coriander soup
Dinner was chilli con carne with brown rice and salad
I also had 3 cereal bars throughout the day and a meringue

You can eat lean meat, fruit and veg if you are hungry

It seems like it shouldn't work but I'm proof it does.
Maybe not the best diet health wise as it does encourage low fat /sweetners etc but it works if you stick to it

I did Slimming World once - and lost a measly 1/4 of a pound in two weeks 🤣

Well done to you though - you’ve found something that works for you. You must feel great at losing two stone!

I feel that for me this journey is just going to be hard. I love food and drink so much! Some people are less fussed, so maybe that’s why I’m finding it such a sacrifice.

Head over to the low carb boot camp threads by BIWI, there are 3 running atm. This is the first time I have stuck at a healthy way of eating and only occasionally feel a bit of hunger which I'm trying to just sit with.

I remember as a child feeling starving sometimes, waiting for dinner, it's normal and fine to be hungry sometimes.

I was once told that when you're hungry, eat an apple. If you don't fancy an apple, you're not really hungry - you're just scavenging. If you do fancy an apple, well the odd one really isn't going to throw your diet out of whack!
I found the first week or two hard hunger wise, but I seem to have acclimatised though I do still get pangs now and then. That and drink lots of water!

Great tip re. apples. I don’t like them so that’s a great test!

From what you’ve posted, it doesn’t look like you’re actually eating 1200 calories. I’d be starving just eating that. Did MFP think it was enough?