I'm just so flipping hungry!

[Anonymous]

GAH. I do not know how those of you who eat 1200 cals on the daily do it.

I am not huge and have a dense/muscular body so my weight has always been on the higher end for my size, even when I wore a 0/2, but I really do need to buckle down and lose 10 lbs that are the result of travel, holidays, wine, and cheese. I do normally eat very healthily, but I do also have a huge appetite (always have), and trying to stick to 1200 to shake this extra fluff is killing me!

My BMI is 24 so I don't think I'd qualify for any weight loss meds, but I seriously am starving - and very grumpy as a result. I am drinking tons of water, but any other tricks to defeat or distract from hunger?

[Anonymous]

It's all in your head. Embrace the hunger, it means you are actually losing weight. Especially embrace night hunger, going to bed hungry, you will likely see results on the scale in the morning. Stop focusing on how hungry you are and instead focus on how much self control you have.

OTOH you are already a good weight and probably shouldn't even be worrying about this. Take your time, lose a pound every two weeks or so and forget about it.

[Anonymous]

If you have a dense/muscular body, do you really need to cut back to 1200 calories? That seems appropriate for someone who is very short with no muscle.

I have that type of build and even at 120 pounds (BMI between 20 and 21) I know I could lose weight by cutting back way less than that. ( I normally eat over 2000 for maintenance).

I would say I'm moderately active at most (desk job but put in 20+ miles of moderately challenging work on the Peloton 5 or 6 days per week). According to DCUM, this level of activity burns approximately 45 calories and doesn't count.

I'm not sure why 1200 calories is considered the magic number for women who want to lose weight. I would suggest adding 200 to 300 calories. Everyone will tell you to chew gum or go to bed at 7 pm.

[Anonymous]

I just started doing 1200 calories a day and intermediate fasting. Are you tracking to be sure that you are actually meeting 1200 calories and not under? Are you also excercising daily which will burn calories and allow you to eat more? You can eat a total of 1200 calories but if you work out and burn 200, then you can eat to replace that 200. Also, foods in high protein and fiber are more filling than anything else. Have it for each meal.

[Anonymous]

Usually I eat less than 1200 calories a day, because I'm very fine boned and petite. But sadly I'm about to miscarry a 6 week pregnancy, and I CANNOT STOP EATING. Probably eating my feelings. I've engulfed enormous quantities of chocolate. No regrets either.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't do it. Tried for years. My hunger was overpowering, and whenever I tried to starve myself on 1200 calories, I'd end up exploding and binging.

My BMI was just under 23 when I started weight loss drugs. In normal range, but too heavy for me. The meds have been a godsend. I am indeed averaging around 1200 calories on them without the suffering that hunger causes. My goal is BMI around 20 - that's where I feel healthy, happy, and fit in my clothes. To maintain that, I anticipate that I can eat around 2,000 calories/day which I hope I'll be able to do. Especially now that I'm getting used to healthier eating, and getting away from sweets and binging, on these meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually I eat less than 1200 calories a day, because I'm very fine boned and petite. But sadly I'm about to miscarry a 6 week pregnancy, and I CANNOT STOP EATING. Probably eating my feelings. I've engulfed enormous quantities of chocolate. No regrets either.

Just wanted to say I'm very sorry for your loss. This has happened to me too and I know how devastating it is. I wish you a healthy pregnancy very soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GAH. I do not know how those of you who eat 1200 cals on the daily do it.

I am not huge and have a dense/muscular body so my weight has always been on the higher end for my size, even when I wore a 0/2, but I really do need to buckle down and lose 10 lbs that are the result of travel, holidays, wine, and cheese. I do normally eat very healthily, but I do also have a huge appetite (always have), and trying to stick to 1200 to shake this extra fluff is killing me!

My BMI is 24 so I don't think I'd qualify for any weight loss meds, but I seriously am starving - and very grumpy as a result. I am drinking tons of water, but any other tricks to defeat or distract from hunger?

Black coffee, cups of broth, and green tea help in my experience. I also drink hot water throughout the day. For whatever reason I find hot drinks much more satiating than cold ones.

Also look into volume eating - there’s a helpful subreddit on this. Basically bulking up meals with low-calorie fillers. For example, I will eat my chicken/steak/fish at dinner with a whole bag of frozen cauliflower rice. Or if you want to do a pasta dish, do 30-40% pasta and sub in zoodles for the rest. Or do an Asian-style broth based soup and add in a ton of shredded cabbage. Stuff like that. You fill up your stomach/feel like you ate a lot, but didn’t consume many calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's all in your head. Embrace the hunger, it means you are actually losing weight. Especially embrace night hunger, going to bed hungry, you will likely see results on the scale in the morning. Stop focusing on how hungry you are and instead focus on how much self control you have.

OTOH you are already a good weight and probably shouldn't even be worrying about this. Take your time, lose a pound every two weeks or so and forget about it.

This. It's ok to be hungry. It's normal. I don't snack 99.9% of the time. I eat 3 meals a day and nothing in between. Sure, some days I may be a bit hungry between meals but that's normal. I just deal with it until the next meal. I'm not going to starve. I don't count calories and eat a normal if not more than normal amount each meal. I've been the same weight give or take a few pounds for 25+years. Hunger is normal sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Drink more water. Being hungry is also normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just started doing 1200 calories a day and intermediate fasting. Are you tracking to be sure that you are actually meeting 1200 calories and not under? Are you also excercising daily which will burn calories and allow you to eat more? You can eat a total of 1200 calories but if you work out and burn 200, then you can eat to replace that 200. Also, foods in high protein and fiber are more filling than anything else. Have it for each meal.

6 hours, no snacking results in no loss


Exercise calories are very hard to estimate accurately and eating them back often results in no loss.

Cardio can increase hunger try things like walking.

Lack of or poor quality sleep can also drive hunger and cravings.

Try upping protein and layering in intermittent fasting 18/6. Two bigger meals in 6 hours, no snacking. Hunger cues will adjust in a week or 2.

[Anonymous]

^ should read try eating only for 6 hours, snacking keeps insulin high which can result in no or little loss

[Anonymous]

Eat more low calorie, nutrient and fiber dense foods and don't be afraid of nutritious carbohydrates. They are filling.

Also, as some PPs have noted it's normal to feel hunger, but it's not normal to be starving to the point of being grumpy unless it's right at meal time and you're legitimately hangry.

[Anonymous]

All of this so ridiculous. You don't need to be constantly hunger to lose weight/stay slim. You need to eat nutrient dense food. Veggies, fruit, lean proteins, fish, greek yogurt, eggs, beans and legumes. It takes work, you have to prep food and meals or you'll default to foods that will leave you hungry, because there is so much ultraprocessed food readily available, but if you eat the right foods, you won't be hungry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's all in your head. Embrace the hunger, it means you are actually losing weight. Especially embrace night hunger, going to bed hungry, you will likely see results on the scale in the morning. Stop focusing on how hungry you are and instead focus on how much self control you have.

OTOH you are already a good weight and probably shouldn't even be worrying about this. Take your time, lose a pound every two weeks or so and forget about it.

This. It's ok to be hungry. It's normal. I don't snack 99.9% of the time. I eat 3 meals a day and nothing in between. Sure, some days I may be a bit hungry between meals but that's normal. I just deal with it until the next meal. I'm not going to starve. I don't count calories and eat a normal if not more than normal amount each meal. I've been the same weight give or take a few pounds for 25+years. Hunger is normal sometimes.

I don’t believe everyone feels hunger the same. My DH is perpetually thin and when he doesn’t eat and he gets hangry, but he some how doesn’t complain about being hungry. It’s like he doesn’t feel hunger in his stomach. I will ask him when he last ate when he is hangry. Usually he has forgotten to eat a meal.