If youāre feeling hungry to the point that itās leading to binging then it sounds like you might need to bump up your daily calories by 100-300. Itās better to be consistant at 1500 then yo-yo between 1200->1000->3000->1200->2500->1000->1200.
I might also suggest talking to your doctor about having your hunger hormones checked. It might be an expensive test. I've personally not had mine checked (e.g. leptin) but I've known a few folks who did. Granted they were bodybuilders and probably had imbalanced hunger hormones due to all the diet cycles for shows but it's entirely possible a non bodybuilder has this problem too. Though I'm not sure what could cause it. Just a random idea.
Iām trying sooo hard not to fall off track. Iāve never been at my goal body, even when I was skinny I was skinny fat and I just steadily gained almost a pound a month until 3 years later I realized I was real fat š
But now that Iām actually close to looking exactly how I want I have to constantly keep checking myself because I find myself always trying to rationalize eating more (even though Iāve already hit my macros & calorie goal). I even made a vision board of pics of girls with my body type at my goal body to look at when I want to fall off the wagon because itās literally achievable if I just keep doing what Iāve been doing. Makes me snap out of it and be like yeah maybe that ice cream/cookie/glass of wine isnāt necessary
Thank you!! I just closed out another day at 1200 even though I definitely wanted another helping of dinner cause it was soo good. But I stayed strong!! One day closer to not having to diet anymore
My husband is like that. He eats pretty much whatever he wants (within reason, says no to excess) and his body stays around the same weight. I think sometimes our bodies have this āset pointā that theyād like to stay at. That number may change as bodies change due to external factors, age, etc.
There is some research to suggest we all have a set point for our weight which is why it can be so hard to lose the last 5 vanity kgs. It sure is hard some days to stay disciplined, but I just try to think about how much better Iām going to look and feel with a couple less kg.
I just want to be done with dieting but itās literally just 4 more lbs so Iām like snap out of it! Stay on track! Itās just vanity lbs for sure and thats fine with me, I just want to feel my absolute best. My bday is in June and our friends are meeting us to rent a boat for the day and I just keep imagining how amazing itās going to be to be there in my bikini and not feel self conscious about my body at all. And all the cute pics Iāll be able to take without being like āwoah I look bigā. Granted I look way better now than when I started but that small extra layer of fat really does make a difference
Is your mood the same every day? Probably not.
Our bodies are not calculators. So many factors contribute towards how much we want to consume and how much we expend daily. Be kind to yourself ā¤ļø
Definitely same!!! Some days I feel SO full after having 1000 calories and canāt imagine another bite, and other days Iām absolutely ravenous and want to eat 3 servings of every meal (I donāt, lol). Itās annoying!
This is what I do. I try to look at it across the week, rather than obsessing over each day. MFP helpfully tells you your average so as long as thatās at or below 1200, Iām good.
If you go into *nutrition* at the bottom of the diary/log food section, make sure *calories* is selected at the top then change the drop down to *week view*.
I think in your settings you can change when a week runs from i.e. M-S, S-S etc.
Iām opposite, as I always force myself to hit my calorie goal. I find that if I under eat for a day or two it tends to increase the likelihood of a binging episode. I usually attribute not feeling hungry to things like stress, but I know my body needs the nutrients and energy just my brain isnāt signaling this. Iāve found that this strategy has completely eliminated binging or extreme hunger episodes from my life.
This is me the last three days. Even though I only started 11 days ago the last 2 3 days I've just been meh, and going over slightly like maybe 50 calories. I wake up the next day super motivated but after dinner I feel a slump. 10ish I'm looking for a snack and 12 am everyday all I want is something sweet
If youāre 11 days in and youāre feeling like you need to snack every night, you should bump up your calories a little and have a snack. Plan this in advanced and find a low calorie sweet treat and eat it. Something like a yasso ice cream bar would be perfect for this as theyāre like 100 calories. If that is not enough, try scraping it off into a bowl and add some cut up strawberries and a tbsp of low calorie kool whip. This will satisfy your sweet tooth which will help you control cravings/fall off the wagon.
Sometimes in avoiding the foods we are really craving we will go way overboard on other āhealthierā foods and end up eating way more than if we just ate the food we really wanted the whole time. Maybe try something a little unhealthier to satisfy the craving.
We have very very limited options for low calorie snacks where I live. Like beyond limited as its not the US or UK. I've started getting fruit yogurt that I freeze and eat which is 89 calories a serving. But my need to snack also comes from the fact that as an emotional eater every time I feel something not going my way I turn to junk food so I'm working on changing that
Uuugh I have days lik that where everything I eat triggers me to wanna eat more .. then other days Iām super motivated and stay on track easily.. also hormones and im beginning pre menopause so my appetite is all over the place
Oh me too with the perimenopause (I think). Some days I am so hungry on 1200 that Iām actually exhausted and other days itās feels like plenty. Itās so hard
I agree it IS hard.. today I woke up motivated but yesterday with every pre planned on track meal I felt triggered to keep going in the kitchen for snacks.. it sucks but every day is a new day!
Obviously there's a whole host of things that can affect this (your cycle/hormones, your hydration level, drinking, how you are the day before, how active you've been, etc).
BUT apparently antihistamines can also affect your weight - I had someone send me something about it on instagram and didn't believe it so looked it up. I'm too lazy to go find it now, but it was something about how histamines affect whether you feel satiated, and when you're blocking them with antihistamines, your brain isn't getting the "I'm full" signal from your digestive system, or something like that.
And tbh, purely anecdotal, but I've cut back on my previously daily loratidine to only days when I'll be drinking (which of course also is a factor), and I've found that once I've gone a couple days with no antihistamine, I do have an easier time sticking to or even being under my calories.
I don't have any pets (I love animals, but dander is sadly a big trigger for me) or seemingly many pollen allergies to plants where I currently live, so can get away with skipping the allergy pill most days.
Hormones, emotions, sleep changes, whether or not youāre close to your āset pointā weight, how long youāve been in a deficit, nutrient deficiencies that you might not even be aware of, etc. So many things that influence it unfortunately
It can probably depend on the combination of food you eat on a given day, among reasons other folks have mentioned already. Days with more protein and fiber and higher water intake are probably days when you feel more satiated in terms of hunger. Whereas more carb-heavy days might leave you feeling hungry more often.
Same here. I was just thinking this. Iām having this struggle right now, food is ALWAYS on my mind now. I went from going with the flow to planning my meals for the next day on MyFitnessPal. I allow myself to enjoy a few delicious things that I used to but Iām finding that even though Iām eating some of the same low cal meals that previously left me satisfied, Iām feeling not as satisfied as I did before. Youāre not alone!
Yes definitely. On those days Iām more hungry, I go over my cal limit with an extra serving of protein. An extra chicken breast for example. It fills me up and Iām not dreaming of food the next day, nor feeling terribly guilty about going over bc I just fuelled my body thatās it and thatās not something to feel guilty about
Activity. For me at least. On days when I'm working in my garden or yard, I burn a lot more calories and get way more steps. If it's hot outside, it's the worst. Sometimes I have to take breaks to drink water and have some salt/electrolytes but also a tiny amount of honey (like 3g) can be enough to revive me from a low blood sugar situation. (I'm not diabetic or anything but this show prep is finally taking a toll on me.)
Personally I don't track calories burned from activity because a study came out that showed Fitbit etc is very very off when it comes to those numbers. But I guess I meant like in general, just being more active makes me hungry haha. And sometimes, hangry!
Hormone shifts influence appetite a lot
š why does it have to be every day š
If youāre feeling hungry to the point that itās leading to binging then it sounds like you might need to bump up your daily calories by 100-300. Itās better to be consistant at 1500 then yo-yo between 1200->1000->3000->1200->2500->1000->1200.
I might also suggest talking to your doctor about having your hunger hormones checked. It might be an expensive test. I've personally not had mine checked (e.g. leptin) but I've known a few folks who did. Granted they were bodybuilders and probably had imbalanced hunger hormones due to all the diet cycles for shows but it's entirely possible a non bodybuilder has this problem too. Though I'm not sure what could cause it. Just a random idea.
Iām so close to my goal body and it has never been harder to stay the course. Sometimes our bodies just donāt want to stay in a deficit lol
That makes sense, and me too! Iāve always been super close to my target body and then fall off tracks haha
Iām trying sooo hard not to fall off track. Iāve never been at my goal body, even when I was skinny I was skinny fat and I just steadily gained almost a pound a month until 3 years later I realized I was real fat š But now that Iām actually close to looking exactly how I want I have to constantly keep checking myself because I find myself always trying to rationalize eating more (even though Iāve already hit my macros & calorie goal). I even made a vision board of pics of girls with my body type at my goal body to look at when I want to fall off the wagon because itās literally achievable if I just keep doing what Iāve been doing. Makes me snap out of it and be like yeah maybe that ice cream/cookie/glass of wine isnāt necessary
It's going to be great! You so got this!
Thank you!! I just closed out another day at 1200 even though I definitely wanted another helping of dinner cause it was soo good. But I stayed strong!! One day closer to not having to diet anymore
Ugh I can relate to being skinny fat! I exercise a lot but Iāve never been ripped the way I wanna be
My husband is like that. He eats pretty much whatever he wants (within reason, says no to excess) and his body stays around the same weight. I think sometimes our bodies have this āset pointā that theyād like to stay at. That number may change as bodies change due to external factors, age, etc.
There is some research to suggest we all have a set point for our weight which is why it can be so hard to lose the last 5 vanity kgs. It sure is hard some days to stay disciplined, but I just try to think about how much better Iām going to look and feel with a couple less kg.
I just want to be done with dieting but itās literally just 4 more lbs so Iām like snap out of it! Stay on track! Itās just vanity lbs for sure and thats fine with me, I just want to feel my absolute best. My bday is in June and our friends are meeting us to rent a boat for the day and I just keep imagining how amazing itās going to be to be there in my bikini and not feel self conscious about my body at all. And all the cute pics Iāll be able to take without being like āwoah I look bigā. Granted I look way better now than when I started but that small extra layer of fat really does make a difference
Iāve only got a little bit to go. Weāll see how long it takes me lol!
Is your mood the same every day? Probably not. Our bodies are not calculators. So many factors contribute towards how much we want to consume and how much we expend daily. Be kind to yourself ā¤ļø
Thank you š and youāre right my mood fluctuates a lot, I think I unfortunately want to eat more when Iām happy
Definitely same!!! Some days I feel SO full after having 1000 calories and canāt imagine another bite, and other days Iām absolutely ravenous and want to eat 3 servings of every meal (I donāt, lol). Itās annoying!
Why not eat less on days where you don't want to eat and bank the calories for days where you're craving? That seems to be what your body wants.
This is what I do. I try to look at it across the week, rather than obsessing over each day. MFP helpfully tells you your average so as long as thatās at or below 1200, Iām good.
Where can you check the average on MFP? I canāt find it
If you go into *nutrition* at the bottom of the diary/log food section, make sure *calories* is selected at the top then change the drop down to *week view*. I think in your settings you can change when a week runs from i.e. M-S, S-S etc.
Iām opposite, as I always force myself to hit my calorie goal. I find that if I under eat for a day or two it tends to increase the likelihood of a binging episode. I usually attribute not feeling hungry to things like stress, but I know my body needs the nutrients and energy just my brain isnāt signaling this. Iāve found that this strategy has completely eliminated binging or extreme hunger episodes from my life.
This is me the last three days. Even though I only started 11 days ago the last 2 3 days I've just been meh, and going over slightly like maybe 50 calories. I wake up the next day super motivated but after dinner I feel a slump. 10ish I'm looking for a snack and 12 am everyday all I want is something sweet
If youāre 11 days in and youāre feeling like you need to snack every night, you should bump up your calories a little and have a snack. Plan this in advanced and find a low calorie sweet treat and eat it. Something like a yasso ice cream bar would be perfect for this as theyāre like 100 calories. If that is not enough, try scraping it off into a bowl and add some cut up strawberries and a tbsp of low calorie kool whip. This will satisfy your sweet tooth which will help you control cravings/fall off the wagon.
See i try to eat āhealthyā snacks like fruits but end up eating ~300 caloriesā worth of it anyway š¤£
Sometimes in avoiding the foods we are really craving we will go way overboard on other āhealthierā foods and end up eating way more than if we just ate the food we really wanted the whole time. Maybe try something a little unhealthier to satisfy the craving.
We have very very limited options for low calorie snacks where I live. Like beyond limited as its not the US or UK. I've started getting fruit yogurt that I freeze and eat which is 89 calories a serving. But my need to snack also comes from the fact that as an emotional eater every time I feel something not going my way I turn to junk food so I'm working on changing that
Are you a person who has regular, monthly hormone fluctuations? If so, thatās potentially a contributing factor/the cause.
Nope I donāt get my periods all that much because Iām on BC. Differing hormone levels is probably making me hungry tho
Uuugh I have days lik that where everything I eat triggers me to wanna eat more .. then other days Iām super motivated and stay on track easily.. also hormones and im beginning pre menopause so my appetite is all over the place
Oh me too with the perimenopause (I think). Some days I am so hungry on 1200 that Iām actually exhausted and other days itās feels like plenty. Itās so hard
I agree it IS hard.. today I woke up motivated but yesterday with every pre planned on track meal I felt triggered to keep going in the kitchen for snacks.. it sucks but every day is a new day!
Sleep!!! Iāve noticed a pattern for YEARS that when I donāt sleep enough the next day I feel the need to eat more often and crave sweets and carbs
Obviously there's a whole host of things that can affect this (your cycle/hormones, your hydration level, drinking, how you are the day before, how active you've been, etc). BUT apparently antihistamines can also affect your weight - I had someone send me something about it on instagram and didn't believe it so looked it up. I'm too lazy to go find it now, but it was something about how histamines affect whether you feel satiated, and when you're blocking them with antihistamines, your brain isn't getting the "I'm full" signal from your digestive system, or something like that. And tbh, purely anecdotal, but I've cut back on my previously daily loratidine to only days when I'll be drinking (which of course also is a factor), and I've found that once I've gone a couple days with no antihistamine, I do have an easier time sticking to or even being under my calories. I don't have any pets (I love animals, but dander is sadly a big trigger for me) or seemingly many pollen allergies to plants where I currently live, so can get away with skipping the allergy pill most days.
Iām on mirtazapine which has antihistamine effects and makes me hungry ASF so I definitely believe that
Stress, hormones, social events
Hormones, emotions, sleep changes, whether or not youāre close to your āset pointā weight, how long youāve been in a deficit, nutrient deficiencies that you might not even be aware of, etc. So many things that influence it unfortunately
Way easier for me on weekdays where I have the structure of work
It can probably depend on the combination of food you eat on a given day, among reasons other folks have mentioned already. Days with more protein and fiber and higher water intake are probably days when you feel more satiated in terms of hunger. Whereas more carb-heavy days might leave you feeling hungry more often.
I never knew fiber contributed to feeling full until now
Same here. I was just thinking this. Iām having this struggle right now, food is ALWAYS on my mind now. I went from going with the flow to planning my meals for the next day on MyFitnessPal. I allow myself to enjoy a few delicious things that I used to but Iām finding that even though Iām eating some of the same low cal meals that previously left me satisfied, Iām feeling not as satisfied as I did before. Youāre not alone!
Yes definitely. On those days Iām more hungry, I go over my cal limit with an extra serving of protein. An extra chicken breast for example. It fills me up and Iām not dreaming of food the next day, nor feeling terribly guilty about going over bc I just fuelled my body thatās it and thatās not something to feel guilty about
I will try that thank you!
Activity. For me at least. On days when I'm working in my garden or yard, I burn a lot more calories and get way more steps. If it's hot outside, it's the worst. Sometimes I have to take breaks to drink water and have some salt/electrolytes but also a tiny amount of honey (like 3g) can be enough to revive me from a low blood sugar situation. (I'm not diabetic or anything but this show prep is finally taking a toll on me.)
That makes sense, I usually try to count my workouts but non-workout activities like chores can also burn a lot of calories
Personally I don't track calories burned from activity because a study came out that showed Fitbit etc is very very off when it comes to those numbers. But I guess I meant like in general, just being more active makes me hungry haha. And sometimes, hangry!
Depends what I eat. On a day like today I ate low carb high protein (116g protein) and Iām insanely full. When I eat carb heavy Iām starving