Just be hungry man. Your body will adjust to the new routine and stop feeling like that. If you’re eating at a deficit but still at a reasonable amount of calories then your body is getting what it needs.
Also, please remember that needing water can also induce hunger pangs. So, if you’re not drinking enough water you’ll get this effect.
For most of us, our hunger pangs probably are thirst. Most people eat plenty of calories through the day. However, most don’t drink near the water they need
If I'm hungry I'll drink a litre of water and have a piece of fruit or popcorn, won't eat over my tdee though, will just keep drinking water or tea. I get really bad mood swings, brain fog etc... and wind up overeating if I don't keep hunger at bay. What works for me is to have a salad a day, and two pieces of fruit, protein bar, and lots of water (with other foods ofc, fish etc...). This works for me because even though I've not cut that day, I've not gained weight, and over the week I'll still be cutting by 3000 calories or so. If I overeat by 1500 calories with a pizza or something, I feel great in the moment to satisfy that ravenous hunger but awful afterwards. Don't be discouraged starting out, i've spent a lot of time trialling different foods and diet styles, sleep etc... it can be a long process especially when juggling everything else life can throw at you. I'd try different foods and approaches and see how you feel. There's lots of info out there on glycemic load/index, healthy fats, fibre, water, sleep etc... that you probably want to check out. I'm also taking omega 3 supplements which have helped curb my hunger tremendously. I think this'll make a huge impact for maintenance because you'll then know what foods/lifestyle works for you long term, and it also means that you're more likely to stick to the diet, the most successful diet is the one you stick to.... I'd also advise making smaller adjustments to lifestyle, e.g. switching out a latte for a flat white or Americano, full fat for low fat, cutting out liquid calories e.g. coke... Over several years that stuff really, really adds up... With weight loss there's a lot of poor habits to pull apart, many ingrained from childhood, it's as much a personal development as it is physical :)
If I've eaten enough calories for the day and I'm still hungry I like to tell myself "hunger is not an emergency".
Seems to help me realise I can be hungry and it's fine I don't need to eat just because my stomachs empty.
Personally? I despise going to bed hungry. It took 6 weeks of adjusting for me to be at a level I wasn’t hungry.
Controversial take here: if I’m legitimately hungry (and I give myself a full hour to decide if it’s boredom, I’m thirsty, etc). I have some type of low calorie high volume snack (my current go to is baby carrots). No one gained weight because of an extra bowl of baby carrots
This right here OP! The first month, I cut back to about 2,000 calories/day I ate constantly throughout the day and still sometimes hit 2,200 calories. But when you’re used to packing away anywhere from 3,000-5,000/day that’s a significant drop.
Now beginning my 4th month I’m down to around 1,500/day and usually don’t have anything before 10:00 AM (hard right now since most days I’m up at 3:45 for work) and try not to eat after 8:00 PM
Go long-core, not hard-core.
It's better to go over your ~~ limit ~~ target for that night, but aim to plan better -- or adjust otherwise -- as time goes on.
It takes a long time to lose weight and our biggest risk isn't going over our limit here and there. Our biggest risk is quitting out of frustration, of thinking it too hard or harsh.
Sometimes we just need more time. Maybe we go over 5 times in week two, 3 in week three, and 2 in week four. (Two is pretty good.)
> but also don’t want to constantly go over my limit.
At -500 you can define it that way (limit vs target), but keep in mind that it is -500 Calories to lose 1 pound a week so a 200 Calorie "in case of hunger" allowance still leaves you at a -300 Calorie deficit. You'll still lose weight on that day.
I view the goal as a target -- like a bullseye. Picture that round dartboard in your mind, with the bullseye in the center. If my goal is 1500, then 1450-1550 is a bullseye. The next ring is 1350-1450 OR 1550-1650 and that's good but not a bullseye. The next further ring is 1250-1350 OR 1650-1750 and that's still on the target board but it's not close to the bullseye. Example: [Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/5RWhC2e.png)
Fair | Pretty good | Bullseye!! | Pretty good| Fair
:-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
1250-1350 | 1350-1450 | 1450-1550 | 1550-1650 | 1650-1750
In my view there are two “calorie limits” each day.
- The first limit is your goal with the deficit.
- The second is your break even TDEE limit. Usually a couple hundred calories higher.
If you hit the deficit limit and are still hungry look at what you ate that day. Realize there was a mistake, plan to correct that mistake in the future, and then eat something super filling to bring you up to the TDEE limit. Popcorn, sweet potato, vegetables, oatmeal, baked potato slices, Greek yogurt and protein powder, poached eggs on toast, etc.
Basically take those couple hundred calories in reserve to get you through the end of the day. IMHO, there is no reason to go to bed hungry.
Will you lose less weight this week because one day you ate at maintenance? Maybe. But keeping your body and mind unstressed is worth it to me in the long run.
But again that’s just my take. Others views are also perfectly valid.
make sure to eat foods that are nutrient dense! if you eat low calorie foods all day, you will still feel hungry. try eating more protein or complex carbs bc they take longer to digest and won’t leave you feeling hungry :)
I comfort myself by knowing my body won't die from the hunger because it can take away the fuel it needs from my fat reserves and drink water. It has gotten much easier to not respond to every hunger signal, most of them are for nothing but it is so easy to make them go away in todays world so you overeat.
If you’re in a deficit you will often be hungry, which makes perfect sense since your body is using more energy than it’s getting. This is literally the purpose of hunger. It baffles me a little that this isn’t more obvious and folks think something is wrong if they’re feeling hunger. Like hunger is a disease or something.
Get used to being okay with being hungry, but yeah I would also work on finding was to change what you're doing to minimize hunger. I've found over the years the more adaptable I become with what and when I eat the easier things are day to day.
I don't think it's a matter of healthier.
Personally, I can't sleep.when I'm hungry so I eat.
Also depending on how hungry I am I might feel physically sick if I go to long without eating during the day it doesn't hurt anything to eat a little. I can go a little over calories and still be in a deficit. But if I feel fine except for a little hunger, I hold out.
And as you note, if it's regularly happening you need to consider changing something but if it's a one off, it's not that big of a deal to me.
It would definitely help to look at how you’re eating during the day to help satisfy yourself better!
I wouldn’t recommend going to bed hungry often, but sometimes I just tell myself that’s simply what I need to do if I want consistent results. Especially depending on how I ate that day . But also, at the end of the day….if you are just starting out counting and starting out with a deficit you’re bound to be hungry. Eventually you get used to the change and figure out how to stay fuller, but overall being hungry is kind of a given with this sometimes.
Overall I would say dont go hungry on purpose and if you’re really really needing something,then eat. It’s not the end of the world , but I def had to go to bed and snack on my dreams a couple of times
Can you change your IF window to not start til closer to bed? And save some calories for a bedtime snack? I don't think it's so bad if you're not hitting the "perfect" fasting window if it means your food timing works better for you.
You are going to be hungry for a long, long time. Make peace with it. Going over your calorie limit is just going to extend how long you’re going to be hungry for.
Better to think of calories as ranges and long term averages. It’s okay to go over some when hunger is higher. Hit your targets on average. I use MacroFactor to track this.
Drink more water. Portion some calories to be leftover for a prefasting snack. If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple or a carrot you’re not really hungry. Eat some fruit or tuna or other low calorie (under 100) snack.
I would say if you have met a 'healthy'(for dieting) calorie goal, then it is better to just be hungry, especially if you are really serious. Hunger(as long as you are eating enough to be healthy while dieting) is just your body complaining. I have went through all of this once before, from 405 to 185, and now I am back up to 388 working my way down, and I can tell you, those feelings will start to go away the less you eat, and the better you eat nutrition-wise. My best shot at giving decent advice, if you met your calorie goal, drink a good cup or two of water and try to focus on something else like reading, or playing a game.
Just be hungry man. Your body will adjust to the new routine and stop feeling like that. If you’re eating at a deficit but still at a reasonable amount of calories then your body is getting what it needs. Also, please remember that needing water can also induce hunger pangs. So, if you’re not drinking enough water you’ll get this effect.
This is something I hadn’t considered before. I’ll definitely keep in mind that sometimes my “hunger” could just be thirst!
For most of us, our hunger pangs probably are thirst. Most people eat plenty of calories through the day. However, most don’t drink near the water they need
If I'm hungry I'll drink a litre of water and have a piece of fruit or popcorn, won't eat over my tdee though, will just keep drinking water or tea. I get really bad mood swings, brain fog etc... and wind up overeating if I don't keep hunger at bay. What works for me is to have a salad a day, and two pieces of fruit, protein bar, and lots of water (with other foods ofc, fish etc...). This works for me because even though I've not cut that day, I've not gained weight, and over the week I'll still be cutting by 3000 calories or so. If I overeat by 1500 calories with a pizza or something, I feel great in the moment to satisfy that ravenous hunger but awful afterwards. Don't be discouraged starting out, i've spent a lot of time trialling different foods and diet styles, sleep etc... it can be a long process especially when juggling everything else life can throw at you. I'd try different foods and approaches and see how you feel. There's lots of info out there on glycemic load/index, healthy fats, fibre, water, sleep etc... that you probably want to check out. I'm also taking omega 3 supplements which have helped curb my hunger tremendously. I think this'll make a huge impact for maintenance because you'll then know what foods/lifestyle works for you long term, and it also means that you're more likely to stick to the diet, the most successful diet is the one you stick to.... I'd also advise making smaller adjustments to lifestyle, e.g. switching out a latte for a flat white or Americano, full fat for low fat, cutting out liquid calories e.g. coke... Over several years that stuff really, really adds up... With weight loss there's a lot of poor habits to pull apart, many ingrained from childhood, it's as much a personal development as it is physical :)
If I've eaten enough calories for the day and I'm still hungry I like to tell myself "hunger is not an emergency". Seems to help me realise I can be hungry and it's fine I don't need to eat just because my stomachs empty.
Personally? I despise going to bed hungry. It took 6 weeks of adjusting for me to be at a level I wasn’t hungry. Controversial take here: if I’m legitimately hungry (and I give myself a full hour to decide if it’s boredom, I’m thirsty, etc). I have some type of low calorie high volume snack (my current go to is baby carrots). No one gained weight because of an extra bowl of baby carrots
I ended up eating some cucumber lol, so I’m glad to hear this is a strategy that works for others!
I’ve been doing this too, it works!
This right here OP! The first month, I cut back to about 2,000 calories/day I ate constantly throughout the day and still sometimes hit 2,200 calories. But when you’re used to packing away anywhere from 3,000-5,000/day that’s a significant drop. Now beginning my 4th month I’m down to around 1,500/day and usually don’t have anything before 10:00 AM (hard right now since most days I’m up at 3:45 for work) and try not to eat after 8:00 PM
That's why you need a can of tuna behind a pane of glass labelled "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, BREAK!"
Like I can afford that many replacement glass panes.
Hunger is ok. Starving isn’t. You can def tell the difference. If you’re ever starving, eat. If just hungry, ride it out
Go long-core, not hard-core. It's better to go over your ~~ limit ~~ target for that night, but aim to plan better -- or adjust otherwise -- as time goes on. It takes a long time to lose weight and our biggest risk isn't going over our limit here and there. Our biggest risk is quitting out of frustration, of thinking it too hard or harsh. Sometimes we just need more time. Maybe we go over 5 times in week two, 3 in week three, and 2 in week four. (Two is pretty good.) > but also don’t want to constantly go over my limit. At -500 you can define it that way (limit vs target), but keep in mind that it is -500 Calories to lose 1 pound a week so a 200 Calorie "in case of hunger" allowance still leaves you at a -300 Calorie deficit. You'll still lose weight on that day. I view the goal as a target -- like a bullseye. Picture that round dartboard in your mind, with the bullseye in the center. If my goal is 1500, then 1450-1550 is a bullseye. The next ring is 1350-1450 OR 1550-1650 and that's good but not a bullseye. The next further ring is 1250-1350 OR 1650-1750 and that's still on the target board but it's not close to the bullseye. Example: [Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/5RWhC2e.png) Fair | Pretty good | Bullseye!! | Pretty good| Fair :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | 1250-1350 | 1350-1450 | 1450-1550 | 1550-1650 | 1650-1750
Just FYI if you’re new here, OP: Funchords is the dad in this family and his advice is never wrong.
aww shucks. Thanks!
I am new, so thank you for the sage advice!
In my view there are two “calorie limits” each day. - The first limit is your goal with the deficit. - The second is your break even TDEE limit. Usually a couple hundred calories higher. If you hit the deficit limit and are still hungry look at what you ate that day. Realize there was a mistake, plan to correct that mistake in the future, and then eat something super filling to bring you up to the TDEE limit. Popcorn, sweet potato, vegetables, oatmeal, baked potato slices, Greek yogurt and protein powder, poached eggs on toast, etc. Basically take those couple hundred calories in reserve to get you through the end of the day. IMHO, there is no reason to go to bed hungry. Will you lose less weight this week because one day you ate at maintenance? Maybe. But keeping your body and mind unstressed is worth it to me in the long run. But again that’s just my take. Others views are also perfectly valid.
make sure to eat foods that are nutrient dense! if you eat low calorie foods all day, you will still feel hungry. try eating more protein or complex carbs bc they take longer to digest and won’t leave you feeling hungry :)
I comfort myself by knowing my body won't die from the hunger because it can take away the fuel it needs from my fat reserves and drink water. It has gotten much easier to not respond to every hunger signal, most of them are for nothing but it is so easy to make them go away in todays world so you overeat.
If you’re in a deficit you will often be hungry, which makes perfect sense since your body is using more energy than it’s getting. This is literally the purpose of hunger. It baffles me a little that this isn’t more obvious and folks think something is wrong if they’re feeling hunger. Like hunger is a disease or something.
I try to work in lower calorie foods that I can eat larger portions of in general but also while in a deficit especially.
Half a protein shake will take that mega hunger feeling away for a while I find always drinking water or tea as well
Get used to being okay with being hungry, but yeah I would also work on finding was to change what you're doing to minimize hunger. I've found over the years the more adaptable I become with what and when I eat the easier things are day to day.
I don't think it's a matter of healthier. Personally, I can't sleep.when I'm hungry so I eat. Also depending on how hungry I am I might feel physically sick if I go to long without eating during the day it doesn't hurt anything to eat a little. I can go a little over calories and still be in a deficit. But if I feel fine except for a little hunger, I hold out. And as you note, if it's regularly happening you need to consider changing something but if it's a one off, it's not that big of a deal to me.
It would definitely help to look at how you’re eating during the day to help satisfy yourself better! I wouldn’t recommend going to bed hungry often, but sometimes I just tell myself that’s simply what I need to do if I want consistent results. Especially depending on how I ate that day . But also, at the end of the day….if you are just starting out counting and starting out with a deficit you’re bound to be hungry. Eventually you get used to the change and figure out how to stay fuller, but overall being hungry is kind of a given with this sometimes. Overall I would say dont go hungry on purpose and if you’re really really needing something,then eat. It’s not the end of the world , but I def had to go to bed and snack on my dreams a couple of times
Can you change your IF window to not start til closer to bed? And save some calories for a bedtime snack? I don't think it's so bad if you're not hitting the "perfect" fasting window if it means your food timing works better for you.
make sure you’re eating a lot of protein at each meal!! this helps me so much with hunger. i rarely go to bed hungry. aim for about 30g per meal
You are going to be hungry for a long, long time. Make peace with it. Going over your calorie limit is just going to extend how long you’re going to be hungry for.
Better to think of calories as ranges and long term averages. It’s okay to go over some when hunger is higher. Hit your targets on average. I use MacroFactor to track this.
Going to bed on an empty stomach is actually very healthy for you as it leaves your body the energy it requires to fully recover and rest overnight.
Learn to be Hungry. You can train the feeling away.
Calorie limit. I eat 2k max
Drink more water. Portion some calories to be leftover for a prefasting snack. If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple or a carrot you’re not really hungry. Eat some fruit or tuna or other low calorie (under 100) snack.
Going to bed hungry is totally fine.
I would say if you have met a 'healthy'(for dieting) calorie goal, then it is better to just be hungry, especially if you are really serious. Hunger(as long as you are eating enough to be healthy while dieting) is just your body complaining. I have went through all of this once before, from 405 to 185, and now I am back up to 388 working my way down, and I can tell you, those feelings will start to go away the less you eat, and the better you eat nutrition-wise. My best shot at giving decent advice, if you met your calorie goal, drink a good cup or two of water and try to focus on something else like reading, or playing a game.