Hunger interfering with weight loss

OK so I am finding that my hunger is really getting in the way of me losing weight. I'm 5'5" (thought I was 5'4" but was just recently measured) ranging between 126-130, wanting to get down to 120 or so, maybe in a range around 118-121. Oh yeah, and i'm 24. CC gave me a goal of 1400 cals/day, but I find that when I eat that or around there (more like 1550 on days I exercise) I get so hungry that my stomach cramps, like hunger pains. By nighttime it's so bad that I'm ravenous and in a lot of pain. All I can think about is food. If I'm trying to feed my hunger, my calories can easily go up to 2500.  I believe this is preventing me from losing weight. If I am able to stick it out and not eat anything before bedtime (or just a small snack like a handful of nuts or something) I'll wake up completely starving.

I really don't think it's emotional, given that my stomach growls loudly and I feel pangs of hunger. I asked my nutritionist about it and she said to have a piece of fruit before bed. I just find that unless I basically eat a full meal before bed, I'm so hungry that I can't sleep until like 1 or 2 in the morning.

any advice? I know what my calories need to be, I'm just having trouble putting it into practice.

it's not good for your metabolism for you to be hungry.  maybe you're not eating the right foods.  i find that high calorie foods make me hungry, but if i eat alot of fruits & veges i never really get hungry.

good luck!

Well I try to stick to a food plan that incorporates whole grains, fruit and veggies, low fat dairy or soy dairy, lean protein like chicken, turkey or fish, and healthy fats like olive oil/walnut oil. I do notice that my protein is not as high as I would like and I wonder if that would help.

More protein might help you feel fuller longer. You should also try to ensure that none/very few of your calories come from beverages. In general drinking your calories won't make you feel full.

Sometimes I feel hungry just because I'm focussing too much on food...Could that maybe be your problem? When I sit around and think, mmm, food, when can I eat next, how much can I eat-- I start to feel hungry even when I shouldn't be. If you take your mind off of food you'll probably feel better.

Also, if you've just started out and you used to be eating 2500 calories a day your body will need time to adjust. You might want to try going from 2500 a day down to 2000 and then down to 1500, over a longer period of time. You should still lose weight but feel more comfortable.

Good luck

well im a night eater also so usually i have enough of my cals for the night so iwont go over my daily intake, cause usually im not so hungery during the day.. (but i still eat)

Drink plenty of water and eat protein and fibre to fill you up. Space your calories out so you get enough for the entire day.

1400 calories is not a lot of food, particularly for someone who is exercising.  No wonder you're hungry!  Does CC suggest 1400 calories in order for you to obtain a 1000 calorie deficit? I would suggest trimming your deficit to 500 maximum and enjoying the additional 500 calories of much-needed food.  

Thanks for the responses. Laura, I think CC gives me like an 800 cal deficit or maybe a little more on days that I exercise. I think I am going to try to bump my intake up to 1600 for the time being, and try to get more protein and fiber.

1600 is still not very much food for an active, young woman.  in re-reading your post, i see that you're at a healthy weight now and i'm not sure if it would be especially healthy for you to lose more weight.  in reading some of your previous posts it sounds like you've had an unhealthy relationship with food and body image at other points in your life.  to me this suggests that it is even more important that you refrain from restricting your intake.  if you're hungry, you need to eat.  your body needs to be able to trust that you will give it what it needs. 

1) Up your cals a little bit so that you have a 500cal deficit.

2) Eat a lot of protein. I eat at least a gram/lb of bodyweight, but that is because i lift a lot and i tend to enjoy protein filled foods. You should try to get maybe a half a gram per pound, but increase it if you want.

3) Eat a lot fiber. 30g. Get fiber one cereal. Half cup=60cals and 14g fiber. If you dont like it, just add it to something you like, like oatmeal or sweeter cereal. Give it a shot though. I like it by itself.

4) Lots a water, and foods with water in em.

5) MOST IMPORTANTLY: When i was dieting, i have a lot of success when i ate very very high mass foods with little cals. I would eat like four 24oz meals (1.5lbs!) each day, and it would have around 450cals max. I was stuffed by the end of the day, and I'm NEVER stuffed.

Yeah, the only thing I can think of is your burning more then you realize and therefore when you are not eating enough you're getting hungry. Up your cals to about 100 more a day and see if that works. Good luck, Sweetie. :)

I had an issue with hunger pains waking me up around 2am. Stomach growling real hunger. Took another look at what I had been eating and upped my calories 100-200/day and it stopped happening. I was also able to drop a few more lbs. I think my bod went into maintenance mode because I was eating to few calories.

I'd try adding a couple of hundred calories and reduce your calorie deficit to 500 or so.

I also have a lot of problems with my ravenous hunger (especially after a workout).  I have recently started drinking oolong and green tea in the afternoon, which helps suppress your appetite, boost your metabolism and burn calories, and I find that it does help.  Maybe try drinking some when you're hungry but don't need the extra calories.

In response to juicysmo's post, I agree. I try to stretch my low cal meals out through the day, but I have to workout at night so by the time I'm done I start feeling hungry again. However, instead of raiding the fridge I usually try to reserve a 100 cal or less snack or I drink a hot cup of oolong tea. Usually, the tea does it for me and helps stifle my hunger so I usually don't even need the snack, but I keep it reserved just in case. And instead of using sugar to sweeten the tea I just use 3 packets of splenda so that I'm not ingesting any extra calories.

Try and figure out if it is a mental thing or physical.

A trick I have read about is adding more snacks to your day with food that is either full or air or water.  (air would be popcorn and water would be something like a soup, fruit, or even a protein shake)  The simple act of putting just a tiny bit of food in our mouth can really fight off hunger issues caused by our hungry brain.

Another this is you can probably bump your calories up on days you excercise.

For hunger, I focus on getting more fiber.  It's filling and has great effects on your digestive system.  Foods with fiber are whole-grain bread products, legumes, and some fruits.  Also, try fruits with high water content, like melons and oranges.  Watermelon is a grrrreat all-around diet food.  Finally, for your before-bed snack (I need one too, since I don't eat meals after 5) try mixing some nut butter in with apples.  A tablespoon of sunflower seed or almond butter goes a long way, and tastes great. 

Hi,

I find I have exactly the same problem.  Two foods which I have found which help are:

(1) pineapples (a whole one has only 236 calories, and is EXTREMELY filling as it's full of fibre).  I often have one for breakfast as it then saves calories for later in the day; and

(2) a cereal bar called "Trek".   It's only 205 approx calories, high in protein, completely sugarfree, made using only raw fruit, oats and soya crispies (at least, no baddies that I'm aware of), and are really tasty.  I can usually only manage to eat a half one as they're so filling, so it serves as both my mid-morning and 4pm snacks.  I found them first of all at Sainsburys, but now order cartons directly from Amazon.  You can also get them in health food stores.  The come in 3 flavours that I'm aware of. 

Of course, I have regular meals as well.  But these 2 things help me stay around 1400-1500, and some days I even stay at 1200 if I haven't been exercising.

Good luck. 

One thing I am sure of, if your body tells you it's hungry (not craving, but actually hungry with the stomach squeeze and everything). Then it sure is hungry.

You probably estimate that you burn less than you actually do, specially you're an active lady, it happens to all aggressive dieters, I'm guilty of that too.

If you're hungry, then by all means you have to eat, otherwise you would be starving yourself and depriving your body.

I know a bedtime snack is a HUGE taboo, but it all depends on what type of snack you're eating, I mean a bologna cheese sandwich is a snack, and fat-free yogurt is as well.

I usually have a fruit or yogurt.

Try eating proteins, from my experience, when i eat more sugars and carbohydrates ignoring proteins i feel hungry very soon. But when i eat less sugars and more protein the hungry feeling decline.