hungry at night- only 500 cals left for today

Okay I just had my lunch and I have 514 calories left for dinner. It's only 11:30! I'm 5'3 130 pounds and I'm trying to keep a 1300 cal diet. This is a difficult task for me! I'll do fine all day, but then after dinner around 8 or 9 I start to get really hungry and end up eating 1400 or 1500.

The thing is right now I'm not working out. I just started dieting again, because I wanted to get used to dieting first then start working out again. When I do both I quit very fast! So far, its helped me stick to dieting better. My basal metabolic rate is 1427, so I'm very close to eating maintenance rather than losing without exercise. My question is- How to keep from being so hungry at night or should I up my calories?

I'm nervous to start working out again because I either get very addicted to working out or I just quit because I cant stand being hungry.

Also, since I only have 500 cals left how should I break it up for the rest of the day and what to eat?

I understand wanting to wait to start working out. I have done the same thing. I probably would have lost the weight faster if I had exercized the whole time but I have lost 25 pounds dieting and am gonna start working out now. Anyway, I lost my weight eating around 1500 calories a day for a long time. I weigh more than you do but my stats are sort of similar since I am taller (I'm 5'5" and 137) and eating around 1400-1500 has never really hurt my weight loss.

If you are looking for things to eat tonight, chicken is fairly low-calorie, as are vegetables and soup. Campbell's soup has a lot of sodium in it but I like it because a can of chicken noodle has 156 calories.

According to this source http://www.phord.com/cc/  You burn 1597 completely sedentary. That means if you're eating 1400-1500 calories you definitely have a deficit which means weight loss.

Dieting sucks. It'd be really difficult for me to only eat 1300/day... I eat that before dinner. I'd never stick to a plan that required me to eat that for any period of time.

Go easy on yourself, you know? If you're not comfortable, then you're not doing something right.

The best part about working out (whatever that means to you: walking, jogging, cleaning the house) is that you can eat more. Working out makes my body feel great & gives me more freedom. For instance, I can have pancakes for breakfast, a good sized lunch and pizza for dinner. And ice cream. And snacks. Easy peasy.

Also, for me working out is a social event. I will not go to the gym. I just don't enjoy it. I take martial arts classes instead. I love the people I work out with. We have so much fun & I can't wait to see them every night. It's like a treat!

Try to find something you really, really like doing. If it totally sucks for you, whether it's dieting, working out or whatever, then why would you do it? You know?

Thanks so much! You guys have helped a lot. I need to find something super low in cal when i am still hungry after dinner and jello would be great, but I fear that artificial sweetners make me crave sweet so I try to stay away from them, plus they give me gas lol. Last night, I did eat some sliced chicken breast for about 50 cals, but it didnt fill me up enough. Today, I ate too much for lunch mostly due to the bread I used on my sandwich. This is why I only have 500 cals left, but I'll make it work! I really want to lose a little bit of weight before March 16th.

As for exercise, I plan to start working out next week. I just wanna get in a little more dieting so i can get used to it. I am trying to walk as much as possible and actually have been cleaning more just to keep moving. I did go to a weekly cardio boot camp class, which is fun! I did enjoy that. I like working out in groups very much.

I really hope to eat dinner later, but usually I just can't wait. I need to work on that. I am gonna try to organize my day better so I can save as many calories as possible to the end of my day.

Any other advice? What else has worked for you guys? How do you manage to not go over your budget?

Maybe you could go for a walk... burns calories and doesn't feel like working out.  Even if you burn 200 calories, that adds up in the long run to a much more substantial deficit.  Also, drink TONS of water... it helps you stay feeling fuller longer.  Good luck to ya.  I know I couldn't lose weight without exercise, it's just not enough food for me.  I would much rather work out and eat 1900 cal than not work out and be stuck with 500 for the next 10 hours :)

Do you plan your eating?  I've found that's the best way I can stay on track with my calorie intake.  I eat six times a day.  Breakfast and lunch come in at around 250 calories each, three snacks at about 100 calories each and dinner at about 500 calories.  Eating protein at each meal or snack is crucial to keeping me full.

I keep a notebook of my meal plans.  Each morning, I write out my meals and snacks for the day.  I also have lists of suitable meals and snacks.  This makes grocery shopping very easy as well.  And if I want to change my plan, it's no big thing -- I just switch out for something comparable calorie- and nutrition-wise.  

Laura

i am a night-eater TOO! i just like to have snacks while i'm sitting at home watching tv at the end of the day.

some things that have helped me: going straight to the gym after work. i don't get home until around 7, when i shower and then make dinner. i eat too late to get hungry between dinner and bedtime (i go to bed at 10 or 10:30), and i'm not in the house, constantly looking into the fridge before dinner. another strategy i've developed is allowing myself a healthy snack after dinner if i need it. i love frozen grapes (satisfy a sweet craving and take a while to eat), air-popped popcorn and edamame.

also, while cc recommended 1200 per day for me, i've found it's not enough for me to be satisfied. i try and stay under 1000 before dinner, then will adjust my dinner to reach 1200-1400 total after my workout (if i eat 900 throughout the day and burn 200 at the gym, i'll give myself 500 to 700 cals for dinner and a snack).

working out is worth it to me, because i can eat more snacks!

stick with it!

hang in there!

Thanks guys! ur responses do help! Last night I managed did go over my cals around 1450, but thats okay. I plan to start working out this weekend. I just don't know if I can keep up dieting and working out. Ahh!! This morning I was a pound lighter after a 5 days of dieting so I'm excited!

I don't plan my meals, but I will def. start to so I don't get stuck with low cals at the end of the day! Thanks everyone!

I'm a night eater too.

Often I will go the entire day without eating a bite of food, just so I can curl up in front of the tv in my jammies at night and eat until I'm full. I like to save my calories for when I can really enjoy them (and sitting at my desk eating at work is NEVER as enjoyable).

Perhaps your problem can be solved by cutting your lunch in half, and adding those calories to your dinner allowance.

Not everyone can do that, but it works well for me. I'd rather eat two filling meals than three non-filling ones.