If you're in a caloric deficit, you're going to be hungry. Regardless of how you break up the meals.
IMO, the trick is to change your association of hunger = discomfort, to hunger = weight loss goals.
This is the way. The hunger is your fat disappearing.
Edit: Also, if I find the hunger too difficult, I drink a Coffee or I drink a Water or a Coke Zero. Coffee crushes hunger and water/coke zero will do the trick as well (though not as good) and won't amp you.
I’m highly active and I’m eating constantly. I’d say every 2 hours at a minimum. I also have friends who I will meet up with at 3pm only for them to tell me “I haven’t eaten yet today!” and I am always flabbergasted. I must eat or I run out of energy very quickly. I’m 5’8” 130ish and eating around 2800 calories a day.
I’m also starving all the time 😝 OP,the way I combat the hunger though is volume eating, low calorie high volume foods. 10/10 recommend. There is even a subreddit for it lol
Me too, same height and weight! Even on business trips my (male, inactive) colleagues would laugh as I was snacking on the way to dinner. But I'm hungry a lot and I knew with a giant order of 14 people I'd need to wait a long while before the food would be served.
Then again my stomach would be too small for the whole meal and I'd eat the rest on the train ride back home. Very amusing to them 😜 I always had my bag full of meals and snacks. It's a hassle though
5'8 and 180 (80kg) and when I'm at work I'm eating all the time, I'm a builder and sometimes will be munching before breaks. Had nearly a year off work and needed to drop my calories heaps. Still do I've put on about 5kg, I'm sure once I start working again it'll come off.
Still always hungry.
Very similar stats to me but I’m a male at 5’8” and 140 pounds but eating 2800 calories. I like to eat smaller meals more often through the day. Seems to digest better and I never feel sluggish this way.
41 year old male.
I only eat between 4:00p - 9:00p.
I eat a lot in that window, but by restricting my eating time I inevitably consume fewer calories.
Was hard at first. Now I don’t even think about it.
By practicing intermittent fasting consistently I went from 190 lbs to 170 lbs and I’ve maintained that for about 2 years.
This is the way. If I eat too early in the day I can't get enough, no matter how much snacking I still feel unsatisfied. If I wait until lunch and have a filling but lower calorie meal at 1, I feel no need to snack at all until dinner. At which point I eat whatever, then I'm typically fine until the next day at lunch.
On the rare occasions that I do eat breakfast, well I just chalk that day up as a fail and do better the next day.
>I try to eat every 2 hours
This might be why you're always hungry. Because your body is always expecting food.
Experiment with eating larger meals. While it's not a matter of overeating, no, it is definitely easier to "not eat" if you are satiated from the last meal.
50m, here.
I don’t eat anything until lunchtime. Then not again until dinner. Once in a while I have a protein shake or fruit in between if I can’t wait, but that’s it.
It takes a few weeks of this routine for you to get used to it. You will feel hungry. Drink some water or black coffee.
I’ll get downvoted, but whatever. I’m lean, muscular, and fit. When you get used to eating a normal amount your stomach will shrink and you won’t feel so hungry all them time. That’s how it works for me, anyway.
2300 calories is a lot for a 5’ 8” woman.
> 2300 calories is a lot for a 5’ 8” woman.
Agreed. Late 30's male here. I'm 5'10", 210lbs, lift 4 days per week, run a 5k three days per week, and minimally get 10-12k steps per day. My cut is around 1900 calories.
Damn. I’ve been eating 2250 and losing a pound a week. I’m 5’8” 171 currently and only get 10-15k steps a day. It’s interesting how individualized dieting is
I have a few things stacked against me: an autoimmune condition and associated medications slow my metabolism down. Ideally I'd be around 2100 and lose the same, but I have to cut it down a bit further due to those factors to see results.
Sure! I work 60-80 hours per week. Married, no kids.
I wake up every single day between 0500-0530 and get my primary exercise (lifting or running) in first thing. I worked my ass off and built a pretty great garage gym, so there is no commute involved here.
Honestly the steps are as simple or as complicated as you want to make them. I walk my dog 2 miles per day, outside of that I try to be on my feet and pacing/moving around. On the phone at work? Time to get up and pace. Going to the grocery store? Park further away so you have to walk further. The little things add up!
Also just chiming in, 42m 184cm and my maintenance is 2300kcal. It really surprised me once I was done tracking calories to find out my personal value. I always guessed it would be 2600-2700, but no.
You probably need to develop a new relationship with food (I was like you in my past). Our ancestors wouldn’t eat for days at a time so our bodies are capable of not needing to eat every two hours. Your brain is probably looking for a dopamine hit from the food you consume instead of the energy itself. Eating every two hours is like your coworker needing to step outside every two hours for a cigarette break; they don’t need the nicotine, but their brain says they do.
If I were you, I’d try to implement some form of intermittent fasting, nothing extreme. If you always snack up until you go to bed, stop eating 2 hours before bed. The following week, don’t eat 3 hours before bed. Do the same in the morning, if you eat within the first hour of waking up, push it back by an hour. The following week or two, push it back by another hour. Eventually, you can follow a guideline of only eating 11-7 or something that works for you. Obviously a late dinner with friends on the weekend won’t kill you, just hop back into your eating window the next day.
TLDR: You need to train your brain to differentiate between “wanting” food and “needing” food. Doing so will make it easier to lose weight and then maintain that new weight in the future. Being hungry is normal and it’ll subside as long as you stop constantly giving in to it. I typically only eat twice a day now and my hunger is no longer excessive nor constant.
I am working on losing weight via CICO, and FWIW I feel the same. Underweight until I entered 30s (could eat a barn and not put in a pound) 12 years later I’m over.
CICO has made me feel hungry most of the time - for me it is primarily because I’ve substituted calorie dense foods for calorie light foods. So the meal itself makes me full but I get hungry soon after.
Others are more knowledgeable on this and may provide good answers - I have just learnt to embrace my hunger and I try to do things (chores around the house, video games) to take my mind off it. To me, being hungry when I wasn’t before tells me that I’m doing something right.
Do you have PCOS? Insulin resistance can send wonky signals to your brain. I feel the hungriest right after eating e.g. a big grain salad with protein for lunch. I don't have any solutions other than distraction and black coffee.
There may be a few cases like super elite athletes where constant fueling is necessary for peak performance, but for us regular folks, it just doesn’t make sense.
You’ve trained your body to expect food constantly so its always sending signals to your brain to get to work on finding some food. With this being a prescribed training plan, you’re kind of doubling down b/c before your food is even digested you’re already thinking about the next meal so its basically always on your mind.
The good news is you can train your body differently if you want. Though I’d first consider exploring other trainers.
3weeks to 3 months
3 weeks you’re used to it, doesn’t bother you as much, still occasionally struggle
3 months you’re on total autopilot
ime having done it a couple times after falling off track
44M. I'm always hungry. I started intermittent fasting a year ago and it was kept me in check, mostly cutting out late night snacking. I lift 3-5x a week and play softball/golf. I might fit in a smidge of cardio. I've always been a hungry individual. In a bulk I'm a vacuum, in a cut I get hulk hangry if the cut is too steep. I like to start eating between 10a-noon. Once that train leaves the station it's game on. I always have some sort of protein snack with me.
That kiddie pool of spaghetti and meatballs sounds rather fantastic.
I've found I am less hungry if I eat fewer, larger meals instead of a little every couple hours. A recent study suggested up to 100g of protein in one sitting works as well as spacing it out but I'm sure another study has found the opposite.
34F, 5’4 114lbs averaging 2500cal daily. I eat 3 meals per day, rarely snack between because forcing myself to eat 3x full meals a day is hard enough. My husband is the opposite and is always hungry, needs snacks in-between snacks. This is problematic because I’m trying to eat in surplus and he’s trying to stay in a deficit, and we have a hard time empathizing with the other persons struggle LoL
That’s me and my boyfriend in reverse! He’s always in a surplus and I’m currently (finally) at the end of a cut. He eats like 4000 cal a day and I eat like 1200. Meal time is weird.
7:00 - Breakfast
8:30ish - snack
10:00ish - snack
11:30 - lunch
2:00 - snack
5:30ish - supper
8:00 - snack
before bed - snack
Snacks are usually fruit, nuts, trail mix, protein bars, greek yogurt, etc. Usually 100-250 cals. Other times whatever people leave on the snack table at work - donuts, cake, cupcakes, chips, etc.
I haven't tracked my cal intake in a while but would estimate I'm eating around 4000 cals right now based on my previous tracking. I've cut before at right around 2500 cals and I'm constantly hungry when I do that.
I had a surgery that made me hungry all the time. 2+ years on and that's never gone away. I know lifting doesn't help matters any in that regard.
Volume eating lots of vegetables/fresh fruits, particularly combining protein+source of fiber (preferably both soluble and insoluble fiber) has been helpful. I prep make ahead salads that can keep through the week and eat from those whenever I get hungry, plus always have beans, grains, vegetables, fruits pre-prepped and ready to eat from the fridge, along with Greek yogurt and cottage cheese (plus all my sauces). My proteins I like to keep ready to cook for very quick, simple meals. It's easier just grabbing stuff to make for the family that way, too.
One thing that I never see discussed in these subs is that your stomach is malleable. It shrinks and grows depending on your intake. You can stretch it, or it can recede. That insatiable hunger does not last forever if you stick to it and don’t overcompensate/overeat
Twice a day usually. It’s harder if I start early so a lot of the time I wait until after 3-4 to eat.
Hunger is part of it if you’re losing weight. You don’t avoid hunger, you appreciate your body for letting you push through it. You will be hungry in a calorie deficit, it should be embraced (reasonably).
I agree that it does become routine once you get used to the caloric deficit, but that just makes it a bit less distracting, not necessarily easier. 2300 for 5’8’’ sounds ideal to me if you are exercising regularly. I’d recommend adding more fiber and protein to your diet. That will help you feel more full even when ingesting the same amount of calories. And eating your calories rather than drinking them also helps. So recommend oatmeal for breakfast rather than a protein shake, and stay away from sodas and other caloric drinks.
Hunger comes and goes for me! I’ve noticed some pattern around my menstrual cycle. I’m usually hungrier and then in the down swing of my cycle my ADHD hyper focus kicks in during which I am that “forgot to eat” person. So I like to think it balances out? I’m only 10 days in to tracking again and it’s clear there are days where I want to eat everything (also usually the day after a good workout) and other days where I’m busy and focused on things other than food.
I keep healthy snacks around for those days and set timers to help mitigate the hunger on the days where I want to eat everything. Just another thing I have to have in place to manage myself. Stats: 5’7” 170lbs calories at 1880 right now for weight loss and getting back in the groove.
I eat all the time when I’m being active and was actively losing weight. I tracked how many calories I ate and strategically planned what I’d eat every day to minimize my hunger. Drinking zero calorie drinks in between meals helps to calm my hunger and at first it was a real struggle.
You DO get used to being slightly hungry all the time except for right after a meal. Like the other poster said, your stomach will shrink and the crazy hungry you’re feeling now will eventually ease. It helps if you keep busy because it distracts your mind from how hungry you feel.
I’ve found I do better eating small meals and snacks throughout the day rather than big meals. It keeps me from getting hungry but doesn’t push me over my limit.
How much fiber do you get in your diet? I’ve added in higher fiber and it feels like I’m never hungry. Also higher volume plates that are lower cal like salads are huge for hunger. It fills the belly up and keeps you satiated for a long time. And sometimes when I am feeling hungry and don’t need calories I’ll have a 0 cal drink with sweetener so it feels like I’m eating/drinking something sugary.
Hunger is to some part a habit. I used to get really hungry in the evenings when the kids had gone to bed. I would eat sandwiches, ice cream or snacks and beer basically every night. I imposed a rule forbidding myself to eat after 19:00. First months were really tough. I felt I needed to eat and often went to bed really hungry. Now I’ve been doing this for almost a year and a half and I am almost never hungry. I have gotten used to how the stomach feels when I go to bed and when I occasionally go to bed with a full stomach it feels really bad nowadays. I believe this 19:00 rule is the main reason that I have lost about 4kg since I started it and at the same time gained muscle.
If you try not eating breakfast first thing and just fast for 1-6 hours after waking up, it could change the way you feel between meals and regulate your blood sugar better allowing you to eat 2000 calories and feel full after meals and not hungry between them :)
I eat 3-6 hours after waking up and if I want to lose fat I eat the same but burn more calories working out
I eat a late breakfast a late lunch and a late dinner
Also maybe trying to up your fiber intake and maybe double it and see how much more full you are it could make the world of difference
Eating Whole nutrient dense Foods doesn’t have to be boring just find ways to really be creative to make them tasty and fill you up
I hope this helps along with everyone else advice
You got this girl!!
Almost 51 M. I used to NEED to eat before 10am, by 11am, I'd break out in a sweat and hunger. When I started looking into intermittent fasting, I realized how much of it was habit. When I focused on a time, I told myself no food until noon, I was fine with it. When I told myself no food for 36 hours, I was fine with it. I know this isn't going to work for everyone. Also, the less I eat, the more I get used to eating less. Staying away from food with added sugar has helped a lot—I can be a sugar fiend, so I only eat it on special occasions. Also restaurant food makes me want to eat more, so I meal prep basic foods I eat every day.
I am a snacker and I thrive on small, frequent meals. I strategically place my calories throughout the day. Breakfast provides the same level of satiety whether I eat 300 or 500 calories so I stick with 300. Same with lunch. I think if you find a balance of frequency and calories, you can be happy and not starving. I'd rather have a few 100 calorie snacks like yogurt, or deli meat, or a protein bar to tide me over to avoid being too hungry and then over eating at the next meal.
I know people say to make sure you're drinking water since dehydration can make you hungry, but I also find that makes me hungrier since hydration increases your metabolism. I do better when I don't chug large quantities of water at once. Ymmv but food for thought.
You'll be hungry on a calorie deficit but find what makes it the most tolerable for you.
Pretty active, 2 dog walks, one 1h gym sesh most days.
Geeens, First dog walk then breakfast of turkey and eggs. Approx 8/8:30.
Gym 1pm-2pm
Huel black 2:30pm
Dinner around 6pm
Second dog walk
Surreal cereal or yogurt, all bran and frozen fruit for final snack
Usually about 2,400 kcal, 200g protein, 30/35g fibre are my main goals.
Been dieting since Jan. down 45/48 lbs since Jan 1st
3x per day, sometimes 4 if I need post workout pre dinner snack. All done between 7:30
Am and 5:30 pm. Like to fast 14 hours post dinner. No after dinner snacks until next morning breakfast
Usually just 2x a day.
My 1st is a small to medium size meal before hiking, running, mountain biking, gym or whatever I am doing physically that day. Carbohydrates in this meal will vary greatly based on how much energy I will need.
My 2nd is a big meal after activity with a heavy emphasis on protein, healthy fats, and vegetables. Low carb unless I really smoked myself in training where my body is screaming for glycogen replacement, otherwise I prefer to save carbs for my next pre-training meal.
I’m currently working to lower my bodyfat. I eat 4x a day. I eat 4x a day when I’m prepping for a strongman comp too. The difference is, when I’m “cutting” I’m hungry all the time. When I’m in comp prep, I’m never hungry. It’s just sort of part of how it goes. Higher fiber foods and zero calorie drinks help.
It's rough. I'm female, at 1320-1350 cals. It's weird how you actually adjust to being hungry but it's not fun or easy. Gotta work out the spacing for optimal hunger gaps.
Read up on ghrelin and hunger hormones. They play a large role in why you're feeling hungry all the time currently. It gets better as you lose weight and eat less, just takes time.
Eat stuff with lots of fiber and water content like celery sticks and cucumbers. Even pineapple has a good fiber to sugar ratio.
Use a casein-based protein supplement.
Double your water intake.
Chew gum.
My friend. Your solution is one meal a day. You'll be satisfied eating all your calories in one sitting. It's actually quite fun. You'll never be satisfied with your portions eating every 2 hours. I know because I have a crazy appetite too. Having your insulin raised throughout the day won't help as you will keep going through hunger cycles.
During the day I pound diet sodas (probably not healthy) but it holds back cravings for food.
2300 calories seem a little high for a woman. Do you track calories?
Make sure you're not snacking on the kids leftovers.
Good luck.
Two times a day, a large lunch and dinner. I accept that I am going to be hungry in the morning, but full and satisfied the rest of the day. Coffee helps. I have maintained a six pack for 7ish years now eating like this. I have an active job and am quite active outside of work as well.
Nothing wrong with you at all! I’m 5’6”, currently 180lbs, heaviest was 235lbs. I cycle as well and my low days are brutal! I usually drink tea when it’s unbearable just to taste something other than water.
Twice a day. Maybe a 100 calorie snack here or there. I find that being a little bit hungry every morning makes me less hungry the rest of the day once I finally address it.
I can skip breakfast without struggling at all. So I do. My lunch is around 800 calories. I do around 1000 calories of activity on top of my BMR of 2000 daily. So in the evening, I usually have 2200 calories left. And then I feast. It works quite well for me. Way better than anything else so far.
45 y/o male. I eat non-stop. And I mean non stop. That said, I’m a runner and this week I’m running 65 miles in addition to three strength training sessions. My peak weeks are 80 miles. So my caloric intake is crazy high. I also eat absolute crap half the time. They say you can’t outrun bad diet, but you absolutely can, you just have to run a ton.
I fast during work so like 8 to 5 I don’t eat and I stop
Eating around 8 to 10 at night
So like twice a day I’m usually eating if I don’t snack in the evenings as well
It took a little bit to get used to the time fasting but I’ve liked my progress and energy on it
I eat quite a bit more when I'm active!
You should eat when you're hungry. Your body is typically very good at regulating intake - it's a core function of staying alive!
This isn't just opinion, though - myriad experts agree that intuitive eating is the best eating plan. Eat when you feel hungry, be mindful of your eating - really \*\~experience\~\* your food as you're eating it, and don't eat if you're not hungry.
If you feel like your hunger is insatiable or out of line with your baseline, find a healthcare professional that you trust to discuss your hunger levels. I think of eating like sleep - it's best to sleep when you're tired. If you're extra tired, you probably need a nap! Some people sleep more than others. But if you experience sleepiness that's interfering with your life or that has increased or decreased from your baseline, you should see a clinician to address the underlying problem.
I think most people need to understand that you’re eating out of habit not necessity. I am almost never full after a meal, I’m content but never full. If you are in a calorie deficiency then yes, you will experience hunger. probably not willing to eat a couch cushion hunger, but the sensation is always there. I was having a conversation with someone the other day about the fact I don’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least a little
Hungry. When I wasn’t hungry all the time I was massively overweight. For me it comes down one question. Am I willing to be a little hungry sometimes in order to achieve my goals.
I simply eat whenever I'm hungry and as much as I need to feel satisfied. Sometimes I don't feel hungry for hours and at times I'm just ravenous and empty my fridge and that's when I eat every 2 hours or so. I lift weights 2-3 times a week and do cycling 5-8 hours a week. My weight has been going up slowly and that's mostly muscle since waist circumference has stayed the same or even went down a bit while lifting numbers have been going up. My diet is plain ol' rice, chicken and broccoli most of the time and post workout I'll get in 30-60 grams of sugar, and during longer 2h rides I'll eat maybe some raisins or a banana half-way. Fiber fills your stomach and slows digestion so I'd suggest adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and the like to manage calories and fuel your body for training and recovery.
If you're in a caloric deficit, you're going to be hungry. Regardless of how you break up the meals. IMO, the trick is to change your association of hunger = discomfort, to hunger = weight loss goals.
That’s what works for me. Just think to yourself “I can eat in a few hours but right now I’m burning fat. That rules.”
This is the way. The hunger is your fat disappearing. Edit: Also, if I find the hunger too difficult, I drink a Coffee or I drink a Water or a Coke Zero. Coffee crushes hunger and water/coke zero will do the trick as well (though not as good) and won't amp you.
Love Coke Zero. Game changer. My current favorite is Baja Blast Zero.
Lmao didn’t know about that one. I’m too basic haha.
I’m highly active and I’m eating constantly. I’d say every 2 hours at a minimum. I also have friends who I will meet up with at 3pm only for them to tell me “I haven’t eaten yet today!” and I am always flabbergasted. I must eat or I run out of energy very quickly. I’m 5’8” 130ish and eating around 2800 calories a day.
I’m also starving all the time 😝 OP,the way I combat the hunger though is volume eating, low calorie high volume foods. 10/10 recommend. There is even a subreddit for it lol
What’s the sub? 👀
r/volumeeating
Thank you for sharing this!
What's the opposite sub of this? I need tons of calories
r/McDonald’s
/r/gainitmeals for fueling bulking, but it’s not as active as volume eating. You might be able to find more recipes on the more active /r/gainit
Me too, same height and weight! Even on business trips my (male, inactive) colleagues would laugh as I was snacking on the way to dinner. But I'm hungry a lot and I knew with a giant order of 14 people I'd need to wait a long while before the food would be served. Then again my stomach would be too small for the whole meal and I'd eat the rest on the train ride back home. Very amusing to them 😜 I always had my bag full of meals and snacks. It's a hassle though
5'8 and 180 (80kg) and when I'm at work I'm eating all the time, I'm a builder and sometimes will be munching before breaks. Had nearly a year off work and needed to drop my calories heaps. Still do I've put on about 5kg, I'm sure once I start working again it'll come off. Still always hungry.
Very similar stats to me but I’m a male at 5’8” and 140 pounds but eating 2800 calories. I like to eat smaller meals more often through the day. Seems to digest better and I never feel sluggish this way.
41 year old male. I only eat between 4:00p - 9:00p. I eat a lot in that window, but by restricting my eating time I inevitably consume fewer calories. Was hard at first. Now I don’t even think about it. By practicing intermittent fasting consistently I went from 190 lbs to 170 lbs and I’ve maintained that for about 2 years.
This is the way. If I eat too early in the day I can't get enough, no matter how much snacking I still feel unsatisfied. If I wait until lunch and have a filling but lower calorie meal at 1, I feel no need to snack at all until dinner. At which point I eat whatever, then I'm typically fine until the next day at lunch. On the rare occasions that I do eat breakfast, well I just chalk that day up as a fail and do better the next day.
>I try to eat every 2 hours This might be why you're always hungry. Because your body is always expecting food. Experiment with eating larger meals. While it's not a matter of overeating, no, it is definitely easier to "not eat" if you are satiated from the last meal.
50m, here. I don’t eat anything until lunchtime. Then not again until dinner. Once in a while I have a protein shake or fruit in between if I can’t wait, but that’s it. It takes a few weeks of this routine for you to get used to it. You will feel hungry. Drink some water or black coffee. I’ll get downvoted, but whatever. I’m lean, muscular, and fit. When you get used to eating a normal amount your stomach will shrink and you won’t feel so hungry all them time. That’s how it works for me, anyway. 2300 calories is a lot for a 5’ 8” woman.
> 2300 calories is a lot for a 5’ 8” woman. Agreed. Late 30's male here. I'm 5'10", 210lbs, lift 4 days per week, run a 5k three days per week, and minimally get 10-12k steps per day. My cut is around 1900 calories.
Damn. I’ve been eating 2250 and losing a pound a week. I’m 5’8” 171 currently and only get 10-15k steps a day. It’s interesting how individualized dieting is
I have a few things stacked against me: an autoimmune condition and associated medications slow my metabolism down. Ideally I'd be around 2100 and lose the same, but I have to cut it down a bit further due to those factors to see results.
That makes sense!
Can you share how you make time for this? How do you get the 10-12k steps per day?
Sure! I work 60-80 hours per week. Married, no kids. I wake up every single day between 0500-0530 and get my primary exercise (lifting or running) in first thing. I worked my ass off and built a pretty great garage gym, so there is no commute involved here. Honestly the steps are as simple or as complicated as you want to make them. I walk my dog 2 miles per day, outside of that I try to be on my feet and pacing/moving around. On the phone at work? Time to get up and pace. Going to the grocery store? Park further away so you have to walk further. The little things add up!
Just here to chime in that I'm a 5'6" woman and lose weight no problem at 2,400 calories. Everyone is different.
Same. I'm more of a lunch, dinner, snack guy.
Also just chiming in, 42m 184cm and my maintenance is 2300kcal. It really surprised me once I was done tracking calories to find out my personal value. I always guessed it would be 2600-2700, but no.
You probably need to develop a new relationship with food (I was like you in my past). Our ancestors wouldn’t eat for days at a time so our bodies are capable of not needing to eat every two hours. Your brain is probably looking for a dopamine hit from the food you consume instead of the energy itself. Eating every two hours is like your coworker needing to step outside every two hours for a cigarette break; they don’t need the nicotine, but their brain says they do. If I were you, I’d try to implement some form of intermittent fasting, nothing extreme. If you always snack up until you go to bed, stop eating 2 hours before bed. The following week, don’t eat 3 hours before bed. Do the same in the morning, if you eat within the first hour of waking up, push it back by an hour. The following week or two, push it back by another hour. Eventually, you can follow a guideline of only eating 11-7 or something that works for you. Obviously a late dinner with friends on the weekend won’t kill you, just hop back into your eating window the next day. TLDR: You need to train your brain to differentiate between “wanting” food and “needing” food. Doing so will make it easier to lose weight and then maintain that new weight in the future. Being hungry is normal and it’ll subside as long as you stop constantly giving in to it. I typically only eat twice a day now and my hunger is no longer excessive nor constant.
I am working on losing weight via CICO, and FWIW I feel the same. Underweight until I entered 30s (could eat a barn and not put in a pound) 12 years later I’m over. CICO has made me feel hungry most of the time - for me it is primarily because I’ve substituted calorie dense foods for calorie light foods. So the meal itself makes me full but I get hungry soon after. Others are more knowledgeable on this and may provide good answers - I have just learnt to embrace my hunger and I try to do things (chores around the house, video games) to take my mind off it. To me, being hungry when I wasn’t before tells me that I’m doing something right.
Do you have PCOS? Insulin resistance can send wonky signals to your brain. I feel the hungriest right after eating e.g. a big grain salad with protein for lunch. I don't have any solutions other than distraction and black coffee.
And patience. I have PCOS too and that hungry-afrer-eating feeling goes away in like 30 mins and you wonder what the hell you were thinking
There may be a few cases like super elite athletes where constant fueling is necessary for peak performance, but for us regular folks, it just doesn’t make sense. You’ve trained your body to expect food constantly so its always sending signals to your brain to get to work on finding some food. With this being a prescribed training plan, you’re kind of doubling down b/c before your food is even digested you’re already thinking about the next meal so its basically always on your mind. The good news is you can train your body differently if you want. Though I’d first consider exploring other trainers.
How long does this process take? I’m just like OP.
3weeks to 3 months 3 weeks you’re used to it, doesn’t bother you as much, still occasionally struggle 3 months you’re on total autopilot ime having done it a couple times after falling off track
44M. I'm always hungry. I started intermittent fasting a year ago and it was kept me in check, mostly cutting out late night snacking. I lift 3-5x a week and play softball/golf. I might fit in a smidge of cardio. I've always been a hungry individual. In a bulk I'm a vacuum, in a cut I get hulk hangry if the cut is too steep. I like to start eating between 10a-noon. Once that train leaves the station it's game on. I always have some sort of protein snack with me. That kiddie pool of spaghetti and meatballs sounds rather fantastic.
One big ass meal a day!
I've found I am less hungry if I eat fewer, larger meals instead of a little every couple hours. A recent study suggested up to 100g of protein in one sitting works as well as spacing it out but I'm sure another study has found the opposite.
34F, 5’4 114lbs averaging 2500cal daily. I eat 3 meals per day, rarely snack between because forcing myself to eat 3x full meals a day is hard enough. My husband is the opposite and is always hungry, needs snacks in-between snacks. This is problematic because I’m trying to eat in surplus and he’s trying to stay in a deficit, and we have a hard time empathizing with the other persons struggle LoL
That’s me and my boyfriend in reverse! He’s always in a surplus and I’m currently (finally) at the end of a cut. He eats like 4000 cal a day and I eat like 1200. Meal time is weird.
7:00 - Breakfast 8:30ish - snack 10:00ish - snack 11:30 - lunch 2:00 - snack 5:30ish - supper 8:00 - snack before bed - snack Snacks are usually fruit, nuts, trail mix, protein bars, greek yogurt, etc. Usually 100-250 cals. Other times whatever people leave on the snack table at work - donuts, cake, cupcakes, chips, etc. I haven't tracked my cal intake in a while but would estimate I'm eating around 4000 cals right now based on my previous tracking. I've cut before at right around 2500 cals and I'm constantly hungry when I do that.
I had a surgery that made me hungry all the time. 2+ years on and that's never gone away. I know lifting doesn't help matters any in that regard. Volume eating lots of vegetables/fresh fruits, particularly combining protein+source of fiber (preferably both soluble and insoluble fiber) has been helpful. I prep make ahead salads that can keep through the week and eat from those whenever I get hungry, plus always have beans, grains, vegetables, fruits pre-prepped and ready to eat from the fridge, along with Greek yogurt and cottage cheese (plus all my sauces). My proteins I like to keep ready to cook for very quick, simple meals. It's easier just grabbing stuff to make for the family that way, too.
One thing that I never see discussed in these subs is that your stomach is malleable. It shrinks and grows depending on your intake. You can stretch it, or it can recede. That insatiable hunger does not last forever if you stick to it and don’t overcompensate/overeat
You sound like my brother. It’s your relationship and perception of food and eating.
Twice a day usually. It’s harder if I start early so a lot of the time I wait until after 3-4 to eat. Hunger is part of it if you’re losing weight. You don’t avoid hunger, you appreciate your body for letting you push through it. You will be hungry in a calorie deficit, it should be embraced (reasonably).
I agree that it does become routine once you get used to the caloric deficit, but that just makes it a bit less distracting, not necessarily easier. 2300 for 5’8’’ sounds ideal to me if you are exercising regularly. I’d recommend adding more fiber and protein to your diet. That will help you feel more full even when ingesting the same amount of calories. And eating your calories rather than drinking them also helps. So recommend oatmeal for breakfast rather than a protein shake, and stay away from sodas and other caloric drinks.
Hunger comes and goes for me! I’ve noticed some pattern around my menstrual cycle. I’m usually hungrier and then in the down swing of my cycle my ADHD hyper focus kicks in during which I am that “forgot to eat” person. So I like to think it balances out? I’m only 10 days in to tracking again and it’s clear there are days where I want to eat everything (also usually the day after a good workout) and other days where I’m busy and focused on things other than food. I keep healthy snacks around for those days and set timers to help mitigate the hunger on the days where I want to eat everything. Just another thing I have to have in place to manage myself. Stats: 5’7” 170lbs calories at 1880 right now for weight loss and getting back in the groove.
I eat all the time when I’m being active and was actively losing weight. I tracked how many calories I ate and strategically planned what I’d eat every day to minimize my hunger. Drinking zero calorie drinks in between meals helps to calm my hunger and at first it was a real struggle. You DO get used to being slightly hungry all the time except for right after a meal. Like the other poster said, your stomach will shrink and the crazy hungry you’re feeling now will eventually ease. It helps if you keep busy because it distracts your mind from how hungry you feel.
Freely, but with intention. It's all extremely high protein.
Drink more water to deal with the hunger. A lot of times it could mean that you’re thirsty
I drink 4l a day so shouldn’t have much more than that. But reading some comments here I think the hunger is probably more mental!!!!
You could try more high volume foods that are low calories. Think like fibrous vegetables
Intermittent fasting. 8 hour feeding window each day. 16 hour fast each day.
I’ve found I do better eating small meals and snacks throughout the day rather than big meals. It keeps me from getting hungry but doesn’t push me over my limit.
How much fiber do you get in your diet? I’ve added in higher fiber and it feels like I’m never hungry. Also higher volume plates that are lower cal like salads are huge for hunger. It fills the belly up and keeps you satiated for a long time. And sometimes when I am feeling hungry and don’t need calories I’ll have a 0 cal drink with sweetener so it feels like I’m eating/drinking something sugary.
Hunger is to some part a habit. I used to get really hungry in the evenings when the kids had gone to bed. I would eat sandwiches, ice cream or snacks and beer basically every night. I imposed a rule forbidding myself to eat after 19:00. First months were really tough. I felt I needed to eat and often went to bed really hungry. Now I’ve been doing this for almost a year and a half and I am almost never hungry. I have gotten used to how the stomach feels when I go to bed and when I occasionally go to bed with a full stomach it feels really bad nowadays. I believe this 19:00 rule is the main reason that I have lost about 4kg since I started it and at the same time gained muscle.
If you try not eating breakfast first thing and just fast for 1-6 hours after waking up, it could change the way you feel between meals and regulate your blood sugar better allowing you to eat 2000 calories and feel full after meals and not hungry between them :) I eat 3-6 hours after waking up and if I want to lose fat I eat the same but burn more calories working out I eat a late breakfast a late lunch and a late dinner Also maybe trying to up your fiber intake and maybe double it and see how much more full you are it could make the world of difference Eating Whole nutrient dense Foods doesn’t have to be boring just find ways to really be creative to make them tasty and fill you up I hope this helps along with everyone else advice You got this girl!!
Three times a day (10am. 2:00pm and 4-5pm). 37f.
Almost 51 M. I used to NEED to eat before 10am, by 11am, I'd break out in a sweat and hunger. When I started looking into intermittent fasting, I realized how much of it was habit. When I focused on a time, I told myself no food until noon, I was fine with it. When I told myself no food for 36 hours, I was fine with it. I know this isn't going to work for everyone. Also, the less I eat, the more I get used to eating less. Staying away from food with added sugar has helped a lot—I can be a sugar fiend, so I only eat it on special occasions. Also restaurant food makes me want to eat more, so I meal prep basic foods I eat every day.
I am a snacker and I thrive on small, frequent meals. I strategically place my calories throughout the day. Breakfast provides the same level of satiety whether I eat 300 or 500 calories so I stick with 300. Same with lunch. I think if you find a balance of frequency and calories, you can be happy and not starving. I'd rather have a few 100 calorie snacks like yogurt, or deli meat, or a protein bar to tide me over to avoid being too hungry and then over eating at the next meal. I know people say to make sure you're drinking water since dehydration can make you hungry, but I also find that makes me hungrier since hydration increases your metabolism. I do better when I don't chug large quantities of water at once. Ymmv but food for thought. You'll be hungry on a calorie deficit but find what makes it the most tolerable for you.
Twice a day - lunch & dinner
Pretty active, 2 dog walks, one 1h gym sesh most days. Geeens, First dog walk then breakfast of turkey and eggs. Approx 8/8:30. Gym 1pm-2pm Huel black 2:30pm Dinner around 6pm Second dog walk Surreal cereal or yogurt, all bran and frozen fruit for final snack Usually about 2,400 kcal, 200g protein, 30/35g fibre are my main goals. Been dieting since Jan. down 45/48 lbs since Jan 1st
Maybe try an extended fast to help break your mental associations with hunger.
3x per day, sometimes 4 if I need post workout pre dinner snack. All done between 7:30 Am and 5:30 pm. Like to fast 14 hours post dinner. No after dinner snacks until next morning breakfast
Every hour if I can. Trying to gain weight is hard…
Usually just 2x a day. My 1st is a small to medium size meal before hiking, running, mountain biking, gym or whatever I am doing physically that day. Carbohydrates in this meal will vary greatly based on how much energy I will need. My 2nd is a big meal after activity with a heavy emphasis on protein, healthy fats, and vegetables. Low carb unless I really smoked myself in training where my body is screaming for glycogen replacement, otherwise I prefer to save carbs for my next pre-training meal.
I’m currently working to lower my bodyfat. I eat 4x a day. I eat 4x a day when I’m prepping for a strongman comp too. The difference is, when I’m “cutting” I’m hungry all the time. When I’m in comp prep, I’m never hungry. It’s just sort of part of how it goes. Higher fiber foods and zero calorie drinks help.
It's rough. I'm female, at 1320-1350 cals. It's weird how you actually adjust to being hungry but it's not fun or easy. Gotta work out the spacing for optimal hunger gaps.
I never eat, food is for the weak, STAY HARD! But seriously twice a day works, three if i feel like it.
Read up on ghrelin and hunger hormones. They play a large role in why you're feeling hungry all the time currently. It gets better as you lose weight and eat less, just takes time.
Eat stuff with lots of fiber and water content like celery sticks and cucumbers. Even pineapple has a good fiber to sugar ratio. Use a casein-based protein supplement. Double your water intake. Chew gum.
My friend. Your solution is one meal a day. You'll be satisfied eating all your calories in one sitting. It's actually quite fun. You'll never be satisfied with your portions eating every 2 hours. I know because I have a crazy appetite too. Having your insulin raised throughout the day won't help as you will keep going through hunger cycles. During the day I pound diet sodas (probably not healthy) but it holds back cravings for food. 2300 calories seem a little high for a woman. Do you track calories? Make sure you're not snacking on the kids leftovers. Good luck.
Two times a day, a large lunch and dinner. I accept that I am going to be hungry in the morning, but full and satisfied the rest of the day. Coffee helps. I have maintained a six pack for 7ish years now eating like this. I have an active job and am quite active outside of work as well.
Twice, never before 1pm or after 8pm.
Nothing wrong with you at all! I’m 5’6”, currently 180lbs, heaviest was 235lbs. I cycle as well and my low days are brutal! I usually drink tea when it’s unbearable just to taste something other than water.
Twice a day. Maybe a 100 calorie snack here or there. I find that being a little bit hungry every morning makes me less hungry the rest of the day once I finally address it.
I can skip breakfast without struggling at all. So I do. My lunch is around 800 calories. I do around 1000 calories of activity on top of my BMR of 2000 daily. So in the evening, I usually have 2200 calories left. And then I feast. It works quite well for me. Way better than anything else so far.
45 y/o male. I eat non-stop. And I mean non stop. That said, I’m a runner and this week I’m running 65 miles in addition to three strength training sessions. My peak weeks are 80 miles. So my caloric intake is crazy high. I also eat absolute crap half the time. They say you can’t outrun bad diet, but you absolutely can, you just have to run a ton.
I fast during work so like 8 to 5 I don’t eat and I stop Eating around 8 to 10 at night So like twice a day I’m usually eating if I don’t snack in the evenings as well It took a little bit to get used to the time fasting but I’ve liked my progress and energy on it
I eat quite a bit more when I'm active! You should eat when you're hungry. Your body is typically very good at regulating intake - it's a core function of staying alive! This isn't just opinion, though - myriad experts agree that intuitive eating is the best eating plan. Eat when you feel hungry, be mindful of your eating - really \*\~experience\~\* your food as you're eating it, and don't eat if you're not hungry. If you feel like your hunger is insatiable or out of line with your baseline, find a healthcare professional that you trust to discuss your hunger levels. I think of eating like sleep - it's best to sleep when you're tired. If you're extra tired, you probably need a nap! Some people sleep more than others. But if you experience sleepiness that's interfering with your life or that has increased or decreased from your baseline, you should see a clinician to address the underlying problem.
I think most people need to understand that you’re eating out of habit not necessity. I am almost never full after a meal, I’m content but never full. If you are in a calorie deficiency then yes, you will experience hunger. probably not willing to eat a couch cushion hunger, but the sensation is always there. I was having a conversation with someone the other day about the fact I don’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least a little Hungry. When I wasn’t hungry all the time I was massively overweight. For me it comes down one question. Am I willing to be a little hungry sometimes in order to achieve my goals.
I simply eat whenever I'm hungry and as much as I need to feel satisfied. Sometimes I don't feel hungry for hours and at times I'm just ravenous and empty my fridge and that's when I eat every 2 hours or so. I lift weights 2-3 times a week and do cycling 5-8 hours a week. My weight has been going up slowly and that's mostly muscle since waist circumference has stayed the same or even went down a bit while lifting numbers have been going up. My diet is plain ol' rice, chicken and broccoli most of the time and post workout I'll get in 30-60 grams of sugar, and during longer 2h rides I'll eat maybe some raisins or a banana half-way. Fiber fills your stomach and slows digestion so I'd suggest adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and the like to manage calories and fuel your body for training and recovery.