Starving!!!
 

Well done: six pounds in six days is rocking it and I am sure that pace will continue if you keep doing as well as you have done.

It gets easier. Trust me. So hang on in there. Next week you will be feeling much better. Your stomach is adjusting. Yours probably feels the size of a walnut by now. I know mine did one week in!

What I do when I feel the hunger pangs depends on the time of day. A cup of tea does wonders. If it's the evening then I drink beer but I am the distinct minority on this forum that does that! All the gas eliminates my hunger!

Otherwise, a few raw vegetables never did anyone any harm. I aim for the raw mushrooms if I really must have a nibble and it's not lunch time.

I dunno.. I think your calories are probably too low. 1200 is the lowest you should go, without being under doctors supervision. That is my understanding anyway...

Originally Posted by Silverfire:
I dunno.. I think your calories are probably too low. 1200 is the lowest you should go, without being under doctors supervision. That is my understanding anyway...

I am under my doctors supervision... 1200 does seem more reasonable though!

@IanG... Thanks for the encouragement! A beer sounds AMAZING!!!

Easy does it!

Like Ian said, it will get easier. It's probably more mental than physical hunger.

I'm medically supervised and run about 1000-1100 a day and then exercise about 300-400 away average. It's unbelievable to me that I used to probably eat 3000-4000 calories A DAY and now I am thriving on 25% of that.

Are you restricted from any foods? On my hungry days, there are a lot of carrot and celery sticks with salsa, hot sauce, whatever I feel like having (on program of course!).

Seriously though, it will get easier. I'm so glad I got out of the habit of stuffing my face every hour of every day. Or eating just because someone else was. If someone is eating something tempting to me, I get myself out of the room. I also drink a lot of tea in different flavors. They feel indulgent and fun to me (but I assure you, they will not replace the smell of a pizza or other yummy food smell). I just mentally had to get in my head that I want to be thinner more than I want to eat that junky crap food (even if it tastes good).

Good luck on your program, the first week (or 2) are the worst but then it's just like starting a new habit and getting into your groove. :)

Originally Posted by NorCalMommy:
I am under my doctors supervision... 1200 does seem more reasonable though!

Maybe talk to your doc about it then, see if upping your cals for a while will be the right thing for you :D Good luck!!

Distraction helps too! As soon as you feel hunger pangs, chug some water and find something to DO! Keep your hands and your mind as busy as you can!

i think ur not eating enough calories i would do 1200. what helps me is that i chew gum. i get the flavor from it and also i get to chew so that helps me alot when im hungry. plus i use this to guide me. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

snack throughout the day, but only snack on veggies and fruits! I do 6 small meals through out the day and I feel better :)

Is it possible to eat foods with lots of protein and fiber? I was going to be in a low-cal program for accelerated weight loss (doctor-recommended) and in order to be in that program, I had to shop at their store. All of the foods were high in protein and fiber so as to decrease hunger.

I also learned to make foods more filling but without extra calories, sugar or fat by using high-fiber / high-protein foods like beans and such.

When I first started counting calories I thought "Hey, I can have half of this chocolate bar if it falls in my calorie count.. right?" And technically yes you can. But its empty calories that are just that.. make you feel empty, hungry. 1200 or 1100 calories doesn't seem like much, but when they're filled with whole, natural foods, it goes a long way. For dinner i'm having 2 cups of spaghetti squash with a light dressing. Total, my meal is probably going to be around 300 calories. And it FILLS me up.

I'd try to find whole foods, that you might not eat AS much of, but will keep you fuller, longer.

Good luck!

Thanks guys! Day 16 today and I'm feeling a lot better! Down 12 pounds and not as hungry as I was last week! I can do this!

NorCalMommy just hang in there. It takes anything from 3-6 weeks to get used to a new eating plan. You will be surprised at how quickly your body will adjust to it. Just stick to the plan and drink about 2L of water per day. You can do this...