Hi all, I am new to these boards and counting calories. Just wondering if the your hunger level goes down eventually as you get used to eating less calories? I am just starting , trying to lose 12 lbs. giving myself 1500 cal to start. Does that sound right?
wlynn72, yes, your hunger level will go down some as you get used to eating less. We can't cut our calories by half or more and not notice the difference, can we? I think 1500 calories is a good level for almost anyone to start with, then you can cut on down to 1200 if your weight-loss slows. I'm just re-starting, as well, so happy to meet you, Lynn.
It also helps to fill up on bulky, low calorie foods like veggies. For dinner I'll often have a HUGE salad with tons of fresh greens, about 1/3 cup chick peas and one hard boiled egg on top with salt & pepper and a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar. All of that is about 250 calories and it totally fills you up. If you spend your calories wisely, 1,500 can be a lot of food.
Oh yes, I believe the body adjusts. It IS important to make those good quality calories though. Veggies are very filling as is fiber and protein and they stick around for a while. I also find drinking lots and lots of water helps to keep me full.
I think 1500 is a great place to start. You'll see how that goes and then you can start adjusting if need be.
If you spend your calories wisely, 1,500 can be a lot of food.
This is a VERY true statement. If you're feeling hungry, maybe you're not getting enough protein and/or fiber? Are you eating nutritious foods (like lean meats, fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean dairy) or just packing in 1500 calories of "diet" meals and snacks? Those "diet" foods leave me feeling pretty unsatisfied and just wanting more food. At one time, I was eating about 1200 calories a day, and I would eat 6 times a day--hunger was VERY rarely an issue.
I agree. Although I don't count calories down to the very last one (I aim for 1400 to 1500 per day approx) I find that I don't get hungry if I eat healthy foods at regular intervals. Your body will get used to it's new "schedule" too.
I just started counting calories this Monday and wow I've been hungry everyday since. I cut down to around 1500-1600 so I know how you're feeling. But I figure the stomach has to shrink down somehow. I like the idea of filling up on high fiber and protein stuff...it just reminded me that I need to go get some more salad stuff and hard boiled eggs sound really good right now. It's dinner time! Keep up the good work and things will get easier!
1500 calories sounds pretty good to me. I know I'm always scared that I'll be hungry later. That's why I kinda started at 1800, which is pretty high and closer to "maintaining" but I figure I'll eventually drop the number down, slowly so that my body adjusts.
Good luck though. And all the advice on veggies and protein and fiber is true, they will help out with feeling full.
Peanut butter fills me up quite well. It is high in calories(90+cals per tbsp) but if you plan you can put it in at snack (I eat it in the evening this is when I want to snack the most I have a Banana and peanut butter)
For those of you who think that 1500 is a lot of calories to eat in a day, have you always felt that way or has your body adjusted? Because I find it really hard to stay at just 1500 calories even if I am eating high fiber, filling foods. If I were to feel satisfied it would be around 1800 calories, but I'm not losing weight at that amount and I'm feeling hopeless. I really hope my appetite will eventually adjust.
For those of you who think that 1500 is a lot of calories to eat in a day, have you always felt that way or has your body adjusted? Because I find it really hard to stay at just 1500 calories even if I am eating high fiber, filling foods. If I were to feel satisfied it would be around 1800 calories, but I'm not losing weight at that amount and I'm feeling hopeless. I really hope my appetite will eventually adjust.
Like I said, I'm eating more now, but there was a time I ate about 1200 calories a day and was not hungry. How many times a day are you eating? I find that if I cram a bunch of calories into just 3 meals (with amyabe a snack), then I am not eating often enough to keep something in my stomach. I try not to ever go more than 3 hours without eating, so I just break all of my calories down into mini-meals. Eating 200 calories 6 times a day was much more satisfying to me than 400 calories 3 times a day
My breakdown of calories looks like this and I am not hungry, usually.
breakfast at about 9, 9:30 - 200 calories
snack at about 11:30 - about 100 cal.
lunch at about 1:30, 2:00 - about 300 cal.
snack at about 4:00 - about 100 cals
dinner at about 6:00, 6:30 - between 400 and 500 calories
snack in the evening less then 100 calories
WOW!!!!! Let me just tell you...I saw the title of this post and I saw "question re BURGERS"....LOL I've commented to my oldest son, that its been awhile since I had one a couple days ago....(probably since Oct..)
Anyways, I think Hunger comes and goes...I've been eating about 1500 calories a day...BUT then there are times I am just not hungry at all and its a struggle to get in the min. 1200...(last couple days I was under 1000) then there are days I am STARVED and just want to eat all day....and those days I may eat a little more 1800ish....My hunger time is NOW (between 1pm-3:30 when the kids get home) If I dont keep busy I get hungry!!
I think it depends on what you are doing with your calories. I've noticed that on some days I'm hungry and some days I'm not (with approx the same cals.) One of my most filling recipes (Spicy Kim Chi Soup) is between 75 to 150 cals depending on what I throw into it. I think all the veggies and tofu are really filling. Some recipes I have are just too small in portion size and I feel like I'm starving. I've made it a goal to find low-cal recipes that I can really fill up on.
question re hunger
I think 1500 calories is a good level for almost anyone to start with, then you can cut on down to 1200 if your weight-loss slows. I'm just re-starting, as well, so happy to meet you, Lynn. 
