I've been counting calories for weeks now, and doing great. I try and keep my calories around 1200/day, and thus far have had no problems doing that. And then I got up today, so freakishly hungry that I could eat massive amounts of food easily. I haven't felt this way since I was pregnant years ago (and NO, there is no way possible that I am pregnant). I feel very out of control, like I am on the verge of a big binge, and I need help.

Any suggestions of a food that I could either eat a lot of and not ingest too many calories, or a food that might help me feel full quickly. I'm drinking a lot of water to see if that might help, and even had a nibble of chocolate to see if it might help the craving/hunger. No luck! I don't want to give up, but I'm hanging on by a thread!

Oatmeal!!!! It works for me.... only 150-180 cals per packet usually, and you get a bit of sugar, and the fiber will give you that "full" feeling usually half an hour or so later, and lasts for hours.

Your body may be telling you that 1200 is too few for you...for women, that's the cutoff for the starvation mode point. Today and tomorrow, eat 1-200 cals more per day purposefully, and see how you feel.

I agree with Kelly on upping your calories a little bit. It sounds like your body is trying to tell you something.

Are you getting enough protein? It could also possibly be hormonal. I know that I sometimes get so hungry I feel nauseated at certain times of the month.

I agree with the above posters. It may help if we knew your weight & height. 1200 might actually be too low for you. But for your problem right now peanutbutter always works for me. I eat 2 tbs off the spoon and drink a whole bottle of water afterwards. Dont ignore your body if it is telling you its hungry than feed it. Just do so with healthy things

Some days I'm very hungry (luckily not too many) and other days I don't even get peckish. On hungry days, I top off at 1500 cals. On light days it's more like 1200. So maybe you could let your hunger be your guide within a range.

To answer your question, when I'm hungry I have lots of tea with NFPM & a little splenda if I'm in the mood for sweet, and something like cabbage soup (cooked in chick broth) if in the mood for salty.

Good luck and hang in there!

Are you near your TOM? I get very hungry the closer I get to my time of the month.
When that happens I eat a lot of steamed veggies

Hi meakulpa,

I hope you're making it through the day alright.

Usually when I'm extra hungry, eating more protein helps. I love boiled egg whites and canadian bacon. For less than 200 calories I can make a huge meal. Add some veggies and you're set to go.

Please let us know how you're doing!

It's hard to say without getting more informaiton from you.

How tall are you?
How much do you weigh now?
What's your goal weight?
Are you doing any exercising?
Have you been more active than usual the past few days?

Honestly I think there are very few people who *need* to be on a 1200 calorie diet. That's the lowest anyone should really go w/out medical supervision. So it's possible that, like others have said, maybe your body is trying to tell you something - maybe you need to be eating a few more calories on a daily basis?

Hard to say w/out more information.

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Thanks for all the help. As for my stats --- my highest weight was 330, I'm currently 264, with a goal weight of 150. I'm 5'4" and 32 years old. I exercise daily, but a few days ago got a Wii Fit and have been exercising quite a bit more (about an hour and a half a day), so I think that might be contributing to my hunger. I'm thinking I do probably need to up my calories a bit. I just know that years ago I did well on a plan my dr. gave me that was 1200 calories a day, which is why I have been using that number.

Anyhoo...I tried the spoon of peanut butter, and it is seeming to help cut the hunger some. I've also been guzzling water like a mad woman, which is also helping (though putting me in the bathroom quite a bit).

I generally don't feel much hunger from 1200 calories a day, but every once in a while have a day like today where I feel ravenously hungry, and it's terribly frustrating.

With all the advice, and especially with my increased exercise, I'm going to take my calories up to around 1400-1500 for the next few days and see how I'm feeling. As much as I'm exercising, I'm probably still going to do well.

I swear, the Wii Fit is the best thing in the world when it comes to exercising, even if it does tell me in an adorable voice that "that's obese!"

i hate that voice... but i love my wii fit

at 264 you need way more than 1200 calories per day...

Yup, yup, yup.

I'd say raise your calories to at LEAST 1500 and I would really recommend more like 1700-1800. I started out losing from 237lbs at 1800 and dropped down to 1500 when I hit the 180s or so.

Peanut butter is definitely a good choice. If you feel that ravenous hunger, especially after exercising, consuming some protein will help a lot.

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I'd agree you can up your calories - how fast have you been losing @ 1200? If it's more than 2 pounds a week you have room to eat more.

on all the exercise!! I do think it is contributing to your hunger - tons of veggies is a good way to get volume without too many calories. This does not mean you should stop exercising - just that you can give yourself some more fuel. I'd bump up to 1400 and see where it goes...if you are still losing a couple pounds a week bump it up to 1500 and so on. Give yourself room to move back down towards 1200 as you get closer to goal.

I agree you need to up your calories. I would suggest upping them to the 1700-1800 calories range like Photochick said. I'm almost the same age and similar in height to you and I'm losing eating between 1400-1600 calories per day (I only walk for exercise.) I do weigh less, but it's typically harder to lose when you get closer to goal, so I definitely think you can eat more and still lose.

For me, it tends to me TOY (that time of the year!), where I want to eat like a bear and store up my calories for the winter. : )

Seriously, we have a candle burning right now and I just want to bake and eat.

I agree, you may be eating too few calories. Try eating 1400 and see what happens.