So, I have been counting calories since January 1st and I have been trying to stay within 1650-1750 calories per day. This has worked for me and I am losing around 1 pound a week. I don't know if it is because it is right before my TOM or what, but I am absolutely famished today. Like, so famished that I am in tears (probably the PMS) and absolutely frustrated.

I have been working out a lot harder (I am doing 45 minutes of intense cardio 4-5 times a week, plus walking, plus pilates & yoga), so I am wondering if I need to eat more calories...but, I am nervous to do so because I don't want to have a weight stall in case that isn't the reason why.

I am trying to eat protein and I eat pretty "clean" foods, so I don't know what the heck is going on with me. And I'm drinking a ton of water. Any advice/suggestions?

Have a glass of milk and a hard boiled egg. Or a spoonful of peanut/almond butter. Then have some tea.

No advice, but how about a hug? Have you been constantly hungry, since you first started counting calories, or have you suddenly become that way? It's such an individual thing...you *might* need more food. Or you might be exercising too much. Or maybe it is homronal and will pass in a day or two. Is there something specific you are craving? And what about your routine has recently changed? If you can figure out the answers to the questions, maybe it will help you figure out what you can do to best help yourself. Crossing my fingers for you to figure it out and that maybe someone else will have more ideas.

Barb

Some questions, off the top:
Are your calories balanced? How much protein v. carb?
Are you hungry a bit after eating?
Processed foods?

When I get famished I need something rich but healthy. I like veggies with a bit of real butter or shredded part-skim mozzarella. No sweets! They seem to make things worse.

Have you thought about an eating plan? South Beach has truly cut my cravings down - way down. There are so many plans to choose from.

Then again, TOM is such a wildcard!

Good luck!!!

The more you deny yourself...the stronger the urge/cravings...and then ultimate binge! Yup...sounds like your having a bad case of the dreaded PMS MUNCHIES!!! Haha...not to fret...this is usually about when I have my CHEAT meal or HIGH calorie day. That one meal of something I really like/want/crave (ya know like my yummy spicy jamaican food) completely satisifies me and the next couple of days (PMS) are much easier to deal with...like I'm a BRAND NEW woman...and my subsequent workouts are AWESOME!!! I ususally drop a couple of lbs that week too...

In any event, my advice...if your body is craving food, give it food (not junk), but nutrient dense foods and focus more on the proteins for greater long term satisfaction.

Hey Emme. You have been at this a lot longer than me, and you are doing GREAT!!!! I got through the first few days without any problems, but like you its suppose to be that TOM but I think my body is somehow rejecting it because of the lack of fat intake. And I feel starved!!! But I always feel starved right before. So tomorrow I am doing more water, more water, more water :P and more raw veggies! Tomorrow is a New Day, Let's do it together!

For quite a few years now, I have been hungry pretty much all the time. I've seen my doctor about it. Nothing. I can eat a huge meal and sometimes still feel starving after. I have just learned how to deal with it. There are days (like this), though, where I am so hungry (not craving) that I can't get rid of the feeling. It can be very, very frustrating.

I don't eat many processed foods. I'm not sure about protein v. carb, but it's something to look into.

Try eating whole grains, and high fiber foods with a big glass of water. This usually does the trick for me when I'm hungry.

Whenever I get like that, I eat a bunch of frozen veggies -- especially broocoli and green beans. I microwave them. Veggies totally fill me up! An entire cup of broccoli or green beans is only 25-30 calories. 2 cups for 50cal? That's a deal!

And if you really are constantly hungry, you might look into eating more protein. And not just from meat. Whenever I eat a snack of something "carby" like crackers, I get hungry faster. It's important to include a protein too. I like to eat string cheese or almonds now. They keep me full longer. And I eat a protein for breakfast too. So, you might want to check your protein levels. My website tracker suggests 57g daily, but I regularly eat 80-90g. I'm not "low-carb" either, just lower. Just a thought!

Thanks for the advice, everyone. TOM arrived last night after posting this, so I am pretty convinced that had a ton to do with it. Thank goodness. Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind because my stomach is starving all day long!

Emme I just have to tell you that the 2-3 days before my TOM I am famished. I have to be aware and keep healthy snacks around. I will allow myself a few extra calories on these days and it doesn't seem to affect my weight loss. I think the key is being aware, and planning for it. I also notice that after I start that I eat a lot less for a couple of days, with barely any appetite. So maybe it just all balances out in the end.

I think it helps to eat about a tablespoon of healthy fat with every meal. Peanutbutter, olive oil, some nuts. Fats take longer to be broken down and cause your stomach not to empty as fast.

With all your exercise though, I bet your metabolism is through the roof (Especially since you are hungry all the time). When I was running a lot, I was like this. I could chow down a giant plate of spagetti and my stomach would be rumbling a few hours later.

I think some of it is meal timing. Try to time small meals / snacks with protein and fat after workouts. and maybe space some 100 calorie snacks in there so when you get hungry every few hours, you have a snack.

Also, as we all know, restricting calories WILL slow down your metabolism. If yours is fired up from all that exercise, you might actually lose a little faster if you eat a few hundred calories more. It will keep your metabolism up. There are lots of reports around here of people who break plateaus/help weightloss by a slight increase in calories ALONG with an increase in cardio. Give it a shot and see if it works for you...

I think I might. TOM was last night, but I am still really hungry today. I did 45 minutes of pilates and 45 minutes of a cardio class yesterday, and I've seen many of my workout days increase to two separate exercises in one day, so I'm wondering if that might also be somewhat of a cause of this extra hunger I'm experiencing. I'm nervous to up my calories, but I would rather try it out than be famished all day long!

Let us know how it works for you!

I think I have curbed the hunger a little...I crammed in as much protein as I could find and that seems to have helped for now. I might nosh on some veggies soon, too. Oy vay...gotta love the body!