I've noticed that I just can't seem to eat less than 1850 calories without feeling extremely hungry and irritable. The past few days I really didn't have any cravings and was able to stick with the intended program...UNTIL those hunger pangs kicked in and I had to have a healthy snack. Every 2 hours or so I was hungry and really needed to eat. At this rate I am losing about .5 pounds per week (.643 per week according to fitday); this is probably thanks to the exercise). I am eating only healthy carbs such as veggies and whole grains and approximately 30% of my calories are coming from protein. Most of my snacks are lo carb/high protein foods. Anyone else experiencing constant ACTUAL (not cravings) hunger while eating very healthy?

How much water are you drinking? I've found that many of my "hunger" pangs are actually thirst. For a few days, why not try drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry, and then eating after that if you still need to?

I eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks and thank goodness I haven't been too hungry, not really hungry at all. I was more so in the beginning but now I'm fine.

I start out the day with a high fiber cereal. Fiber is quite filling and will keep you satified for quite a bit.

My snack is a fat-free, sugar free yogurt, protein is also filling.

For lunch I'm eating more protein with lots of veggies. I prefer cauliflower. You would not believe how unbelivably filling it is. Mucho, mucho filling.

Then another snack.

And then dinner more, protein, very filling and lots of veggies - filling as well.

And I drink lots and lots of water. I stick to about 1100-1300 calories and I must say I'm pretty satisfied. If I'm still hungry I will eat another 100-200 calories. And this is coming from someone who used to call herself the bottomless pit, just a huge, insatiable appetite.

So I think it's very important to eat the "right" calories. I don't know what you are actually eating. But maybe try adding more fiber, protein and water.

I know exactly how you feel and recently posted a similar complaint. I do about the same in calories, eat the frequent small meals, etc. and still find myself hungry.

Keep posting advice ladies!!!

~jess~

Mami: Maybe if you post a sample daily menu, people will be able to make some specific suggestions.

I agree with all the gals on the higher fiber, higher protein and more veggies approach

I have a semi-related question, though (sorry it strays off topic) ...how do you find your weekly weight loss from Fitday?

Cary, you find this in the reports section of fitday under the "WEIGHT CHANGE" report; you can see your weight loss for the past week, month or 2 months. This is my absolute favorite report, right up there with the NUTRITION report that gives you your prior week's daily average calorie intake.

Thanks for your comments everyone. You all who are able to get by on less than 1800 calories per day, consider yourselves lucky! I do get cravings often, but some days I have no cravings yet I am still very hungry and very cranky (DH: DONT MESS WITH ME RIGHT NOW!). Actually, I went to a weight loss doctor last week to discuss this issue. She is checking my blood sugar or something to see if the insulin is causing this constant hunger. Will report back. The "drinking water when hungry" idea is something I will try tonight, though I'm not too hopeful. Here is an example of my food (yesterday's meals):

9am - whole wheat bagel lightly buttered (on both sides!)
12pm - green salad with grilled chicken, 1/2 a pita
6pm - high protein hot cocoa (80 calories)
7pm - baked chicken breast, legume salad, brocolli, wild rice
9pm - high protein oatmeal
9:30pm (the munchies were starting after I ate that oatmeal) - cranberry muffin (that was a BAD choice), but with 9 grams of fiber

Mind you ladies, that was a good day as when I am home on the weekends, I am just CONSTANTLY snacking on my protein snacks that I ordered off the internet, but still try to stick to 1900 calories, so I might have to skip dinner but the snacks are pretty healthy.

I'm just hoping I can get this hunger thing dealt with as .5 pounds per week is just TOO SLOW!

Okay - this might sound crazy, but the bagel might be the culprit. Starting off the morning with a big carb breakfast can really set me off with the munchies ALL DAY. I don't mean I am on Atkins or anti-carb or anything like that, I just find carby breakfasts make me hungry for the rest of the day.

You also have HUGE GAPS between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and your pre-dinner snack - I would be STARVED! I eat something every 2 hours or so. Here is my menu for yesterday (if it helps):

B - 7:30 am 2 pieces of whole grain toast with natural peanut butter (the extra fat and protein in the peanut butter helps me stay full) (400 calories)

S - 9:30 am plain fat free yogurt with a sliced peach (150 calories)

L - 12:00 small cup of lentil soup (150 calories) , 1/2 turkey sandwich on whole grain with lettuce, tomato, onion and peppers (250 calories)

S - 2:00 - package of raspberries (150 calories)

S - 4:00 - tall non fat latte (120 calories)

S - 6:00 - baby carrots/sugar snap peas (100 calories)

D - 7:30 - 2 egg omelet with spinach, garlic, onions, sun dried tomato, artichoke hearts, black olives and baby shrimp (300 calories)

Yesterday was around 1600 calories and I wasn't hungry all day (Normally I eat 1800 to maintain, but I am making up for a great pie-filled Thanksgiving holiday)

I just want to say that .5 lbs a week is awesome! Any time the scale went down I thought it was a VICTORY!

Glory, some days I will start off the day with a low carb breakfast, but I've noticed that I really can't work that hard in the gym on those days so I had to add the carb breakfast back in. You are correct that I was literally starving (OK, perhaps not literally) when I got home, but I was fine until about 5pm; I actually had to force my salad down at lunch time as I wasn't hungry. There are other days where I will do all my eating of 1900 to 2100 calories (that is a really bad day) by 7pm cuz I was munching all day. Of course once I get started I can't stop until I am so full by the evening that I finally stop to salvage the day. I am one of those "instant gratification" types, so .5 pound per week is just too slow. But I must admit I look a whole lot better lately, I think I added a lot of muscle as well (once you build muscle, even if you haven't worked out in like a year, when you get started again your muscles "remember" and build back up far faster than the time it takes to originally develop the muscle when starting out).

Okay I agree there is a huge gap between 12:00 and 6:00, no wonder you're starving, who wouldn't? Those are the prime hours of the day, when we need our calories the most. And at 6:00 you're having a cocoa? That's basically 7 hours without food. You're basically playing catch-up all night. Maybe a high-protein bar at around 3:00? And then maybe you wouldn't be so munched at night.

I'm also thinking the bagel ain't such a great way to start the day. I also started with a low carb breakfast - an egg white omlette, it didn't work for me. So I switched to a high fiber cereal with skim milk - carbs AND fiber AND protein, just might do the trick for you.

And a half a pound a week really ain't that bad at all, at least it's going downnnnn. Those half pounds will definitely add up.

Rockinrobin, I will try your idea ASAP! Any recommendations for a good high fiber cereal? Preferably organic?

I love Kashi Go Lean Crunch! It tastes so good dry, it's hard for me to keep it in the house. I also have to MEASURE it carefully, it's kind of calorie dense and it's easy for me to eat too much.