I need some help. To be honest, I'm not so sure I know HOW to lose weight. One of the main questions I have is: Am I supposed to be hungry at the end of the day? I don't mean ravenously hungry, but what about a little bit hungry? Logic tells me that if my body was really going to drop weight, I would have to live with a few hunger pangs, because hunger means that the body needs food. Not giving the body quite enough calories = weight loss. And is it really JUST about the calories, or does eating healthy foods (low fat, etc) just as important?

Thanks

Eat less, exercise more. Cut down on fat and calories. Shoot for 1200 calories/ day.

You're going to be hungry because you're going to be eating less than you're used to but you'll get used to it. And being hungry isn't necessarily an indication of needing food. If you're eating, say, 6,000 calories a day and cut it in half, you will feel hungry and that doens't mean that your body needs that missing 3,000 calories, only that it's not used to it yet.

My best advice is to not eat foods advertised as "low fat" (aka reduced and "lite") because they still have calories, and you might be more likely to eat more because its low fat. You definitely want to eat more fruits and veggies and less junk food, but don't deprive yourself but don't overeat.

Good luck!

You probably have to be a little hungry. That's my experience. Not ravenous, but a little. You can reduce it by eating low fat foods high in bulk and low in calories, as mentioned above.

i wouldnt say you should be hungry. At first you might be because it takes time to learn what "valuable calories" are- ie the ones that will keep you fuller longer (at least it took me a while). If you stick to low calorie foods then you shouldnt be that hungry i dont think. Vegetables and fruits are great filler foods- low calorie, easy to grab on the go, filling

I used to think it was just about the calories- now i am rethinking. Some calories wont keep you full for long enough, and eating 1500 calories of pure fat a day isnt going to be very healthy, even if it is in your calorie range! So what is important is controlling your caloric intake AND making sure you are getting nutrition as well. Otherwise you might find your work outs are a lot harder than they need to be

I'm starting to rely on my BMR. Right now my BMR is over 1500 (that's the amount of calories I need just to keep my organs healthy and alive) so consuming less than that wouldnt be good (I dont believe in the 1200 rule). Just by moving around and exercising throughout the day I will naturally have a deficit. Thanks everyone

thats pretty much a good way to start Really, its all just trial and error for each individual person

I was also VERY hungry when I started (it's only been 2 weeks, but I'm starting to get used to this, I think). Being hungry all the time was putting me in a bad mood. I actually wasn't eating enough. I posted a few questions on here, got a few things figured out, and now have some healthy (or at least not so guilt-inducing) snacks around the house for when I do get hungry. Good luck!

I was hungry at first, but as I learned what foods to eat, the hunger pains go away. If you're that hungry at the end of the day, you could try having some water, its filling and good for you, not really nutritious, but extra hydration never hurt!

I am rarely, if ever hungry and I keep to 1200 calories. Being hungry is not an option for me. It sets me up to make poor choices. So I really, really need to make my calories counts.

I eat frequently, every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Very satiating foods that stick with me and keep my cravings in check. I also eat very voluminous foods. LOTS and LOTS of all sorts of salads and veggies, prepared in a host of different ways. Lots of protein too.

Moving around is great, but you might want to keep an eye on your actual caloric intake. It's really easy to overspend those calories and not create that all important calorie deficit. Moving around can only burn so many calories.

Through experimentation, I'm sure you'll figure out the right formula for yourself. All the best.

I think she's doing a good thing by looking at her BMR - the amount of calories your body burns per day is different per person. So while 1200 may work for you, rockinrobin, it may not be good for her due to height/whatever differences.

Oh no, no, no. You misunderstood me. The point of my post was not to encourage or advise the OP to consume 1200 calories, but that I was not hungry consuming my 1200 calories and that since she expects to eat more, if she picks the "right" foods - she needn't be hungry either.

!!!!!

I am NEVER hungry. The key to weight loss is not to be hungry all the time because you're eating so little!

The thing is... a lot of people keep weight on, not because they're stuffing their faces with food ALL THE TIME (necessarily! ) but because the foods that they DO eat are high calorie, high fat, high sodium, high everything.

So, for example, if someone eats a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke, they're consuming probably more than 1,000 calories. Or at least close to it. That being said, that same person could become JUST as full eating a heaping plate of steamed vegetables with spices and a bit of dressing, a chicken breast and rice or potatoes on the side, with water or a diet soda... and be eating about 500 calories, maybe less.

Like Robin, I stick to about 1,200 calories a day, but I give myself leeway. I'm "allowed" to go up to 1,500 calories a day, guilt-free. And I save those extra 300 calories for times when my tummy's rumbling half way through the day, or at night before I go to bed. I NEVER allow myself to be hungry. If your body's hungry, it's because you need food! Now, your body doesn't need chips and a chocolate bar, but it might do well with a banana, or a few nuts, or a yogurt.

A good benchmark to figure out how many calories you need a day is using a calorie calculator:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

So, for me, someone who's 5'4", 152 lbs, and is pretty freaking lazy (I say I work a desk job, as I spend most of my time in front of my computer, and only go for runs every few days), it tells me that I need to consume so many calories for each maintenance, fat loss, or extreme fat loss.

Maintenance: 1723 Calories/day
Fat Loss: 1378 Calories/day
Extreme Fat Loss: 1216 Calories/day

So, try using the calculator and see what it suggests for your caloric needs.

As for feeling hungry, and the fact that *I* personally believe you NEVER should... there are some really great foods that you can eat that have literally... next to no calories in them. They're called catabolic foods, and some people believe that your body burns more calories trying to break down these foods... than the amount of calories you actually take in eating them!

Here are a few:
Apples

Asparagus

Blackberries

Blueberries

Broccoli

Cantaloupe

Carrots

Celery

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Lemons

Lettuce

Limes

Oranges

Pears

Peppers

Pineapple

Plums

Radishes

Raspberries

Sweet Potatoes

Strawberries

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Zucchini

Anyhow, my POINT is... no. Do not be hungry. Do not starve yourself. Simply eat a LOT of low-calorie foods, and figure out what your body needs every day (in terms of calories), and make sure it gets that... in the form of lots of healthy food in multiple meals throughout the day. (Some of the other ladies mentioned eating every 4 hours? Kudos, awesome!)

Good luck!

My point about being hungry is that whenever you start eating less, you will be hungry because your body is used to eating more. Once you stick to eating less, and start eating healthier foods, then you won't be hungry.

I eat a lot less than I used to and at first I was really hungry but now I'm not. It's all about getting used to it.

Kimmie: Drink LOTS and LOTS of water, like 64 oz a day. It really helps with hunger and it helps hydrate you. I once heard that people mistake hunger for thirst.

It's funny because when I'm eating "diet" foods and watching calories, or just eating what I want but eating less of it, I'm hungry a lot.

But! When I'm eating good-for-you foods (PB sandwich on whole wheat bread, fruits, veggies, beans! and other high fiber or whole grain foods) I get to the end of the day and I realize I had way less calories than I thought and I'm not hungry at all. For me what fills me up are high fiber, or whole grain foods. (Not to say that's what I always eat or want to eat, but in the end, that's what works for the hunger pangs.)

For a quick and filling snack or meal, try a taco salad. Mine are lettuce + warmed up black beans or kidney beans (no salt added, if you can find them that way) + taco sauce instead of salad dressing + a bit of weight watchers mexican cheese. Regular salads never 'do it' for me, but this one a good way to sneak in the beans!