I've been trying to find ways to keep from going crazy at the end of the day. It's not necessarily hunger in your stomach, but more the run down feeling and/or cravings at night. I usually try to aim for a 1,000 calorie deficit. I eat about 1,200 calories a day, mainly fruit, veggies and lean meat. Maybe I'm not eating enough.

How do you deal with the feeling of a calorie deficit at the end of the day?

I don't think you're getting enough calories - 1200 is generally considered the minimum.

Go to http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm to figure out how many calories you need.

When I have the right nutrient balance and enough calories, I don't usually feel hungry. If I feel like I need something, I drink a low carb protein shake.

Here's a nutrient calculator: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nut....htm?cals=2210


Sherrie

Thanks Sherrie. I have a bodybugg that tells me how many calories i'm burning during the day. Maybe I should take the dogs out for more walks so I can eat more.

From what I have read, a 1000 cal deficit (2lb/week) is too much when you are so close to your goal weight. I would switch to a 500 cal deficit for a few weeks and see how you feel.

i can't eat under 1200 calories without feeling starving all day, but i guess that's a good thing since we don't want to eat too little!

I was thinking about lowing it to a 500 calorie deficit. but i just want to get it over with since i am so close. maybe i'll just take it easy for a couple weeks on the deficit.

I'm on 1200 and eating 55-60 g of protein and 25-30 g of fiber each day makes a huge difference in hunger. If you use an online counter you can easily track these and see where you are. Perhaps tinkering with the levels of these will help?

And to be honest, as strange as it may sound, practicing Intermittent Fasting has been the biggest key to getting literally FULL (not just 'not hungry') after meals. I only eat between about 2/3 PM and 9 PM, meaning two meals a day. Each of these is 600ish calories, which is a pretty decent-sized meal. My body has adjusted to this schedule and I'm a) not hungry in the morning and b) full to the tune of not wanting any snacks or dessert in the evening. It's a wonderful feeling that I forgot after months of eating tiny 300 cal meals or snacks that leave me craving more.

I think you're not eating enough. I'm your height and slightly smaller (149 lbs) and i eat 2000 calories a day. I'm really active...if i weren't that active i think i'd still need to eat 1500 at a bare minimum.

I have been feeling the same way! I have around1280 cal a day and im about 5'5 and 178lbs. it sounds way too low and a lot of the time in the mornings i feel hungry, but i chalk it up to being bored. Does anyone think my calories may be too low too?

I, too, think you might not be eating enough. I've always stuck to the rule of aiming to losing 1% of your body weight per week, so for you that would be 1.6 lbs, or an 800 calorie deficit per day. An extra 200 calories is more than enough for a healthy, filling, nutritious snack.

I think that "hunger" sometimes gets a BAD NAME in the dieting world we live in! Hunger is frequently referred to as if it's some DISEASE or as a personal FAILURE of some sort!

Hunger is natural. It is GOOD. It is our body's natural way of letting us know when it needs more nutrients.

That said...if you are hungry, I'd say that is a pretty good sign that you are NOT eating enough calories. I generally EAT when I'm hungry. What that means as far as calories go is some days are higher (much higher during PMS), and others are lower (usually right after TOM). There are many variables that effect how your body processes the calories you intake (i.e. leptin levels, insulin resistance, amount of muscle tissue, etc.) It's not an EXACT science.

Eat lots of whole foods (non-processed), fresh produce, and keep your sugar intake/starchy carbs low, and your nutrient rich foods and protein high, exercise at least 3-4 days/week for at least 45 mins does the trick for more than a few people.

One thing I do is switch out meat for egg whites they have a lot less calories and 0 carbs and 0 fat no cholesterol. You can eat more of the other food groups and fill yourself up. Jack La Lane said, "Egg whites are the perfect protein." He said he ate 6 egg whites every morning. 6 egg whites = 102 calories, 0g carbohydrates, 0g fat, 24g protein.

I like to use them like little boats and fill them with yogurt, cherry tomato and a chunk of cheese and spices. I measure and weigh everything of course.

1 egg white = 17 calories, 0 carbohydrates, 0 fat, 4 protein

The best way to boil eggs is poke a hole in the fat end of the egg with a clean push pin. Then with a slotted spoon put the eggs into a pan of boiling water, cover and cook 12 minutes. The shells comes off very easily. I cook them this way all the time. You can fill them with anything you like or put them in salads. It's a great way to get some low calorie pure protein with 0 fat.

I was talking to a friend today who lost weight successfully a few years ago and has kept it off. She shoots for a 300-500 calorie deficit a day when she needs to take off weight. She is also very active, and around 5'3. So, at 5'7 I think you should aim for slower loss and eat more food so you don't sabotage yourself. (She loses weight at 1800 calories a day!)