Over the past year, I've been eating HUGE portions, matching my 6'+tall husband bite for bite. This is day 2 of smaller portions and trying to keep calories in check. I'm eating lean meats, low fat dairy and high fiber foods, but I'm constantly starving. Even after I eat a meal. I know I need to get used to it, but about how long do you think I will I be suffering for? lol

I think after a week or less your stomach should grow accustomed to smaller portions...keeping well hydrated and getting enough fat and lots of protein in your diet helps a lot!

I was chew-my-own-arm-off hungry when I first started but after about 5 days, it got better though I was still hungry, it just wasn't as bad. After about 2 weeks, I had what I consider to be "normal" hunger. Meaning, I was only hungry when I really needed to eat.

Oh and I second the thing about protein. That's still my go to food when I get really hungry.

I'm not sure how many non starchy veggies you're eating, but for me, I make sure my meals are about half. It helps me tremendously!
Other than that, there are certain low calorie foods that I know fill me up more, like soup/chili/stew or huge egg white omelets/scrambles with a lot of veggies.

I agree with Krampus and Garnet that it will likely get better within a week. It took me only a few days. So hold on!

Yeah, I definitely agree about the time frame other have suggested, and about the protein thing. I was really hungry yesterday and ended up eating half a can of tuna (plain)---not too many calories and a ton of protein. It helped.

I also recommend flavored, decaffeinated tea. There are some really good flavors out there (I don't like fruit flavors, do like spice/chai) and warm liquid gives me a full feeling in a way that chugging cold water doesn't.

One of the most effective changes I've made over the years is to stop matching my husband's portions, BTW. Even though I still have weight to lose (again), I'm much smaller than when I was eating like a (mildly overweight) guy!

There's no need to starve..... you can have larger portions as long as you're making the right choices. I like a full plate myself. But I bulk my plate up by adding veggies. I love pasta dishes and I love meat. But have to limit the intake on those foods.
When I make spagetti or ziti, I also mix in veggies. On the weekend I cook up lots of veggies in different ways. I cook up onions and peppers to mix in. I also cook summer squash and zuccini and will mix that with diced tomatoes. I make batches of low-fat coleslaw for a side dish. I love mashed turnips.
To limit my meat, I usually cut it up into bite size pieces and mix it in with veggies - it seems to make the meat stretch because I'm not taking huge bites at a time -- the cut-up pieces last longer.
Maybe you should start your meals with some soup or a salad.
If you get hungry between meals make a fruit smoothie - helps sooth the hunger and adds fruit and dairy to your day.
There are days I think to myself I really ate a lot today - but I don't feel guilty because I'm eating the right foods. I used to eat a lot of chips and soda, and chocolate used to be a good friend and had fast food regularly. Eating healthy takes more time and effort -- but the results are well worth it.
So don't go hungry -- just think about ways to bulk-up your meals in a healthy way. Good luck to you.
Mary

Thanks for all the advice. I switched my lunch to egg salad on a wrap, got high fiber oatmeal, and I've added a salad (just lettuce, tomato and dressing) to my dinners so hopefully that helps. Oh and I'm eating cottage cheese and low-fat cheese cubes for snacks in between meals. Before I always ate lots of carbs (even though cals were low) and it was NEVER enough and I'd end up binging.

MissJeanLouise - Eating like a big guy was my downfall, too! Never again! lol

Thanks, Forreal! I'll try to add more veggies to my meals.

I do the exact same thing as Forreal.

An example is I would mix peppers, cabbage, onion, celery into my egg salad, and/or wrap it coupled with plenty of spinach/lettuce, sliced tomatoes, etc.

Every single thing can have non starchy veggies added in. It really helps. It's often called "volumetric eating" if you wanted to google it.

I am big on adding veggies into things, too. I like a big plate of food, and adding extra veggies lets me do that without blowing my calorie allowance out of the water, AND gets me more nutrients and fiber. Win-win!

I put veggies in my pasta, greens in my soups, stews, and stirfries, and when I'm just having a veggie as a side, I'll make it half my plate.

Here's an example. I LOVE this chana masala recipe:

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/02/chana-masala/

When I make it, I add half a head of chopped cauliflower (added with the chickpeas) and bunch of chopped kale (wilted in at the end). Doing so means I get a big bowl of curried goodness, and also tons of nutrition from the veggies and greens (we also serve it over quinoa instead of rice, to up the protein and further increase the nutritional value). And it is SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS.

Lots of good advice here.

To answer your question, it took me a little longer to feel was though I wasn't "starving" - about 2 to 3 weeks.

It took me about a week or a day less to not be too hungry but I found out over Christmas that two days off plan = starving the third!

The veggie thing helped me a bit, but the first week just wasn't filling enough. I did start drinking chia seed. It would calm my stomach a bit.

dont starve yourself, as starvation means ur body start to bulk the fat..
eat 6 times a day, lots of fruit, vege, eat big plate but low fat low carb low cals