It seems like feeling like I'm starving for some time is just the way it's going to be

[brewens]

on my diet. I'm just counting calories and holding it under 1500 every day and it's working well.

One key is that I've found early morning to be the best time to gut it out and make myself wait to eat. I'm retired so I can see where that wouldn't work out for a lot of people.

I usually get up about five and used to eat breakfast right away. That made it a pretty long stretch over the day making those 1500 calories last until it was time to go to bed around nine. I decided to hold out for a couple hours every morning to start my meals later so I wasn't starving half the afternoon or going to bed hungry. That has had an added benefit in that I started doing my dishes and stuff to keep busy and eat up some clock, along with taking my shower before I start cooking breakfast.

I try and keep it to where I have a good 150 calories to spare after dinner around five. The worst time for me to be getting hungry is hanging out watching TV in the evening. I keep a bunch of things around that work well for a couple snacks that fit in the 150.

[greymattermom]

1. I did a plan called Naturally Slim

and lost 60 pounds. I think the main thing is to eat slowly, eat less, and wait until you are really hungry to eat anything. You will get used to the feeling of being hungry and come to like it as that is your signal that you get to eat. They have you drink water with a splash of orange juice. I find that really helps, as a little flavor makes it easier to drink the water. Also, sometimes you can mistake hunger and thirst. Drink the "H2O-orange" first. They also have you write down everything you eat. I have to stay below 1200 to lose anything and at 1500 to maintain. Eliminate sugar and keep other carbs very low.

[Ohiogal]

2. You sound a lot like me.

I try to stay 12-1500 calories a day. Since June, I went low-carb, and I've messed up a few times but for the most part I've done pretty well staying away from bread and other carbs. I've really cut back on a lot of sugar, which has been good for me. Getting up early does indeed make your day a long one when you're trying not to eat all the time. I have coffee first thing in the morning and don't usually eat until 10, but that isn't doable for many people. I'm never hungry until around 10 am or so, so it's not that hard for me. Late afternoons is when I am most tempted to eat something bad. I go to bed hungry just about every night, I've gotten used to it. Good luck to you, it sounds like you're in a pretty good groove!

[EarlG]

3. That happened to me when I was trying to drop some pounds

Every time I got hunger pangs I would tell myself that that was just the feeling of the diet working. It doesn’t last forever, after a while your body gets used to the new regime (at least mine did).

Make sure you weigh yourself every morning and chart your progression because dealing with the hunger pangs becomes a lot easier when you can actually see the diet working.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

7. Check weight once a week at the same time each week.

I have a board under my scale to get a more consistent read due to being unleveled. I check my weight before the weekend, like on a Friday, so that I can gauge what I want my weekend to be like. It keeps me disciplined.

Take into account the amount of salt consumed in a day's time. That can cause weight fluctuations of 3 to 5 pounds depending if you are prone to retain fluid. Drinking water throughout the day does help in keeping Sodium levels steady.

Strong hunger pangs are a result of dropping blood sugar levels. A piece of fruit often remedies that. What keeps one fuller longer is Healthy Fats like Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocados, other Poly/unsaturated Oils in measured amounts. Animal fats are not healthy at all. Instead of salad dressings, I use up to 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead. I love salads.

Keeping a daily food journal is another discipline key. Planning out meals a day in advance helps too. Reading ingredient labels helps educate a person as to how much Carbohydrates, Fats, Sugars are in items we buy. All those calories add up.

It is an eye opener into how we ate then as compared to now. I buy Organic as much as possible. Same goes for meats. Wild Salmon or Cod, not farmed. Range fed Beef and Pork, not corn fed. Cage Free Chicken and Turkey. What they eat when farmed, chemicals in their feeds to make them bigger and fatter, gets into us. Not good.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

4. Adapted from another saying...

Original...”Pain is just weakness leaving the body.”

Adapted...”Hunger pangs are just fat leaving the body.”

Used both in my lifetime, may help you too.

[Moostache]

5. I am obese...about 45 pounds

I cannot convince myself to suffer hunger pains and call it 'living'..being cranky and agitated and dour is poor quality in favor of quantity of life too me. I am trying to add exercise and walking to be healthier, but I will not die hungry in exchange for more time spent being miserable.

Life is a one way trip, if someone enjoys calorie restriction, by all means do it...if not, try to find a moderation to assist you and good luck....but enjoy the ride because you only get one...

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Eating healthy should be a lifestyle change, not a diet.....

That involved active Physical fitness, knowing how to eat, what to eat to get the most benefit from better choices, behavioral changes, etc. Having control over foods that controlled you is key to losing excess fat and keeping it off.


I have been a member of Weight Watchers for 45 years now. Over those years I have been up and down. Medications did have an effect on me over those years due to an Eye Disease I have had for 36 years now. But much of it was due to a lack of Self discipline and purpose.

Since losing my Mother in January of 2013, I went through a Mourning period. I ate for comfort and was putting on pounds, creeping up to 208 for my 5'5 1/2" frame. I took a 360 degree look in the mirror in just my underwear and said. "Yuck! I need to get my ass back to Weight Watchers and re-earn my Lifetime member benefits." I did that days after turning 61. For the past 337 weeks, I have been keeping Daily track of what I eat, etc. It took me 13 months to lose 53 pounds. Since 2014, I have kept within 5 pounds of my goal. I did inch up over the past Winter, however.

Since March of this year, I had to basically eliminate all Wheat, Corn, Soy products from my eating plan due to I am unable to digest them properly. I am sensitive to Glutens, Sugars, Soy, even Lactose Intolerant. I love Potatoes, but they do not like me as they ferment in my gut. Same with Dairy products. I get such a painful gut ache that last days. Combined within my daily Weight Watcher points, I eat quality Lean Protein(Chicken, Fish, Lean Beef and Pork, Turkey, Lamb). Plenty of fresh, low Glycemic Vegetables and Fruits, Brown Rice, Brown Rice Pastas, Healthy fats like Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Avocados. I consume between 1400 to 1600 quality calories a day, am not hungry, nor do I have Sugar cravings. I feel much better and have more emergy.


By keeping Daily track, I am able to keep my weight in the 147 to 150 range. 155 is my WW Goal. I have lost close to 60 pounds. I eat out a lot, but make wise choices as to what I am able to eat. Over the years, I have been on 5 long road trips, 2 International Trips that also included a 3 week Cruise, and still lost weight. I also walk 20 to 25 miles per week ad work out. I am in better shape now at 67 than I was at 61. My Doctor could not be more pleased.


If one is going to count calories, make sure those are quality calories that will keep you filled up between meals, fuel the body to burn excess fat as energy, and not obssess on what you can't have, but design a lifestyle around what you CAN have.