Hunger

[Popo111]

I’ve recently started NHS WeightLoss plan. I’m counting calories and i find my self being so hungry throughout the day even though I am eating the amount of calories needed!

Any tips on how to manage this?

[N-o-r-d-i Maintainer 64kg]

Hello, what helped me initially was to get rather big portions of food that is low in calories and to drink more water. It also helped to acknowledge hunger to myself and to postpone eating: “ok, I’m hungry, I’ll have a glass of water, then do something else for half an hour and then get some food’. I also had a tendency to eat things too fast, so had to consciously slow myself down and be aware of the taste, the texture and the smell of food I was eating. Hopefully others will share what helped them and you will find what suits you. Good luck!

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Hello and welcome, Popo111 😊

Have you taken your calorie range from the NHS BMI calculator? The 1400/1900 figures you see are generic and suit very few of us. Check again with the calculator and eat around the middle/upper end of that range. You'll lose weight and you'll be able to sustain it. You definitely shouldn't be feeling hungry.

Once you have the right range, take a look at how you are using those calories, as all calories are not the same, in the way your body uses them.

You'll find all the information you need about the forum in our Pinned Posts healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... including a Welcome message, the Daily Diary and the current weigh in: a good place to start is by joining a weekly weigh in on the day of your choice, and using the Daily Diary, where members share their meal plans.

Take your time exploring. This gives you a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true and, along with Pinned Posts, will show you how things work. I hope you'll become an active member and we will see you joining in around the forum 😊

[Popo111 in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you, can I ask your advice? On my BMITracker is suggests between 1556-2000 calories, but says to stick to the lower end? Could I still have a loss if I was just over 1600 a day consistently? Or what number would you go for??

Thank you 🥰🥰

Your info has been really helpful! X

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Popo111]

I would aim for 1800. You may be a bit above or below on different days but you'd be comfortably in the range to lose weight. I started with the 12 week plan (before switching to low carbs and healthy fats) and ate around the middle of my range: I lost 13lbs in the 12 weeks - not evenly, more some weeks, none some weeks, but I was happy with that tiny-bit-over 1lb a week average.

If you're looking to reduce sugar, look at the link AnnieW55 has given you. It may well give you some surprises

[Popo111 in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you so much!!

[SofaJockey]

I remember feeling so hungry when calorie counting, I couldn't manage it and abandoned the approach for a Low-Carb High-Fat (LCHF) method which reduced hunger and cravings.

But I realise there are different routes that people take. There's much to be said for finding the approach that works for you. 😊

[Hidden]

Evening

I like all the tips so far 😊

I'm calorie counting too and aiming for 1536 calories. I agree with Bridgegirl - make sure you've used the BMI calculater. I started off on 1400 and was hungry so quickly realised (and was told) that's a generic number and to follow the one it gives you.

Someone else told me to check whenever I lost a few pounds as it adjusts the amount you need.

Check the food that your eating too...

I write all the food and drink I have down - and make a note on whether it was enough at the end of the day. This has helped me adjust my meals so I'm not hungry&am eating a balanced diet. For example - days I was having ryvita and toppings for lunch I was always hungry. I've stopped eating ryvita now as it doesn't work for me. A big feta cheese salad works better for me. One day I had 2 pieces of toast and peanut butter for brekkie - by the end of the day I was snacking as still hungry. Today's been a good day as had 3 meals, plenty of water and herbal tea and not hungry now...(I adjusted my Brekkie so not hungry).. Certain snacks make me hungry - so cutting them out...

Good luck 😀

[Hidden]

I can’t be going with calorie counting & lost my weight on low carb. I am a very hungry person. BUT if you want to do the calorie counting thing it’s worth knowing that some foods make you hungrier - anything with sugar including fruit, and white carbs, like rice, pasta & bread. I find meat goes a long way to fill me up for relatively few calories (not that I count them).

[AnnieW55 Visitor]

As an addition the the good advice given, check out the link below. They are infographics by Dr David Unwin and are endorsed by NICE. Now I’m not suggesting you go low carb/high fat but just adding to the post by Slim-for-good so you can see why those foods can make you hungrier - they are sweet(ish) but not generally filling. Sometimes things with a lot of calories can be filling as part of a meal, even for a smallish portion - e.g. a good strong cheese, or a few plain nuts like walnuts or Brazil nuts. Slowing down my eating also helped as I used to forget I had eaten it went down so fast!

I don’t count calories any more either. In years gone by I could have eaten a day’s allowance just on crisps, bread and chocolate with maybe a token healthy low fat yoghurt or piece of fruit😊.

phcuk.org/sugar/

[Popo111 in reply to AnnieW55]

Thank you Annie, will need to get my head around reducing sugar and what foods to eat? I find it such a minefield after eating so much junk for so long, have checked out that link! Very helpful thank you! Xx

[AnnieW55 Visitor in reply to Popo111]

If you can get your head around eating real food that will really help. If you shop in a supermarket your time there will be speeded up as you only need the outer edges and can avoid the junk in the middle aisles. I always shop with a list (often buy things not on it though) and look at the headings for the aisles and can now give so many of them a miss. I’m now in and out in half the time I used to be - even with queueing and my habit of reading labels doesn’t get much of a look in these days. To be fair, I’m only shopping for myself and my husband, so nothing complicated.

[zinza]

In my experience, the first days were horrible. I almost gave up on the fourth day. I am doing intermittent fasting also, so the idea of eating only between 11AM and 7PM sometimes makes me feel really frustrated. A few weeks ago I would eat anything at any period of the day with no regrets at all. But after 10 days I`m like "It`s really difficult, but hey I`ve done this for 10 days already". Hoping to keep this frame of mind in the next weeks.

Also, the 3 months plan is supposed to teach your mind to get used to the new scenario. Less food, not so much snacking around, healthier items, and so on. The idea is that after 90 days your brain will be able to accept the improvements you suggested through your hard work.

[Progressoverperfect Restart June 2024]

I also calorie count and was encouraged to use the NHS BMI calculator, it turned out I could have about 500 calories more than I was having!! That equated to another meal!!. Inahvw also ditched low fat options ans go for full fat but less of, my new favourite is brie!!

I have slowed down my eating and make sure I'm sat at the dining table and concentrating on what I'm eating.

It's my weigh day tomorrow and the start of week 5 and it does get easier x😊

[weymouth321]

Hi Popo ,

To quench that hunger ; toast sesame seeds in small pan - pour out - then put few Lexia raisins ( Holland and Barrett ) in same pan to heat through - then mix altogether to eat - Getting nutty , creamy , salty ( from sesame seeds alone ) , sweet and sour ( from raisins ) . Lexia raisins are tricky to find - Graves Health Food Shops sell them . Sesame seeds from Tesco’s .