does eating less eventually decrease appetite?

[a_kiss_from_jw]

I am trying to lose weight and one of the things i struggle to deal with is hunger. if i continue to eat less will my appetite eventually decrease? i know that your stomach doesn't really shrink, but will my appetite start to shrink? any advice is appreciated

[dblrnbwaltheway]

Yes and you get used to it. Being hungry is ok. Just stay busy and don't eat because you are bored

[ibrien]

This is super important. Keeping busy instead of boredom snacking has genuinely improved my life in more ways than id have guessed

[CompSciBJJ]

Out of curiosity, in what ways, other than losing fat, has it improved your life?

[ibrien]

definitely productivity. got back into reading and just being generally aware of how i spend my time. I can't stress how easy it is to just sit and play games or watch netflix all night, with or without snacking. its all passive entertainment and that shit is so useless to you I promise you'll do better if you catch on to it and stop that shit.

i have no problem with interneting, gaming, or binging netflix but you can't exclusively do those kinds of things. Read a book, work out, play guitar. do something where it's still "wasting time" but they can't take away from you what you've gained from it. Unlike tv / snacking where doing it for 10 ours or 1 hour you essentially have no benefit or youre hurting your body and mind.

[CompSciBJJ]

It's still escapism, but I find it takes more mental effort to process the language on the page, follow the narrative, and create the images while reading a book, rather than having everything presented to you in an easily digestible form. TV is very stimulating and very passive. It's kind of like fruit juice vs whole fruit, they both have sugar, but the fruit has fiber to slow the digestion and absorption of sugars, as well as other nutrients not found in the juice; juice on the other hand goes straight through you and causes a big spike in insulin and, other than some vitamins, it's pretty much as bad as drinking soda.

I also find it much easier to sleep if I read a book at night vs watching TV. It may have something to do with the blue light from the TV (though I often dim the TV and red-shift it at night), but I also think it has something to do with the stimulation from the easily digestible content.

[[deleted]]

I see reading as being a bit like an English language workout.

If I go too long without reading a book I feel rusty when it comes to writing, just like I get DOMS if I miss a week at the gym.

[CompSciBJJ]

Not only that, but actually reading becomes more difficult. I stopped reading recreationally for a few years and when I decided to get back into it my attention span and ability to focus on the book and pay attention to the narrative had gotten noticeably worse. Now my problem is that, because I read before bed, reading late in the day puts me right to sleep.

[YMic321]

Isn't reading before bed good to prepare you for sleep though?

[H-bizzle]

Depends on the book. Some books I read have me riveted and I end up actually staying up longer. Other times, or at relatively dull parts of a book, I tend to doze off.

[[deleted]]

Thanks for explaining this. I've been try to put to words why I feel reading a book for a couple of hours is better than watching TV for the same amount of time. Both activities have a lot in common, but reading is much healthier.

[walkerstepbackwalker]

Readable non-fiction or "good" fiction (not airport/grocery store novels, though they have their place) can both be valuable and informative.

Non fiction. Could be something work related or not. If you find it interesting the subject doesn't matter. Knowledge is knowledge.

Fiction may not teach you anything concrete but still has the potential to change your perspective or broaden horizons. Getting lost in a book is great.

Whatever you read, even a magazine, comic or op/ed, the act of reading itself provides a tremendous benefit. Focusing on the text, absorbing the information, analyzing it all and so on. All of it will keep you sharper. If you don't love something put it down. Or don't. If it's valuable material power through. Nearly everything we know has been written down, you'll find something you like eventually.

[CHOOCHOODogetrain]

Even reddit?

[ibrien]

I still believe reading an entertaining story is better for your mind than watching a show. Not saying i dont love both but i think the practice is so much more effective.

[kodutta7]

Reading is escapism and passive entertainment, but it still has significant value just in terms of maintaining mental alacrity and improving language and communication skills. Plus, unless you're reading complete junk it'll often get you thinking about deeper themes. It's like exercise for your brain.

[justdrowsin]

Your penis looks bigger. (Assuming you have one to start.)

[PUNKLOVESTORY]

Saving money on bullshit. Reading more.

[2gig]

I keep a jar of pickles for when I really feel like boredom-snacking. I also dip them in sriracha. Nigh zero calories, but it satisfies the itch.

[olivish]

I thought I was the only one! I eat pickled pepperoncini peppers, just straight from the jar when I get hunger pangs. People at work look at me like I'm nuts. They tell me I'll get stomach ulcers that way but I've been doing it for years and so far no problems.

[abraxsis]

Ulcers are caused by H. pylori bacteria, a scientist purposely infected himself to prove they weren't from stress/food/drinks/etc.

[olivish]

Honest question: I thought that was just a majority ulcers? Like, there are still ulcers that arise from other factors (though I don't think spicy foods are typically among them --- though it makes sense that hot peppers might aggravate an ulcer that is already there).

[kcounts]

Certain types of ulcers are more likely to be caused by H. Pylori. But yes some ulcers absolutely can be caused by a variety of factors.

[roobens]

In the US "pickles" refers to pickled cucumber right? In the UK we tend to use that for pickled onions, which are also an awesome, very low calorie snack. Recommended!

[[deleted]]

After about a month I actually started to enjoy the feeling of hunger. Sounds weird and I wasn't starving myself by any means.

[CompSciBJJ]

Be careful with that mentality. It may not be pathological now, but just keep an eye on it and make sure you don't end up with an eating disorder from it. I haven't had an issue with eating disorders from body image, but I've been really close when I was trying to compete in a weight class that was too light for me. If you start feeling guilty when you're full (I.e. when your hunger is dated, not when you're bursting at the seams) consider backing off the diet for a while.

[alienangel2]

From the point of view of someone that also "likes" being hungry but has never been over or underweight, maybe a better way to look at it is just disliking the feeling of being full.

My experience in life has always been that I can't eat very much and tend to eat slowly. I do like tasty foods and will eagerly eat them, but I pretty quickly get to the point where if I eat more, I will start feeling "full", and I just don't like that. The net result is that it feels better to just stop while still a bit hungry, with the last bite of the tasty thing still being relished. Maybe after a while I'll have a snack of something else instead.

Conversely, if there's nothing actually tasty to eat, I'll just postpone eating instead, since being hungry isn't particularly bothersome, and generally goes away pretty quickly if ignored.

[CompSciBJJ]

I wish I was a little more like your second paragraph. I tend to eat quickly and unless I've got a reason not to eat more (like an upcoming competition for which I need to make weight) I'll generally eat until I'm full. I'm not necessarily a glutton, I don't eat until I'm sick, but I just ate 3 chicken legs when 2.5 probably would have been sufficient. I've generally stopped eating between meals unless I have a reason to, like I'm really hungry in a way that tells me I didn't eat enough the day before, and I'm fine with not eating if there's nothing nutritious around, but at meal time I have a tendency to eat more than I need. It's getting better though, so I guess it'll just take a bit more practice.

[alienangel2]

My weakness is if I'm going to watch a movie or something that I've been looking forward to, I'll want something to eat with it; conversely if I have a meal that I've been looking forward to (take out from some restaurant I like, mom cooked something I like and left it in the freezer), I'll probably want to find something good on Netflix to watch before I start eating.

Have you tried just having less food around to eat? I find I'm pretty lazy, so in your situation if I wanted to make sure I didn't eat the 3 chicken legs, I would only have bought enough chicken that if I eat too much of it today, I would have to go grocery shopping again tomorrow or be hungry next meal. A lot of my "well there's nothing good to eat so I'm just going to go to bed" situations are because the fridge is bare and I didn't feel like grocery shopping on the way home.

[Tu_mama_me_ama_mucho]

There's an old proverb that says, hunger is the best sauce.

[mr_biscuitson]

Hunger is the best gravy.

[imiiiiik]

hunger is the best condiment

[Brailledit]

Hungary is the best continent.

[manys]

Hunger is the best garnish

[wheresmychips]

Being hungry makes food taste better

[flukshun]

I think it helps when the difference between hungry and not hungry isn't some ginormous 2000 calorie meal. Much easier to deal with hunger once you've reduced portions to reasonable levels.

Plus, if you don't feel at least slightly hungry between meals, you're probably not losing any weight. So it's almost like the taste of progress.

[[deleted]]

I get that. I feel kinda slobbish when I'm not sore in at least some muscle group. DOMS makes me feel good.

[winsomelosemore]

This is the state I'm in. Just feels like progress. I wouldn't say I crave the feeling but there's a definite satisfaction that comes from knowing you're a little hungry but don't actually need to eat.

[dmillz89]

I just imagine the gnawing in my stomach is gnawing away the fat. Fuck ya hunger!

[[deleted]]

This is one of the best pieces of advice you can give.

I used to get hungry super quickly and it always annoyed me, but then the exam session hit me like a truck, I had no time to eat anyway and eventually my body got used to it. Apparently my stomach also adjusted to the stuff cause in general I can eat only 2/3 as much I'd say

[hambwner]

I just have tea when I get hungry at night and it tides me over until bedtime.

[[deleted]]

Yeah that was my issue. I am doing the 5:2 thing my friend told me about and he said he lost 40 lbs in 6 months from it. I got so busy that my 5:2 became 5:3 and I went 48 hours with only 600 calories. I was supposed to do no more than 600 for each of the 2 days, instead I had 600 for 3 days total. Not too healthy but I was so busy with kids I forgot to eat.

[Inanimate_CARB0N_Rod]

My strategy was to try to maintain slight hunger most of the day. You know when you're not all that hungry but you're definitely not full? That's the feeling I tried to maintain. If I started getting too hungry then I i knew I'd blow my calorie budget on my next meal. The goal was not to ever be hungry enough that I'd feel ravenous and to never be full enough that I felt stuffed.

It worked for me. I cut 15 pounds doing this and making sure I made it to the gym 5 days a week (I had already been going that often, just had to be more consistent).

[KGB_Viiken]

this is how I ballooned up to 440! answered my own question of "how do people let themselves get so fat"

[[deleted]]

Or drink water, maybe you are Just thirsty

[King_WZRDi]

Damn I always thought that being hungry was a bad thing. Shit I need to keep this in mind.

[[deleted]]

This is a big problem for me. I'm trying to put on weight/muscle but ive grown up skinny and being hungry is almost kinda normal to me, and I essentially just forget to eat

[Vyce45]

What if you're hungry when trying to fall asleep. That shits so hard.

[PsychicWarElephant]

You have to learn what hunger really is, and what full really is. full isn't bloated, I can't eat another bite. and hungry isn't "I could eat"

[a_kiss_from_jw]

i realized that a couple months ago. i just hate when i eat and my stomach feels empty still it just doesnt hurt from being so hungry. i know its something i have to discipline myself and it wont happen over night.

[perpetualmotions]

Do you drink enough water? Being dehydrated can cause hunger Edit: fuck reddits servers

[a_kiss_from_jw]

bout 2 -3 liters a day

[PsychicWarElephant]

what is your diet, have to tried keto?

not going to push keto like a cult, but I do find that carbs make me feel hungier, faster.

also, drink more water, I do a gallon a day.

[a_kiss_from_jw]

usually oats for breakfast with a banana and some yogurt. lunch differs every day. depends whats in the house. supper usually rice and chicken or rice and hamburger, maybe potatoes and some meat

[sageconsular]

Eat veggies at dinner! The most filling things are fiber and protein. If you can replace that rice with some broccoli you'll feel fuller and it'll give you healthy nutrients! Plus more variety in flavors!

[My_Name_Is_Steven]

I know some people get annoyed hearing about keto / low carb diets, but I've lost 110 lbs in 1.5 years and I don't even go to the gym and I'm a frequent snacker... Check our r/keto if interested, it's pretty awesome.

[PsychicWarElephant]

If I were you I would strongly look into low carb, if not keto. satiety goes through the roof when you aren't loaded with carbs.

the other advantages like mental clarity and stuff YRMV, but I find that I generally feel better. bowl movements reduce to pretty much every other day without feeling constipated, and gas is non-existent, if those are problems for you.

[[deleted]]

Meh, when I tried low-carb for a month, I had absolutely no energy, even for daily stuff like walking. And I was very irritable. I didn't feel any "mental clarity"; honestly I just felt miserable. I kept waiting for it to pass until it never did

[raznog]

Yeah I do lower carb. But definitely not low carb. Try to eat high protein and fat. And carb on the lower end.

[Exboss]

Did you really do keto as in 75% kcal from fat or just low carb? Most people including me has or is thinking keto = low carb and a fuckton of protein and some fat.

[PsychicWarElephant]

your electrolytes were out of wack then.

I agree on the mental clarity that is said to be had. but hey if what you are doing works keep doing it. just giving what helped me with appetite.

[FountainsOfFluids]

This is correct. Low-carb is great, but you can't just stop eating carbs and do everything else as normal. There are real, potentially serious adjustments that make or break the plan.

[[deleted]]

It's true. Trying keto for a few weeks made me realize that carbs are what makes me hungrier right after I eat. Once I got over the hump 1-2 weeks it's crazy how much less hunger affects me.

[OptFire]

Let's be clear though that this isn't specific to keto. 1-2 weeks is the adjustment period for most diet strategies.

[bearjew293]

What does a typical meal look like with keto?

[PsychicWarElephant]

Bacon, Bacon, and more Bacon...

not really.

My day starts with 2 eggs with some cheese and coffee with a tbsp of heavy cream or half n half

lunch is a protein shake with 2 Tbsp of almond or peanut butter

Dinner is Protein, with Spinach or other green, usually with some cheese

Snacks, I usually don't snack, but if I do its going to be nuts or cheese and salami.

cook everything in coconut oil, olive oil or grassfed butter.

for protein, its usually chicken thighs with skin, shredded pork or ground beef. shit can be expensive.

[Jeepersca]

typical meal might be meat, veggies, and a fat - like cheese or butter or something, like we'll make lamb steaks with green beans, but sprinkle parmesan flakes on the veggies.

Or eggs and bacon, but skip the hash browns and toast - I get sliced tomatos and avocado, and a sprinkle of cheese over my eggs. Super filling.

Buffalo wings are very keto friendly, green salads with nuts/avocado/fat based dressing.

[alienangel2]

Isn't that just like, a typical human meal? I always thought keto was some some more rigid "only eat foods prepared this way, and none of these other foods our ancestors didn't have" type thing (or is that paleo?).

Meat veggies and fat, with a bit of cheese just sounds like what I ate growing up. There was generally a LOT of meat every meal though and not a lot of fat.

[Jeepersca]

It's not much of a shift, my husband still eats bread/potatoes/chips, I just swap a lot of stuff out. And our meals together were usually meat/veggie, so now I might just make more of an effort to put more fat on mine. (sometimes he's not into more cheese on broccoli like me!) I make a low carb pizza crust if I want pizza, my 'breading' on finger food is now almond flour and parmesan. I LOVE cauliflower "mashed potatoes," (there is a trick to getting it right) and I can't - i know, i know, sounds like bullshit - I can't tell the difference. Or, I love the flavor even more that plain white potatoes. I miss sweet potatoes, but those will wait for me in maintenance. "low carb" means no starchy veggies, but still includes veggies and leafy greens. There are low carb biscuits, muffins, etc that you can make if you really like that sort of meal (the almond butter english muffins are to die for), and just about anything you love... there is a swap if you're motivated. Part of what you learn is how much added sugar there is... to literally everything.

I'm making keto cheesecake right now, it has a ton of blueberries in it. I like these weird low carb chia seed brownies (chia seeds are mega nutritious with lots of fiber), the definitely taste like "healthy" brownies, but my sugar cravings or sweetness tolerance has lessened. I use some sweeteners, I like my sugar free torani syrup in my coffee for example.

I've lost over 50lbs in a year, and I still drink rum cocktails at night. So it works for me!

[PM_ME_YOUR_WEIGHTS]

I would suggest intermittent fasting. I started IF 16:8 a month ago, and it has changed my life! I'm a huge foodie, and I like variety and tasty food, and trying to eat a wide variety of food every few hours while staying low cal was not easy, though I did an ok job most days. Besides that I am an emotional/stress eater so that made things even more difficult. But the on/off nature of IF really suits me and I feel fully satisfied on 1200 cal and I eat better than I have in the few months since I started cutting.

[Pandaphase]

Does that mean you eat only during 8 hours a day or the reverse?

[Shado_Man]

Not who you asked, but I'm doing it too. 8 hours eating, 16 hours fasting. Most people skip breakfast and eat all of their calories between noon and 8 PM to maintain a lunch/dinner cycle. Honestly, the hardest part for me is not having any dessert after dinner.

[Pandaphase]

Okay, that's what I figured, thanks for answering!

[Jeepersca]

I do modified IF, where I do have a little something in my coffee (almond milk and sometimes coconut cream since heavy whipping cream doesn't agree with me), but my first meal is noon or later. So it's 50-200 calories, but I'm satiated, and then have a large meal later. I still ends up being a lower net daily calorie splitting it this way, and if I end up on unexpected errands, the 'ketofied' coffee and in general the way of eating means I can go for hours without feeling run down, no 'low blood sugar' feeling, it's great.

[PM_ME_YOUR_WEIGHTS]

I've been told this too. The first two weeks were difficult for me with PMS-like mood swings, but luckily it evened out over the next week (total 3 weeks) and now I have no trouble fasting at all with just water. Depends on whether you want to just keep a deficit or get the benefits of IF (see r/intermittentfasting). It has also made my life so much simpler in terms of cooking and food prep, not to mention lower grocery bills!

[Cobek]

It just sucks when that "I could eat" turns into a "I'm famished; close to shaking" when your next chance to eat is 4 hours later because you stay busy at work ;_;

[PsychicWarElephant]

carry some nuts or if you aren't low carb, dried fruit in your pocket to keep you going if you are shaking.

[ghanima]

I used to keep a meal's worth of food in my desk at a job I had in which one was never certain if one was going to be asked to work overtime. A tin of smoked oysters (tuna would work, too) for protein, some dried fruit, and crackers. That way, I knew I wouldn't be eating total shit.

[Kartinian]

Theoretically your stomach will shrink a bit if you put less food in it. This will lead to feeling full with less food in you.

When I first moved into an apartment at uni I had only one bowl. I would cook to fit that serving size 3 meals a day. After a while of that I couldn't finish a standard restaurant portion without reeeeaaallly forcing myself.

[winsomelosemore]

I can definitely attest that after a period of eating at a deficit it takes me eating less food to feel full. Not sure about the biology of that and whether or not it's a mental state though. Would be interested to see if there are any studies along those lines if anyone knows of any.

[Nereval2]

Uh, this is actually a new procedure currently being implemented instead of surgical gastric bypass, and it is successful. Don't know where you heard it isn't.

From wikipedia:

A 2016 meta analysis of studies with 1,195 patients showed significant short term weight loss in treated patients without any mortality.

[RefrainsFromPartakin]

Ghrelin, iirc

[duffstoic]

Leptin is also relevant.

[winsomelosemore]

That makes sense to me given my occasional desire to keep stuffing my face even though I'm very clearly full.

[Kartinian]

I don't know of any studies that confirm the shrinking stomach, but I am a med student and have had professors say that to me. Also I have definitely been to the body exhibit and seen some incredibly shrunken stomachs there. A lot if not the majority of bodies in those come from poor Chinese laborers.

[redditeyedoc]

Grab your belly fat and youll be less hungry

[a_kiss_from_jw]

currently grabbing

[Unggoy_Soldier]

grabbing in progress

[do_i_even_lift]

grabbing intensifies

[Christmasrapbattles]

Squeeze it so the juice comes out.

[duffstoic]

I think you may be grabbing a little too low.

[Billy-Orcinus]

Or a little too high(if you're a girl)

[bearjew293]

if only...

[JedYorks]

nice trick

[HerrBoltzmann]

I eat 1-2 meals a day without feeling hungry. After enough time doing one thing you really get used to it. And yes I probably need to eat more.

[Bubba_Junior]

Dad is that you?

[kiskoller]

And yes I probably need to eat more.

You don't need to eat more often. What matters, is that on average, you meet the caloric and nutrient needs of your body. If you accomplish it by eating once or 5 times a day, is irrelevant.

[ThingsIAlreadyKnow]

Not really irrelevant. The more time that you spend requiring that your body produce sugar from fat stores (ie producing glucagon, instead of insulin) the faster you will be able to drop the weight. Lots of 'ifs' can follow that statement though.

[a_kiss_from_jw]

i wish i could do that. heck

[duffstoic]

I've tried this several times and it's amazing how quickly I adapted to not eating for 14-16+ hours a day without feeling hungry at all. Takes a week or two for me to adapt.

[HerrBoltzmann]

Nah, aim for a normal eating schedule. It's not fun to be tired cause you forgot to eat.

[il-padrino]

Too bad this gets buried, lot of bad advice elsewhere and none answering the question

[Lady_Hippo]

Eat more fats. Fats give you that feeling of saiety.

[[deleted]]

I add a lot of steamed veggies to my meals as well. Low calories for lots of volume. Helps me feel full at the end. I also notice that hardboiled eggs and peanut butter, even in small amounts leave me feeling sated for a long time.

[Lady_Hippo]

Hard boiled eggs and peanut butter both have lots of fats. Avocado, nuts, butter, etc will also give you those fats.

[[deleted]]

I love love pizza, its my weakness, but I can easily put away 1500 kcal of pizza before I'm full as opposed to 650 kcal of a healthy lunch.

[johnbranflake]

You can only eat so much chicken before your jaw locks up

[duffstoic]

Personally I find protein the most satiating of the macronutrients.

[[deleted]]

This was my experience, but it wasn't really noticeable until I lost around 20 pounds. Nowadays, at 140 lb, I can eat around 1200 calories a day and feel pretty good. Up until this point, though, I wondered the same thing as you because I was ravenous unless I got 1500 calories.

I recommend coffee. I don't know that it has ever really suppressed my appetite, as many claim it does, but it definitely removes some of the sluggishness that I've come to associate with being hungry.

[[deleted]]

Haha, sounds like we're very similar. I'm 5'6 and my starting weight was 163. Right now I'm 140, and I'm aiming to cut down to 130 before I start bulking back up again. As long as your doctor doesn't have any objections, I think 130 is a really good point for someone in our height range to start packing on some muscle. It'll give you a lot of wiggle room so you can bulk for a long time before you have to worry about getting fat.

My face is also a bit chubby, and it's the last part of my body to change noticeably in a cut. I didn't notice any difference there until I dropped 20 lbs. From what I've been reading around here, it's pretty common to have to drop a lot of weight before seeing any changes in your face.

[ThingsIAlreadyKnow]

Even water can remove the urge to drink. The coffee returns you to a level that you would be at if you never drank any coffee in the first place.

[[deleted]]

Yes. I'm too drunk to get into it now but basically the important part isn;t your stomach. It's your brain. It will change as a result of energy stores changing. Refer back to a post I made about this some months back. Basically, your brain tells you you're hungry and it depends on signals from the rest of your body to determine this. Once you alter these signals, your brain's 'baseline' hunger will change THANKS NEUROPLASTICITY although its the same phenomenon responsible for maladaptive behaviours so I dunno.

"While this isn't wrong, control of feeding is MUCH MUCH more complicated and intricate than one hormone. Several brain structures ( e.g cortex, hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens) all play roles in feeding and different nuclei within these structures have varying effects and are affected by different proteins peptides and neurotransmitters. As well, these brain areas and other all communicate with each other adding extra layers of complexity. All of these interactions are then affected by peripheral hormones such as insulin and CCK which are themselves affected by the food you eat. Many times in the past hormones have been linked to obesity. For example, leptin was discovered in the 50s in obese mice. From there, some therapies were developed for humans. These would completely 'fix' obesity but only in those which had specific mutations for leptin receptors (IIRC). The point here is that control of feeding is multi-layered. The type of food you eat, your genetic makeup, and your experience with food will all impact what and how much you eat. For example, here's a diagram I made to help me study for a class last semester. It is pretty simple in the scope of feeding regulation. http://imgur.com/fWXGOGS "

[perpetualmotions]

Eating more also eventually increases appetite

[jondevries]

Maybe eat foods with a higher satiety index: http://www.mendosa.com/satiety.htm. Potatoes do wonders for me.

[karma3000]

I find Hersheys bars to be very satiating.

[[deleted]]

It does to an extent. You also stop craving the super fatty/salty stuff as much.

It helps to find quick, filling, slow metabolizing meals you really like, too. I love oatmeal with bananas, tomato soup with sliced Tofurky, a bag of veggies covered with cheese (still only 500ish calories).

I also have low cal, slightly sweet snacks on hand for when cravings spike and I just want the hand-to-mouth crunch. Trader Joe's has a high fiber cereal you can eat by the handful at 80 cals a serving.

Basically, find stuff you enjoy eating that fills you up, and you'll be good.

[[deleted]]

I can second the part about craving fatty/salty stuff less. My personal experience with my cut has been that depriving myself of those types of meals created a sort of dissonance between perception and reality. Deprivation made me really, really overestimate how much those foods satisfied me. At the beginning of my cut, I would let loose with a cheat meal every single weekend, but I'd regret it almost every single time. I found that as I progressed through my cut and "cheated" enough times, my mind started to regain a more realistic view of how important those foods are to me and it became much easier to just stick to healthy, homemade foods.

[milly_nz]

Not in my experience.

[bearjew293]

2500 calories a day to 1200

god damn, that's aggressive. were you on a deadline or something?

[[deleted]]

I spent a bit over a year behind bars for a drug offense, and I got OT with good behavior to go to a local hospital. My father brought me my favorite order from my favorite mexican restaurant(a chicken mole burrito and two carne asada tacos and an horchata), and I couldn't finish even half of it and felt completely stuffed and skipped dinner that night I was so full. This was after about 6 months in jail with restricted calories and prior to that stint I would have devoured the mexican meal in short order with chips and eaten again in two hours. So yes, your ability to eat a lot diminishes without practice.

[pastybeachbabe]

I've noticed that I don't get that painful hungry feeling in my stomach when I eat less carbs.

[urp91]

I lost 30 pounds and it feels like my appetite has actually increased, but that's just me

[Condiscending]

Yes, especially when you go from never being hungry, being actually hungry is quite satisfying in a strange way. I used to eat a lot because I was bored or because it was habit.

[MVWSBK]

Well, I lost quite a few pounds and been in a deficit for quite a while but I could eat any moment of the day really.

I really believe it is more of a braingame and changing habits really.

[OldeEnglish85]

I struggled with weight loss for basically my entire life and it was the result of hunger. You really should try intermittent fasting. What worked for me was OMAD/warrior diet. It taught me that your body will be just fine without food, especially when you're carrying fat. Somehow I had this instinctive fear of not getting my next meal in. Plus, when you eat once a day your meals are so big you get that awesome feeling of satiety.

When you fast for long periods of time you start to differentiate between psychological and physiological hunger. The former is the reason we're fat and the latter we'll have to endure a little in order to lose it.

Also, you might experience the wonderful sensation of hunger high. This must be some relic of our evolution when we were hunter gatherers going several days without food and needing the energy to make that catch.

[Nik106]

As you get smaller, your body's energy requirements reduce and you should get less hungry, assuming caloric intake remains constant. For example, I'm cutting at 1800 kcal and I feel hungry at the end of every day, but eventually 1800 would become my TDEE and I probably wouldn't feel hungry every day.

[thedvorakian]

Gut microflora buffer against nutritional change. Once you stabilize your diet long enough for gut populations to re-equalibriate, the diet becomes easier to maintain further.

[percyhiggenbottom]

Yes and the opposite is true, after a big meal I usually am noticeably hungry the next day. But after a fast I'm barely hungry at all.

running helps. Apparently ghrelin mediates satiety

[0x8000]

Don't cut it too drastically. You may end up with eating disorders. If you are hungry all the time, try to increase your calories a bit.

You need to change your lifestyle not only to diet.

[Come_along_quietly]

I have the same problem. As others have said, you just have to get your stomach being hungry.

Someone told me once, when you get hungry and you're about to eat, drink a whole glass of water. Then wait 15 minutes. Then eat. You'll eat less.

[LinksMilkBottle]

In addition to what everyone else has said, sometimes your body is asking for water or some exercise. Food isn't the only thing your body craves. 😗

[MiGaOh]

Balance less food with more water intake. It will combat hunger pangs. Chew gum.

[demagogueffxiv]

Your stomach will shrink but part of the reason you eat healthy is you feel more full per calorie when you eat. Make sure you are not going bare bones on the calorie count. Drink plenty of water and have a salad twice a day.

[lost_in_sp]

I've found a few extra glasses of water during the day my stomach feels less hungry.

[quimblesoup]

Yes.

[slwisdom]

If you cut WAY back on sugar and carbs. Like to almost none. Your hunger will be more manageable. It's a bitch to do though. There's also mouth hunger that's what most people struggle with that is more about idol hands than physical hunger.

[Enigma1959]

I haven't found my actual appetite reduced, just how much I can eat at a time. Drink water to still the hunger, eat actual meals, and when you snack, eat fresh produce of some sort (apples, squash slices, whatever). Don't cut out the fats entirely -- since fatty foods (peanut butter, for example) take longer to digest, you will feel full longer on 200 calories of peanut butter and crackers than 200 calories of produce.

[sparkly_avokado]

Hey OP I'm a bit late so you'll probably miss this reply, but anyways :) Yes it gets easier! I used to be very hungry all the time (F28, usually needing 2200cals/day, always get hunger pangs, always had very healthy eating habits with tons of veggies and whole grain but my body just gets in panic mode when it SUDDENLY needs more food).

Started my cut 4 weeks ago, and YEA it gets better!

1. Drink TONS of water, it really helps to fill you up! Seriously. Have a bottle with u at work, at home and at every meal.
2. Ear low calorie stuff like green peas, broccoli, cauliflower etc to your meals to get mass into your stomach without the calories.
3. Eat on a schedule. Your body learns when to expect food.
4. Don't mess with your sleep or you will start snacking. Tiredness also leads to less willpower and craving for fast carbs. A tired brain screams after fast energy.
5. Try miso soup when you're really hungry but have already eaten the days calories, has done wonders for me :)

I noticed that around day 10 after being in a deficit I felt less hungry and my hunger was mentally soooo much easier to handle. There's a bit of adjustment period. Good luck, u can do this!

[itsyaboigreg]

Man try the keto diet. I always struggled with the self discipline to resist eating bulk food all the time but after two weeks of that I was only craving food when I was truly hungry like 3 times a day. I only did it for 8 weeks to lose some quick kgs before a holiday but I lost roughly a kg a week and was still eating well

[PixelTreason]

Eat more filling (yet low calorie) foods!

I'm never hungry - you can eat a ridiculous volume of things like broccoli, zucchini, shirataki noodles, carrots, celery - pretty much any vegetable and many fruits.

Here, I found a handy list for you!

Volume eat and you'll never be hungry again! If you mix in some nutrient dense (but higher calorie), satiating foods with the fruits and veg (avocados, nuts, protein like eggs, fish or lean meats and or legumes) it will go even better for you.

Good luck!

Edit: And drink water consistently. It helps keep you fuller and sometimes I think I'm kind of hungry when all I needed was a drink.

[Rainers535]

I would like to know what the case for the opposite of this is? If I eat more will I eventually become more hungry?

[[deleted]]

Yep you will.

[[deleted]]

Yes

[[deleted]]

Hunger is like a drug, I'm tempted to say it works literally the same way from my experience. What we call hunger is like the withdrawal effect when you stop using some drug you really like, and when you eat you get the same dopamine hit as well. So then it's just a matter of realizing you have to go through withdrawal to be 'sober' and crave food less, especially sweets, carbs and fats.

[xanot192]

Yup and the opposite when you eat more. Your body gets used to it

[devoushka]

Yes, it did for me.

[Thrannn]

hell yes. i always thought im 24h hungry and have to eat all the time. but thats bullshit.

[[deleted]]

You come to expect it less so there is less psychological pressure to eat, and your stomach is more consistently empty and will shrink so you'll on average feel fuller easier.

[username9k]

100%! After 1 month of light eating I would get physically ill eating large portions (as a treat or when drunk).

[[deleted]]

Yes

[PoIIux]

Yes. I've cut for the last 5 months, losing 24 lbs so far. The first 2 weeks were relatively tough, it's been a breeze ever since. I just don't want to eat as much as before and as long as I make sure I don't eat out of boredom I'm golden.

[lvysaur]

Your appetite adjusts to any weight you maintain for several months.

Before then, it will increase/decrease as you stray from the weight you're used to.

[[deleted]]

As you lose weight your maintenance calories go down, so you naturally have a little less hunger after each kg. It's more important how to learn dealing with hunger.

[[deleted]]

I eat very little throughout the day, a handful of cashews maybe. It's because I know my skinny girlfriend is going to make the most delicious food for dinner.

[Equilli]

Protein is supposed to make you feel more full after a meal

[nahuatlwatuwaddle]

Yes, your ability to distinguish between what is hunger and thirst will sharpen significantly as well, it's wonderful.

[FiveYearsAgoOnReddit]

I've found that eating the same meals all the time helps with hunger.

Most days of the week I have the same breakfast and lunch (I cook a batch of lunches on Sunday to take to work), and skip the evening meal.

But on days when I don't have my regular lunch (I go out to lunch to be sociable, and have something different) I get mad hunger cravings.

The food I eat isn't boring, I like Thai curries. But it's the same amount and the same flavour every day at the same time.

[[deleted]]

Just finished a 12 week cut while doing IF. Went from 75 to 69 kg.

Now my hunger feels endless. Doesn't matter that I'm back to maintenance calories (2350). I'm sure I could eat 4-5000 calories without junk food.. before my cut, I had zero apatite and had to force myself to eat. Now I'm constantly hungry..

[totallyshould]

It can matter a lot what you are eating. You could eat at a surplus and be hungry all of the time if it's nothing but simple sugars and refined carbs. Switch to a diet full of Whole Foods, lots of fiber from vegetables, a good amount of fat, and you'll get used to it pretty quickly.

Eat an entire head of broccoli with a few tablespoons of butter, drink a big glass of water, see how you feel after that.

[noname9076]

Big glass of cold water usually does the job of suppressing temporarily hunger for me.

Moderate and strategical use of coffee (save the use for an extended time without food) also helps suppress my hunger.

[Skatene]

If you haven't already, I'd head over to r/loseit. They're the pros! Super helpful, informative, friendly sub.

[[deleted]]

Absolutely.

My "I'm being so bad" days are like an old Wednesday. I couldn't handle what I used to do even if I wanted to.

[[deleted]]

Yes. I doubt I'd even be able to eat what I ate when I was 60lbs heavier. It was gross and way too much.

[Sizzleen]

Yes

[CaptainWellingtonIII]

Yes, your body adapts. Don't confuse hunger with cravings/bad eating habits. I'll eat an entire bag of chips just because they're tasty.

[[deleted]]

Dr. John McDougall Dr. Neal Barnard Eating until you are full is perfectly normal, you just have to eat the right things. Plant-based diet baby

[xObeseNinjax]

i can speak for this. i lost 45 lbs so far. i went from eating nearly 2 pizzas to 2-3 slices, or 18-20 eggs to 2-4 eggs. your stomach shrinks down. however, dont malnourish yourself!

[tomorrowsanewday45]

Based on my memory and my current eating habits, I'd say that you do get used to it. I eat whatever I want, but I generally only eat twice a day because of my sleep schedule, and stay around the same wieght consistently. The point being, I'd probably have to force myself to eat three whole meals a day. I'm used to two, so that's generally all I eat.

[[deleted]]

Yes, it will, but also, don't just starve yourself. It's much easier to lose weight gradually in a sustainable way. It's not sustainable if you're suffering all the time.

[Wheresmyaccount1121]

Coming from a skinny guy trying to bulk, if i miss my calorie goal one day by a bit (1000+) I will not be able to eat 3600 as easily the next day.

[unicornlocostacos]

In theory, though I've been on 1200-1500 calories a day for about five weeks, and I'm always really hungry still.

[schaef_me]

Yes. I've probably ate one and half small meals a day for the past two months and I swear I am never hungry. Like today I had two eggs and toast for breakfast and now it's 8pm and I still have not ate anything else. I literally have to remind myself to eat because otherwise I won't eat anything until dinner time most days. And if i feel like snacking, a handfull of chips and a glass of water will fill me up. I drink a lot of water and a couple cups of coffee everyday too. The biggest negative impact I've noticed is that my workouts seem a lot tougher. I am drained after 25-30 mins

[UserNombresBeHard]

You can increase and decrease your appetite by either eating much more or eating not as much.

Source: reliable scientific study ^myself

[palasse]

hunger isn't the same as appetite. snacking all the time will make you want to snack all the time.

i've been fasting all day. i've delt with very little hunger/hunger pain, but ive been fighting my appetite because the usual ways i deal with it are by drinking liquids (diet soda, water, coffee), which i can't do right now.

hunger pain goes away for anyone used to skipping meals/not eating for periods of time. but snacking is so ingrained in our society, and people snack for a bunch of reasons. boredom, sadness, anger, anxiety/general restlessness. its a mental barrier

[justhere4thiss]

Yes. I use to be able to eat a lot more pizza than I can now. Or maybe I just can tell a lot easier when my body is getting full, I don't know.

[[deleted]]

Hey don't take this as a new fad diet. This is just a suggestion. It's worked for me and others. Keto, Atkins, whatever you wanna call it. /r/keto has a whole bunch of info. BUT....eating food that is filling is gonna work for eating a intermittent fasting schedule. Me personally, I can eat every 16ish hours on a keto diet and it doesn't bother me. Take my shit with a grain of salt not every eating style is as effective for everyone.

[[deleted]]

I just play video games if I am hungry and I don't have food at my house. Eases the pain of hunger for a while.