Is it reasonable for me to expect to mildly restrict calories for fat loss and not be hungry?
I had the BodyGem RMR test (which is supposedly pretty close) and hydro weighing. I just wanted to have a sensible point at which to start.
My RMR measured around 1750 and my lean body mass came out to about 119. I am a 5’5" female…I’m aware those numbers are pretty high, but they’re consistent with my experience (being pretty muscle-bound, big feet, hands/sturdy build). I exercise regularly and lift weights. I would like to lose about 30lbs. of fat (a very reasonable goal for my fat %%).
I restricted my calories based on the recommendations to just under 2000/day and by the time I went to bed I was extremely hungry, so much that it was hard to sleep. I know it is physical hunger and not any kind of emotional deprivation. I did lose about 4lbs. that week, which I know is probably more than I should.
It seems maladaptive that my body would be hungry at a mild restriction since (supposedly) being overfat is not good for the body…isn’t the body supposed to be infinitely wise? (Being a little facetious, here).
Okay, the bottom line is that while you can get all these tests and such, you still can’t predict EXACTLY how many calories you expend…hopefully, you can come pretty close.
My plan going forward is to watch my calories still, but up it 100-200 calories and see if I’m more satisfied, and monitor my weight meanwhile. If I continue to lose, then I know I’m still using less than I consume.
I guess I’m just being impatient by asking if anyone has actually lost weight without feeling hungry.
My experience on a very restricted eating regimen (I have lost 90+ pounds in 15 weeks on 500-600 calories a day - under dr.'s care of course - man I was fat!) is that you should make sure you get plenty of protein, including something later in the evening, and especially after exercising. Nutritionists I have read recommend the protein part of your diet should be 25% to 45% of your calorie intake. I would move to the upper end of that range, and make sure the carbs you eat are all good fruits and vegetables, and as little as possible of the starchy stuff.
Nothing new here, I just wanted to brag on myself a little…
I’m never hungry, unless I get so busy I simply forget to eat, and I’ve lost 20 pounds in the last 15 or 16 weeks. High fiber fruits and vegetables, proteins, and fatty foods are all good for feeling full. If I were as hungry as you described, I would probably have fixed a bowl of vegetables.
In a week or so your stomach will shrink, and the brain chemicals that regulate your appetite will adjust (somewhat) to the new food levels, and the intense “I’m ravenous” hunger will tend to pass. You will occasionally get the hungries esp at night, but the intensity of the hunger will be at a far lower (but still annoying) level. When you restrict calories several things happen, and among them your metabolism tends to slow down a bit and you burn fewer calories for agiven weight. Keeping up a regular exercise program will tend to combat this metabolic slow down.
To be honest I’m kind of surprised you are eating 2000 calories a day and losing weight at the rate you indicate. Most people on diets tend to burn 10-12 calories per lb of body weight per day varying with activity level (serious athletes in training will be at even higer levels). I’m 6’3" and have a large muscular build and execise regularly, and at 2000 calories per day I will lose around 1.5 - 2 lbs per week at most. Granted I have a somewhat slow metabolism, but for you to be losing 4 lbs a week on 2000 calories per day @ 5’5" is amazing. Most 5’5" women would be gaining weight if they ate that many calories. Are you an athlete of some kind?
In general, I dunno why I lost 4lbs. I gained 1 lb. back after overeating for a few days from the hunger. I’m guessing that some loss may be water, as I retain water very easily.
No, I’m not an athlete by any stretch. I do lift heavy weights and work myself pretty hard in my exercise classes. I go backpacking every few months overnight (30-40lb backpack, 5-10-mile days) and sometimes carry a 25 lb. or so pack on my weekly dayhikes (but I don’t hike very long on the dayhikes [2-5 miles with the pack]).
I do know that I ate waaaay more than 2000 calories before watching my intake because it was somewhat of an adjustment to keep it under 2000. I was not gaining wait, but maintaining a high weight. I’m using fitday.com and will sometimes overestimate my calories eaten, so I may have been having less than I think when I lost the weight (for example, if I had a starbucks latte with 2%, since they don’t have nutritional info on that, I’d catalog it with whole milk).
Although if my RMR is 1750 and I’m fairly active, it seems to make sense to me that I would lose weight at just under 2000 calories…Just with calculations off the top of my head, it seems that if my RMR is 75% of my total calories burned, then maintenance would be 2333, and I would lose at least a little weight at under 2000. If the 1750 was only 65% of my calories burned (maybe closer to a highly active person), then maintenance would be almost 2700 calories. Although I’m not completely certain of these calculations.
I’m not sure how your personal RMR is being calculated. I’ve been (when dieting) counting calories for over 25 years and have a fairly precise notion of my own personal burn rate. No BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculation formula is perfect for everyone, but this site has the most accurate BMR calorie estimator (calculation is somewhat involved) I’ve seem to date (and my real world burn rate is still slightly lower than it estimates) .