I've been writing down everything I eat lately, and I'm not exceeding 1200 calories, but suddenly I find myself staring at an empty cupboard. I feel both hungry and angry. Is it losing control, or just the difficulty of the process? Do you feel this way too?
I went through a similar process. I was really obsessed with counting calories, and it made me more anxious than hungry. For a while, I increased it to 1500, and my cravings decreased. I think you should try it—test yourself with a single increase.
Exactly, hunger mixes with irritability in a really bad way. I set little rewards for myself; for example, I save my 300-calorie allowance for chocolate in the evening. This way, I don't get into the habit of rummaging through the fridge.
It might be, I mean, why are you restricting it to 1200? You’re both starving yourself and bringing down your mood. This isn’t how a healthy diet works. Are you saying this is normal? It’s not normal at all 🫠
1200 calories is generally recommended for short, less active individuals trying to lose weight. However, if you're feeling both hungry and irritable, you might be making poor food choices or your calorie target is too low. It would be healthier to evaluate the process with a dietitian.
Yes, you're right, I actually set 1200 myself, I didn't read it anywhere. I'm really overloading on fruits and salads, but I'm still not full. In the morning, I usually have very little breakfast too 😅
Add a little protein to your breakfast, like eggs. Fruits and salads can fill you up but won't satisfy you. Also, if you haven't tried increasing to 1200, at least do 1400 for 2-3 days to see how your body responds.
Honestly, I think the issue is a bit psychological. Writing down calories might have put unnecessary pressure on you. Maybe it has started a control fixation, I suggest you think about it.
You mentioned loading up on fruit salad, but for example, have you ever looked at the protein and carbohydrate distribution at the end of the day? Even if you're not exceeding calories, if you're eating unbalanced, hunger/irritability is normal.
I swear I can't understand someone who doesn't have a proper breakfast in the morning and then rummages through the fridge in the evening. One should at least have some order in their life. I don't get why someone would get angry after being this hungry.
