Phantom Hunger

[meimonsta]

I was wondering if anyone else experiences this and if so, how do you cope with it? It has become exceptionally hard for me to stay within my calorie goals (about 400 under maintenance) as I feel persistently hungry, especially during work, or while doing some other uninteresting or stressful task. I know I don't actually need the food every single hour. I have tried varying my macros proportions and intermittently fasting to see if I can gain satiety, but no luck. I have also tried drinking lots of water/coffee/tea, but instead of filling me up, it just makes me pee every five minutes. Anything else to try or should I just increase my calorie goals? Thanks for any suggestions!

[womanoid]

I often do that during a stressful part of work, but remind myself I'm just seeking out something to do to procrastinate, then carry on about my business.

[MrB1g]

If you're confident it is genuinely hunger and not simply boredom/procrastination etc. then I would question whether your diet is appropriate. Have you underestimated your maintenance requirement?

I'm not sure why you are dieting in the first place but that is your concern.

[meimonsta]

womanoid, yeah, maybe if i just keep trying to make the task at hand more interesting to myself.

If you're confident it is genuinely hunger and not simply boredom/procrastination etc. then I would question whether your diet is appropriate. Have you underestimated your maintenance requirement?

I'm not sure why you are dieting in the first place but that is your concern.

Well, I don't really need to be cutting. I was just hoping to drop my bf% just a little more before I start bulking. I calculated it like this:
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x 56.2kg)= 1,584Cal, where 56.2kg is my LBM.
1.3 x 1,584= 2,059Cal I factor in workout expenditure separately based on what I do that day. So then I aim for about 1,600 a day, including workouts. Does that sound reasonable?

[Lammerchops]

Have you considered cutting at a less aggressive rate, ie 200 cals under maintenance? If youve tried switching eating times and macro breakdowns, and you eat back a certain amount of cardio cals, then maybe your deficit is too big.

For me personally, hunger is a deal breaker. If you arent about to get on stage (ie, the hunger is very a very temporary thing at the end of a prep), why would you want to put yourself in a positin to be hungry all the time? You could get results ith a smaller deficit. Granted, they would come slower but it's not like you need to drop alot of weight.

[meimonsta]

Have you considered cutting at a less aggressive rate, ie 200 cals under maintenance? If youve tried switching eating times and macro breakdowns, and you eat back a certain amount of cardio cals, then maybe your deficit is too big.

For me personally, hunger is a deal breaker. If you arent about to get on stage (ie, the hunger is very a very temporary thing at the end of a prep), why would you want to put yourself in a positin to be hungry all the time? You could get results ith a smaller deficit. Granted, they would come slower but it's not like you need to drop alot of weight.

I have considered it. With a tiny deficit it just gets a little fuzzy for me in terms of precision, but I agree that it shouldn't keep you hungry.

[nvme305]

Yea I have this problem when I get bored/slow at work...for me I just try to keep stuff out of reach especially quick stuff like candy, chips or my weakness, poptarts...most times Im not "actually" hungry I just think I am..when I sit back and wait for my body to give me the signal it's hungry i.e. growling stomach, it never happens...also just to have some flavor in my mouth every couple of hrs, I may drink a Diet Soda or pop a TicTac, little tricks that helped me along the way...

[scotthm2]

womanoid, yeah, maybe if i just keep trying to make the task at hand more interesting to myself.



Well, I don't really need to be cutting. I was just hoping to drop my bf% just a little more before I start bulking. I calculated it like this:
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x 56.2kg)= 1,584Cal, where 56.2kg is my LBM.
1.3 x 1,584= 2,059Cal I factor in workout expenditure separately based on what I do that day. So then I aim for about 1,600 a day, including workouts. Does that sound reasonable?

If your loosing between 1-2# a week then your at the right caloric intake. If your loosing too much then increase your cals. It could be the boredom but if you are genuinely hungry then you might need more food!!
Personally I am not hungry when I am in a deficit less than 500 cals so if I start feeling hungry all te time I listen to my body and up my cals.