Do you HAVE to feel hungry to lose fat?

[Cuts]

I'm trying to lose about 20lbs with various pharmaceuticals. Going o.k. with only 1 complaint: Hunger. Not a good feeling. Do I really have to feel hungry in order to lose fat, or is it o.k. to eat a small low carb-high pro meal at that time? Any other tricks to battle hunger?

 

[PimpnAintEasy]

Your body is a defensive organism and hunger is a distress call. Under normal conditions, hunger is a response to a combination of events which include a nutritional need and low or depleted energy reserves. Hunger can trigger a stress response which signals the adrenal gland to produce cortisol which among other things, breaks down muscle/protein to use as a fuel source (catabolism). The body also produces cortisol in an INVERSE relation to testosterone and HGH, so the catabolic effects are amplified, as well as affecting sex drive, energy levels, etc. It will also hold onto its fat reserves much more stubbornly and slow down metabolism as a self-preservation effort. These events are in part, why starvation diets are terrible for body composition and will ultimately lead to the "yo-yo effect" and make fat loss more difficult in the future. I can almost guarantee you that if you lose 20 lbs hungry, the greater amount of that loss will be muscle & H20, not fat, and you will eventually revisit those 20 lbs, replacing it with mostly H20 & fat and hopefully a little muscle---BAD TRADE.

The key to fat loss is metabolism and controlled caloric intake. Metabolism is greatly effected by diet patterns, exercise, stress levels, H20 intake, and musculature. Adding muscle mass is one, if not the best way to tip the scales of metabolism in your favor---in fact a lot of bodybuilders will tell you that cardio and watching calories is not necessary to remain lean (10-12% BF) for them. Eat frequent small & clean meals, drink alot of H20, train intensely with wieghts, stay active, watch stress levels and MOST of all, ADD MUSCLE, otherwise you will always be at a disadvantage to your metabolic tendencies.

 

[runner]

not to be rude, cuts, but it always looks like you're lookin' for the easy way out...i'm curious as to what your workout regimen is. could you post it?

 

[anabolic24/7]

If you don't suffer some from hunger on a diet... you ain't on much of a diet.
At 3000cal a day over 6 meals I'm always hungery, and I don't like what I'm eating, rather have a cheeseburger. If it was easy to be ripped, everyone would be.

 

[MICHLDAV]

If you have been eating a higher amount of calories for some time, and drastically reduce calories you will feel hunger. One thing you can eat as much as you want is vegetable fibers. I STRONGLY suggest you to eat salat, etc. Green vegetable. I don't know the names of the vegetables in english but if you don't have a carbs prot fat calories nutritional book of food - get one. You'll be surprised how many vegetables you can eat 'freely' on you diet.
Squash, aubergine(purple vegetable, like a big cucumber), cucumber etc.
MICHLDAV.

 

[anabolic24/7]

MICHLDAV

Thats what I'm saying, I can eat a huge salad and two chicken breast, and a hour later I'm hungry.
He needs to expect some hunger and be ready to fight it, or it will get him. Disipline is the best diet aid there is.

 

[Cuts]

Good advice...

The key to fat loss is metabolism and controlled caloric intake. Metabolism is greatly effected by diet patterns, exercise, stress levels, H20 intake, and musculature. Adding muscle mass is one, if not the best way to tip the scales of metabolism in your favor---in fact a lot of bodybuilders will tell you that cardio and watching calories is not necessary to remain lean (10-12% BF) for them. Eat frequent small & clean meals, drink alot of H20, train intensely with wieghts, stay active, watch stress levels and MOST of all, ADD MUSCLE, otherwise you will always be at a disadvantage to your metabolic tendencies.

Thanks a lot bro!

 

[Cuts]

not to be rude, cuts, but it always looks like you're lookin' for the easy way out...i'm curious as to what your workout regimen is. could you post it?

Runner, I'm not looking for the easy way out, I was just wondering is being hungry is a NECESSARY requisite to lose fat. B/c if you can lose fat w/out being super hungry and torchering yourself, I'd rather do it that way... the path of least resistence. Besides, what PimpnAintEasy said about hunger triggering catabolic hormone release is very true, so I think you gotta find some kind of balance. Anyway, here's my routine: 6 mornings/week, AM-empty stomach cardio for 30-40 minutes at moderate intensity. Wait an hour after to eat. 5 afternoons/week intense lifting in the gym for about 1:15. 5 meals/day totaling around 2500 cal in a 30/30/40 (unfortunately, can't eat any more protein). No carbs in last meal.

 

[ajc]

I don't believe that you have to be hungry to lose bodyfat until you reach your natural sticking point. Let me explain.

Once you get down to a certain bodyfat level (this bodyfat percent will be different for everyone), you will come to a "sticking point" and it will get much harder to lose fat. At that point, you may need to turn the caloric intake down a notch, at which point you will be hungry.

BTW, If you're hungry before bed or whenever, peanuts or even peanut butter (make sure it's natural) are good because the fats in them are good fats and will get rid of that hungry, empty feeling in your stomach.

 

[Cuts]

Excellent

. One thing you can eat as much as you want is vegetable fibers. I STRONGLY suggest you to eat salat, etc. Green vegetable. You'll be surprised how many vegetables you can eat 'freely' on you diet.
Squash, aubergine(purple vegetable, like a big cucumber), cucumber etc.
MICHLDAV.

Now THIS is exactly the type of advice I was looking for! Michldav, if and when I do get that six-pack, I'm gonna owe it all to you my man ! Thanks bro!