Calorie deficit without being hungry, how so? Well, let me tell you all my juicy secrets in today’s blog post all about maximizing results while in a fat loss phase.
The Cat’s Out of the Bag: The Truth About Hunger
When I say you won’t feel hungry during a calorie deficit, that’s not entirely true. The reality? You might feel a little uncomfortable at first. Hunger isn’t just a physical sensation—it’s heavily influenced by your mindset, too.
Let’s explore the psychology behind hunger and how it impacts your calorie deficit, followed by five practical tips to make your fat-loss journey more enjoyable.
The Psychology of Hunger
Hunger isn’t always about your body needing food. Often, it’s your mind reacting to a sense of restriction. When I began my first cutting phase, I felt ravenous 24/7, despite trying every hunger hack in the book. It was miserable. Once I hit my goal, I swung the other way, overindulging to the point of regaining fat—though, to be fair, lifting weights meant some of that extra fuel went toward building muscle.
Fast forward to my current cutting season, and I kept hitting the same wall: constant hunger, frustration, and giving up before I made real progress. That is, until a fellow coach explained how much our thoughts influence our experience.
Here’s the gist: what you focus on becomes your reality. It’s like when you get a new car and suddenly see that model everywhere—it was always there, but now you’re noticing it. Similarly, starting a calorie deficit can amplify thoughts like, “I’m so hungry,” because your brain zeroes in on the change in food intake.
What I’ve Found Helpful
I realized that constantly thinking, “I’m hungry,” wasn’t helping me. Instead, I decided to take those thoughts captive and reframe them. The Bible teaches us to focus on gratitude and truth, and I applied that principle to my calorie deficit:
- Instead of: “I’m so hungry.”
Try: “I’m blessed to have the ability to willingly restrict calories for my goals, rather than being forced to because of scarcity.” (Philippians 4:11-13) - Instead of: “I’m starving; I could eat a horse.”
Try: “I’m thankful there’s food waiting for me at my next meal.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) - If you’re constantly thinking about food:
Ask yourself if idleness is to blame. Staying busy can help take your mind off food. Go for a walk, tackle a project, or leave the house if needed. (1 Timothy 5:13)
Let’s Get to the Five Tips
Now that we’ve covered the mindset shifts, it’s time to dive into the actionable tips for making your calorie deficit more enjoyable. Ready? Let’s go!
What’s a Calorie (and Why You Shouldn’t Fear It!)
A calorie is simply a unit of energy—like how we measure height in feet or gas in a tank. Being 5’4” (yep, that’s me!) doesn’t scare me, and neither should calories. Just like you don’t panic about gas unless the tank is empty or overflowing, calories are only a concern when you’re out of balance. And that’s where the magic of understanding them comes in!
What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit occurs when you consume less calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. This encourages your body to use stored energy (read fat lol) to make up the difference. However, being in a calorie deficit doesn’t simply mean eating less. It means eating smarter to optimize your results without feeling burnt out, worn out, and washed out!
How to tell if you’re in a calorie deficit?
Here are some signs your calorie deficit is working!
1. Weight trends over time
- A good indicator that you’re in a deficit is that over time (yes, that means you have to be consistent for more than one week) is going down by 0.5-1.5lbs a week. Yes, even half pound is within the normal to healthy range.
- Pro tip: Weigh yourself first thing in the morning after you’ve used the potty-preferably without any clothing on. This gives you the most accurate read for the day as weight fluctuates as you eat, drink, and get stressed from your day lol
2. Body measurements and progress pictures
- In my humble opinion these are the best ways to track progress. Those stubborn areas where you hold on to fat will come very apparent that your calorie deficit is working when you look back on old photos! Side by sides are very eye opening after you’ve put in the hard work.
- Body measurements are of equal value but can be a bit more finicky as you are also gaining muscle. Still, it is a very great tool to measure progress.
3. Energy Levels and Recovery
- A moderate calorie deficit should leave you feeling slightly hungry at times but still energetic overall. If you’re constantly fatigued, overly hungry, or struggling to recover from workouts, you may be cutting calories too aggressively.
How to stay full during a calorie deficit
Here are the simple strategies to keep hunger at bay during a fat loss phase
1. Priotizie PROTEIN during every meal, even snacks. Protein is satiating keeping you full longer than carbs or fat. It also helps muscle retention as you lean out, giving you that toned look you are after.
- High Protein Foods
- Lean meats (ground beef/turkey/chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs/breasts)
- Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
- Eggs, egg whites
- Deli meats (turkey or chicken)
- Canned meats (tuna, salmon)
- Protein powder
- Jerky
- String cheese
- Aim for 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass. Lean body mass is your ideal body weight according to a BMI chart. For example, if you’re 160 lb woman and your ideal body weight is 135 lb, you would aim for 135g of protein during your fat loss phase.
2. Fill up on fiber
93% of americans are not getting enough fiber. That statistic should be talked about more than what ingredient we should be afraid of or what food is a good probiotic. Fiber is essential to feeling satisfied as well as for our gut health. Soluble fiber helps slow digestion, keeping you feeling fuller longer between meals and insoluble fiber gives bulk to the waste, helping to keep things cleared out.
- Foods high in fiber
- Beans and lentils
- Leafy greens
- Berries (raspberries are the highest and can be bought frozen to add to oats or yogurt)
- Oats
- Starchy veggies (potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash)
- Crucifix veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, etc)
- High fiber bread or tortillas
3. Master your meal timing. I know it can seem like a good idea to skip meals because you’re conserving calories (also known as calorie hoarding) for a big meal but this often backfires. Keeping your blood sugar and cortisol levels happy with full meals 3-5 times a day is optimal. This prevents crashes and regulates your hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin).
- Example meal schedule
- Breakfast: scramble 1 egg and 3 egg whites with diced onion, spinach, cherry tomatoes and topped with half an ounce of goat cheese. Add 1/2 cup of berries and 1 slice of sourdough toast with a light spread of kerrygold butter.
- Snack: 1 cup Greek yogurt with berries and 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
- Lunch: Half whole wheat pita with buffalo chicken, shredded lettuce, shredded carrots, sliced red onion, and a drizzle of bolthouse ranch dressing.
- Dinner: Hamburgers using 93/7 beef topped with thin slice sargento,onion, tomato, pickles, light garlic mayo aioli wrapped in lettuce, with a side of homemade potato wedges and baked broccoli
- Snacks: yasso greek yogurt bar
That certainly doesn’t sound like starving to me. Yes, you have to make some different choices but it’s absolutely doable! This is similar to my full day of eating and everyone’s portions and exact measurements would be different.
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Other articles you’ll enjoy:
Holiday Nutrition Tips That Actually Work for Busy Moms
Toned Mama: Create a Workout Plan to Look Amazing
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