# How does the character weight system work and how do I better deal with it?
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833
**Category:** The Bunker
**Created:** [February 24, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833 "2020-02-24T23:09:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@redxlaser15](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/redxlaser15)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/1 "2020-02-24T23:09:19Z")
My character keeps fluctuating from ‘normal’ to ‘overweight’ constantly, and I’m not sure as to the effects of this and how it keeps changing so much.
I know it has something to do with the amount of stuff you eat, but other than that I don’t really know anything about it. Is there any advantages in certain circumstances?
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### Author:  [@KorGgenT](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KorGgenT)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/2 "2020-02-24T23:46:11Z")
fluctuating between normal and overweight isn’t bad. there are no disadvantages to being slightly (one level) overweight, either, and the slight advantage of being able to survive longer without eating. if you become obese, your health takes a hit. (it can become a very severe hit!)
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### Author:  [@M1nks](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/M1nks)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/3 "2020-02-25T00:54:00Z")
It’s just a case of your toon eating more calories than they need. Stop eating when you are 'peckish ', (‘very hungry’ is when you should eat) and keep an eye on the number of calories your food has. Aim for around 2.5k per day.
There is now a gap between eating and feeling full. And also bulky food s like vegetables fill you up but contain far fewer calories than meat and fat.
It’s a bit confusing at first but once you’ve got a handle on it it becomes a lot easier. You can eat a chunk of food in the morning and head off for a busy day of exploring or slaying then back to base for dinner. No more having to pack food because going without a meal every few hours would push you into ‘famished’ which was how it used to be.
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### Author:  [@redxlaser15](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/redxlaser15)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/4 "2020-02-25T01:37:43Z")
Okay, good to know. I will try and work on that, although I will probably wing it for the most part.
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### Author:  [@The\_Lone\_Badger](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/The_Lone_Badger)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/5 "2020-02-25T11:03:39Z")
The hunger indicator is meaningless now. You need to calorie count instead.
To make it easy I try to just eat 2000-2500 calories when I wake up and then don’t eat at all for the rest of the day. If the hunger indicator is getting annoying just drink some water.
btw pine trees are OP as fuck in the experimental. It’s extremely trivial to survive entirely off pine nuts, just eat 12 handfuls first thing each morning.
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### Author:  [@Tamior](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Tamior)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2020, 11:37am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/6 "2020-02-25T11:37:24Z")
> [@The\_Lone\_Badger](#):
>
> The hunger indicator is meaningless now. You need to calorie count instead.
Not quite.
You never get “very hungry” if you are already overweight afaik.
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### Author:  [@redxlaser15](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/redxlaser15)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-the-character-weight-system-work-and-how-do-i-better-deal-with-it/22833/7 "2020-02-25T16:37:13Z")
Okay, I’ll go try to do that. Thanks