Hungry all the time

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katepace1
katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm constantly hungry. I'm 5'7" 140-145 lbs 37 yrs old. I want to be 130 lbs. I work out at least an hour a day. Lifting, HIIT, and/or endurance stuff. I try to lay off the carbs. I don't restrict fat too much and i get lets of protein. I drink lots of water. I hardly ever drink my calories. I park in the furthest spaces, i take the stairs, if my destinations are walkable i walk it. I am miserably hungry all day. Then at night, i feel like i cant take it any more and i binge on dessert (i.e. 4 Diana's Bananas tonight). Still averaging 1500-1600 cal (gross) per day though and not losing weight. My job is REALLY boring so that doesnt help. Advice? How do i stop feeling hungry? Anyone else overcome this? Esp. moms over 35? Am i just too old to be really lean anymore?
If i ate the way my appetite wanted me to, I'd be 200 lbs by christmas.
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Replies

  • ibnfaqir
    ibnfaqir Posts: 139 Member
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    Eat 5=10 almonds with coffee.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    You get lots of proteins and you say you don't restrict fat too much. Fat's and protein keep you sated longer. Also, I find for me (3 a.m. riser, gym at 5), that the earlier in the day I eat, the hungrier I am throughout. This being the case, I try not to eat until 10-10:30 ish and it seems to make all the difference.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Some people who overeat at night find that it helps to skip breakfast and eat later.

    Do you eat a lot of fruits and veggies? It is very difficult to go hungry eating fruits and veggies. Try working more of them into the diet. If you're hungry at night, have some green beans or edamame or something.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    It looks like you're doing everything right, including your binges which keep you within your calorie budget. How quickly are you losing weight? Maybe you should reduce it to half a pound a week if it's currently higher than that.
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    I dont know how to put my diary from today in here. But, i almost never eat breakfast. Just a few cups of plain, black coffee. I break my exercise up to 3 times a day - early morning, lunch time (im very fortunate to have a gym in my office building), then again after work. So 2 of those are usually before ive had anything to eat. Anyway, i eat lots of veggies and some fruits. Id be happy with 1/2 lb per week. Im not losing anything. And if i slip up and eat a cheeseburger WITH the bun (gasp) on the weekend, +5 lbs for me.
  • Bhlinebee
    Bhlinebee Posts: 71 Member
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    Are you taking your breaks, can't think what they are called but folks who work out their body intensely take occasional week long breaks to aid in recovery. Might be worth it to take a week of leisure - not saying sit around like a slouch, but maybe do less intense more relaxing type activities to allow your body to heal.
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    Bhlinebee wrote: »
    Are you taking your breaks, can't think what they are called but folks who work out their body intensely take occasional week long breaks to aid in recovery. Might be worth it to take a week of leisure - not saying sit around like a slouch, but maybe do less intense more relaxing type activities to allow your body to heal.

    I dont do that. Maybe I'll try. Im scared though. Like, if i stop running, I'll instantly inflate. A friend, who almost never works out but can lose 10 lbs by giving up chips for a couple days
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    Some people who overeat at night find that it helps to skip breakfast and eat later.

    Do you eat a lot of fruits and veggies? It is very difficult to go hungry eating fruits and veggies. Try working more of them into the diet. If you're hungry at night, have some green beans or edamame or something.

    I do love edamame. But i love dark chocolate more. :)
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    katepace1 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Some people who overeat at night find that it helps to skip breakfast and eat later.

    Do you eat a lot of fruits and veggies? It is very difficult to go hungry eating fruits and veggies. Try working more of them into the diet. If you're hungry at night, have some green beans or edamame or something.

    I do love edamame. But i love dark chocolate more. :)
    Also a valid choice, lol. :)

    You'll get to where you want to be. It's not easy. New habits take time and work.

    Find me anyone who spent a long period of time accomplishing something big who says they never had a setback, they never stumbled...I'll find you a liar! :)
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    katepace1 wrote: »
    Bhlinebee wrote: »
    Are you taking your breaks, can't think what they are called but folks who work out their body intensely take occasional week long breaks to aid in recovery. Might be worth it to take a week of leisure - not saying sit around like a slouch, but maybe do less intense more relaxing type activities to allow your body to heal.

    I dont do that. Maybe I'll try. Im scared though. Like, if i stop running, I'll instantly inflate. A friend, who almost never works out but can lose 10 lbs by giving up chips for a couple days

    I dont know why it cut this off. Anyway, he suggested that to reduce appetite and i didnt listen. Maybe I'll try.
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
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    If you open your diary, we might be able to make suggestions about things that could be more satisfying.

    As for not losing weight on 1500-1600: are you weighing your foods, and how long have you been at this? If you are eyeballing or using measuring cups for solids, that can be very inaccurate, meaning you're eating more than you think. Similarly, if you are logging things like "1 apple" that might not be that accurate, or if you are using generic entries to log meals you cook instead of the recipe builder. Small inaccuracies can add up to eliminate a deficit.

    I personally find fruits and veggies pretty unsatisfying for the calories. I eat them for nutritional benefits, but I have to eat something else to actually feel satiated.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Hon, just eat less and move more.
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Hon, just eat less and move more.

    Obviously. :) i really dislike feeling hungry all the time. I move a lot. It's hard to eat less when every waking moment my stomach is growling. How do i cure that so i eat less??? :)
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    mathandcats wrote: »
    If you open your diary, we might be able to make suggestions about things that could be more satisfying.

    As for not losing weight on 1500-1600: are you weighing your foods, and how long have you been at this? If you are eyeballing or using measuring cups for solids, that can be very inaccurate, meaning you're eating more than you think. Similarly, if you are logging things like "1 apple" that might not be that accurate, or if you are using generic entries to log meals you cook instead of the recipe builder. Small inaccuracies can add up to eliminate a deficit.

    I personally find fruits and veggies pretty unsatisfying for the calories. I eat them for nutritional benefits, but I have to eat something else to actually feel satiated.

    I dont weigh my food. Some of it is eyeballing. But, regardless, im still starving... All the time. If i really dont have a deficit, and i should be eating even less... My appetite disagrees. :anguished:
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
    edited July 2015
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    katepace1 wrote: »
    mathandcats wrote: »
    If you open your diary, we might be able to make suggestions about things that could be more satisfying.

    As for not losing weight on 1500-1600: are you weighing your foods, and how long have you been at this? If you are eyeballing or using measuring cups for solids, that can be very inaccurate, meaning you're eating more than you think. Similarly, if you are logging things like "1 apple" that might not be that accurate, or if you are using generic entries to log meals you cook instead of the recipe builder. Small inaccuracies can add up to eliminate a deficit.

    I personally find fruits and veggies pretty unsatisfying for the calories. I eat them for nutritional benefits, but I have to eat something else to actually feel satiated.

    I dont weigh my food. Some of it is eyeballing. But, regardless, im still starving... All the time. If i really dont have a deficit, and i should be eating even less... My appetite disagrees. :anguished:

    You are almost definitely eating too many calories. Eyeballing is extremely inaccurate. As for appetite, it could be that you are spending too many calories on calorie dense items, so there's not enough volume. For instance, 200 cal of peanut butter is (for me, anyway) much less satisfying than a 200 calorie egg white sandwich or 200 calories of chicken and vegetable stir fry. That's why I suggested you open your diary for suggestions on changing what you're eating.

    I suggest you watch this video: https://youtube.com/watch?list=FLxRg_80KHM-BdcHvV7nkgfg&v=vjKPIcI51lU
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    I opened it. I dont always log my stuff here either.
  • jeedsjds13
    jeedsjds13 Posts: 58 Member
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    Unfortunately part of it is nature. As we grow older and age our bodies add layers bit by bit to protect itself of injury. :(

    I don't wanna grow up let alone old XD
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    Easy solution! Use substitutes so you can eat 'more', but with the same calories. Switch your small-sized 200 calorie snack for a large-sized 200 calorie snack! Rather than a small bag of chips, that makes for a LOT of grapes at the same calorie [so many, you'd be stuffed]! Did not see if you ate snacks or anything, just an example.

    I'm at 1200 calories/day, and I have no issue. I'm not quite a morning eater, so I tend to skip breakfast entirely, have a light lunch, MAYBE some low-cal nibbling during breaks to cut through any hunger I get, then stuff my face for dinner within calorie limit so I don't fall asleep hungry. Sipping water will help when stomach starts to growl, too, in case you realize it was DEFINITELY a day to eat breakfast.. -cough- Today for me...
  • katepace1
    katepace1 Posts: 36 Member
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    jeedsjds13 wrote: »
    Unfortunately part of it is nature. As we grow older and age our bodies add layers bit by bit to protect itself of injury. :(

    I don't wanna grow up let alone old XD

    Yeah, thats what im afraid of... :disappointed:
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
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    Well, if you aren't logging consistently or accurately, any weight loss stall is not surprising.

    As for hunger, if you are restricting too much (e.g. actually only eating 1200/day), that can make you really hungry after a few days. I find I am much more comfortable sticking to 1500-1600 (accurately logged), and losing consistently.

    Things that stand out to me as high calorie and low satisfaction (at least for me):
    - avocado
    - peanuts
    - cheese

    If you took those out, you'd have a few hundred calories for other food. That can be an entire meal!

    Finally, at least for me, I find I eat less when I have a satisfying breakfast. For example, I've been eating egg white breakfast sandwiches (home made) for ~250 cal and I find that keeps me satisfied until lunch, and I don't go crazy from being really hungry by the time lunch comes around.

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