How do you not eat EVERYTHING?!?
Mouse_Potato
Posts: 1,510 Member
I've been lifting on and off for a little over two years now and it does crazy stuff to my appetite! The one thing I've found is that I simply do not have the willpower to cut when I'm lifting. I will burn maybe 200 calories in a session, but my body wants 500 to make up for it. Then something will happen and I will have to take a month or so off. Then my appetite returns to normal and I am able to lose a few more pounds. Then I start lifting again and I'm back to maintaining like a champ! Does anyone else experience this?
I'm not starving myself. I'm down to that last 5-7 vanity pounds, so I'm trying to net 1700 a day. I aim for at least 100 grams of protein. I'm almost always in the red on my fat macro. I eat back my exercise calories. How do I not eat all the things? For breakfast today I had two slices of Ezekiel bread, 3/4 cup egg whites, a wedge of laughing cow cheese, 50 grams of apples, 100 grams of blueberries, and a container of Oikos full-fat Greek yogurt. An hour later I had a protein bar. A little after that I had 45 grams of pistachios. After that I went to the gym so I would stop thinking about food!
ETA:
Stats - 41 years old
Just under 5'4"
122 pounds
23% body fat
Desk job
I'm not starving myself. I'm down to that last 5-7 vanity pounds, so I'm trying to net 1700 a day. I aim for at least 100 grams of protein. I'm almost always in the red on my fat macro. I eat back my exercise calories. How do I not eat all the things? For breakfast today I had two slices of Ezekiel bread, 3/4 cup egg whites, a wedge of laughing cow cheese, 50 grams of apples, 100 grams of blueberries, and a container of Oikos full-fat Greek yogurt. An hour later I had a protein bar. A little after that I had 45 grams of pistachios. After that I went to the gym so I would stop thinking about food!
ETA:
Stats - 41 years old
Just under 5'4"
122 pounds
23% body fat
Desk job
0
Replies
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I'm with you. The hunger was terrible--like to the point of driving me to distraction--at first. Now it's just hunger. Also, I go from meh-I'm-not-that-hugry to oh-my-god-I'm-going-to-gnaw-off-my-arm in minutes. My completely unscientific theory is that it's a symptom of lower body fat. It is definitely related to lifting--when I take a few rest days, it calms down noticeably. (Though a long bike ride makes me really hungry, too--but at least that burns an extra 700 calories or more, so it's offset!) Higher protein helps. Eating frequently helps. Not letting myself get too hungry helps. But nothing makes it go away except stuffing my face with way more calories than I can burn.0
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Well, I'm glad I'm not alone! The other night I had a Chipotle burrito bowl, finished off my boyfriend's Chipotle leftovers, ate a Quest bar, and was embarrassed to admit I was still hungry! Lately I've been taking aerial silks class twice a week (which is basically an hour of pullups on fabric) and all I can think about is "when do I get to eat next?"
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You are so not 23% body fat!! You look so fit, are you sure you're doing your calculations right? Sounds like you're already at your goal weight and should just look to maintain. Wish I had your body *wistful*0
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How's your fiber intake? When I have high protein, high fiber days, it feels like someone has inflated a balloon in my belly. And my appetite is nowhere near shy
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wait....we're not supposed to eat everything? netting 2300-2400 a day here in maintenance.0
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mystgrl1604 wrote: »You are so not 23% body fat!! You look so fit, are you sure you're doing your calculations right? Sounds like you're already at your goal weight and should just look to maintain. Wish I had your body *wistful*
Thank you. You are too kind!
My scale at home and the handheld thing at the gym say 23% and it lines up with photos I've seen. It may not be spot-on accurate, but not too far off. I carry all my extra weight in my waistline, so it's easy to hide it now that I'm close to goal.
I do eat a lot of fiber. Even more since I discovered Quest bars at my local Kroger <sigh>. I've been trying to scale back, but everything I eat seems to have a ton! I don't understand these people who can't get 25 grams. I'm at 36 for today and that's with cutting out a few things!
I could easier consume 2300-2400 calories a day, but I am not in maintenance just yet. And I think my maintenance calories are around 2000. That's the one thing I hate about losing weight. My TDEE has dropped so much.
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Protein, fiber, and water help you feel fuller longer. So things like fruits, veggies, beans, broth soups, lean meat, whole grain, etc.
Starch, sugar, and fat will make you feel hungry sooner. Fat makes food feel heavier and gives a nice mouthfeel, but it doesn't keep you full like protein and fiber.
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Protein, fiber, and water help you feel fuller longer. So things like fruits, veggies, beans, broth soups, lean meat, whole grain, etc.
Starch, sugar, and fat will make you feel hungry sooner. Fat makes food feel heavier and gives a nice mouthfeel, but it doesn't keep you full like protein and fiber.
Over the last week my protein has ranged from 110 grams to 145. My fiber has been 27-49. Sugar is 34-56. Fat is 57-84, but I thought fat was supposed to make you feel full. Anyway, I *think* my protein and fiber are plenty high, but I'm still hungry. Oh, I don't track my water, but I drink it all day long. I just keep refilling my water bottle.
Maybe I'm just a pig. It's weird, though. I read about all these women eating 1200 calories a day with 200-300 calorie meals and it makes me hungry to even think about it. I'm at a healthy weight now and I'm pretty muscular, so I guess maybe I should consider a recomp to get rid of that last bit of jiggly. 0 -
Whenever I see people saying they eat 1200 calories and/or don't eat back any exercise calories, I think they're way undercounting and/or their workouts are very low-intensity (those people I see sitting on a bike at the gym, reading a magazine and talking on the phone and pedaling at a cadence of about 20).0
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There is a great thread in the maintenance board about recomping. I so wish that is where I was at!0
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I'm with you! I get so fraeakin hungry from lifting!!! My weight started to creep up (and more importantly measurements) when I went from running 4.5 miles a day to lifting...like ravenous! I too still have a few pounds to lose and I also carry those pounds in the middle (tiny love handles that I can only see if I'm in a teeny tight dress..they drive me nuts!) I've been veggie/fruit juicing to stave off the need to grind. Helps loads.
I agree with the prior poster in the 1200 cal thing..I did that when I first wanted to get back in shape and I about died. My body went into starvation mode. Seriously I need about 1700 for just maintaining. Those calorie need calculators can be very misleading since such a small amount of data is used to determine BMR.0 -
Its worth remembering that BMR is the amount of calories you would need if you stayed in bed all day and slept 24hours. It supports the basic processes of life and accounts for 60 – 70% of the body’s total energy needs. That is excluding any sort of movement and the number of calories needed to digest your food.
If you are sure that you are meeting all your nutritional requirements you could try eating a large bowl of veg (400g) as I find that helps fill my stomach for a few hours.0 -
scrittrice wrote: »Whenever I see people saying they eat 1200 calories and/or don't eat back any exercise calories, I think they're way undercounting and/or their workouts are very low-intensity (those people I see sitting on a bike at the gym, reading a magazine and talking on the phone and pedaling at a cadence of about 20).
I am one of those odd balls who does not get hungry on 1200 calories, and I do weigh even my oil that I add to cooking. Exercise wise, I can hike for hours or cycle or spend an hour pushing myself on the eliptical trainer without getting hungry -clearly a freak. I have not been hungry in the last month.... that was until yesterday ....when I did my first intense strength training 45 mins session. OMG I could have eaten the gym equipment after that!!0 -
BTW this freak has a TDEE iof just 1350 calories for sedentary job so 1200 is not that much lower. Whereas many of you have much higher TDEEs0
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I find I am super hungry on the day after lifting. It shocks me just how hungry I get. I was eating 1200 a day plus half of my exercise credits and loosing a pound a week. Now I am trying to maintain or recomp I am not sure exactly but I keep loosing a pound a week even though I have increased my calories every week for weeks. Now I am eating 1550 plus exercise and I am think I need to go up again. Averaging close to 1800. My TDEE calculation is 1475 for my size, age, and activity level.0
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This might sound finny, but I'm findings beans help. Cannelini beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils. Massive amounts of fibre and some protein as well help fill me up. I just add them to one of my meals on my training day and it really helps with the hunger.0
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maybe you're a "macronator" if you believe Biolayne. Have you thought about reverse dieting to push your maintenance calories as high as possible? maybe you could be maintaining on 2800 and cutting on 2300.
The other thing is, maybe you'd respond better to higher carbs than fats. You could try taking down fats 10g or so and bumping up carbs 25g.0 -
The beans do help, lol. I have never heard of macronator's but I will check it out. Thanks0
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Thanks for all the replies. I broke my wrist in September, so I can't lift right now. I have been eating around maintenance and lost a few more pounds. The crazy hunger has subsided for now. It's only there when I lift.
My TDEE on a rest day is around 1900, according to my Fitbit. My BMR is somewhere between 1200 and 1300.0 -
Mouse_Potato wrote: »Thanks for all the replies. I broke my wrist in September, so I can't lift right now. I have been eating around maintenance and lost a few more pounds. The crazy hunger has subsided for now. It's only there when I lift.
My TDEE on a rest day is around 1900, according to my Fitbit. My BMR is somewhere between 1200 and 1300.
Oh, no! Well, at least you've found an upside to a broken wrist.
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Wow! So glad i read this thread! I am hungry all the time. I have lifting for about a year and as i have made gains in strength my appetite is following suit .i am trying to keep my daily around 1500, but am struggling to not go beyond that. Any good suggestions on fiber or protein dense "snacks"?0
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Edamame (green soybeans) are a go-to for me. I buy the packs of them frozen in the pods, boil them, drain, salt lightly, then leave them in the refrigerator. One portion is 120 or so calories (too lazy to look right now) and has a good amount of protein and fiber, and eating the ones in the pods (as opposed to pre-shelled) keeps my hands busy and seems to slow me down a little. Sometimes I dump some into a plastic baggie and take them with me when I know I'll be out of the house for a while and might get hungry. As @katnoir1 suggests, beans are filling. Also not too expensive and vegan.0
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Great suggestion. thanks!0
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Please checkout this group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3817-eat-more-2-weigh-less
I think you might be underestimating your activity level and TDEE. Read through the sticky notes in this group and see if what you're really wanting to do is change the shape of your body, not necessarily wanting to lose more weight.
This group changed my life! I was eating 1350 calories a day plus maybe 1/2 my exercise calories and stalling out on losing weight or inches. Once I found this group, I've been able to eat a lot more calories, perform better lifts at the gym (increasing weight/reps every week or 2) and losing inches eating 1850 calories per day.0
