Always hungry....is that normal?

cladinose
cladinose Posts: 19 Member
edited November 26 in Food and Nutrition
In late August I decided I wasn't at a healthy weight, so I tried out and made a beach volleyball team. I lost a lot of weight quickly even though I ate the same amount of food (roughly 1,700 calories). Now I'm constantly hungry, even after I eat a sandwhich or some soup. Is this normal? If so, are their certain foods that would actually make me feel full? If not, how can I fix this?

Replies

  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    Foods that typically keep you satisfied for longer are high fibre and high protein foods, some feel satisfied for longer with a higher fat intake.

    Sometimes thirst can also feel like hunger. Make sure you are properly hydrated.

    If you are exercising a lot, you may need to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    What does a day's typical menu look like for you? We may be able to offer some tweaks in what you are eating.




  • KelpyG
    KelpyG Posts: 9 Member
    The hormone leptin, which makes you feel full, is produced by adipose tissue. Losing fat means less lepin which means you're hungrier.
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  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    For me, it depends on the diet and if that diet suits you.

    Right now I am eating very LCHF, and I would say no, being hungry all the time is not normal. If trying to lose weight by moderating my food intake, I would say yes, hunger is normal.

    Just my experiences
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    I concur with above. A low carb High fat diet usually eliminates hunger because insulin remains low. It's the ideal diet in many ways!
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    KelpyG wrote: »
    The hormone leptin, which makes you feel full, is produced by adipose tissue. Losing fat means less lepin which means you're hungrier.

    Great point. Sometimes we overlook the many hormones that can impact/cause weight loss/gain.
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    Foods that typically keep you satisfied for longer are high fibre and high protein foods, some feel satisfied for longer with a higher fat intake.

    Sometimes thirst can also feel like hunger. Make sure you are properly hydrated.

    If you are exercising a lot, you may need to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    What does a day's typical menu look like for you? We may be able to offer some tweaks in what you are eating.



    On a daily basis, I usually fill up on carbs because I remembered somewhere (bio class?) that carbs are suppose to makes you feel full.
    I usually eat a turkey or peanut butter sandwhich for breakfast. Tomato/chicken noodle soup for lunch. Then some pasta or a salad for dinner. I'm a poor college kid and I want to get more bang for my buck. But if there are some foods that will fill me up that aren't too expensive, I'm willing to invest.
    Thanks for your reply!!!!!
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    For me, carbs are at the bottom of the list as far as what keeps me feeling full. Don't get me wrong, I love many carb heavy foods, but for hunger control they fall behind protein and fats.

    Proteins keep me full longer. Almost any meat is protein heavy, and chicken breast and pork loin are both dirt cheap if you buy larger packages. As a side bonus, they are also lean, which means you can add your fats in whatever tasty way you choose. Quite a few types of beans are protein rich as well, and if you buy them dry in bag form they are really cheap protein. Lentils, black beans, and several others in dry form can be 100 or so grams of protein for a buck, maybe a buck and a half. Talapia and several other fish are real high in protein.

    Fats are easy to find. In a bind eat some ice cream. If you have calories left to spare have some peanut butter and chocolate.
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    robertw486 wrote: »
    For me, carbs are at the bottom of the list as far as what keeps me feeling full. Don't get me wrong, I love many carb heavy foods, but for hunger control they fall behind protein and fats.

    Proteins keep me full longer. Almost any meat is protein heavy, and chicken breast and pork loin are both dirt cheap if you buy larger packages. As a side bonus, they are also lean, which means you can add your fats in whatever tasty way you choose. Quite a few types of beans are protein rich as well, and if you buy them dry in bag form they are really cheap protein. Lentils, black beans, and several others in dry form can be 100 or so grams of protein for a buck, maybe a buck and a half. Talapia and several other fish are real high in protein.

    Fats are easy to find. In a bind eat some ice cream. If you have calories left to spare have some peanut butter and chocolate.
    Okay, I'll definitely will have to look into those foods! It's my first time cooking in my own so I guess I just bought all the wrong foods. Thanks for your input!
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
    cladinose wrote: »
    Foods that typically keep you satisfied for longer are high fibre and high protein foods, some feel satisfied for longer with a higher fat intake.

    Sometimes thirst can also feel like hunger. Make sure you are properly hydrated.

    If you are exercising a lot, you may need to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    What does a day's typical menu look like for you? We may be able to offer some tweaks in what you are eating.



    On a daily basis, I usually fill up on carbs because I remembered somewhere (bio class?) that carbs are suppose to makes you feel full.
    I usually eat a turkey or peanut butter sandwhich for breakfast. Tomato/chicken noodle soup for lunch. Then some pasta or a salad for dinner. I'm a poor college kid and I want to get more bang for my buck. But if there are some foods that will fill me up that aren't too expensive, I'm willing to invest.
    Thanks for your reply!!!!!

    I'm genuinely curious how that works out to 1700 calories. Unless you're using a lot of turkey/peanut butter, and eating a lot of soup, it doesn't seem like it would even hit 1500 calories. Looking at a typical menu for your day, though, I would guess it's more along the lines of you're simply not eating enough. Do you exercise in addition to dieting? Do you eat back any of the calories (I know most say not to eat back all of them - but my boyfriend and I both find if we don't eat back at least half, we're famished by the end of the day)? Do you always finish what you eat?

    My initial thought was that you should just try increasing calorie intake a little bit. Maybe try adding a light snack somewhere during the day. Some snacks can be rather filling, and aren't always heavy in calories. Cheap and affordable for college students, too. Also, perhaps try more filling soups? I personally don't find neither tomato soup nor chicken soup to be too filling, but say... the Campbell's chunkies? While not necessarily as healthy as homemade (which I'm sure you're not having anyway if you're on a budget), they fill me up just as well and many are the same amount of calories (around 300 for a full can, 150 per serving).
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
    robertw486 wrote: »
    For me, carbs are at the bottom of the list as far as what keeps me feeling full. Don't get me wrong, I love many carb heavy foods, but for hunger control they fall behind protein and fats.

    Proteins keep me full longer. Almost any meat is protein heavy, and chicken breast and pork loin are both dirt cheap if you buy larger packages. As a side bonus, they are also lean, which means you can add your fats in whatever tasty way you choose. Quite a few types of beans are protein rich as well, and if you buy them dry in bag form they are really cheap protein. Lentils, black beans, and several others in dry form can be 100 or so grams of protein for a buck, maybe a buck and a half. Talapia and several other fish are real high in protein.

    Fats are easy to find. In a bind eat some ice cream. If you have calories left to spare have some peanut butter and chocolate.

    Bolding both as he brings up very valid points. Your day is low on protein and fats. While turkey may get some protein in, I don't really see where you'd get it elsewhere. Chicken is cheap, ground beef is cheap, pork is somewhat affordable. Fats are filling, too. Ice cream could be your snack.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    cladinose wrote: »
    robertw486 wrote: »
    For me, carbs are at the bottom of the list as far as what keeps me feeling full. Don't get me wrong, I love many carb heavy foods, but for hunger control they fall behind protein and fats.

    Proteins keep me full longer. Almost any meat is protein heavy, and chicken breast and pork loin are both dirt cheap if you buy larger packages. As a side bonus, they are also lean, which means you can add your fats in whatever tasty way you choose. Quite a few types of beans are protein rich as well, and if you buy them dry in bag form they are really cheap protein. Lentils, black beans, and several others in dry form can be 100 or so grams of protein for a buck, maybe a buck and a half. Talapia and several other fish are real high in protein.

    Fats are easy to find. In a bind eat some ice cream. If you have calories left to spare have some peanut butter and chocolate.
    Okay, I'll definitely will have to look into those foods! It's my first time cooking in my own so I guess I just bought all the wrong foods. Thanks for your input!

    It's really going to depend on your body... here is what affects my hunger the most. 1. protein, 2. fiber, 3 starches (especially potatoes), and then fats.. in fact, I literally just ate 400 calories of nuts and I am still starving (thank god dinner is coming up).
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    edited November 2015


    I'm genuinely curious how that works out to 1700 calories. Unless you're using a lot of turkey/peanut butter, and eating a lot of soup, it doesn't seem like it would even hit 1500 calories. Looking at a typical menu for your day, though, I would guess it's more along the lines of you're simply not eating enough. Do you exercise in addition to dieting? Do you eat back any of the calories (I know most say not to eat back all of them - but my boyfriend and I both find if we don't eat back at least half, we're famished by the end of the day)? Do you always finish what you eat?

    My initial thought was that you should just try increasing calorie intake a little bit. Maybe try adding a light snack somewhere during the day. Some snacks can be rather filling, and aren't always heavy in calories. Cheap and affordable for college students, too. Also, perhaps try more filling soups? I personally don't find neither tomato soup nor chicken soup to be too filling, but say... the Campbell's chunkies? While not necessarily as healthy as homemade (which I'm sure you're not having anyway if you're on a budget), they fill me up just as well and many are the same amount of calories (around 300 for a full can, 150 per serving).
    I burn quite a lot of calories some days, and sometimes I don't think I can physically eat all of them back. I actually put a lot of peanut butter in my sandwhiches and since it's a creamy peanut butter, it packs a high calorie count (according to MFP). I tend to drink tea to fill in the caloriegaps. Maybe I'm just not as healthy as I was thinking? I guess it just takes a bunch of caring strangers to make me realize this.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    If you say you are starving, how are you not able to eat more? Also, i would cut back on peanut butter if you need greater volume to keep you full.

    Can you open your food diary? Also, what are your stats (height, weight, age, sex and workout plan)?
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    How do I open my food diary?
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    Nevermind I found out how.I usually have very little time openings between class, volleyball and work to eat. So I try to get something in that. I also drink sugary drinks to help substitute lack of calories. I have beach volleyball every Sunday and Mondays. And I have indoor volleyball for around 3.5 hrs every Monday and Wednesday. So the calories I burn usually are too much for me, and I don't log some of them in. But if I eat enough, despite loosing the calories, I don't see why I would be hungry
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    I say that im hungry all the time because i will eat an amount but still feel hungry, but when i need to eat an extra 2000 calories on top of my daily allowance, i dont have time to eat that much and that just seems like an unhealthy amount of food. And Im still trying mull over how eating 3 times a day is not good enough, for a non olympic athlete.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    So you are very active, a lot of your calories are liquid and most days you dont get near your goal. Pretty much all reasons you are starving. There are plenty of good fast foods that can be eaten; greek yogurt, protein shakes or bars, nuts, luncheon meats, hard boiled eggs, fruit, veggies, etc..


    How old are you, male or female, how much you weigh?
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 902 Member
    edited November 2015
    I would suggest switching out some of your usual foods for a lower-calorie alternative, so that you may eat more in -quantity- of it for the same calories.

    For example; I love stir-frying those lil 'miracle noodle' things. Shirataki noodles. Yum! And they are veeerrryyy little calories. "But Pixel!," you say, "while there is a lot of that, where is the nutrition? Where is the food?" WELL, HERE COMES THE FUN PART. Loading up those noodles with stuff. Veggie, LOTS of meat, a fried egg, sauce (I recommend peanut satay). The regular, plain noodles you substituted out just got their *kitten* handed to them by a packed peanut stir fry.

    ... Also, those noodles fill me -up-.
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    Im 5'4 female, and currently im 145, so at the end of the bmi scale. What would I search on google to know what foods I should to be eating?
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    oh and Im 21
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    edited November 2015
    cladinose wrote: »
    Im 5'4 female, and currently im 145, so at the end of the bmi scale. What would I search on google to know what foods I should to be eating?


    No specific foods need to be eaten. Fruits, veggies and proteins will keep you full the most. Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are also good for your health. Fish has omega 3s which are great. And potatoes seem to keep me full.
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 902 Member
    Ah, we are pretty similar. I'm 24, 5'3, an currently at 146-ish.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Pre-planning your meals and making snacks can help with getting your calories in.
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks sooooo much psulemon!!!!! I needed a slap in the face.
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    PixelPuff wrote: »
    Ah, we are pretty similar. I'm 24, 5'3, an currently at 146-ish.

    Nice! glad to know im not the only one with my height/weight combo
  • cladinose
    cladinose Posts: 19 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    cladinose wrote: »
    Im 5'4 female, and currently im 145, so at the end of the bmi scale. What would I search on google to know what foods I should to be eating?


    No specific foods need to be eaten. Fruits, veggies and proteins will keep you full the most. Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are also good for your health. Fish has omega 3s which are great. And potatoes seem to keep me full.

    Thanks sooo much!! I needed a slap in the face!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,332 Member
    edited November 2015
    Looking at your diary (assuming it is accurate) you are not eating enough, at least for the past couple of days. You were at a little over 1000 calories the one day and right about 1200 the other. You need to eat at least the 1700. As to what will fill you, that is pretty personal to each individual.

    Edit:

    I went back even further, you have not been hitting your calorie goal. In fact there is not one day going back to the 22nd, where you have hit your goal. One was even down in the 700s. Your hunger is because of chronically eating too little.
This discussion has been closed.