Why so hungry some days?

seraph75
seraph75 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Started my healthy, low carb eating a month back. Been doing very well with managing cravings and keeping hunger at bay. However, I'm not sure what's going on with me today. Been hungry the whole day. In addition to the regular meals, I"ve had an xtra mug of coffee and extra snack - some quinoa. Can't seem to satisfy my tummy today. Why? What can I do?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Maybe you are eating too little. What is your calorie goal, height and weight?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    There are a number of reasons you can feel hungrier than normal. As @kommodevaran has said you could be eating too little, your body might just be adjusting to the different diet or it could be hormonal.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    why low carb? your body needs them and unless you are diabetic or have a medical condition, low carb is not necessary.

  • SophieeBrook
    SophieeBrook Posts: 29 Member
    You need carbs to keep your body going. You body is craving them!
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    Low carb isn't for everyone. Some people do really well with low carb, some people need to do it for medical reasons. Others (like me) are hungry and cranky on a low carb diet. Also, if you are female, is it almost that time of the month? Some women get much hungrier and find its better to follow maintenance calories for that week.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    IMO there is no need for "low carb", other than the fact that carbs tend to be calorie packed. At my calorie goal I have to eat lowish carb or I wouldn't get enough real nutritious food in me to feel satisfied. Which is what I suspect is happening here. I'm not TRYING to eat low carb, but I'm almost always below the carb goal because I choose more filling, lower calorie options. For example, multiple types of squash... butternut, acorn, spaghetti, have replaced potato, rice, pasta as a side. I get more volume, lower calorie, lower carb.

    I use exercise days as a reason to add more satisfying carbs to my day. Usually popcorn with TV. I do sometimes crave a carb and I take it as a cue my body needs nutrition. I'm okay, now, with going over by 200 calories or so on those days, its a signal I need it. Lentils are excellent, carbs packed with nutrition or I have a nutritional shake I'll mix up on those days. Sometimes its not really CARBS you're craving, but nutrition in general.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    It may not have anything to do with total calories or carbs. All my life I've had days where I am hungry all day. This is why I choose not to eat a consistent number of calories every day. On days when I'm not so hungry I eat lighter so I can eat more on the hungry days. I don't think I'd ever have reached my goal if I didn't do this. It's just the way my body is and always has been. Even when I was young, even when I was gaining weight. It's just how I roll. ;)
  • VVVeeVee
    VVVeeVee Posts: 22 Member
    it can be a hormonal thing as well. Close to ovulation/period I'm always so hungry..
  • peanutbuttertuesday
    peanutbuttertuesday Posts: 192 Member
    This is me today! Way hungrier from the moment I woke up. I am curious, did you change up your workout lately? I recently started including boot camp cardio and I am wondering if that's why I'm wanting to eat, eat, eat today. I'm trying to go for protein rich snacks to stay satisfied. I also usually eat fairly low carb, just because I feel like carbs take up so many calories and leave me wanting to eat more. Hmm...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    is it hunger or appetite...

    If it's actual hunger it could be for a variety of reasons...

    1. Too big of a deficit for an extended period of time
    2. exercise from previous days catching up
    3. didn't eat enough food today.


    If it's appetite or a feeling of "emptiness" you may need to up your carbs...speaking from experience
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Yep I have those days and I'm not on a low carb diet. I just have to eat more on those days because I refuse to feel hungry. ....and yes, I drink about 130 ounces of water too. I'm human, it's fine because there will be another day where I'm not so hungry - balance :wink:
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,740 Member
    The day after a hard or long run I am extra hungry. If I haven't slept enough I get hungry. If I am bored I get hungry. If I'm dehydrated I think I'm hungry. If the food I've been eating isn't very nutritious I will get more hungry. When I was doing low carb a few years ago, if I also tried to cut fats and calories, I would get hungry.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Have you compared your fat intake on days you feel hungrier vs days you don't? I eat a lower carb diet and notice that if I eat more fats I don't feel as hungry.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    Lean Protein!!!!!!!

    You'll find that eating a good amount of lean protein in the morning will help keep you full the rest of the day. Have a look here for some sciency backup :)https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/epr-awe080408.php
  • AUKristine85
    AUKristine85 Posts: 3 Member
    OMG! I'm so having this issue today! I'm not bored - super busy in fact, but just hungry!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    seraph75 wrote: »
    Started my healthy, low carb eating a month back. Been doing very well with managing cravings and keeping hunger at bay. However, I'm not sure what's going on with me today. Been hungry the whole day. In addition to the regular meals, I"ve had an xtra mug of coffee and extra snack - some quinoa. Can't seem to satisfy my tummy today. Why? What can I do?

    Could be any number of things...calorie intake overall...more active...higher intensity exercise, etc.

    I'm fine now, but I woke up starving this morning which is fairly unusual...I don't usually have early morning hunger pangs...I did a 40 minute temp/sprint interval last night before dinner and felt fine...had my normal dinner, etc...woke up feeling like my guts were trying to eat themselves.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    It may not have anything to do with total calories or carbs. All my life I've had days where I am hungry all day. This is why I choose not to eat a consistent number of calories every day. On days when I'm not so hungry I eat lighter so I can eat more on the hungry days. I don't think I'd ever have reached my goal if I didn't do this. It's just the way my body is and always has been. Even when I was young, even when I was gaining weight. It's just how I roll. ;)

    I always remember that scene from the Hunger Games (first book, not in the movie), where she's had food, but still hungry and mentions it was just going to be a hungry day, where no matter what you eat you're still hungry. I was so flippin glad I wasn't the only person (well you get what I mean) to have hungry days.

    If it's just a day here or there, I accept it. Maybe I'll go a little over calories to have an extra snack if I'm getting hunger signs or I'll try and eat some peanut butter or cheese/meat rollups for fat and protein, but generally I just try and ignore it because I know I'm truly honestly not hungry.
  • sherbear702
    sherbear702 Posts: 650 Member
    I'm assuming you're female...getting close to menustrating? I get super hungry and crave carbs about a week before my period
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    seraph75 wrote: »
    Started my healthy, low carb eating a month back. Been doing very well with managing cravings and keeping hunger at bay. However, I'm not sure what's going on with me today. Been hungry the whole day. In addition to the regular meals, I"ve had an xtra mug of coffee and extra snack - some quinoa. Can't seem to satisfy my tummy today. Why? What can I do?

    Where are you in your menstrual cycle? My appetite goes up a bit at ovulation and more premenstrually. I plan to eat at maintenance for a few days premenstrually.

    If that's not it, did you get more exercise yest?

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