Is this the sign of a low leptin or?

oat_bran

I'm a 28 y/o female with a BMI of about 25. I experimented a lot with different deficits over the last couple of years and I think I have finally found the right intake for myself. I eat around 1600 cals daily which combined with exercise several times a week and a generally active life style gives me an average deficit of 550cals according to my fitibit - the actual deficit might be somewhat less than that but according to my losses and gains it's fairly accurate.

I eat 3 meals (400-500 cals each), plus 1-2 small snacks and my macro ratio is at least 25% protein, 35% or so fat and the rest carbs. I feel good this way. I feel satiated after meals, but not uncomfortably full and I can last 4-6 hours between meals if I need to. When I start feeling hungry, it's usually time to eat, so it's not a problem. I also feel like I have enough energy to exercise, do my job and study (i'm a master's student). It seems like a perfect intake for me.

However, after several weeks (4-5 weeks) I start to gradually develop this deep seated kind of hunger, it buils up over the period of several days, getting slowly stronger. And it doesn't go away after eating the same meals that would leave me sasfied before. And I find myself hungrier in between meals. And my energy levels drop and exercise gets harder.

Every time I get this hunger I eventually end up overeating and gaining most of the weight I managed to lose over the past weeks. It's so frustrating. I've been stuck on the same weight forever because of it.

I assumed it has something to do with leptin and grelin levels. I tried doing "refeeds" - it's what body builders do when they experience a drop in leptin, they eat mostly carbs and moderate protein and low fat for a day or two and usually also 30-50% of calories over their TDEE. It is supposed to help to restore leptin levels. However, it doesn't really work for me. Iend up feeling hungry all day long despite eating MORE calories. And the day afterwards I still feel even hungrier than before.

Anyone experience the same problem? Any advice on how to deal with it?

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

Does it happen around ovulation time?

I'm always hungrier 7-10 days before my TOM

kommodevaran

Would you say you have a balanced and varied diet? Some food from each food group every day, and different food through the day, from day to day and week to week?

oat_bran

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »

Does it happen around ovulation time?

I'm always hungrier 7-10 days before my TOM

I've been on oral contraceptives for several years, so I don't ovulate and don't really have a real menstrual cycle so I can't really attribute to hormonal changes. And either way, I tried to see if those bouts of hunger correspond with any part of my artificial cycle and I didn't notice any correlation. It can fall at any part of my cycle.

kommodevaran wrote: »

Would you say you have a balanced and varied diet? Some food from each food group every day, and different food through the day, from day to day and week to week?

Yes, I make sure to eat a really healthy and balanced diet. Plenty of different veggies and fruit, good fats, whole grains, fiber etc. I make sure that every meal and most snacks I eat have a protein part, starch/carby part, veggie/fruit part and some healthy fats. I eat different things most days. I also take a multi vitamin, a calcium, magnesium, iron and, onega 3s and a B complex supplement most days.

JeromeBarry1

Your OP third paragraph states, "However, after several weeks (4-5 weeks)"

After what? That's probably your answer.

VintageFeline

Could you just shoot for a slightly smaller deficit?

skymningen

oat_bran wrote: »

I've been on oral contraceptives for several years, so I don't ovulate and don't really have a real menstrual cycle so I can't really attribute to hormonal changes. And either way, I tried to see if those bouts of hunger correspond with any part of my artificial cycle and I didn't notice any correlation. It can fall at any part of my cycle.

Oral contraceptives are hormones. If you take the stuff that has a one week break every cycle, then your hormone level will drop during that time, even more than for women who don't take oral contraceptives, because your body starts producing less oestrogen by itself. I actually have a oestrogen gel to even out this drop if I feel too bad, as it can cause headaches for me.

jgnatca

Try fats for satiety.
Eat more calories on the super hungry day but control it. No salt on that day, and have a rest day from the exercise.

See what that does.

oat_bran

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

Your OP third paragraph states, "However, after several weeks (4-5 weeks)"

After what? That's probably your answer.

I'm not sure what you are implying here. If you are trying to say, that there must be something that changes in my routine after 4 or 5 weeks than I'm afraid you are wrong. I eat exactly the same and exercise exactly the same amount. The hunger develops gradually over several days. And if I could link this to any particular event or change I wouldn't be making this post.

VintageFeline wrote: »

Could you just shoot for a slightly smaller deficit?

I tried that. But the only thing that lowering the deficit does is that it takes longer to develop that deep hunger, 6 weeks instead of 4 or 5 and if I increase the deficit, it starts earlier, for example after 3 weeks. But it always comes, sooner or later. Also, lowering deficit means that I'd lose even slower and it makes ruining a progress of several weeks in a few days of overeating even easier.

skymningen wrote: »

oat_bran wrote: »

I've been on oral contraceptives for several years, so I don't ovulate and don't really have a real menstrual cycle so I can't really attribute to hormonal changes. And either way, I tried to see if those bouts of hunger correspond with any part of my artificial cycle and I didn't notice any correlation. It can fall at any part of my cycle.

Oral contraceptives are hormones. If you take the stuff that has a one week break every cycle, then your hormone level will drop during that time, even more than for women who don't take oral contraceptives, because your body starts producing less oestrogen by itself. I actually have a oestrogen gel to even out this drop if I feel too bad, as it can cause headaches for me.

I'm on a combo pill with a 4 day break every cycle. I know it's hormones, I've been taking it for 4 years, I know what it does. Trust me, I considered it might be the cause more than once and I like I said before I could never notice ANY correlation between the hunger and the cycle.

jgnatca wrote: »

Try fats for satiety.
Eat more calories on the super hungry day but control it. No salt on that day, and have a rest day from the exercise.

See what that does.

I tried eating more fats. Not sure what salt has to do with satiety. I exercise every other day most weeks.

I think it's better to save mine and other people's time by listing things that I have already tried over the last several months:

So I have ALREADY TRIED:

Eating more protein
Eating more fat
Eating more fiber
Eating less carbs
Eating smaller more frequent meals
Drinking more water
Lowering the deficit (see above)
Considered the possible connections to my cycle (see above)
Eating at maintenance or slightly over for a day or two

I think the only thing I can think of that I haven't tried so far is taking a longer break from a deficit, say, trying to eat at maintenance for a week or so. That's what I'think I'll do next time. But I was hoping to hear from someone who has had a similar problem and who could give me something beyond the generic "eat-more-fat/protein/fiber etc." advice.

TavistockToad

Have a week at maintenance and then reduce your deficit to 250 cals per week.

nikolausi88

You sound just like me, though I'm still around the 27 BMI.
The lower the BMI, the more I get that bottomless, desperate hunger. Mine builds over time too and it really wears me out mentally, especially when progress is so slow and it feels like all that effort for a pound or two.

None of my suggestions are magical solutions, but here is what helped me control it a little better:

Trying to focus on getting more/ better sleep.
Creating some time for rest or relaxing activities ( it sounds like you're in school and work, been there and never felt so tired and mentally depleted before).
Alternating deficit weeks and maintenance weeks before it gets too bad (maybe every 2-3 weeks).
If it gets really bad, I take a break from exercise and focus more on activities - really anything enjoyable that keeps you moving.

For me, a lot of it came down to managing my energy levels better and cutting myself some slack on the mental aspect of weight loss.
Life is still not perfect, but I'm managing much better.

oat_bran

nikolausi88 wrote: »

You sound just like me, though I'm still around the 27 BMI.
The lower the BMI, the more I get that bottomless, desperate hunger. Mine builds over time too and it really wears me out mentally, especially when progress is so slow and it feels like all that effort for a pound or two.

None of my suggestions are magical solutions, but here is what helped me control it a little better:

Trying to focus on getting more/ better sleep.
Creating some time for rest or relaxing activities ( it sounds like you're in school and work, been there and never felt so tired and mentally depleted before).
Alternating deficit weeks and maintenance weeks before it gets too bad (maybe every 2-3 weeks).
If it gets really bad, I take a break from exercise and focus more on activities - really anything enjoyable that keeps you moving.

For me, a lot of it came down to managing my energy levels better and cutting myself some slack on the mental aspect of weight loss.
Life is still not perfect, but I'm managing much better.

That sounds like a good advice. It's true that my life is very active and quite tiring sometimes, especially lately since I'm working on my thesis. I try to get at least 8, hours of sllep but it's not always possible.

It seems like a good idea to have a maintenance week before it actually gets bad. I think l'll try that next time. Thanks!!

kommodevaran

I have been thinking some more. "Normally", people get cravings and "can't stand" their "rumbling tummy", but you are presenting more "objective", physical signs of hunger. And you are not bordering underweight. Something is not adding up!

Just for comparison, as I lost weight, and all through my 2 1/2 years of maintenance so far, I feel like I'm nourished "on the cellular level"; even when I haven't eaten for 18 hours, my hunger is not an emergency.

How is your body composition? If you have a low fat %, you may be pushing your natural limits and your body is telling you to stop, and to feed it.
Could you have any malabsorbsion issues? Have you had your bloodwork done?

oat_bran

kommodevaran wrote: »

I have been thinking some more. "Normally", people get cravings and "can't stand" their "rumbling tummy", but you are presenting more "objective", physical signs of hunger. And you are not bordering underweight. Something is not adding up!

Just for comparison, as I lost weight, and all through my 2 1/2 years of maintenance so far, I feel like I'm nourished "on the cellular level"; even when I haven't eaten for 18 hours, my hunger is not an emergency.

How is your body composition? If you have a low fat %, you may be pushing your natural limits and your body is telling you to stop, and to feed it.
Could you have any malabsorbsion issues? Have you had your bloodwork done?

Yes, I agree, it's somewhat strange for me to feel hungry like that. I am borderline overweight. I eat over 1600 calories daily which is not a small intake for a short female. I make sure to get least 90-110g of protein daily and a sufficient amount of fat which perfectly within the recommended guidelines for my size. I eat a very healthy and balanced diet plus taking supplements while eating in a deficit. So I doubt I am malnourished.

However, the kind of hunger I start to experience after several weeks of eating in a deficit feels like I'm undereating (I feel hungry most of the time, fixated on food, low on energy) and it builds up over a period of several days. So it doesn't feel like a craving.

But my body composition is properly not the cause of that. I have a lot of body fat, around 27% according to my scale (which I know isn't super accurate, but I can literally see rolls of fat on me). So yeah.