I'm so hungry!

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Raegold
Raegold Posts: 191 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
This is just a vent thread... I'm starving!! I'm still doing Strong Curves (plus nursing), and I'm so so hungry. I literally think I could eat 3000 calories a day. Yesterday I had 2000 and this morning I feel like I haven't eaten in a week.

Bret says in Strong Curves that you will feel more hungry, but to fight the urge to eat more until your metabolism levels out... idk if that makes sense to me. I'll just sit over here and fantasize about eating more...

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  • CapnVillainBLK
    CapnVillainBLK Posts: 157 Member
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    Not an expert here, but, you should probably listen to your body. If it doesn't make sense to you, you should find something that does make sense. If you feel hungry, you should eat, but choose heathy foods and smaller portions. But hey, this is just advice...
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Lifting + breastfeeding can be a tricky combo. I'm currently doing it in a deficit and believe me it sucks so bad! (My baby is same age as yours I think 18 months but still nurses 3-4x per day).

    You may need to experiment with your macros and food choices. Also make sure you are drinking enough water. Sometimes high volume food works, higher protein, more fibre, adding healthy fats to foods, coffee (decaf if baby is sensitive to caffeine in your milk).. I find not depriving myself by having treats like those tiny single serve ice creams some nights helps too.

    At the end of the day nursing is tricky.. if nothing else works, maybe scale back the exercise to decrease the hunger if it is getting too much for you then adjust your intake.
  • WatchJoshLift
    WatchJoshLift Posts: 520 Member
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    Nursing burns a crazy amount of calories. My wife lost all of her baby weight and then some by nursing, and she doesn't exercise or diet.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
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    You are starving. Breastfeeding alone takes 500 calories. = 1500 a day, and on top of that you are exercising?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    You are starving. Breastfeeding alone takes 500 calories. = 1500 a day, and on top of that you are exercising?

    The calories for breastfeeding are not always 500, especially once the baby starts solids and is nursing less frequently.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
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    Yeah, I'm nursing my 18 month old like 4x a day, so it's definitely not 500 calories a day. Honestly, I don't like hearing about women who lost weight by nursing and didn't diet or exercise, bc that's totally the opposite for me. It makes me so hungry that I gain weight.

    I don't want to stop my lifting program, so I guess I'll just try and deal with it
  • kms234
    kms234 Posts: 132 Member
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    Raegold wrote: »
    Yeah, I'm nursing my 18 month old like 4x a day, so it's definitely not 500 calories a day. Honestly, I don't like hearing about women who lost weight by nursing and didn't diet or exercise, bc that's totally the opposite for me. It makes me so hungry that I gain weight.

    I don't want to stop my lifting program, so I guess I'll just try and deal with it

    Listen to your body. If you feel hungry, have a small but high protein snack to get you through the hump. I think you can successfully BF, lose weight AND maintain your lifting program :)
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Try some full fat or 2% Greek yoghurt with a little honey and some seeds or somesuch. It is filling enough that it might stave off the hunger pangs and give you a nice protein boost. I echo what others have said - listen to your body.
  • LisaTcan
    LisaTcan Posts: 410 Member
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    Raegold wrote: »
    Yeah, I'm nursing my 18 month old like 4x a day, so it's definitely not 500 calories a day. Honestly, I don't like hearing about women who lost weight by nursing and didn't diet or exercise, bc that's totally the opposite for me. It makes me so hungry that I gain weight.

    I don't want to stop my lifting program, so I guess I'll just try and deal with it

    I've done some research on it and the whole "breastfeeding makes you lose weight" thing is only true for about 60% of women. The other 40% (myself included) have trouble losing weight until they wean. It has to do with the amount of breastmilk you produce and how your body responds to prolactin hormones. I wouldn't stress too much about it. I wasn't able to lose the last of my baby weight until my daughter weaned.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,979 Member
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    I was always hungry when I was breastfeeding. I second the idea of high protien snacks and eating if your body tells you you need to.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited August 2017
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    .
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    I'm with the others here who say you should eat more. I'd try adding 200 calories more tomorrow (or tonight even), and see what that does. Increase by 100 calories a day until your hunger becomes more reasonable. Obviously you can eat whatever you want for those extra calories, but if it were me, I'd make it something I considered healthful enough that I avoided feeling like I was caving.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I'm not sure I understand why so many are telling you to eat more given that this is the maintenance board. If you are maintaining your weight eating more will put you in a surplus. Maybe looking at where you are getting your calories is better advice. Protein, fiber and fat are satiating to me so I look to foods with these to help keep hunger under control.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    I'm not sure I understand why so many are telling you to eat more given that this is the maintenance board. If you are maintaining your weight eating more will put you in a surplus. Maybe looking at where you are getting your calories is better advice. Protein, fiber and fat are satiating to me so I look to foods with these to help keep hunger under control.

    Good point, I hadn't noticed where this thread had been posted to. I made the suggestion to eat more because my own hunger/appetite levels seem to be pretty accurate. If I'm starving, it's because I'm undereating. Reliably. I assumed that the OP is like me, which may or may not be the case.

  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
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    Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't nursing a game changer? You're supposed to be eating more anyway!

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