I ate everything.

RecognitionT

So I'm taking a small break from eating to post this, hopefully my appetite dies down by the time I'm done making this post. Doubt it though. Please excuse me as I take a bite from my bowl of beans.

Okay I'm back. Including this bowl of beans, I've currently eaten 5348 calories within the same ~30 minute period.

Can someone explain to me why it is that:

1) Appetites can grow that large in the first place.

2) If I eat 2 days worth of calories in one meal, why doesn't it keep me going for the next two days? I tend to be starving even after eating that much, a couple hours afterward.

I do run a lot. 6-7x/week 30-40m each. Even with that, I tend to get by with ~2500 calories per day to maintain.

Q2 disturbs me the most.

Please discuss.

nutmegoreo

Hunger isn't driven only by calories. I can have a day on 1200 calories and one on 2000 calories. My hunger cues have more to do with volume and types of food as well as what else I am doing. Calories is only part of the equation with regards to hunger.

Millicent3015

It's surprisingly easy to put away over 5,000 calories in one sitting, if the foods are calorie dense, and low in the things that might fill you up, like protein or fat. Carbs and sugar can make you crave even more carbs and sugar. I don't think your body counts days, I think it just counts how much fuel you give it. If you're constantly giving your body fuel, it will just accept the topup, use what it needs to and store the excess as fat. Your hunger signals only tell you that you should eat, not what or how much you should eat, and if you don't recognise the satiety signals that tell you your body is sufficiently refuelled and you don't have to continue eating,
or if you mistake dehydration for hunger, you'll continue eating.

jemhh

There's no way your maintenance calories are only 2500. You likely undereat regularly and then make up for it by eating a few thousand calories extra from time to time.