HELP! Feeling Hungry...

musicstar437
musicstar437 Posts: 11 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi All...
I started this "lifestyle change" almost 3 months ago. The first 2-3 weeks were tough. I was feeling hungry at night and everything that goes with it. Well, within a month, it was no problem. It felt like I had been doing this all my life and I felt good. Well, lately I have been having a problem. Within the last week or so, I have been feeling super hungry and NOTHING seems to "fill me" anymore. I haven't quite given in to the temptation. I try not to eat prior to 2-4 hours before bedtime but I have eaten a small snack lately before bed. (usually a couple of crackers or pretzels)
My question is... I am constantly hungry and am feeling bloated A LOT!!! I'm not full of gas, on my menstrual cycle, or pregnant. What could it be from? Is my body changing and I need MORE calories now? I'm confused! HELP!

Replies

  • HacheraTsarine
    HacheraTsarine Posts: 278 Member
    bump
    sorry, I can't offer any answer or advice...I'd just like to know what people might tell you, I'm an always-hungry kind of girl
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    It might help to make your diary public so we can see what you're eating.

    Could be your calorie goal. What is your weekly weight loss goal? If you started with 2 or 1.5 pounds per week, that's too high of a goal for you now. With less to lose, 1/2 or 1 pound per week would be more reasonable.

    Has your diet changed recently - any new foods or did you stop eating something you ate before? Any new meds, vitamins, other supplements? How's your water intake been?
  • musicstar437
    musicstar437 Posts: 11 Member
    I have changed my diary to public. While I do not eat absolutely "clean", I have been losing weight. Not to much has changed. I was setting my goal at 2 lbs a week lost. I have changed it to 1 lb per week. My water intake has ALWAYS been low. I typically consume about 4-5 cups out of the 8. I haven't introduced anything new to my diet. I understand to completely lose as much and become healthy I need to eat "clean." The thing that confuses me is that NOTHING has changed and now it''s been different. IDK?
  • recoveryjunky
    recoveryjunky Posts: 162 Member
    Have you been moving more? Your body may just need a little more. Also, have you changed your food since the start of your lifestyle change? Some new foods may actually not fill you. For me, I don't care how much lettuce I eat, I'm not full. You just may have some of those foods.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    Your height , weight please?
    From the look of your diary, i am guessing you have been eating very less. Some days are just 800-900 calories. Not sure if thats all you ate or your diary was incomplete.
  • lizziecheek
    lizziecheek Posts: 65 Member
    Hi,
    You may actually be hungry. I am an RN and my job is working with patient's regarding their health and one thing is weight loss. How many calories are you eating? How tall are you? Are you still losing weight? When you say bloated (remember I'm an RN so nothing bothers me lol) one thing comes to mind are you having regular bowel movements? there can be health issues that may need to be checked out but it may be something like infrequent BM's. Night time is my worst time of night. If eating the right amount of food, a balanced diet I remind myself when have thoughts/cravings that I've had a healthy day of eating so my cravings are not about physical needs so it much be emotional. Then I try to distract myself, leave the house if possible, call someone, write someone like I am doing now, journal, clean anything. Thanks for being so honest, what you wrote really helped me. I have dinner to fix tonight and then done eating and I am committed to not eat after dinner. Liz
  • amoymh
    amoymh Posts: 44
    Hiii!!
    I so know where your coming from, two weeks ago I was feeling ravenous no matter what i did or how much I ate. I even binged once or twice and I felt awful then vowed to get my emotions in check and never do it again. The things that are really helping me keep my hunger in check are honestly:
    1. eating every 2-3 hours, I'm "grazing" all day so there is always food in my tummy and I don't feel deprived and horse hungry
    2. drinking 8 cups of water ALMOST everyday, it fills the gaps in between meals and I find it difficult to meat my cal. goal all the way because my stomach is full
    3. Incorporating my favorite foods into my calorie limit daily, either I'm having my favorite cereal for breakfast, an afternoon oreo snack, chocolate included in a meal, or cream cheese somewhere, this reminds me that I can lose weight without giving up what I love and still feel normal and I don't need to eat the whole bag or box because tomorrow i'll have it again.
    4. Lots and lots of fibre, fruits and vegetables are my life, I make it a weekly goal to eat at least 2 different fruits everyday and have a salad with lots of tomatoes, peppers, spinach, and cucumber with a very low calorie dressing, it is extremely filling and bulks up your meals for minimal calories
  • gonnamakeanewaccount
    gonnamakeanewaccount Posts: 642 Member
    I took a look at your diary. You're not eating enough.
  • arlenem1974
    arlenem1974 Posts: 437 Member
    If you give or yourself or MFP give you 1600 calories to eat per day You should eat all of those. I checked your food logs for over a week and I didn't see you eat 1600 calories for any of those days. Even when you put in your exercise calories. your not eating enough that's why your hungry all the time.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    Give me some of your appetite please.
  • wildheart_cowgirl
    wildheart_cowgirl Posts: 16
    The types of foods you eat may be making you hungry. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables. More often than not, we tend to also confuse hunger with thirst. So, make sure you are aiming for at least eight cups a day (more if you're exercising regularly). I like to add high fiber foods as a snack option as well because high fiber foods can help you feel fuller longer. Also, you can try to prevent being hungry all the time if you eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. Other than that I would suggest eating more lean protein and to make sure that you are eating enough throughout the day.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    You're hungry because you're eating less than 1000 calories most days. You're not eating a diet that is nutrient dense enough to support that much of a deficit and could easily see vitamin deficiencies in the very near future. Also, at such a low deficit, you're body is going to start using a disproportionate amount muscle for it's energy needs.

    Eat more.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    You're hungry because you're eating less than 1000 calories most days. You're not eating a diet that is nutrient dense enough to support that much of a deficit and could easily see vitamin deficiencies in the very near future. Also, at such a low deficit, you're body is going to start using a disproportionate amount muscle for it's energy needs.

    Eat more.
    This, this this this this...this.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Food will help.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You're hungry because you're eating less than 1000 calories most days. You're not eating a diet that is nutrient dense enough to support that much of a deficit and could easily see vitamin deficiencies in the very near future. Also, at such a low deficit, you're body is going to start using a disproportionate amount muscle for it's energy needs.

    Eat more.

    ^This. And eating so low consistently means you are also losing muscle along with that fat. If you keep doing that, you are going to run into more problems other than bloating and feeling hungry.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Your body is telling you to feed it. Eat more.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    You're hungry because you're eating less than 1000 calories most days. You're not eating a diet that is nutrient dense enough to support that much of a deficit and could easily see vitamin deficiencies in the very near future. Also, at such a low deficit, you're body is going to start using a disproportionate amount muscle for it's energy needs.

    Eat more.

    QFT You are leaving anywhere from 400-600 calories a day on the table..... why???? You are not eating enough and there is no need to fear eating in the evening.... Meal frequency has no bearing on weight loss, the only reason not to eat before bed or in bed would be if you suffer from acid reflux or something along that lines... I take a 500 calorie snack to bed every night and it has not hindered my weight loss....... Best of Luck
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    It's very simple, see that calorie row named "Goal" in your food diary? Eat that much. Problem solved.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    And don't make them just any old calories. Your hunger has become insatiable because you are starving for nutrients, not just calories. You're leaving 4-700 calories on the table. I could eat a high fiber tortilla with a lot of chicken breast and fat-free cheese, a serving of strawberries, a serving of cucumber salad, and a pudding cup easily with that budget. In other words, an entire balanced full meal.

    Eat.
  • musicstar437
    musicstar437 Posts: 11 Member
    In response to everyone thank you. The reason I am at 400-700 calorie deficit is because I changed my goals around TODAY to lower my expectations of weight lost per week. On a typical day, my calorie goal was 1220. I was coming really close to that EVERYDAY.... Once in a while I would leave 100 calories lying around for things I might not have calculated in such as mayo on my sandwich or something of that notion.
    I am 5'6 and I started at 218 (on this website) and I'm at 194.7 right now. I am still losing weight but it's not as much as it was before. It's starting to see less than 1 lb a week, when I had a goal of 2 lbs per week. I have started a new job and I figured that might be where some of it is going. I am usually in bed by 9-10pm everynight. Well with this job is requiring me to work till midnight or later. So when I come home I go to bed and when I wake up I'm hungry again. I have changed up my goal and now I'm at 1600+ calories a day.... We'll see how this goes! Thanks everyone for your input.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    And don't make them just any old calories. Your hunger has become insatiable because you are starving for nutrients, not just calories. You're leaving 4-700 calories on the table. I could eat a high fiber tortilla with a lot of chicken breast and fat-free cheese, a serving of strawberries, a serving of cucumber salad, and a pudding cup easily with that budget. In other words, an entire balanced full meal.

    Eat.

    Fat free cheese tastes like plastic.
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    I took a look at your diary. You're not eating enough.
    This. Anyone would be hungry eating 1000 calories a day (sometimes less). Eat more, you'll lose weight still and feel better!
  • lizziecheek
    lizziecheek Posts: 65 Member
    Great that should really help. The body goes into starvation mode if you eat too few calories and main goal is for you to survive so your body holds onto weight to keep you alive. It is life or death at this point. Goal is to eat as many calories as you can and meet weight loss goals. 1,600+ should work. Hope you do well with change!
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Hi All...
    I started this "lifestyle change" almost 3 months ago. The first 2-3 weeks were tough. I was feeling hungry at night and everything that goes with it. Well, within a month, it was no problem. It felt like I had been doing this all my life and I felt good. Well, lately I have been having a problem. Within the last week or so, I have been feeling super hungry and NOTHING seems to "fill me" anymore. I haven't quite given in to the temptation. I try not to eat prior to 2-4 hours before bedtime but I have eaten a small snack lately before bed. (usually a couple of crackers or pretzels)
    My question is... I am constantly hungry and am feeling bloated A LOT!!! I'm not full of gas, on my menstrual cycle, or pregnant. What could it be from? Is my body changing and I need MORE calories now? I'm confused! HELP!

    After looking at your diary it's no wonder you're hungry, your net calories are too low, you need to eat more. In addition to that, you eat too many carbs and not enough protein. Protein will keep you feeling full longer, and carbs will make you crave more carbs, make you feel hungry quicker, and will make you feel bloated. You also don't drink enough water.

    Rigger
  • Jordanad79
    Jordanad79 Posts: 11
    As others have said, you're constantly hungry because you're not eating enough. Eat more AND eat more protein.

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