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MyFitnessPal Community

do you let your stomach growl?

nurit1979

Is it healthy to just let your stomach growl sometimes and be empty or do you always feed the beast it if it starts to growl? If I let it growl will it eventually get used to eating less food?

Replies

2199216

I eat every 2-3 hours and I always feel the beast working I continue to stick to my plan of eating every 2-3 hours. that way my metabolism keeps working to get rid of fat

Willdta

Try having bigger and less meals throughout the day. Your stomach growls because you are eating so little that your body is commanding for more. It's a better feeling being satisfied then full or constantly hungry.

jim180155

My stomach growls. It has nothing to do with whether it's full or empty. It likes to growl, sometimes very loudly. Those are the times I cringe, wondering if it's going to explode.

StraubreyR

I find that if I wait to eat until I'm famished then I overeat. As soon as I feel hungry I eat something healthy. Lots of small meals works for me, but as usual YMMV.

suremeansyes

Yes, sometimes. Like if I'm not home and don't want to grab something while out, my stomach can get over it until I'm home and make myself something.

Shauneerae21

If there is no healthy food around at the moment, I'll let it. I nearly always have water with me, there are water foundations and vending machines pretty much everywhere, so if I'm stuck in a situation where I have to choose between something unhealthy and nothing at all, I'll drink a ton of water to make my belly feel full and shut it up until I'm somewhere I can snack on something nutritious. However, if healthy food is readily available, I try to eat snacks if my belly rumbles to boost my energy and keep me satisfied until my next meal.

AHack3

No, I don't like myself to get overly hungry that's when I tend to go overboard and not make good choices. I eat every couple/few hours. It keeps my metabolism humming along. I try to always have healthy snacks and water with me if I am out and about to tied me over to my next meal.

Foodiethinking

Obviously there are times when your stomach growls that you can't get to food.
If I have access to food I always try to stave it off with water. If I'm in bed and it's late at night then I'll try and leave it for 30mins to an hour but after that I give in and eat. Usually yoghurt, fruit or walnuts.

DoctahJenn

I have an hour-rule: If it's less than an hour until I expect to eat a meal, I let it growl. If it's more than an hour, I grab a filling snack. If it's late at night, I just drink some water and go to bed. (Though I can't remember the last time my stomach growled at night. Dinner is too filling, and I always have an evening snack.)

Lletnek

I've stopped looking at my weight loss attempt at being on a diet. It's just a change of lifestyle. I eat healthier (most of the time!) and within my limits, and always try to avoid being hungry.

If you're hungry all the time, you're doing something wrong. I'm not expert, but I'd advise upping your protein intake if it's on the low side. Track it as a main goal in MFP and keep an eye on it.

You need to be thinking that when you've lost this weight, you need to maintain your new weight. If you're constantly in the mindset of "I'm on a diet", then inevitably the diet will end and you'll probably go back to eating more/worse foods.

Try and change yourself and your eating habits permanently, stop thinking of it as a diet. It's something I've just started to do

Gramps251

My stomach can growl even when I'm not hungry.

SugaryLynx

I eat every 2-3 hours and I always feel the beast working I continue to stick to my plan of eating every 2-3 hours. that way my metabolism keeps working to get rid of fat

Your metabolism only stops working when you're dead, meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss. It does, however, effect how you feel and perform but when to eat is a personal preference.

MelodyandBarbells

Obviously there are times when your stomach growls that you can't get to food.

Haha. I was gonna say, "but that's just it, this is 'Murica, can't throw an object 20 feet without hitting food". But I see you're in a different country

My tummy just growled right after dinner

But seriously. I was preparing breakfast/lunch after my workout and was seriously hungry. I elected to boil an egg *while* preparing the meal because it wasn't going to be ready in time to tide me over!