Why am I always hungry???

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figuu
figuu Posts: 20
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
My maintenance calories usually say I should eat around 2000 calories a day, but I am STARVING an hour or 2 after every meal or snack. I try stay just a bit under 2000 since some sites say 1900-1700 to maintain. Is my metabolism faster than these sites are guessing? I'm 5'4, around 110lbs, 18 years old, I run/do other cardio 4-5 times a week and do weights/body weight exercises 3-5 times a week. Besides that I just lay around all day. I don't remember a time I have been fully satisfied! And yes, I'm drinking enough water.
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  • bonniejo
    bonniejo Posts: 787 Member
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    Looking at your diary, I think it might be that some foods aren't very filling for the calories. mug cakes, ice cream, croissant, lots of high calorie bars.... Also lots of simple carbs, which aren't as filling for as long. Adding more high volume, low calorie, sating foods should help. I'm eating fewer calories than you, but I think I'm eating more food (if that makes sense!) You can look at my diary if you want :)

    It is also possible that your calorie level is too low. But I think this is for sure part of it
  • figuu
    figuu Posts: 20
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    Looking at your diary, I think it might be that some foods aren't very filling for the calories. mug cakes, ice cream, croissant, lots of high calorie bars.... Also lots of simple carbs, which aren't as filling for as long. Adding more high volume, low calorie, sating foods should help. I'm eating fewer calories than you, but I think I'm eating more food (if that makes sense!) You can look at my diary if you want :)

    It is also possible that your calorie level is too low. But I think this is for sure part of it
    That makes a lot of sense! Haha mug cakes are actually made out of oats, bananas, cottage cheese, and eggs, but with the other things I see what you mean.
  • LilMissRaptr
    LilMissRaptr Posts: 37 Member
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    I usually just try to find near no calorie fillers to snack on throughout the day like cucumbers, carrots, soba noodles. Then I can always sate my need to snack without breaking my calorie goals!
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
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    Life is unfair. You, me, and nearly everyone else who is our height-- I am 5' 3 1/2"-- has to feel hungry all the time in order to reach, and to maintain, our ideal weight. My ideal weight is 112 and I already know I face a lifetime of hungry days to maintain 112. What works best for me is to save all my calories for one meal at the end of the day. That way, at least I can feel halfway-full once a day! Also, once I start eating I am hungry the rest of the day-- more so than if I wait to eat until late in the day. It's s trigger! AND, I find I am far less hungry if I make sure a good many of my calories come from fat. A 150-calorie tiny bag of chips is way more satisfying than a huge giant plate full of weeds!!:bigsmile:
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,039 Member
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    I had a same calorie day yesterday, with too many empty carbs. I was hungry the whole time, so I learned my lesson (again for the 100th time). Protein is my friend.
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Eat food with lots of fiber and protein, it will keep you full for longer.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Now that you are eating closer to maintenance, your body can really try to make some improvements from all that exercise.

    How did you figure out maintenance calories with that much exercise - sounds like a very low estimate?

    2000 is about average (and your height is, your weight is under) for a not very active woman - you are way more active.

    If you really want to see improvement from the exercise, eat over 2000. Be aware that body improvement is usually water weight gain especially with cardio. But that is more LBM then, and increased metabolism yet again.
    You'll be even hungrier.

    Feed that workout.
  • figuu
    figuu Posts: 20
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    Now that you are eating closer to maintenance, your body can really try to make some improvements from all that exercise.

    How did you figure out maintenance calories with that much exercise - sounds like a very low estimate?

    2000 is about average (and your height is, your weight is under) for a not very active woman - you are way more active.

    If you really want to see improvement from the exercise, eat over 2000. Be aware that body improvement is usually water weight gain especially with cardio. But that is more LBM then, and increased metabolism yet again.
    You'll be even hungrier.

    Feed that workout.
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
    And this is the website I use to figure out how much I should eat using the Katch-McArdle formula: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#mostaccuratecaloriecalculator
    Adding that my bodyfat is around 15% bumped it up by a few..
    In kind of scared to intuitively eat since I've grown up in a family that tracks food with numbers.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    possibilities

    -your cal goals too low. check your cal goal again with your current weight and honest activity level. it may have changed if you are working out more than when you first calculated it.

    -your macros are off. check your macros in your food diary to make sure you are getting enough protein/fats/fiber...those are the most common culprits to leave you hungry if you aren't getting enough.

    another way to test this? eat a piece of high fiber food when your hungry see if that satisfies you. next time eat a dice sized piece of cheese see if the munchies go away. another time eat a drumstick. if the fiber did it you need more fiber, if the cheese did it you need more fats, if the drumstick helped you need more protein.
  • figuu
    figuu Posts: 20
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    possibilities

    -your cal goals too low. check your cal goal again with your current weight and honest activity level. it may have changed if you are working out more than when you first calculated it.

    -your macros are off. check your macros in your food diary to make sure you are getting enough protein/fats/fiber...those are the most common culprits to leave you hungry if you aren't getting enough.

    another way to test this? eat a piece of high fiber food when your hungry see if that satisfies you. next time eat a dice sized piece of cheese see if the munchies go away. another time eat a drumstick. if the fiber did it you need more fiber, if the cheese did it you need more fats, if the drumstick helped you need more protein.
    Recalculated everything: same.
    I will try figure out the macros I need though!
  • CMarieVirginia
    CMarieVirginia Posts: 16
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    Just a few ideas . . . take them or leave them.

    MFP recently put up an article stating that if you don't get enough sleep you will be hungrier than if you do get enough sleep.

    Higher protein diet may fill you up more.

    Add even more water to fill you up.

    I drink an IdealShape meal replacement shake twice daily--packed full of daily requirements and low calories (110-120 calories per shake), plus Slendesta, a hunger appeaser and lots of energy. Because it's low calorie I can eat more and stay in range. It's really working for me (kind of expensive)--it works out in the end because I'm buying less food.

    Eat 5-6 small meals per day, not 3 big ones.

    Based on your exercise, you may be able to add more calories.

    Stay away from sugar and simple carbs.

    Good luck. I hate being hungry. It makes me feel like I will eventually fail.
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    sorry if someone asked already or you answered but:

    Do you eat all your exercise calories back?

    I get too hungry to do my diet unless I work out for an hour a day then eat all of the exercise calories back.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
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    Life is unfair. You, me, and nearly everyone else who is our height-- I am 5' 3 1/2"-- has to feel hungry all the time in order to reach, and to maintain, our ideal weight. My ideal weight is 112 and I already know I face a lifetime of hungry days to maintain 112. What works best for me is to save all my calories for one meal at the end of the day. That way, at least I can feel halfway-full once a day! Also, once I start eating I am hungry the rest of the day-- more so than if I wait to eat until late in the day. It's s trigger! AND, I find I am far less hungry if I make sure a good many of my calories come from fat. A 150-calorie tiny bag of chips is way more satisfying than a huge giant plate full of weeds!!:bigsmile:

    have the same issue being 4'11" ... only 1200 calories allowed .. this week I;'m using the sleeping defence - putting myself to bed super early to avoid the kitchen
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Life is unfair. You, me, and nearly everyone else who is our height-- I am 5' 3 1/2"-- has to feel hungry all the time in order to reach, and to maintain, our ideal weight.
    That's really not true.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
    And this is the website I use to figure out how much I should eat using the Katch-McArdle formula: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#mostaccuratecaloriecalculator
    Adding that my bodyfat is around 15% bumped it up by a few..
    In kind of scared to intuitively eat since I've grown up in a family that tracks food with numbers.

    Good, but what activity level did you select?

    Because this -
    "I run/do other cardio 4-5 times a week and do weights/body weight exercises 3-5 times a week."

    Is NOT Moderately Active, unless your cardio is 30 min and really easy, and the weights is 15-30 min only.

    Then that would be accurate:
    weekly 4.5 x 30 min = 135 min
    weekly 4 x 22 min = 88 min
    223 min = almost 4 hrs

    But if your cardio is 1 hr each time, you just went to top of Moderately Active. Your weight workouts would push you in to Very Active.

    Be honest with yourself for hours a week it asks for. No need shooting your body in the metabolism trying to underestimate.

    To the macros question.
    Are these meals that leave you hungry so soon afterwards mainly carbs, or a good mix of C - P - F? If not a mix, try it.
    And do you eat the carbs first or last? Might try last if a good mix.

    Even do bagel test? Maybe you know what would happen already.
    Eat a bagel for breakfast, or any other time that is 3-4 hrs after last meal.
    Do you get tired in 1-2 hrs, perhaps getting spike of energy first (maybe not though).
    If you do, may have some insulin over-reaction going on, which then leads to low blood sugar, making you hungry when you shouldn't be.
  • SqueakyBeans88
    SqueakyBeans88 Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm 5"3 1/2 and I'm not always hungry at all and I maintain a healthy weight. High protein, high fibre. Less simple carbohydrate. That's probably all it is
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    this might sound odd and dosnt pertain to you but on tv i was watching a show on acondroplastic dwarves and this woman said that they have normal sized stomachs but small bodies so they are either always hungry or become obese.
  • figuu
    figuu Posts: 20
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    sorry if someone asked already or you answered but:

    Do you eat all your exercise calories back?

    I get too hungry to do my diet unless I work out for an hour a day then eat all of the exercise calories back.
    No, I don't eat them back because my calculated TDEE should already include my exercise..

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