I'm hungry. Bt that's ok.

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Replies

  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Why let yourself be hungry. Plan ahead for a snack in the evening. There is no need to ever be hungry.

    This is just not realistic. Sometimes when we watch what we eat, we need to go hungry. Hunger is not a bad thing that needs to be avoided. Like the OP said, it's nothing to be afraid of.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Hunger won't kill you. Especially if you're used to eating a lot of food and are just starting your diet. You'll have to be hungry while your stomach shrinks and get used to eating less.

    On the flip side, you need not be hungry. If you eat low-cal, healthy food, you can eat so much of it.

    I think a lot of people who complain of hunger just don't want to eat the healthier food.
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    Why let yourself be hungry. Plan ahead for a snack in the evening. There is no need to ever be hungry.

    This is just not realistic. Sometimes when we watch what we eat, we need to go hungry. Hunger is not a bad thing that needs to be avoided. Like the OP said, it's nothing to be afraid of.


    Ahhhh what I was getting at is that if she is getting the same cravings late at night, why not allot a bit of her daily intake for that time period? to avoid bingeing Everyone gets hungry (that is our body talking to us) I had rumble tummy bad this AM
  • reachingforarainbow
    reachingforarainbow Posts: 224 Member
    No you shouldn't be hungry all the time at night. Kudos to you for being able to ignore your hunger, but I bet you aren't eating enough calories. (Maybe you are, but I have no idea)

    Also, a lot of people, myself included try to save calories for later in the day. I find when I do this, even though I eat a big meal at night, I'm not necessarily fulfilled. I find if you start your day with the same sized meal you are gonna eat later, it helps a lot.

    You should open up your food diary, maybe someone can give ya some more specific advice to try
  • crescentgaia
    crescentgaia Posts: 71 Member
    I agree with different people here and there. I plan for an evening snack but if I find I don't want it, then I don't have it. However, I feel better if I have it as a safety net, especially since it's usually just a little 100 calorie pack snack. I used to get hunger pains right before I went to bed and, before starting MFP, I'd just sneak a piece of cheese or a piece of chocolate or even stay up to have another snack. Now, if that happens, I drink a huge glass of water and go to bed with no bad effects in the morning. I find that drinking a lot of water / tea with my evening snack at night, with the snack happening around 11 pm, helps with me not getting up and opening the fridge going "hrm, what now?" due to being a night owl. It's nice. :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Hunger isn't a cue to eat, it's a cue to gather your mates together and go hunting, which effectively means its a cue to "go exercise now, eat later".
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    I think a lot of people don't have practice appropriately identifying and responding to hunger cues. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum -- I have a lot of practice completely ignoring hunger, so I don't often realize I need to eat until I'm shaky, lightheaded and nauseated (otherwise known as "way past hungry"). It's perfectly fine to let yourself get hungry and to experience hunger cues -- that's how you learn how to tell where you are on the hunger scale, and how you learn to gauge how much food it will take to move you to a different place on that scale.
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    Why let yourself be hungry. Plan ahead for a snack in the evening. There is no need to ever be hungry.

    yep I agree with this... never go to bed hungry, plan an evening snack. Your body continues to burn calories even when you are sleeping so give it fuel for that!

    I get hungry in between meals, that IS normal and it feels great once you get use to it AND have planned your meals so you don't grab and eat more than your calories allow.
  • lorigem
    lorigem Posts: 446 Member
    I eat a crap load of protein so I'm never hungry. :happy: There have been a few times where I've had hunger pains...horrible feeling. I prevent that feeling as much as possible. Hate it.
  • Holla4mom
    Holla4mom Posts: 587 Member
    When in doubt, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If you still "feel" hungry, EAT!

    Simple, but great advice! I do panic when I feel those hunger pains at night, but considering they are sometimes right after a pretty good size full meal- I know it's cravings/ habit.

    I will try just drinking water and forcing myself to wait 15 minutes. I think I've been afraid to wait the 15 minutes like I might lose my mind or something if I don't give into the craving, lol!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Another trick I use is to ask myself if the leftover veggies and chicken breast in the frig sound good, or a salad (not loaded up). If things like that sound appealing, it's probably real hunger and time to eat.

    Also, checking the clock and making a conscious choice to wait, especially if it's not your normal meal time. If the thought of eating keeps popping up anyway, it might be time for a snack. Half the time the thought of eating happens once and goes away until mealtime, though. So I think it was just boredom.
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    Hunger isn't a cue to eat, it's a cue to gather your mates together and go hunting, which effectively means its a cue to "go exercise now, eat later".

    WHile I dont 100% agree I love this :-) YEs drink water and go for a walk
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    I like this topic. I am trying to understand what hungry in myself is. I have so many calories in snacks and am now trying to limit that down. I like sweets and am trying to cut that down to a couple times a week. Over all, I need to up my game and get better nutritious food in myself and family.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,856 Member
    Why let yourself be hungry. Plan ahead for a snack in the evening. There is no need to ever be hungry.
    That's not true for everyone. I am generally hungry after the snack.
  • UmmaOfThree
    UmmaOfThree Posts: 31 Member
    As a teen, I thought of hunger as a good thing. It meant I was going to lose weight (pretty sad, huh?). I grew up. Now, I like to eat all the time. I find that eating smaller portions of quality food minimizes my hunger. If I feel hungry, that's ok. I can eat again. Eating moderately at night is ok, too.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
    I'm always hungry, I could always eat. That's the big reason to why I joined MFP.

    1902892_1446636575567158_1807721501_n_zps0b3df39c.jpg

    For some of is, it isn't as simple as never feeling hungry. Some people (specifically emotional eaters, compulsive eaters, people with eating disorders, and people with anxiety, depression, or a similar mental illness) have trouble recognizing what 'real' hunger is. For example, part of my recovery has been learning to eat when I'm hungry. But since I have a history of binge eating and compulsive eating, I must also learn how to realize when hunger is a result of emotional stress or boredom. Yes, to me, these feel like the same thing as real hunger. Some people with anxiety don't eat enough, because they never feel hungry. It can be confusing.

    But I realize this probably wasn't the OP's point. But regardless, it still is important to know - when making healthy lifestyle changes - that there is a difference between peckish and true hunger. It is okay to be peckish, hunger isn't always a bad thing. It is never okay to be starved.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    I'm always hungry, I could always eat. That's the big reason to why I joined MFP.

    1902892_1446636575567158_1807721501_n_zps0b3df39c.jpg

    For some of is, it isn't as simple as never feeling hungry. Some people (specifically emotional eaters, compulsive eaters, people with eating disorders, and people with anxiety, depression, or a similar mental illness) have trouble recognizing what 'real' hunger is. For example, part of my recovery has been learning to eat when I'm hungry. But since I have a history of binge eating and compulsive eating, I must also learn how to realize when hunger is a result of emotional stress or boredom. Yes, to me, these feel like the same thing as real hunger. Some people with anxiety don't eat enough, because they never feel hungry. It can be confusing.

    But I realize this probably wasn't the OP's point. But regardless, it still is important to know - when making healthy lifestyle changes - that there is a difference between peckish and true hunger. It is okay to be peckish, hunger isn't always a bad thing. It is never okay to be starved.

    I can guarantee I am not starving, I eat too much food for that.

    I get the difference between being peckish and being hungry. I know what hunger feels like.
    I stand by my earlier statement that you quoted!

    The difference between now and then, is now I count calories and am losing weight instead of gaining it.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    You must be some kind of dummy to confuse hungry with thirsty.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    You must be some kind of dummy to confuse hungry with thirsty.

    You talking to me?
  • wubbykid
    wubbykid Posts: 60 Member
    I wanna eat my hand!
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    I wanna eat my hand!

    Probably won't taste good, or satisfy any craving or hunger you have
  • wubbykid
    wubbykid Posts: 60 Member
    I wanna eat my hand!

    Probably won't taste good, or satisfy any craving or hunger you have

    :(
  • 84reasons2run
    84reasons2run Posts: 11 Member
    I drink hot tea at night and find it usually helps. I also eat plenty of calories and nutrient packed foods but still experience hunger pangs every now and again.
  • fitmek
    fitmek Posts: 277 Member
    For a long time my brain and my eyes told me I was hungry when really my body was not. It's still a work in progress learning to differentiate between what is actual hunger and what is years of compulsive over eating and cravings trying to trick me.

    So much this. I definitely get "hungry" when I'm bored and it's a battle to recognize real hunger from just wanting something to do or eat because it's there.

    Agree! Sometimes it's better to let yourself be "hungry" for a week to retrain your body that food will not be automatically a part of your nightly routine. It's so hard for me too, esp if I have a night where I actually get to watch a TV show or something. Immediately, my brain says "grab the SKinny Pop, grab the peanuts, you NEED it." Then if i give in, I overeat, everytime. Because honestly, who can only eat 15 peanuts! Usually I'm at my calorie max by 7 or 8 pm anyways, so it's easier for me to make myself stay away from the pantry or the fridge until my cravings go away.
  • bethanyka
    bethanyka Posts: 159 Member
    This is the biggest lesson, I've learned.. or should I say, am still learning.

    I realized i was eating a huge % of my food when I was not genuinely hungry. ( hello MFP and "dieting" )

    I've been learning, read a few books about hunger-directed eating.,,, i try to check in , before. during. after. every few bites. really "feel" my level of hunger. try to stop eating at a point when my hunger is satisfied. why is this so simple yet so hard ? i'm still learning that and listening to my body.
    I agree with a lot ^^ above. have a glass of water. decide, am i REALLY hungry ?
    also--- food actually tastes so much more satisfying and delicious when you let yourself feel hunger, and i do not mean starving or feeling ravenous, but genuine, decisive hunger.
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
    People are different on this.

    I'm cool with being hungry during the day when I have stuff to do, but I refuse to be hungry when I'm relaxing or trying to sleep. Spoils my enjoyment. I'd rather go over on calories.

    I don't even care if the hunger is physical or not, I'd rather be fat than miserable. Luckily, I don't have to choose :smile:

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