Starving

Kimono

Hi-I joined Feb. 10th. I have been very faithful to logging my calories and such. I run long distance and I usually eat most or all of my exercise calories. I haven't lost weight nor have I lost inches. And I am soooo hungry-I just ate lunch but I as still hungry. Are any of you starving like this?

Kimono

Hi-I joined Feb. 10th. I have been very faithful to logging my calories and such. I run long distance and I usually eat most or all of my exercise calories. I haven't lost weight nor have I lost inches. And I am soooo hungry-I just ate lunch but I as still hungry. Are any of you starving like this?

MyaPapaya75

I dont really find myself starving but I eat a lot of lentils and high fiber foods

Phoenix_Rising

I have my days where I cannot eat enough to satiate my hunger.
Today, for example.
I am eating like a pig. Luckily I keep low cal snacks around so even when pigging out, I'm not doing too much damage.
Sorry I'm no help!! :flowerforyou:

heather0mc

Hi-I joined Feb. 10th. I have been very faithful to logging my calories and such. I run long distance and I usually eat most or all of my exercise calories. I haven't lost weight nor have I lost inches. And I am soooo hungry-I just ate lunch but I as still hungry. Are any of you starving like this?

how many calories are you eating? sounds like your not eating enough...

Kimono

I am going to run 7 miles tonight so with my exercise calories I would be able to eat 2000 calories today. Seems like a lot to me.

Jolieblond

High fiber and low carb is the key to keeping your body satisfied. High protein foods shakes, bars, eggs keep you fuller longer. I don't know if that helps.

MyaPapaya75

I am going to run 7 miles tonight so with my exercise calories I would be able to eat 2000 calories today. Seems like a lot to me.

Calories seem plenty..it may be just the food options and psacing them out better

heather0mc

maybe eat more often using the suggestions others have posted. you seem like you run a lot, i bet you could eat more calories but i dont know how many you burn or what you are set for daily. drinking your water?

Kimono

How much fiber do you guys consume?? I have mine set for 25 grams and I typically meet that or go over that. Oh and if my carbs are too low, I can't run. I have to stop and go eat a banana or something. Gotta have my carbs.

ivykivy

I get like that sometimes. I usually try to drink water. If I am still hungry after 30-hour I eat. I usually find eating a grapefruit works for me.

RachVR6

How much did you say you wanted to lose per week on MFP? If it's set at 2lbs maybe try for 1lb or .5lb since you are only trying to lose 5lbs total. That should give your body enough food to not be hungry. :flowerforyou:

heather0mc

here is mine:

cals
1,370
carbs
188
fat
46
protien
51
sodium
2,500
fiber
16

but this is just what MFP set me at. i didnt adjust it at all. i dont run either, so we cant really compare accuratly.

Kimono

I upped my fiber requirments because I read somewhere that 25 grams was a good amount. And I have it set for 1 pound a week, but that hasn't worked. I am kind of giving up on losing the 5.

joonieB

This sounds familiar to what I went through a few years ago. I had planned a trip to Hawaii and had six weeks to get it together. I started eating better (although this was pre-MFP days, so I just cut out bad stuff and concentrated on eating healthily) and I ran 5 miles a day, 6 days a week, for 6 straight weeks. I remember being hungry a lot. I also distinctly remember being ready to quit exercise for ever because by the end of the six weeks, I had no weight loss to show for all my work, nor had I lost any inches. My husband said I looked more toned, but what else is he gonna say? I was still in my same old clothes and felt like all my effort had been a waste.

This time around (I started Jan 5), I am 5 years older and I don't run like that anymore. I have lost 19 lbs since beginning (I am 1 lb. from my original goal) and it is through swimming, stationary bike, jogging, walking and the stairmaster. I have actually found that too much exercise can slow down my weight loss. Weird, huh? I think my body gets freaked out by the extra work and hangs on for dear life to those calories......Is your primary goal to lose lbs? Because if it is, I would suggest letting up on the running for a week or two, just to see how your body reacts. If you are more interested in aerobic fitness and don't care so much about what the scale says, keep doing what you are doing.

I am inclined to think that after over a month of consciously eating low calorie, nutritious foods and your body is still asking for more, you should probably feed it more.

Kimono

Ok thanks for all the info. I may just up the calories a bit. I am training for some races so the running will stay constant for awhile. I do some other cardio and strength training also. I am going to go get a snack now-a healthy one of course.

kristie874

I dont really find myself starving but I eat a lot of lentils and high fiber foods

I LOVE lentils! Have any good recipes that are easy and low cal?

Starchaser

I dont really find myself starving but I eat a lot of lentils and high fiber foods

I LOVE lentils! Have any good recipes that are easy and low cal?

Yup
(Lentils + vegetable stock + onions+ celery + carrots) over a hot stove for 45 minutes= epic lentil soup.
Add some wholemeal or poppyseed bread and you're winning.

Also, this looks AMAZING

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/quick-suppers/fillets-of-sea-bass-on-provencal-lentils-recipe_p_1.html

Yes there's double cream in it but it works out as 30ml per person so not that bad

yellow_pepper

Long-distance running always makes me feel famished... Drinking a lot of water and some gatorade helps though... as a lot of that famished feeling is really thirst masquerading as hunger. And fatigue... Are you getting your zzz's?

Btw... you're so lean already... Maybe you just don't have any fat to lose - either in pounds or in inches!

shariweber

I don't usually get starving anymore. I used to and then I would gorge...

I am not tracking my fiber and I am only eating 1200 net calories.

I love veggies and snack on them all the time. They taste great, more filling and low calorie. Carrots are the new potato chips, ya know? I think raw veggies keep me from being hungry.

Also, I am eating more protein than I used to. Used to be vegetarian (back in the day) so I don't like meat much, but I am focusing on them and so even though I am sure my protein intake could never be enough for you, I still go over my MFP goal most days and it feels like a ton to me.

So I guess I would say more veggies and more protein.

yellow_pepper

Long-distance athletes have unique nutritional needs that other dieters do not.

Kimono - have you tried timing your carbs for maximal energy release when you need it? I've seen diet plans in Runner's World that suggest having your high-carb meal closest to your run and raising the % protein for the other meals.

In response to the suggestions about fiber, runners need to be careful with that.. Running itself makes you digest your food faster. Adding too much fiber is an accident waiting to happen - or a very painful walk to the nearest port-a-potty. :sick:

adopt4

I think you are right in upping your calories. Your body will not let go of that little bit of fat you want to lose because you are running so much, whereas a less active person might be able to. Even if you haven't lost weight or inches, you ARE still toning your body. It will take a lot longer for you to lose 5 pounds than it would be for me, since I have 100 I need to lose. The more fat you have, the easier it is to lose - and the less fat you have, the harder it is to lose. Don't give up and keep trying, and alernate things after a a month of trying and try something different (like you're doing now with your eating) and see what works for YOUR body.

Kimono

Dang, all that fiber is what has been giving me that terrible gutt problem!

12by311

First of all, I am so so so hungry today. I'm not always like this.

Secondly, my vote goes to upping your calories a bit. I'm eating way more now that I thought I should be trying to lose weight.

I must be eating a bit too much fiber or something, because my tummy has been bloated and poochy. And I have a flat stomach normally. :frown:

Nich0le

Oh, you should check out runner's world magazine for april. Not only does it have an extensive article on "The Runner's Diet" it also has a great section in it titled FUEL. The article is all about the weight loss of a runner.

runnersworld.com has a TON of info on diet, training, injury prevention etc.. you will find your answer here!

As you know you need more carbs, especially the longer distances you are putting in!
Add unsaturated fats to your diet to reduce hunger and injury. Add salmon, avocado, walnuts, flax to your your diet.

Basically as a distance runner you should be eating a 50-25-25 diet, 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% healthy fats to keep the energy you need to run and still lose weight.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-310-7771-0,00.html

the link (don't think I posted it right ) Will explain it all to you and give you the formula you need to better figure you actual calorie needs.

:flowerforyou:

Kimono

Oh, you should check out runner's world magazine for april. Not only does it have an extensive article on "The Runner's Diet" it also has a great section in it titled FUEL. The article is all about the weight loss of a runner.

runnersworld.com has a TON of info on diet, training, injury prevention etc.. you will find your answer here!

As you know you need more carbs, especially the longer distances you are putting in!
Add unsaturated fats to your diet to reduce hunger and injury. Add salmon, avocado, walnuts, flax to your your diet.

Basically as a distance runner you should be eating a 50-25-25 diet, 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% healthy fats to keep the energy you need to run and still lose weight.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-310-7771-0,00.html

:flowerforyou:

Thanks I was just looking at that online.

jtintx

Your body will not let go of that little bit of fat you want to lose because you are running so much, whereas a less active person might be able to.

I don't understand how this can be. Can you explain it to me? It is my understanding that if you are burning more than you are consuming you will lose weight. Why would the running cause the body to hold on to fat?

Starchaser

An active body requires more calories. If it is undernourished, which can occur by eating crap or not enough, it will try to hold on to every calorie it can.

It gets used to needing lots of calories because it's always working. When it doesn't get enough it holds on to everything it can to compensate, by storing.

This is why crash diets fail, lots of water is lost then the body starves, holds on to everything it can so the weight goes back on.

Look at Olympians. They eat around 6,000 calories a day whilst in training, but have bodies we'd all kill for!

MPF creates a deficit of 500cal/day because that's an acceptable deficit. If it was much higher, say , 1000 calories per day, the body would compensate by holding on to energy. By making fat.

yellow_pepper

Your body will not let go of that little bit of fat you want to lose because you are running so much, whereas a less active person might be able to.

I don't understand how this can be. Can you explain it to me? It is my understanding that if you are burning more than you are consuming you will lose weight. Why would the running cause the body to hold on to fat?

In general, the fact that women are women makes it hard to lose that last "little bit of fat." But again, in general, for runners that last "little bit of fat" is a lot littler than it is for people who work out less.

If you run in a cold climate with inadequate clothing, your body may hold on to fat... But otherwise, I don't see why this logic would apply to Kimono's situation.

MisoSoup79

Your body will not let go of that little bit of fat you want to lose because you are running so much, whereas a less active person might be able to.

I don't understand how this can be. Can you explain it to me? It is my understanding that if you are burning more than you are consuming you will lose weight. Why would the running cause the body to hold on to fat?

She probably burns more calories at rest than someone her size and weight who is far less active. You don't stop burning calories after your workout. Plus, the BMR calculator is an "estimate" based on averages. One person's resting metabolic rate may be considerably higher than another who "looks" the same....

As I dropped my first 12-15 and became more active on a regular basis, I found I had to eat more. I stopped losing after those first 12-15 because I was trying to live on a 1200 calorie diet. It didn't work for me. My body perceived 1200 calories as a famine and just wouldn't let go. Now I eat 1400-1500 and have been losing steadily. But because my deficit is naturally smaller, I won't lose 2 lbs per week.... usually. There must be a balance... and that balance is different for different people.

jtintx

An active body requires more calories. If it is undernourished, which can occur by eating crap or not enough, it will try to hold on to every calorie it can.

It gets used to needing lots of calories because it's always working. When it doesn't get enough it holds on to everything it can to compensate, by storing.

This is why crash diets fail, lots of water is lost then the body starves, holds on to everything it can so the weight goes back on.

Look at Olympians. They eat around 6,000 calories a day whilst in training, but have bodies we'd all kill for!

MPF creates a deficit of 500cal/day because that's an acceptable deficit. If it was much higher, say , 1000 calories per day, the body would compensate by holding on to energy. By making fat.

Ok, I still don't get it. If she is burning more than she is taking in it wouldn't it be impossible for her body to "store" any excess calories - because there are no excess calories? And if she is at a caloric deficit wouldn't her body HAVE to burn previously stored calories? If there is a deficit the body has to come up with the fuel from somewhere.

As for Olympians, they are probably burning 6,000 calories a day in their training...so I don't see how that applies. I