The more I eat, the hungrier I get.

aaaaaamy

Hi everyone,

I'm not a big morning person so usually I skip breakfast. I make a cup of tea when I get to work but my first proper 'meal' is between 12 and 12:30 - and I feel fine! However, people have been insisting that this is not the way one is supposed to do things, so I've been trying out having breakfast - and it's making me hungry!

This morning my breakfast was over 300 calories - porridge, a cup of full milk, and a little (lot of) raw sugar. That was at 7.30 and by 11 I was famished. I waited until the usual time to have lunch but it barely touched the sides - waited an hour, was still hungry, so I had to eat more so I could actually get some work done - and I still don't feel like I'm going to make it until dinner, which I usually would, and I'm 500 calories over where I would normally be at this point in the day!

Is this normal? I know that breakfast starts your metabolism, but I'm not so sure I want it started if it means eating hundreds and hundreds more calories every day!

TurtleTape

Ignore those people that try to tell you when to eat. Some people work well on eating six times a day, some people are fine eating twice (like me). If you don't want to eat breakfast, don't eat it.

fitby38

eat a mid afternoon snack

aaaaaamy

eat a mid afternoon snack

But that's even MORE calories.. I don't exactly have an unlimited supply

ethelapple

Maybe more protein at breakfast? Eggs!

fitby38

eat a mid afternoon snack

But that's even MORE calories.. I don't exactly have an unlimited supply

guess i dont understand your problem/issue then ...

krikit_lo

I would try adding some protein to your breakfast. I've been eating breakfast at 7:15 , plain cheerios, 1tsp sugar with 1/2 cup skim milk, then add about 3 oz of lean ham (warmed up in microwave, almost as good as bacon!) I have a coffee at 9 and I can last till noon.
. protein takes longer to digest than carbs so you feel fuller longer.

fitby38

if we could see your diary maybe people could offer suggestions

cmriverside

I do best on two meals a day. No snacks. The three meals and snacks just makes me eat more. I'm with you, OP.

sleepytexan

:huh: Let me guess, you're a 1200-calorie girl, huh?

Please read, look for the part about hunger, and DON'T skip the link at the bottom:

Here's one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

abjimenez

yes have protein for breakfast. I noticed when I have oatmeal i am hungry in as little as two hours (my body tells me to eat every 3-4 hours but I have a very active job) But if I have two eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast I am fine for 4-5 hours even. Try to have something with protein and healthy fats and a little carbs. See if that helps or make your breakfast something really small since that is what you are used to. Like with your cup of tea have a piece of fruit or greek yogurt or a serving of almonds. As those are high in protein and healthy fats and a serving, about 24 almonds is only 140 calories. So you are saving most of your calories for later in the day but still breaking your fast

tammyc226

how long have you been trying to eat breakfast for? I was exactly like you 4 months ago - would never eat breakfast, just have a cup of tea and then lunch at 12.30 - as soon as i ate breakfast i was starving all day. I started mfp 4 months ago and started having regular breakfasts. The first couple of weeks were hard as i was hungrier all day but after about 2 weeks my body adjusted to the new ways and now im starving by 9.30 if i skip breakfast. Good luck!

o_delaisse

:huh: Let me guess, you're a 1200-calorie girl, huh?

Please read, look for the part about hunger, and DON'T skip the link at the bottom:

Here's one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

This is my experience, and I'm a firm believer in keeping calories up (after a very long and horrendous experience of following the "under 1000" rule. I really would keep this in mind, and Lord knows, I know how hard and "wrong" it feels to up calories.

The only thing I would add, and I may be wrong so please do correct me anyone, is that I found under a certain level of calories I didn't experience hunger or low blood sugar. As I worked on upping them, I went through a horrible phase of feeling run down and hungry and grumpy. But the phase passed

Loves418

:huh: Let me guess, you're a 1200-calorie girl, huh?

Please read, look for the part about hunger, and DON'T skip the link at the bottom:

Here's one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

This is great..took me a while to figure it all out. Now I am hoping I can lose consistently. I try to get to my 1200 after exercise and sometimes a little over I don't fret. 34 down 30 to go...

aaaaaamy

Thanks everyone! Such a range of responses.

I'm not on 1,200 calories - I'm currently on 1,570, eating to maintain at 52kgs, eating back my exercise calories, etc. The only thing I was doing 'wrong' was not eating breakfast, but I guess what I'm asking is how I'm supposed to find 300 extra calories to eat breakfast in the morning if I'm also eating more than I was already for the rest of the day.

Aimwill

I have the same problem! Either I have to eat a HUGE breakfast or NO breakfast...eating a moderate breakfast is like hitting a bees nest with a baseball bat! And no, i am never one of those 700- calorie a day people...barely ever keep it below 1500.

You are not alone!

fitby38

we cant see your diary ... but it sounds like maybe you need to change the TYPES of food you are eating if you are going over and you're still hungry.

pat6250

The porridge is all carbs, and you need some protein to balance it, or your insulin will shoot up, then crash, then you will be hungry. How to stop that cycle? Add protein! A hard boiled egg, slice of cold meat, some nuts or peanut butter, cheese, yogurt, beans. And when you have carbs, if they are whole grain, they will take longer to digest, and they have more fiber, so you will feel full longer. And whole grains don't shoot your insulin high as fast as refined grains (like white flour and sugar) do. Sweeten with agave syrup instead of sugar. I find caffeine makes me hungry if I have it without food.

Byrdsong1920

:huh: Let me guess, you're a 1200-calorie girl, huh?

Please read, look for the part about hunger, and DON'T skip the link at the bottom:

Here's one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

I agree, nice post! thanks for your input! happy journey

DoxieLove10612

One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

^^^^THIS! This is my life. Thank you for posting and adding the link that I was pretty sure was written about me!!

bcattoes

Hi everyone,

I'm not a big morning person so usually I skip breakfast. I make a cup of tea when I get to work but my first proper 'meal' is between 12 and 12:30 - and I feel fine! However, people have been insisting that this is not the way one is supposed to do things, so I've been trying out having breakfast - and it's making me hungry!

This morning my breakfast was over 300 calories - porridge, a cup of full milk, and a little (lot of) raw sugar. That was at 7.30 and by 11 I was famished. I waited until the usual time to have lunch but it barely touched the sides - waited an hour, was still hungry, so I had to eat more so I could actually get some work done - and I still don't feel like I'm going to make it until dinner, which I usually would, and I'm 500 calories over where I would normally be at this point in the day!

Is this normal? I know that breakfast starts your metabolism, but I'm not so sure I want it started if it means eating hundreds and hundreds more calories every day!

It is common and normal. Your metabolism doesn't need to be started in the morning because as long as you wake up, you can be 100% sure it didn't stop overnight.

Whether you first eat at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., noon or 2:00 p.m. doesn't matter. It's not "when", but "what" and "how much" you eat matters.

geekyjock76

Is this normal? I know that breakfast starts your metabolism, but I'm not so sure I want it started if it means eating hundreds and hundreds more calories every day!

Breakfast does not "start" your metabolism as it never stops. Well, when you die it does. Just eat all your daily calories when it's convenient for you.

1ConcreteGirl

1) The more you eat, the more hungry you will feel, due to the production of leptin in your body.

2) Studies show no difference in metabolic function between people who eat meals one time or six times per day, as long as they are eating the same number of calories. Eat when it is convenient for you.

JAVAGIRLSS

:huh: Let me guess, you're a 1200-calorie girl, huh?

Please read, look for the part about hunger, and DON'T skip the link at the bottom:

Here's one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

This is my experience, and I'm a firm believer in keeping calories up (after a very long and horrendous experience of following the "under 1000" rule. I really would keep this in mind, and Lord knows, I know how hard and "wrong" it feels to up calories.

The only thing I would add, and I may be wrong so please do correct me anyone, is that I found under a certain level of calories I didn't experience hunger or low blood sugar. As I worked on upping them, I went through a horrible phase of feeling run down and hungry and grumpy. But the phase passed

THAT (the hungry, run down, and grumpy phase) is where I'm at, and it's SO tempting to slip back into eating way under caloric goal. How long does this last??

lcfairbairn74

Is this normal? I know that breakfast starts your metabolism, but I'm not so sure I want it started if it means eating hundreds and hundreds more calories every day!

Breakfast does not "start" your metabolism as it never stops. Well, when you die it does. Just eat all your daily calories when it's convenient for you.

^This! Meal timing makes no difference at all. If you find you do better without breakfast, don't eat breakfast!

Mackinnonspice

I'm also at the hungry all the time part, and I gym so I can eat more...sad but true But I'm still adjusting my meals trying to see what works best for me. So far eating eggs in the morning works the best, I'm not as hungry and can last till lunch time. Now I just have to find the perfect balance for lunch. Dinner I got down pat. So in my case, is try and eat different types of food and see how your body adjusts.

PS. I've only been doing this for a week. So I'm not sure if I'm helping....

sati18

Thanks everyone! Such a range of responses.

I'm not on 1,200 calories - I'm currently on 1,570, eating to maintain at 52kgs, eating back my exercise calories, etc. The only thing I was doing 'wrong' was not eating breakfast, but I guess what I'm asking is how I'm supposed to find 300 extra calories to eat breakfast in the morning if I'm also eating more than I was already for the rest of the day.

Just ignore the people telling you that you have to eat breakfast, you don't. If what you were doing was working, then do that!