Concerned that I'm not hungry...

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kotcherr
kotcherr Posts: 34
in Food and Nutrition
This might sound like a really ridiculous concern, but I am very confused...

I have been eating basically low carb for several months and gaining weight. I was constantly hungry. A few days ago I realized how unhealthy my restrictive eating habits were and decided to add in healthy carbs to my diet and just count calories using MFP.
Today, I tracked just under 1200 calories and even ran two miles. I expected to be very hungry but actually felt full and had to force myself to finish dinner.

Has anybody else had this experience? Any suggestions as to what might explain something like this?

Replies

  • ksun10
    ksun10 Posts: 76
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    Have you been active before you started MFP? And did you workout yesterday? For me personally, if I run harder or farther than usual I dont feel the effects until the day after (or sometimes even the day after that).
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    My guess would be that low carb just isn't right for your body. I've never tried going really low carb but my experience is that having protein and veggies without carbs just doesn't keep me feeling satisfied whereas if I add in some carbs (rice, pasta, grainy bread) I feel much better for longer. We are all different and while some people report that they do really well on low carb, I'm just not one of them and maybe you aren't either.

    I also don't have a lot of faith in "feeling hungry" as a guide about when to eat. I "listened to my body" for 20 plus years and ended up obese. Eating at a moderate deficit (including carbs!) and eating a pretty level number of calories (anywhere between 1500 - 2500 total cals a day) has me healthier and happier than I've ever been before. I pretty well ignore "hunger" and eat what I've planned for the day anyway..... that seems to work for me.

    So, my advice - set yourself a realistic calorie goal (and that is almost certainly going to be higher than 1200) and eat that amount whether you feel hungry or not. This doesn't mean you have to force yourself to eat, but plan means that include some calorie dense foods (nuts, dairy, oils, red meat, salmon, sweet potato as some examples) so you are getting a healthy level of calories without feeling too full.
  • kotcherr
    kotcherr Posts: 34
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    I would consider myself moderately active, meaning that I run an average of 2 miles per day at about a 6 mph pace. I've been doing that for about a month now. What you said about feeling the effects later does make sense! The big change that I made was really in diet (adding carbs). I was wondering whether this could have an effect on appetite? Thanks for the advice!
  • half_moon
    half_moon Posts: 807 Member
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    This is a challenge for me. I'm not doing low carb- I stay within (usually below) the range that MFP gives me. It's such a struggle to reach 1200 calories sometimes. I'm just *not hungry*. I try to "drink" my calories, as they say. Vanilla almond milk helps up the number considerably. It's great in oatmeal!
  • kotcherr
    kotcherr Posts: 34
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    Thank you so much for this response - your advice about diet is really helpful! I guess eating a moderate level of carbohydrates is so new to me that I don't quite know how my body is supposed to feel. I should probably raise my calorie goal at least a bit and try to incorporate more calories regardless of how I feel. I appreciate the input!
  • half_moon
    half_moon Posts: 807 Member
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    Thank you so much for this response - your advice about diet is really helpful! I guess eating a moderate level of carbohydrates is so new to me that I don't quite know how my body is supposed to feel. I should probably raise my calorie goal at least a bit and try to incorporate more calories regardless of how I feel. I appreciate the input!

    Well by the looks of your pics you are doing something right! It's a constant struggle for me to get to 1200 calories AND to avoid lean cuisines (preservatives.. I know!) so BUMP in case anybody else has some advice!

    10 hours of work, 1 hour of gym, a shower, laundry, a husband, and dishes do NOT equal enough time for healthy cooking. -.- I know the whole "plan ahead of plan to fail" saying of cooking your meals ahead of time, but leftovers have generally grossed me out since I was a kid (it's my only spoiled-like personality trait, I swear). I can't even enjoy MyFitFoods for the thought that they are leftovers. Pathetic, I know!!

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