Why am I starving shorty after a meal?

DIYmomma

so for the past few weeks Ive been dealing with an increased appetite which has caused me to have trouble staying under my 1400 calories. Most days my meals are around 300 calories each and I have a couple snacks, for example this morning i had a two egg omelet with one slice of cheese four slices deli cut chicken and some broccoli. that was about 30 minutes ago and now im starving. Yesterday I had two soy chicken breast and a red potato for breakfast and one can tuna, half a cucumber, some cherry tomatoes, a cheese stick and a tbs of mayo for lunch. I also had a slimfast and a 100 calorie snack. plus dinner, chicken and veggies and a small serving of pasta. I drink water and have only been exercising about 4 days a week at 200-400 calorieds burned.

any advice on what to do? im tired of the hunger pains!

126siany

Maybe you need to eat more?

DIYmomma

1400 calories is the suggestion that MFP gave me for my weight and losing 1.5 lbs a week, I rarely lose that, in fact I havent lost a lb in a month

i also have my activity level set to low, because i spend a lot of time at the computer most days, maybe i need to up it a level

robyng1986

^^^ i agree. try eating more and see how it goes. I like to eat things like brown rice with meals, good fibre and very filling.

i hope you work out what's best for you!! :happy:

meganbook

I feel hungry all of the time too, I constantly have to urge to eat something. What keeps my hunger at bay is raw vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. I eat them by the handful. Around 1030 when I get my first snack craving, at lunch with my salad, after my workout with a tablespoon of hummus, and when I'm done eating supper if I'm still hungry I'll munch on some more veggies when I'm preparing my lunch for the next day. They big and bulky, take a long time to chew, and they fill you up. If you can't eat them plain, I'd suggest hummus, salsa (you'd be surprised!), light salad dressing, or laughing cow cheese. A cup of veggies has about 20-30 calories, so eat up! Hope this helps!

FlaxMilk

Don't forget that you are allowed to eat your exercise calories back. I'd make sure you have healthy fats at each meal.

DIYmomma

I feel hungry all of the time too, I constantly have to urge to eat something. What keeps my hunger at bay is raw vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. I eat them by the handful. Around 1030 when I get my first snack craving, at lunch with my salad, after my workout with a tablespoon of hummus, and when I'm done eating supper if I'm still hungry I'll munch on some more veggies when I'm preparing my lunch for the next day. They big and bulky, take a long time to chew, and they fill you up. If you can't eat them plain, I'd suggest hummus, salsa (you'd be surprised!), light salad dressing, or laughing cow cheese. A cup of veggies has about 20-30 calories, so eat up! Hope this helps!

thanks I have been eating a lot of carrots, it does help some for a while. thanks

Macyboston

I know you said you drink water but are you getting enough hydration? If you're dehydrated your body will indicate with hunger. I've read that you should take your weight and divide it in half and that's how many ounces of water you should be drinking each day?

Also, if you use artificial sweeteners they will make you feel hungry too because they trick your body into thinking it's been given fuel when it really hasn't.

As someone already pointed out, fiber will make you feel fuller longer. You might want to try something like oats in the morning for breakfast. Your body will burn those carbs slowly throughout the morning which your body might be craving after fasting during the night.

AshlynG923

Could be heartburn? Sometimes, for me at least, I get heartburn which can easily feel like my stomach growling.

skudera27

Everyone is different, but I try to eat something every 2-3 hours

6am breakfast - english muffin w/ pb
10am snack - grapes
11-12 gym
1230 lunch - salad w/ tuna, chicken, etc
2pm snack - greek yogurt
330pm snack - apple
6pm dinner
8pm - evening snack

i sometimes get a hunger urge, but not for long since i break up my eating throughout the day
currently on 1260 calorie diet (before workout). I end up eating around 1600 for the day

radioberry

I eat similar to skudera menu without any hunger problems. I have also found it to be much easier for me to eat 5 mini meals instead of 3 meals with 2 snacks.

Culley34

Take down 32 oz. of water before a meal.

Also, it takes the brain about 20 minutes after eating to realize that you're stomach is full.

skudera27

I eat similar to skudera menu without any hunger problems. I have also found it to be much easier for me to eat 5 mini meals instead of 3 meals with 2 snacks.

yes, exactly. my 'mini meals' usually fall between 200-400 calories each. breakfast 290, lunch 300, greek yogurt 150-175, dinner usually a little more but 500 or below, sometimes throw in a protein bar around 200 cal... it's been working for me very well (outside of the fact that I threw that plan away on my honeymoon )

claritarejoice

Eating something with a lot of salt in it makes me feel more hungry afterwards. For other people it's sugar that makes them feel like they actually want to eat more.

I second the advice other posters have written to drink water, eat more fiber, protein and veggies to make you feel fuller.

Or, do you think you could be pregnant?

missk8t

I noticed I was feeling the same way until someone said to me to make sure I chew 30 times before swallowing. I suffer IBS and this is a common problem for IBS sufferers that we don't chew food enough. When I started chewing for this long by the time I finished my lunch/breakfast etc I was feeling full and satisfied but my cravings an hour later have nearly gone. Occasionally I'll get the odd craving but I usually just have a sesame snap or piece of fruit.

Might be worth a thought?

DIYmomma

Eating something with a lot of salt in it makes me feel more hungry afterwards. For other people it's sugar that makes them feel like they actually want to eat more.

I second the advice other posters have written to drink water, eat more fiber, protein and veggies to make you feel fuller.

Or, do you think you could be pregnant?

oh man, dont jinks me! lol....I actually just had a blood test done 8/16 so I could get a new script for birth control, it was neg. but as crazy as it sound the it kinda does remind me of the way I feel then

joywo

Make sure you have protein with every meal. Quinoa is great and versatile.

icerose137

Try taking in more fiber. I love using Konjac Gluconnaman powder. I mix it in my smoothie if I'm having that for breakfast or in a cup of plain almond milk right before a meal. (I can't have regular milk.)

Mix it in a blender if you do it and drink it right away. The fiber is natural and not only keeps me feeling full and satisfied, it also keeps my blood sugar levels stable. Since I'm hypoglycemic I can't tell you how wonderful that is to not start shaking two hours after I've eaten because my sugar has crashed.

DIYmomma

Thanks everyone for your replies. Ive read all your answer and will be trying them to see what works. I probably need to increase my water intake.

ErinRibbens

Are you eating back your exercise calories? How close are you to your goal weight? 1.5 lbs a week is quite high, maybe you might want to lower that goal which would raise your calories a bit. You are eating healthy, filling foods so I would guess you might not be eating quite enough.

Molly_Maguire

You're not eating enough carbs. On days that I eat low carb, I get hungry sooner after a meal. Add in some whole wheat toast or wild rice into your meals and see if that helps.

chickentunashake

You need to try to eat more protein and less carbs. The protein will make you feel fool, where low carbs will not spike your insulin levels. If you eat vegetables, try to stick with green vegetables, they are the healthiest and don't have no starch, which spikes insulin again. Carrots are not too recommend if you have problem with hunger. Try broccoli or cauliflower instead

running_shoe

1400 calories is the suggestion that MFP gave me for my weight and losing 1.5 lbs a week, I rarely lose that, in fact I havent lost a lb in a month

i also have my activity level set to low, because i spend a lot of time at the computer most days, maybe i need to up it a level

I plateaued at 1400 as well. I just changed my goal to .5 per week instead of 1 lb per week and it gave me an extra couple hundred calories. Then my weight loss started again, and I'm losing at least .5 per week. I'm really not in a hurry to lose, and I REALLY appreciate the extra calories.

sundaysurf

This is only my experience with myself but maybe it will help you. Whenever I start a new exercise program or increase my intensity of a certain workout I am hungry because my metabolism is kicking it to gear and I am burning more calories. During those time I TRY to refuel with healthy items (doesn't always happen, but I try). Being aware of why you are hungry will help you with your food choices. If you are hungry after a meal, look at what you ate and maybe you need more protein, fat or carbs.

Good Luck!

chickentunashake

You're not eating enough carbs. On days that I eat low carb, I get hungry sooner after a meal. Add in some whole wheat toast or wild rice into your meals and see if that helps.

Completely disagree. I am a chronic low carb eater, couple of times a week in ketosis to stay ripped, and I'm not hungry even with extensive cardio and weight lifting. If you eat enough protein, your body will use it for energy instead of carbs, which turns into sugar and then into fat

davert123

1) Are you eating sugar - this can wobble your blood sugar and cause it to drop. Your brain naturally responds to this by feeling hungry.

2) Are you eating enough fibre - this bulks up and can make you feel more full for longer

3) are you drinking enough water - our brains can get confused and interpret dehydration with hunger (it also fills your tummy up :-)

4) are you getting enough variety (Sounds like it but...) your brain is very clever detecting your body hasn't got enough of something and will instruct you to go eat - perhaps try multivitamins

5) I would also recommend (as something that works for me) - do plenty of medium-high cardio. This has the 2 fold benefit of burning loads of calories and suppressing appetite for a couple of hours.

6) are you getting enough sleep - your brain can respond to tiredness by saying 'give me energy'



Hope this was of some use, good luck with your journey :-)

Mark63

try eating more protein or more fiber foods. Both will make you feel fuller longer and drink water with them.

Lisasfit

It could be your exercise? I know when I go hard I get hungrier faster. I do pretty hard cardio and lift heavier, so I have been finding about 2-3 hours after I eat, I am hungry again. Just eat smart when you do, lots of veggies and fruits, I have been eating radishes and celery as a snack. Or hard boiled egg. Make sure you eat a good breakfast as well. Steel oats are great as a snack or meal also!

BarbellBlondieRuns

Here is a neat article with 25 foods/beverages that are natural appetite suppressants. Most days I don't have a huge appetite and as I read through the list I saw that I already base my diet around most of these foods. So apparently they work!

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/top-25-natural-appetite-suppressants

minizebu

You may need to shift your calories to better match your energy expenditure.

When I saw a dietician she interviewed me about my eating and exercising habits. I was expecting that she would give me a very specific eating plan. Instead she drew a graph for me showing when I was expending most of my energy and when I was taking in most of my calories. It turns out that I was expending most of my energy in the first half of the day, but eating most of my calories in the second half of the day.

I used to skip breakfast and eat a Lean Cuisine for lunch, but she actually encouraged me to eat MORE food in the morning and for lunch. I used to graze all afternoon and into the evening. She asked me to shift when I ate to better match when I expended the most energy. (I exercise in the late morning.)

Also, she suggested that I make sure to always have some protein when I eat carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrates by themselves gives your body a quick blood sugar fix, but that is followed by a resulting drop in blood sugar an hour or so later. Then you are hungry again. If you pair protein with the carbohydrate, then you get the quick fix, but the protein takes longer to digest and results in longer satiation.

My three biggest take aways from the dietician visit:

1) Match timing of calorie intake to timing of energy output.
2) Always pair protein with carbohydrate.
3) Use the plate method for lunch and dinner (1/4 protein, 1/4 starch, 1/2 non-starchy vegetables).

I'm not a diabetic, but this is what dieticians teach diabetics to do to control their blood sugar and manage their weight.

I no longer binge in the afternoons, and I find that I'm usually not hungry between meals. But, if I am, I go ahead and snack. I just make sure that I include protein with the carbohydrates (crackers with cheese, or crackers with peanut butter, or almonds and grapes, etc.) Then I make sure to factor the calories from my snack into my overall eating plan for the day.

I hope this helps.

ALH1981

the doctor on the rikki lake show today said this is a sign of a hormonal inbalance......