How does one learn to be OK with being hungry?

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  • moraldd
    moraldd Posts: 99
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    I don't think you guys are getting it. It's not just when I'm dieting (although it is much worse then). I am always hungry. For example,I could eat two double-cheeseburgers with fries and still be hungry. The only reason I stop eating is because I think I'm supposed to. I'm always hungry. I mean ALWAYS. Have any of you ever actually been obese?

    I can relate to your constant hunger. What helped me was learning to identify the difference between eating due to physical hunger as opposed to eating to self medicate or eating out of boredom or whatever the problem might be. It's really not easy to identify or overcome when you've become so used to using food to deal with stuff in your life. I have all the knowledge and tools I need and I still struggle. It might be something you are not even consciously aware of so you might need to seek some professional help to work through whatever's "eating you". Wish you much success with your journey :happy:
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    I don't think you guys are getting it. It's not just when I'm dieting (although it is much worse then). I am always hungry. For example,I could eat two double-cheeseburgers with fries and still be hungry. The only reason I stop eating is because I think I'm supposed to. I'm always hungry. I mean ALWAYS. Have any of you ever actually been obese?

    Oh, I get it. I've been 290, is that obese enough to know what I'm talking about?

    I was always, ALWAYS hungry when I was eating a "normal" diet. Binge, binge, binge, nothing could make me full or satisfied. That kind of health issue (it's physical AND psychological) requires a drastic lifestyle change; at least it did for me. It's WHAT I eat and what I DON'T eat that has lead to me finally figuring it out. Perhaps, against the advice of so many MFP diet "experts", you need to try something different? IF you really want to feel better. I love feeling great, being healthy and not being hungry ALL the time.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    A good point has been made here about nutrition. You may not be interested in nutrition at all, but it would help you to learn more about what your body needs. Clue: 2 double cheeseburgers and fries from a fast food restaurant isn't it. It might be that you are still hungry because your body is screaming: "I need some iron and manganese down here, STAT!" Feed it what it needs, and meals should satisfy you.

    Another thing to consider is this: Yes, we can be hungry with an ache inside creating such a large vacuum that we keep eating and eating and eating, trying to fill that hole. Only food will never fill it because that's not what you're really hungry for. Maybe you're hungry for a meaningful relationship or a satisfying job or relief from some major stress in your life. It helps to stop feeding yourself food, ride it out, wait until your body is really and truly hungry for food. Feel what that's like and how it's different from the ache you get inside because something in your life just isn't right.

    I had gotten into a bad habit of stuffing myself to the point of misery all day every day because of problems with an adult son on drugs. It was only about 6 weeks ago that the scales fell from my eyes all of a sudden, and I realized that I had to face my son directly because all the food in the world would never heal that pain. (and yeh - got myself right over the line into the obese category; thank goodness I recognized the behavior now and not 100 pounds from now)
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
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    That is the QUESTION!! That nobody asks !! Sometimes I try a mindgame on myself where I say to myself that being hunger is ok - it's sort of like being extra clean. Maybe it is because you stomach is empty for a while. I get a panic-y, alert feeling when I am hungry. Sometimes I try to tell myself to relax my muscles...nothing bad is happening...there will be food later...everything is ok :indifferent:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    That hasn't happened to me yet. :ohwell:

    How many calories are you eating? What kinds of foods are you eating? If you are eating about 20% fewer calories than you burn and getting a balanced diet, plenty of protein, fats, and the right mix of carbs, then you should not be getting hungry. When I'm hungry, I eat. The only times I have gone over my calorie goal is when I simply overeat, which I have done a few times since I started.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I don't think you guys are getting it. It's not just when I'm dieting (although it is much worse then). I am always hungry. For example,I could eat two double-cheeseburgers with fries and still be hungry. The only reason I stop eating is because I think I'm supposed to. I'm always hungry. I mean ALWAYS. Have any of you ever actually been obese?

    There is a HUGE difference between being hungry and just wanting to eat. When I was obese, I was never hungry...I just wanted to eat. I wasn't satisfied...in my head. The food tasted too good...I wanted to keep tasting it. Years ago I would by 2 McDonalds meals....and still want more. Was I hungry? NO...I just wanted more.

    Now that I am no longer obese, I actually feel hungry when I get up in the morning...never felt that way before. My stomach actually growls.

    That's the difference. You have to start thinking of food as something you NEED, not something you WANT. Its not easy in the beginning, but, eventually , it sticks.
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
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    Being hungry all the time, very, very hungry can be a sign of diabetes, or insulin resistance. You can test your own blood sugar to see if you are being diabetic with supplies from the drug store..easy. If you google insulin resistance you will see that you need to build muscle.
  • RikanSoulja
    RikanSoulja Posts: 463 Member
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    It may be that you have a food addiction and that psychologically your brain is telling you to eat when you physically don't need to. I know this may not be a popular answer but maybe you should try Intermittent Fasting it can help retrain to your body to recognize the signals of hunger.. Again that is just a suggestion. I do it and I enjoy it but in the end do what is best for you.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Oh - and I've actually come to enjoy the feeling of being hungry. The years I was eating all day every day, I never felt that. It was almost a high the first few times I felt it.

    Now I'm always hungry before a meal, and I really love putting together a nice meal to satisfy that hunger.
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
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    Are you sure you're really hungry, rather than craving sugar? When I'm heavy (including now, unfortunately), I want sugar *all* the time. And, the times I have let that continue for years on end, I start to forget what real hunger feels like.

    I'm back on the wagon, again. For me, that means I start with lots of protein, plenty of fat, and a reasonable amount of fruits and vegetables. But the carbs, especially sugars, are limited (like to one serving a meal). Keep plenty of protein around for when you feel hungry. Eat a cheese stick, eat a hard-boiled egg, a couple slices of salami. The protein is very satisfying for real hunger, though it doesn't cut the sugar cravings. But, for me, anyway, in a couple days the sugar cravings start to subside. When I stop eating carbs all the time, then I can actually feel real hunger again! It's not exactly pleasant, but mild to moderate levels of hunger are actually easier to deal with than my sugar cravings. (Your cravings/hunger may vary.)

    It is not normal to feel real hunger all the time, so if you are, you probably should see a doctor.
  • blushingmama
    blushingmama Posts: 111 Member
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    I dont go around hungry - purposefully that is.

    if I'm hungry I eat. I track my protein amounts more than my calories. I try to get about 150grams of protein a day. I not hungry with that.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    Being hungry all the time, very, very hungry can be a sign of diabetes, or insulin resistance. You can test your own blood sugar to see if you are being diabetic with supplies from the drug store..easy. If you google insulin resistance you will see that you need to build muscle.

    Exactly, or some other health problem, or a whole bunch of health and pychological problems (which was my situation)... so my advice to consider a dietary change is right on target. No matter what the problem is, how you are currently eating is NOT WORKING. You should not be uncontrollably hungry all the time or you will never succeed! Try something different. For me that means eating lots of healthy fat and protein and fewer carbs (mostly from vegetables). No, carbs aren't "bad" but some of us with major health problems may need a different approach when nothing else works. :wink:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I don't think you guys are getting it. It's not just when I'm dieting (although it is much worse then). I am always hungry. For example,I could eat two double-cheeseburgers with fries and still be hungry. The only reason I stop eating is because I think I'm supposed to. I'm always hungry. I mean ALWAYS. Have any of you ever actually been obese?



    I'm obese right now! WTF? You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    I take my frustrations out on other people.

    Kids are a good target, they rarely fight back.

    This works for me! Seriously I get where you are coming from. I'm hungry a LOT. I think some people just don't get that some of us just seem to have bodies that really want to eat too much (and if anyone wants to criticise they are welcome to got check out my diary and see that I am eating loads - I don't drink any of my calories and I eat very little processed food). Sorry to say to some degree I just have to put up with it.

    I basically never finish a meal and feel satisfied. And I've been doing this for months now so I don't think that's going to change.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    If you're hungry all the time, you're not picking the right foods. I was only hungry on this for a couple of days until I figured out how to make more filling choices for the same calorie amount.
  • wjranch
    wjranch Posts: 152
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    Simply choose better quality foods.... You will NEVER feel hunger if you do.

    I dont know your body specs...but, feel free to check out MY diary any day.... as often I have trouble eating ALL that I need to!! LOL and I'm 125lb, 5'5" female on a 1900 Cal bulking plan.
  • CherryOnionKiss
    CherryOnionKiss Posts: 376 Member
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    is really hunger or cravings?
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
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    Eat lower caloric density foods for better satiety.
    Try intermittent fasting. I find when I am doing 1200-1400 calorie days that fasting for 20ish hours and eating one huge meal keeps me from getting too hungry.

    Otherwise, deal with it. If a small amount of discomfort is enough to dissuade you from your aspirations, you are going to have a disappointing life.
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    When I first started on the weight loss program I did 5:2 intermittent fasting (mostly for other health benefits like improved insulin sensitivity) so hunger was a given on the down days of 500 Cals. Did find that hunger came and went in waves and that it was useful to learn what physical hunger actually was, as opposed to habitual hunger dictated by the clock. Can now distinguish the two. I did find the 5:2 program easy to manage psychologically since occasional extreme deprivation was easier to deal with than constant low level deprivation.

    Agreed -- I've been doing something similar trying to fix in insulin problems. When your insulin is out of whack, it is easier to eat nothing at all until the problem passes than shove more "problem food" down one's "pie hole!"

    But oh no -don't say that low calorie "plan" too loud. You'll get the "gotta eat more than 1200 calories" police on your tail!
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Well, Xiao...., I did take a look at your diary, and I really don't see much on there that is satisfying. Not much variety. Not much fat. I assume you're vegetarian. Maybe it doesn't agree with you. My naturopath actually put me back on meat when I was a vegetarian because my chemistry panel was "off" in several areas. Honestly, I would expect to always be hungry on your diet.

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