Hunger

Fairysoul

I have been eating mostly primal the past few days with one slip up and a little cheese or milk here and there. And I am noticing that I am just not that hungry. I will eat at normal meals times and have a few snacks sometimes, but otherwise not really hungry at all! And this is new to me, usually I am a ravonous beast eating everything in sight!! Now my gears have shifed from "how can not eat so many cals" to " be sure to get enough cals" LOL It's a great feeling. So I am checking in with my pals here, how has your hunger changed and should I expect it to vary?

LeidaPrimal

It varies for me, but I am able to squeeze in days which would have killed me on the CW, less or around 1000 calories. I am also pretty happy on 1300-1400 calories, and I was mental during low fat/high carb on that. I have never had experience of not meeting my caloric goal though.

The quality of hunger changed as well, it is not the ravenous crazy shaky disorienting feeling, it is more fatigue and lethargy.

Fairysoul

Yes it seems to feel like that, lethargic when I am hungry I couldn't figure out why I felt so funny, of course the carb sickness could be a part of it too. Took me a a bit to figure that out!! I always meet 1200 cals with no problems.

MissXFit13

I started on a paleo/primal diet about a week ago, and I noticed the same thing! When I ate meals that revolved around carbohydrates from grain sources (i.e. oatmeal/toast for breakfast, sandwich or pasta for lunch), I would be ravenous 3 hours later. I used to joke that I had to eat every 3 hours or I'd get cranky, so I always carried around sugary granola bars. I was literally feeding the problem with every granola bar, rice cake, or Special K chip.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the meals I'm cooking and enjoy eating more than ever knowing I'm doing something so good for my body. But I'm not obsessed with food like a used to be. How liberating!

Fairysoul

I am so glad I am not obsessed like I used to be, it used to be we would go for a drive and I had to have food or something like that. Now I don't worry about it so much!

caribougal

What the others said above, except I was very lethargic for the first 2 weeks during carb flu, but I think I also was not eating nearly enough cals or fat during that time frame.

Now, I just get hungry, but not shaky or lethargic. And the hunger is a real physical feeling rather than a mental "must eat!!!" one. I can skip a meal and feel hungry without feeling obsessive.

Fairysoul

I agree I have been lethargic for the past few days, of course falling off the wagon did not help! I am trying to watch my fat and cals just to be sure!

LeidaPrimal

I continued to feel lethargic when hungry even after I was VLC for 4 weeks. I think it is just how hunger manifests itself now for me. I will take fatigue over horrors of sugar hunger any day. It is far less mentally and physically challenging.

Fairysoul

I hope mine turns into fatigue vs lethargic. I feel so funny but only during a certain part of the day. Maybe it's my coffee, with creamer my one allowance?

Alyxw

I had a wee stumble off the wagon and I have definitely noticed the difference - I am back into eating primal but it has been like a four day hangover lol - not that BAD but I feel noticeably more tired and grumpy and the cravings came back. Lucky I have been in the zone before and know how good it feels. I just feel so much more stable in terms of extremes of hunger and fullness, sleep better, and feel energised.

Losingamy

I always feel better when I'm on the Paleo/Primal path. Getting the right balance has been my latest challenge, as I'm typically leaning heavier on the Protein in my macros. I'm hardly ever ravenously hungry like I used to be, especially when craving time rolls around. My protein may or may not be a factor in that, but I strive for 50/25/25 - F/P/C.

My scale hasn't been budging lately, but I can definitely tell the difference in the way my body performs. My hormones have finally started to act normally since I've cut gluten out nearly completely. I'm working on cutting the dairy out. I don't drink milk or put half and half in my coffee, but I still like butter and cheese. I just try not to smother everything with either.

Zeromilediet

Know what you mean. No longer wanting to gnaw my arm off if I don't eat constantly. Not only are the hungries more mellow but snacking not necessary.

nclax

Ok, I just came on here to ask if I was in danger of going into starvation mode as MFP keeps warning me that I will because I am like NEVER hungry anymore. I'm forcing myself to eat tonight because I need to and just worked out but I have to say that that's the best thing about this diet AND I don't crave sweets anymore, which were my nemesis before. I couldn't go out of the house without having a Starbucks thing and now I'm not even using splenda in my coffee anymore can't stand it so sweet...Glad to know I'm not alone!

primalkiwi

My hunger has definitely changed with Primal eating. I used to have breakfast at 6 am, be ravenous by 9:30am, again at 12, etc etc. I work a physical job so now have to try to make myself eat breakfast or else I will be from 6pm the previous night until midday the next day without food (can't eat on the job). I've had a few days off work so experimenting with just eating when I'm hungry - usually about 10 am and 4pm and that doesn't give me enough calories according to MFP!! In a bit of a dilemma as I'm satisfied (and full) on far fewer calories than they recommend yet I seem to be reaching my macros. I've made my diary private as I don't want any criticism from anyone thinking I have an eating disorder - I don't and I love my food but without the insulin/sugar highs and lows caused by carbs I'm just not obsessed with food anymore. It sounds like everyone is on an interesting journey with this and it's so awesome (and freeing) to learn these things about how your body responds when it's well nourished!