Any guesses as to why I'm so RIDICULOUSLY hungry?

HellYesHaley

Alright, I have a legitimate question here.

This morning, I woke up to my stomach growling loudly. You know that feeling when your stomach is totally empty? That absolutely FAMISHED feeling? Yes, that's how I've felt for most of today.

I ate a nice big breakfast, drank LOTS of water and tea, had a side salad and a healthy choice meal for lunch, sushi for dinner, and some whole grain bread with peanut butter for a snack. I went OVER on my protein, so it's not like I'm not eating substantially.

I'm very perplexed as to why I'm feeling so hungry today. Could it be that my metabolism is speeding up? Am I burning calories more efficiently or something?

I went way over on my calories for today, but I ate ONLY healthy foods and I only ate when I was feeling hungry.

Can anyone try to explain this to me? I am new to this whole fitness thing. I might need some direction/help so that I'm not feeling starved all day again!

BeautyFromPain

Can you open your diary so that we can help give you some better advice?

ToughTulip

Only ate healthy foods? Microwave meals and sushi aren't exactly going to be filling you up.

Try more vegetables, or more food with larger volume for lower calories.

Shelgirl001

I know I'm ridiculously hungry right before and during most of my time of the month... It drives me CRAZY!!! It's a possibility... I try to make up for the calories I seem to consume and crave with extra working out time, or at least more movement.

awesomek001

Your body is getting used to your new regime. And hormones, stress, and exercise all have an impact. I find that I'll go through cycles like that. Just stick to your guns with the healthy choices. You're building habits now - - and you are working on retraining not only your body but your mind as well. Making the healthy choices isn't always easy but it sounds like you're committed to working at that!

monty619

tis what happens when you are in a caloric defecit... especially for an extended perdiod of time.

HellYesHaley

Sushi usually fills me up a lot, probably about 6 oz. of fresh salmon, and then the rice and veggies. And yes, the microwave meal wasn't exactly the #1 healthiest, but I work at a diner and wanted to make sure I had SOMETHING to eat that would be moderately filling/healthy during my lunch break.

I guess it's just strange since before I started eating healthier/paying attention to my caloric intake, those foods filled me up and left me satisfied. Today, my stomach has literally been growling since I woke up!

elishazf

i'm not sure if this is much help but I know once it gets colder i'll start go get more hungry. And sometimes your body just needs more fuel on one day than it did the others

californiagirl2012

Alright, I have a legitimate question here.

This morning, I woke up to my stomach growling loudly. You know that feeling when your stomach is totally empty? That absolutely FAMISHED feeling? Yes, that's how I've felt for most of today.

I ate a nice big breakfast, drank LOTS of water and tea, had a side salad and a healthy choice meal for lunch, sushi for dinner, and some whole grain bread with peanut butter for a snack. I went OVER on my protein, so it's not like I'm not eating substantially.

I'm very perplexed as to why I'm feeling so hungry today. Could it be that my metabolism is speeding up? Am I burning calories more efficiently or something?

I went way over on my calories for today, but I ate ONLY healthy foods and I only ate when I was feeling hungry.

Can anyone try to explain this to me? I am new to this whole fitness thing. I might need some direction/help so that I'm not feeling starved all day again!

Being on a calorie deficit is hard. You can't do this journey on will power alone. You must set up your environment for success. Have a team around you in your real life, not just online. Get trigger foods out of the house. It will take some sacrifice and it's not easy. You might have to say no to some social events sometimes.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

For me it's all about a calorie budget. I had less of a budget available when I was losing weight, more to spend now that I'm maintaining and all the tools I used for weight loss come into play for the rest of my life maintaining.

When you have accumulated excess fat, you have accumulated a debt. It is hard to pay off the debt (you have less calories to spend). If you are sitting next to someone your same gender and height and they are not overweight and you are, they get to eat more than you (have more calories to spend) because they are debt free. You have less calories to spend because you are paying off your debt.

It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

BelleHeart

Fibeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!! It fills you up

joconnor09

I had the same problem over the summer- worked a desk job and ate constantly, but I always seemed to be hungry! I tried adding a lot of protein, fiber, and fruit. Have you tried greek yogurt? It tastes really good (even though it looks weird at first- you just have to mix it up) and it has a ton of protein. You could always try just snacking throughout the day- having fruit and veggies so you won't blow up your calorie intake, but you won't constantly feel like your stomach is getting ready to digest itself.

ToughTulip

Sushi usually fills me up a lot, probably about 6 oz. of fresh salmon, and then the rice and veggies. And yes, the microwave meal wasn't exactly the #1 healthiest, but I work at a diner and wanted to make sure I had SOMETHING to eat that would be moderately filling/healthy during my lunch break.

I guess it's just strange since before I started eating healthier/paying attention to my caloric intake, those foods filled me up and left me satisfied. Today, my stomach has literally been growling since I woke up!

I have to eat a ton of sushi to get full! And usually doesnt last long

I'm not saying that you are eating garbage or anything, but your meals are not sounding to be very filling. Which is why you are so hungry. Next time you have one of these days try to eat lots of "bulk" foods. really helps!

mockchoc

Can you open your diary so that we can help give you some better advice?

^This.

HellYesHaley

My diary is open to my friends only, but I am happy to be friends with anyone! Just add me!

dg09

Can you open your diary so that we can help give you some better advice?

Pretty much this.

The calorie deficit is probably too large. We won't be able to tell until the diary is open. How many calories do you usually consume on any given day and also how much do you usually burn on average from exercise?

nkyjennifer

Days like that are when I have a nice big bowl of steamed broccoli and carrots. Wash and cut the veggies into bit sized chunks, pop in the microwave for a couple of minutes and stand by it (like you have to do for popcorn haha!) When you can smell the veggies, they're done. Yummy and filling!

Sometimes I find that having something with lots of fat in it like olives or cheese is all that I need to make a difference.

These "hollow" days happen to most of us from time to time. It's hard not to go for whatever is handy. Having something you like to eat that's low calorie enough for you to eat lots of will help.

Playingwithfire89

You could just take the eating disorder approach and learn to love the way an empty stomach feels. Its pretty good for weightloss, but you have to eat like 8 super small meals a day (anything bigger makes you feel sick.)

ToughTulip

You could just take the eating disorder approach and learn to love the way an empty stomach feels. Its pretty good for weightloss, but you have to eat like 8 super small meals a day (anything bigger makes you feel sick.)

im sure taking an eating disorder approach is a brilliant idea.

smh -.-

mockchoc

You could just take the eating disorder approach and learn to love the way an empty stomach feels. Its pretty good for weightloss, but you have to eat like 8 super small meals a day (anything bigger makes you feel sick.)

im sure taking an eating disorder approach is a brilliant idea.

smh -.-

Place seems to be overrun with that approach but I know that is what dieting can do to us if we aren't careful.

Ok OP sending friends request if you're game

korsicash

I am hungrier on days following a day I ate very late at night.....not sure why. Also I find when I am having those days that I need food that a nice spaghetti squash, cauliflower, and chicken breast really help to fill me up and I am not eating all the junk around me. Sometimes a cup of coffee helps curb the hunger too.

AntWrig

You could just take the eating disorder approach and learn to love the way an empty stomach feels. Its pretty good for weightloss, but you have to eat like 8 super small meals a day (anything bigger makes you feel sick.)

I hope this is a joke.

nogoldilocs

I've heard this crazy theory that sometimes when you're "ridiculously hungry" it's because you need to eat more. But that's probably urban myth...

How many calories did you eat? How many did you expend with exercise? Those numbers are a good place to start, otherwise we really will just be guessing.

mockchoc

From your diary that thing that stands out is that you could up the veggies so you get more fibre. The ready meals aren't great for that. Probably could eat a little more protein too.

What is your TDEE? Maybe you are too far below that calorie wise. You certainly aren't on a VLCD but it still may be too low for you.

jessgumkowski88

How's the weather out there? I know it sounds silly, but if you haven't had much sun you can get S.A.D and one symptom is extreme cravings for carbs, fats, and sugars. It kills me all the time. it lowers your energy levels too and your motivation. Makes you sleepy and hungry like your going into hibernation mode. :P

Anywho just saying. Could be a simple solution.

If you find it is S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) try taking vitamin D supplements, or buy a happy light (I would buy one anyways because they seriously boost my energy and mood! Better than coffee or an energy drink in my opinion :P) Or if theres some sun try to go outside more, maybe take a walk.

bradphil87

Did you have a good workout today? On my big workout days I'm starving!!! Haha. So I tend to eat higher on those days

jennifer_417

You have might have burned more calories than you realized, or eaten less calories than you realized. It could be that you are a stress eater and that emotional stuff makes you hungry. When I have a longer day than usual, like I have to get up way early or stay up way late, I end up eating more just because I need the fuel.

pinkraynedropjacki

PMS, trust me. PMS or being tired. I am always HUNGRY when I have PMS.... like I can't stop.

Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt

How's the weather out there? I know it sounds silly, but if you haven't had much sun you can get S.A.D and one symptom is extreme cravings for carbs, fats, and sugars. It kills me all the time. it lowers your energy levels too and your motivation. Makes you sleepy and hungry like your going into hibernation mode. :P

Anywho just saying. Could be a simple solution.

If you find it is S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) try taking vitamin D supplements, or buy a happy light (I would buy one anyways because they seriously boost my energy and mood! Better than coffee or an energy drink in my opinion :P) Or if theres some sun try to go outside more, maybe take a walk.

I was going to ask about weather too, because my appetite goes up when cold weather hits, as it does for many people. It's not necessarily a disorder though. There's an article about it on Web MD here: www.webmd.com/diet/features/control-your-winter-appetite

Someone suggested to me drinking hot tea or decaf coffee to warm up from the inside, so our body doesn't try to go into "pre-hibernation mode" with all the carb craving. I've been trying it the last few days, and it seems to be helping considerably.

Brian_VA

I think one reason our appetites go up when it starts to get cold is because our bodies are trying to prepare us for winter. Squirrels gather nuts, bears prepare to hibernate, we fatten up.

There is a difference between being hungry and craving food. Certain foods that I eat make me want to eat more, while others fill me up. High carb foods like bread, potato, rice, and anything sugary trigger a craving response that feels a lot like being hungry. High protein with some fat foods fill me up and stick with me and don't trigger the craving type of hunger.

My theory is that once the body burns through the carbs you have eaten it is ready for you to eat again, so it doesn't have to change over and start burning fat. So when suddenly your body is telling you to eat when your mind says you ate recently, this may be the exact time you don't want to! When you eat less carby foods, your body is in fat burning mode already, and the cravings are not as common or strong.

gogoyubarino

Lucky you.

My stomach hasn't growled since 1981. I've probably killed it with my repeated bouts of starvation and binging.

paszekmonika

When i feel like this I eat broccoli or green beans. Have them always in my fridge just in case. These are only things making me full and almost without calories,