Eatting enough....can't sleep because starved?

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  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Given what I've seen here, I'm also going to mention meal timing. I find that on nights when I have supper at 5:30, I'm starving later. My body seems to like to eat a little later (because I'm a night owl). I typically eat supper around 6:30, and have a snack with protein in it sometime around 10pm.

    I'm not saying that this is what you need to do, just putting it out there as an example of what made a difference for me (because I'd already made sure I was eating enough - it turned out to be timing for me)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Just to throw something else out there, I usually take problems with sleeping as an indication that I'm reaching an overtrained state. And if I'm training hard while cutting, I reach my overtrained state a helluva lot quicker than when I'm eating normally. So I'll suggest that you look at both your training schedule (which you may not be able to adjust with an event coming up) and your eating schedule. Like everyone else suggests, you probably need to eat more.
  • zekerella
    zekerella Posts: 58 Member
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    Hahahaha this made me laugh. You're right....7pm gu is hard key a snack. I think I'll plan to eat 200-300 calories more the next couple days and plan a good snack before bed full of protein.
  • zekerella
    zekerella Posts: 58 Member
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    On a side note, can I have your recipe for quinoa and avocado salad?

    ETA-
    You can also check out this group. There might be a few more answers.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/105-triathletes-duathletes

    I will check out that group!! Thank you!! Also-you can find my recipie (I also add 4oz of grilled chicken breast to the salad) on my blog findingtheskinnygirlwithin.tumblr.com in the things I eat page at the top of the page! I make 4 servings at once which comes to about 400 calories.
  • redcase
    redcase Posts: 69 Member
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    Casein protein is supposed to be good right before bed as it is digested slowly, so that might help. Just a thought.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    On a side note, can I have your recipe for quinoa and avocado salad?

    ETA-
    You can also check out this group. There might be a few more answers.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/105-triathletes-duathletes

    I will check out that group!! Thank you!! Also-you can find my recipie (I also add 4oz of grilled chicken breast to the salad) on my blog findingtheskinnygirlwithin.tumblr.com in the things I eat page at the top of the page! I make 4 servings at once which comes to about 400 calories.

    Thanks!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I have just had a look at the last 7 days of your diary.... You burnt at least 700 calories EVERY day... You REALLY REALLY need to add a rest day into your training programme!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    sounds pretty obvious
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
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    Do you like milk? I used to have a glass of 2% milk before bed when i worked out like crazy otherwise i woudl wake up starving in the middle of the night. If i forgot i would walk downstairs grab said milk, drink it quickly and go back to bed..problem abated...
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
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    Anyone else have this problem?? I am an ironman triathlete

    I stopped reading here, you should know better
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
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    Anyone else have this problem?? I am an ironman triathlete

    I stopped reading here, you should know better

    Thank you!!! I am not sure if this post is for real. An ironman triathlete is only netting 1500 calories?!?!
  • janegalt37
    janegalt37 Posts: 270 Member
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    I agree that an ironman triathlete netting 1500 seems a bit low, and no greater than -10% of TDEE is likely to help.

    But, if you want to keep that the same....

    I've had the same problem for months. Even if I eat a late dinner, I'll still wake up most nights around 2am and absolutely not be able to get back to sleep because of hunger. Then I thought of this:

    Buy a carton of liquid egg whites, fill some small cups with it, put in a steamer basket and steam unitl set, remove from cups, store in fridge and eat 100 calories worth when you wake up, then hop right back into bed and fall asleep. I often have 8oz of milk with them. Works like a charm, and the calorie to full-tummy ratio can't be beat.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    To be fair, at 130 lbs, and assuming she is something like 5'6, after selecting extremely active (hard daily exercise, 2x a day workouts) her TDEE would be around 2685.

    I am always in the "eat more" camp, just pointing out that she may not be too far off TDEE -10 or even 20% depending on her height.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I'm a little concerned by the fact that you're trying to lose weight. If you get down to 120 as a muscular triathlete, you'll barely have any body fat... You're quite thin already in all of your pictures.
  • chymerra
    chymerra Posts: 212
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    this!
    happened to me too; realized that MFP way under calculated my caloric intake and when i did it on my own, i was under by nearly 500cals! i added them back and no only did i start losing weight again but i stopped waking up and slept much better.

    if you want, have a protein rich light snack before bed.

    I'm not a triathlete, but I experienced this exact thing recently. After posting the same question, I got the same answers you see above. I increased my cals by 300 and IMMEDIATELY slept like a baby and started losing weight like crazy. (I only have 10 to go) Most days, I only use an extra 200 cals rather than the full 300, but wow, what a difference!
  • zekerella
    zekerella Posts: 58 Member
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    OK!

    Let me address some things on here. I am 5'5''. so 3dogsrunning...I felt I wasn't far off my TDEE? I guess I might be! I had my metabolism tested a year ago but that was before my intense training. maybe I should reevaluate!

    KatrinaWilke and _Randy_: No need to be mean on here guys! Isn't there enough cruelty on the web already? I eat about 2200-2700 calories everyday and my NET is 1500 to lose weight. Ive already lost 30lbs slowly over the year so this has been working for me....why would i know "better?" My workouts arn't suffering as I am in the top 10% of my age group and I am constantly improving. I am just trying to fine tune my body and performance and looking for help from my community! Everyone on here has been SO HELPFUL so far... except for you.

    SoDamnHungry: I am looking to get down to 16% body fat which my coaches all agree is a perfect amount for me competitively :) Its healthy BF% and will still allow myself some fat stores to pull energy from. Im not tied to 120lbs at all, its all about power to weight ratio. Thank you for your concern and nice comment about me being thin!

    TavistockToad: My coach has me have a rest day every other week. You caught me on my no rest day week. Rest days are important I agree! My trainer is excellent and I trust him :)

    Overall I think this is my new strategy: I am going to add an additional 300 calories around 7-8pm (I go to be at 9pm so I can get up at 5am to do my workouts before work) of protein/milk/nuts and see what happens! That should raise me to about 1800-1900 calories NET a day. Seriously, thank you so so much for looking at my diary and offering me advice. Ill let you know (If your curious) in a week if things improve!
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
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    Lean protean before bed.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Overall I think this is my new strategy: I am going to add an additional 300 calories around 7-8pm (I go to be at 9pm so I can get up at 5am to do my workouts before work) of protein/milk/nuts and see what happens! That should raise me to about 1800-1900 calories NET a day. Seriously, thank you so so much for looking at my diary and offering me advice. Ill let you know (If your curious) in a week if things improve!

    This sounds like a really excellent plan :)
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    Anyone else have this problem?? I am an ironman triathlete who is trying to lose the last 10lbs to get down to race weight! But recently I've been waking up every night at 2:30am for HOURS and my body won't let me go back to sleep because its STARVING. I mean noticeable blood sugar low hungry.

    My net calories (I eat back my exercise) is usually 1500! I'm afraid if I eat more I won't lose these last stubborn lbs!

    I ate a banana...whole grain piece of bread...and a piece of cheese just to get myself to sleep tonight but I don't want this to be regular? Ugh. (250 cals)

    Did you know that the brain will wake the body up if it is starving hungry and will NOT let it go back to sleep because it worries it will not be able to wake up again.

    That is true and in a way, cute really.

    Perhaps have a milky drink before bed, that will give you calcium, protein and will not leave you starving hungry.

    Lol que?

    If somebody isn't eating enough and is genuinely starting to starve, their brain will wake them up at night and keep them awake as it fears if the body goes back to sleep it will not wake up again. 'Tis true.

    It will keep you awake, lest you die in your sleep through starvation.

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