Tired and hungry after weeks of feeling great!

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Hi all...I have been on the weight loss regime for about three months now and lost 7-8 kilos (15-17 pounds) - 5 kilos on MFP. My goal was 1.5 pounds initially but I soon upped to 1 pound a week. Been hitting that reasonably easily easily as well.

I only have 3.5-4kgs to go (7-8-ish pounds) and all of a sudden in the past few days I am feeling constantly tired and hungry. I'm thinking of maybe upping cals to .5 pound loss a week (or even maintenance) for a couple of weeks to reset everything. I also know I need to try and up the protein, but am finding it hard (don't eat red meat and husband is vegetarian), although I have reduced carbs and upped protein slightly since starting MFP.

I am 44 years old, 5'9 and 158 pounds (with a goal of 150) and my diary is open.

.So - your thoughts.. up my cals to .5 loss? To maintainance of current weight? Or maintainance of goal weight? Would appreciate input of people who have been here before!

Replies

  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
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    Bump

    Anyone?
  • katealbright
    katealbright Posts: 135 Member
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    It could have something to do with your menstrual or sleep cycles, or possible vitamin/mineral deficiencies. But from a quick look at your diary it looks like you pretty steadily need more protein. I would say you could try adding some vegetarian protein: you never eat beans! Could also up the quinoa and eggs or try tempeh.
    And you seem to be eating refined sugar dessert products almost daily if not twice daily, which I wouldn't recommend. Make some lower GI sweets with agave and honey if you're feeling a crash. I also feel terrible when I drink coffee and it disturbs me when people say they can't function without daily coffee.
    Last but not least, I am a firm believer in the idea that if you are hungry... EAT! If you're worried about the calories, see if you are throwing away calories on non-nourishing substances and swap them for something a bit more substantial.
  • SierraElegance
    SierraElegance Posts: 86 Member
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    I agree with what Kate is saying about protein! I haven't been eating as well as normal, so my diary won't help you a ton. But I feel best (and can keep my hunger in check) if my protein and carb grams are pretty equal with each meal throughout the day. And then just adding in healthy fat, around half that number.

    Don't eat sugar or processed foods, and make sure you're drinking about a gallon of water a day.
  • VGibson12
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    Have you ever tried Hummas...if you need more protein it is a perfect snack. I love all the different flavors that sabra creates.. Celery and hummas..carrots and hummas.. and my recent find.. is magic pop (15 calories per serving) and humas.. i'm satisfiying my urge to eat with a low cal snack. Also there is a lot of protein shakes out there that can help with additional protein. As the last poster recommeded...If you are hungry, you have to eat! Fuel your body with good foods to keep it running!!
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    I am pretty sure that the previous poster figured it out before I got to it. Up your calories a hair, but solely by increasing your protein intake. If you don't like meat, try shakes.

    Beans and the like are actually ****ing awful. Look at their macro profile very closely, and then take into consideration the fact that most beans contain toxins. Those toxins are there to...to...? What is it? Yeap, dissuade animals and insects from eating them. The exact same reason why apple seeds contain cyanide.
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    I've found it comes and it goes. When I'm feeling really hungry I do up my cals a tad. I figure no use in suffering when one extra healthy snack will make feel better. Then I'm back to normal and not hungry. I think just women have ups and downs like this.
  • jamk1446
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
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    I only have 3.5-4kgs to go (7-8-ish pounds) and all of a sudden in the past few days I am feeling constantly tired and hungry.

    .So - your thoughts.. up my cals to .5 loss?

    This sounds like a good plan. It gets harder to maintain a larger deficit closer to your goal.
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
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    Thanks all for your input....I am trying to up the protein with nuts, eggs, etc (and beans - you don't see in the diary because most are in my "recipes"). trust me, it's MUCH better than before MFP but I know I have more work to do.

    I have homous almost every day - but happy to eat more of that. Yum.

    As to cycles - could be - I have a mirena so I never know what's going on!

    Not sure I could give up desert.....what would be the point of even getting up in the morning????? :)
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    I can't believe I forgot about hummus. That stuff is fantastic, if a little fatty for me to eat omn a regular basis. Chickpeas are wonderful little things.
  • bastgoddess7
    bastgoddess7 Posts: 64 Member
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    You could be getting a cold. FEED a cold, starve a fever. IDK mothers wisdom kickin in..
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
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    The same thing happened to me a while back. I added more green vegetables and soon felt better.
    Good luck.
  • PapaDunx
    PapaDunx Posts: 243
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    It could be that your metabolism is working its little tushie off!
    As your exercise increases, your metabolism could be trying to keep up.
    I find that if I dont exercise for a couple of days, my hunger increases incredibly! So, I have to exercise to be able to feed it.

    On a slightly different note, isnt hummous incredibly laden with oil? Not that I care, as I think its the best. I live in the Middle East and its a staple. If its that good news, might be time I started cooking!
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
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    You could be getting a cold. FEED a cold, starve a fever. IDK mothers wisdom kickin in..

    Ha - that's exactly what I would say to my kids!
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
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    From your dairy, -I am no expert dietitian- but I believe you do not get filled by a good lunch and then crave for snacks.
    In my lifestyle, where I live, lunch is the heaviest meal of the day and then I am hungry by 5 to 5:30 pm.
    To avoid tt, I keep on my office fridge, "shots" of freshly squeezed orange juice. 110 cal in the mid morning and 110 more in the afternoon, as well as a fruit I like such as banana or tangerine to eat before dinner, that tends to be a light dinner..
    My orange juice keeps me active and not hungry.
    Now that you mention, the tangerine, banana or such is important as soon as I get home before dinner and before my workout because I am hungry and tending to take over the fridge.. It really stops me from going to breads or Coke.
    Main meal in my limited experience must have protein courses -nearly 200 cal- and then shots of fruit based carbs to keep you not hungry
    It is working for me quite well but I am not a woman or live in cold weather. Hope it helps you...
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
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    From your dairy, -I am no expert dietitian- but I believe you do not get filled by a good lunch and then crave for snacks.
    In my lifestyle, where I live, lunch is the heaviest meal of the day and then I am hungry by 5 to 5:30 pm.
    ......
    It is working for me quite well but I am not a woman or live in cold weather. Hope it helps you...

    You are absolutely right. I always try and "save" cals for dinner so I can eat a normal meal with my husband (we feed the kids earlier). We don;t eat till maybe 7.30-8pm, which is a LONG time since lunch! I also work at home, which means stuff is always handy.

    I have decided to up my cals a little - maybe an extra 100 or so - and I will aim for protein. And at lunch time!

    I don't live in a cold climate either (Australia) and we are coming up to summer, which means salads and seafood. Yay!!!!
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
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    I also love a good breakfast. My most important meal of day. Life is different without a good breakfast. I never miss a day without an egg. Otherwise I starve in the mid morning and before lunch I would have to go to eat carbs based on pastries or bread.
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
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    I also love a good breakfast. My most important meal of day. Life is different eithout a good breakfast. I never miss a day without an egg. Otherwise I starve in the mid morning and before lunch I would have to go to eat carbs based on pastries or bread.

    Again, I think upping the cals a little will allow me to have a more filling breakfast.

    Thanks all.
  • smilesalot1969
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    Thanks all for your input....I am trying to up the protein with nuts, eggs, etc (and beans - you don't see in the diary because most are in my "recipes"). trust me, it's MUCH better than before MFP but I know I have more work to do.

    I have homous almost every day - but happy to eat more of that. Yum.

    As to cycles - could be - I have a mirena so I never know what's going on!

    Not sure I could give up desert.....what would be the point of even getting up in the morning????? :)
    wow youre almost my twin!! i'm 43, 5ft 10 and 159lbs and ditto on the mirena coil and boyfriend eats veggie a lot although he isnt vegetarian. Also aiming for 150lbs and ive been really tired lately so i upped my calories quite a lot. I increased from 1400 to around 1800 a day and instead of low carb high protein i increased the carbs from 20% to 35% and i'm feeling better. sleep plays a big part too...any less than 7 hours and i'm wiped out for the day. like today lol
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
    Options
    Thanks all for your input....I am trying to up the protein with nuts, eggs, etc (and beans - you don't see in the diary because most are in my "recipes"). trust me, it's MUCH better than before MFP but I know I have more work to do.

    I have homous almost every day - but happy to eat more of that. Yum.

    As to cycles - could be - I have a mirena so I never know what's going on!

    Not sure I could give up desert.....what would be the point of even getting up in the morning????? :)
    wow youre almost my twin!! i'm 43, 5ft 10 and 159lbs and ditto on the mirena coil and boyfriend eats veggie a lot although he isnt vegetarian. Also aiming for 150lbs and ive been really tired lately so i upped my calories quite a lot. I increased from 1400 to around 1800 a day and instead of low carb high protein i increased the carbs from 20% to 35% and i'm feeling better. sleep plays a big part too...any less than 7 hours and i'm wiped out for the day. like today lol

    Great anecdata! Sending friend request :)

    I'm at 1500 cals at the moment, I'm going to up to 1600 and see what happens...but I might be joining you at 1800!

    Currently, I have carbs set at 50 percent (i started as a carbaholic, so trust me when I say this is a HUGE improvement for me!) but when I up the cals, I will bring them down to 40 percent.

    Sleep can definitely be an issue here. I have a four-year old who favors the pre-dawn hours, although I tend to go to bed reasonably early as well. Tiredness is a big downside of being an older mum. (I also have an eight-year old)
  • smilesalot1969
    Options
    Thanks all for your input....I am trying to up the protein with nuts, eggs, etc (and beans - you don't see in the diary because most are in my "recipes"). trust me, it's MUCH better than before MFP but I know I have more work to do.

    I have homous almost every day - but happy to eat more of that. Yum.

    As to cycles - could be - I have a mirena so I never know what's going on!

    Not sure I could give up desert.....what would be the point of even getting up in the morning????? :)
    wow youre almost my twin!! i'm 43, 5ft 10 and 159lbs and ditto on the mirena coil and boyfriend eats veggie a lot although he isnt vegetarian. Also aiming for 150lbs and ive been really tired lately so i upped my calories quite a lot. I increased from 1400 to around 1800 a day and instead of low carb high protein i increased the carbs from 20% to 35% and i'm feeling better. sleep plays a big part too...any less than 7 hours and i'm wiped out for the day. like today lol

    Great anecdata! Sending friend request :)

    I'm at 1500 cals at the moment, I'm going to up to 1600 and see what happens...but I might be joining you at 1800!

    Currently, I have carbs set at 50 percent (i started as a carbaholic, so trust me when I say this is a HUGE improvement for me!) but when I up the cals, I will bring them down to 40 percent.

    Sleep can definitely be an issue here. I have a four-year old who favors the pre-dawn hours, although I tend to go to bed reasonably early as well. Tiredness is a big downside of being an older mum. (I also have an eight-year old)

    I was a huge carbaholic ( i was the sandwich and donut queen) but i really cut down a lot and i never eat 'white' carbs due to IBS. Do you workout much?? i do 5 days a week now, taking weekends off of 1 hour cardio/ 1 hour weight training per day. I find my weight sticks during the week or goes up a pound but after the weekend rest days i drop weight