Starving and weak

ninamaxine
ninamaxine Posts: 19
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
How do you get over this? I've given myself ten days to adjust, I'm eating lots of fiber and protein with good fats and whole grains in there, no sugar except a little bit of fruit. I even really like the healthy food I'm eating and don't miss pizza and burgers. I just feel crappy. Constantly.

And my settings are adjusted to only lose 1/2 lb. per week (I'm very short and only trying to lose 10 lbs, so that may be more significant for me than some).

I find myself eating lunch at 11:30 because I can't hold out any more. I'm starting to think there is something wrong with me. Any tips to get back that energized feeling I have when I eat what makes me feel good (and apparently fat)?
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Replies

  • kingnatalie
    kingnatalie Posts: 163
    Eat a big breakfast (around 300 calories) - it helps.
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
    Are you only eating 3 times a day? Maybe try adding some snacks in between meals. I know that it took me a couple of weeks to get used to eating healthier, you're body may be going through detox (withdrawls) still. Keep going! You'll make it!
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    You didn't mention carbs. Are you eating them as well? They should be about half of everything you consume.
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    Eat a big breakfast (around 300 calories) - it helps.
    :laugh: That would be a light breakfast for me... :huh: :laugh:
  • ANGELAWHALEY
    ANGELAWHALEY Posts: 49
    also try taking a vitamin B supplement you can find them anywhere, from walgreens to walmart. get a good multi-vitamin too. i also agree with eating a bigger breakfast to help you get through the day. give it time. your energy will pick up! :flowerforyou:
  • dclarsh1
    dclarsh1 Posts: 83
    Are you snacking between meals or trying to do three squares a day? For me, I need to eat about every two to three hours in order to feel good all day. Otherwise, I get shaky and cranky as hell.
  • jmb1510
    jmb1510 Posts: 45 Member
    Eat more often with less calories at each sitting.
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
    I'm always hungry. I eat every 2-3 hours. Are you eating often enough? trying eating 5-6 small meals per day.
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
    Are you eating all your calories, including exercise cals? I agree on the good breakfast, I didn't usually eat much of a breakfast, but now I eat a good breakfast and that helps me stay satisfied until lunch. Adding in a couple of snacks through the day helps too.
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    It looks like we all go through this - thanks so much, all. Unfortunately, I still think there is something wrong with me:

    Large(r) breakfast, check
    Whole grains, check
    B vitamins, check (though no multi - will add that)
    Snacks, check
    Just sticking with it . . . working on it! :happy:

    Sometimes I find myself working out a second time in a day just to earn more calories (I eat ALL my workout calories so far).
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    It looks like we all go through this - thanks so much, all. Unfortunately, I still think there is something wrong with me:

    Large(r) breakfast, check
    Whole grains, check
    B vitamins, check (though no multi - will add that)
    Snacks, check
    Just sticking with it . . . working on it! :happy:

    Sometimes I find myself working out a second time in a day just to earn more calories (I eat ALL my workout calories so far).
    I just noticed you lost 4 pounds since Feb. and you said you're set at .5 pounds per week. Are you absolutely sure you are measuring your portions out right? You may be hungry because you're not eating what you think you're eating. Just a thought.
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    Yeah, I was surprised by that too, but that all dropped in the first couple of days with nothing since. I chalk it up to change of weigh-in times (early evening after eating all day v. first thing in the morning) together with some water weight.
  • msforeverfaithful
    msforeverfaithful Posts: 8 Member
    I had the same problem make sure you drink your water.
  • ccbeachbum
    ccbeachbum Posts: 1
    Try eating more PROTEIN at breakfast. Eating oatmeal for breakfast makes me hungry a couple of hours later. I drink a protein smoothie(30 grams of protein) every morning for breakfast (always at the same time) and then spend a couple of hours in the gym working out and I am not hungry until lunch. Try a handful of nuts as a snack every day - omega 3 fats help you loose weight.:drinker:
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    Water DOES help! I may be about to give in to some Crystal Light too (I normally don't have fake sugar either).

    How long did it take for you to get past this?
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    We can look at a few other things. Do you actually have 10 pounds to lose? Is it possible you have a higher than average metabolism and burn more food than an average person and therefor need more calories? Are you actually hungry or is it in your head? By that I mean is your stomach growling or are you thinking "man I really need to eat soon"?
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    ccbeachbum: I think you've confirmed I need professional help . . . my morning smoothie has 30g protein, including 15 almonds.

    chgudnitz: I could lose quite a bit more than 10 lbs, I think. I'm 5'0", 130 lbs. I've never been accused of having a fast metabolism. :wink: And it's not in my head. It's a combination of real hunger and low blood sugar - I'm a former hypoglycemic (former only because I control it with diet). Apparently I require more food to control blood sugar than I actually burn. :ohwell:
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    Without a lot of details it's hard to figure out. Then throwing in hypoglycemia which I know very little about doesn't help. :laugh: :laugh: Considering the health issue potential with changing your diet, it may not be a bad idea to seek guidance from a professional. I would say though if you're really hungry and its not mental, then eat. You body will tell you its hungry for a reason.
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
    Eat a big breakfast (around 300 calories) - it helps.
    :laugh: That would be a light breakfast for me... :huh: :laugh:
    I was thinking the same thing ...
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    It's a combination of real hunger and low blood sugar - I'm a former hypoglycemic (former only because I control it with diet). Apparently I require more food to control blood sugar than I actually burn. :ohwell:

    I have hypoglycemic tendencies as well, especially during the 5 years I was vegetarian. I now eat about 100g of protein a day (on a 1300-1400 calorie diet) to control my blood sugar. I'm rarely hungry between meals. I also eat 25-30g fiber every day and drink around 100oz of water. All of these things keep me from being hungry, but the protein really keeps me from feeling weak. You say you're eating plenty of protein, and I thought I was too, but it turns out, nope, I wasn't! I'm striving to eat 45% carbs, 30% protein and 25% fat right now and I feel better than ever at that ratio. MFP automatically sets you up with a much higher percentage of carbs and a much lower percentage of protein but you can change this in your settings.
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    Wow, I'm so grateful for all these thoughtful answers. jlb123, I do think I'll up the water and maybe try to front load the protein. I looked back and I've been getting 75-100g on a 1200 net calorie diet, but mornings seem a lot harder than the rest of the day.

    And I didn't know I could change those settings - thanks!
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    Maybe try to bump the protein even more? When I start getting down into 75g territory is when I really start to notice the tired weak feeling. On days that I run, I try to make 100g protein my bare minimum.

    Also a thought would be, are you getting enough iron? Because tired & weak are 2 huge symptoms of anemia (which I have also struggled with in the past).
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    I just took a look at my iron for the first time yesterday and wasn't getting anywhere near enough. I hadn't really made the connection with how I'm feeling though. Thanks! I've had doctors use the words 'borderline anemic' too. It sounds like we have a similar set of issues and you've really got them figured out.


    And I'll definitely try to keep the protein at 100g or more and see how that goes.
  • jrr7
    jrr7 Posts: 12 Member
    Water DOES help! I may be about to give in to some Crystal Light too (I normally don't have fake sugar either).

    Crystal Light just came out with a new product called "Pure Fitness" that is all natural. No fake sugar or anything else fake and it is only 15 calories. I think it's pretty good, you may want to try that.
  • lreed
    lreed Posts: 348 Member
    I am eating 125-150 g. protein per day and it has helped (althought I weigh more than you!) Lots of veggies and lots of water.
    not been hungry since. I also eat every 2-3 hours and front load on the day (I exercise at 5:30 a.m.) I am literally famished by 11:30 am
    if I am hungry, EAT!:flowerforyou:
  • STAR504
    STAR504 Posts: 3
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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • deedeehawaii
    deedeehawaii Posts: 279 Member
    Here is a link that might be of interest, it tells how many calories a day you need to maintain your weight (at your curent stats).
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator
    I entered your stats, 5 ft. 0 inches, 130 pounds, female, 35 years, and guessed "light activity". It says you need 1662 calories a day to maintain your current weight.

    To lose a pound of weight, you need a 3500 calorie deficit. You said you wanted to lose1/2 pound a week. 1/2 pound = a 1750 calorie deficit. Divide the 1750 by 7 days, and that is just a 250 calorie deficit per day. In other words, if you only consume 1412 calories a day, you should lose 1/2 pound a week. [Of course, you can either eat less to accumulate those 250 calories per day, or add in extra exercise to burn off 250 calories per day]. These are just the estimated figures that come up when I plugged in numbers, your actual stats might be different.

    But my point is, eating (or exercising off) 250 calories less per day should not be making you feel "starving and weak". Perhaps your medical condition has something to do with it, you should check with your doctor. But, otherwise, I wonder if you are using the food logging properly, and accurately putting in everything you eat, so that you are getting a true picture of your calorie consumption. Something is not making sense here, 250 calories should not be THAT noticable, especially when it still leaves you 1412 calories per day.

    Good luck. You can succeed! Now it is just trying to figure out what is wrong with your calculations (or your health issues), so that you can find the path to your goal.
  • weezy8150
    weezy8150 Posts: 21
    Too many grains make me sluggish....oatmeal with toast or bagel makes me very tired....so I add in protein and lots of fruit instead and stay peppy. I would prefer bagels and oatmeal and then a nice whole grain sandwich at lunch, but then I get carb overload which slows me way down. Try limiting the grains and upping the protein, lots of veggies, and fruits that are filling. I was always starving, and hitting the canteen machines at work, and now bring lots of fruits/veggies, and high protein slimfast meal bars which are sweet but nutritious. (salty chocolate almond is just like a soft brownie).
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    It looks like we all go through this - thanks so much, all. Unfortunately, I still think there is something wrong with me:

    Large(r) breakfast, check
    Whole grains, check
    B vitamins, check (though no multi - will add that)
    Snacks, check
    Just sticking with it . . . working on it! :happy:

    Sometimes I find myself working out a second time in a day just to earn more calories (I eat ALL my workout calories so far).

    Sound Like PMS to me. :flowerforyou: I'm always starving during this time... Like right now! :laugh:
  • ninamaxine
    ninamaxine Posts: 19
    Spicy618, I think (hope) you're on to something. :tongue: Maybe it's just a poor choice of time to start dieting!
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