I don't understand my cravings

foxxykitten
foxxykitten Posts: 19
in Food and Nutrition
I am a college athlete and I work out on a regular basis. For example my Tues and Thurs consist of a team workout, breakfast, weight training, nutrition class, and lastly 45 minutes of spinning class on stationary bikes. The other days of the week I do my best to work out for more than an hour as well (a team workout followed by an "Insanity workout" etc). Typically I make sure to eat a protein and carb snack between each workout and I am a very healthy eater. The days I work out I seem to be hungry ALL THE TIME. Lately I have been having big problems with binging though. I will eat healthy all day and then when I come to social situations all I can seem to do is stuff myself with everything unhealthy in sight. This wouldn't really be a big deal to me except it makes me very, very ill afterwards. I feel pain in my abdomen and nausea but am unable to vomit. My friends speculate this is because my body isn't used to unhealthy foods and lots of dairy, sweets, sugar, fat, etc. Do you know anything further? Could I be lacking something in my regular diet that causes me to crave these things whenever I see them? Why do I get so ridiculously sick after eating at a party? The most recent party menu was tacos, chips, taco dip, queso, salsa, piñata candy, birthday cake, and cookies. My normal diet is very vegetable and fruit heavy with lean proteins and whole grains in moderation. I don't eat a lot of dairy or refined grains and never any meat besides fish (eggs, tofu, etc I DO eat).

Also has anyone else ever had a big problem with sugar? Once I start eating something sugary I just HAVE to have more!

Replies

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Do you have your setting on very active? What is your calorie goal? If your calorie goal is too low it can make you want to binge.
  • foxxykitten
    foxxykitten Posts: 19
    It was on light because I felt like I spent a lot of time sitting in class or on my computer doing work, but I switched it to moderate?
  • wmoomoo
    wmoomoo Posts: 159 Member
    If you work out on regular basis, do you eat back your exercise calories?
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Are you getting enough fats in your diet? If you aren't, you will want to binge on those. If you can add a couple essential fats (monounsaturated, omega-3s) to your diet, it might help.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    You're a college athlete, you have your settings on "lightly active" and you're worried about sugar consumption? I'm a 40 year old desk jockey and I eat pizza, ice cream, cookies and anything else I want pretty regularly because I exercise regularly. I also drink beer. Relax and live a little. Your body is probably yelling at you to eat, in all honesty.
  • GoTeamMeaghan
    GoTeamMeaghan Posts: 347 Member
    It would be easier to offer advice if your diary was open.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You're a college athlete, you have your settings on "lightly active" and you're worried about sugar consumption? I'm a 40 year old desk jockey and I eat pizza, ice cream, cookies and anything else I want pretty regularly because I exercise regularly. I also drink beer. Relax and live a little. Your body is probably yelling at you to eat, in all honesty.

    I agree with every word of this.

    Plus, you only have 7 pounds you want to lose as per your ticker. I hope you're set to a half pound a week, or about 10-15% below your TDEE. You don't want a large calorie deficit if you want the energy to continue your sports.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    I'm also a college athlete so I know how hard it is. General advice for binging is eat more healthy foods so you're full. This video might be helpful actually: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR-4AsXrzuk

    Also, have a read of http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    and/or
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-to-estimate-maintenance-caloric-intake.html

    Set protein to 1g/lb of bodyweight.
    Set fat to 0.5g/lb of bodyweight.
    Fill the remaining calories with carbs.

    These are generalisations. Of course, it needs to be adjusted for each individual and this is mainly trial and error. My actual maintenance is about 3200 even though I weigh 157lbs and am 172cm tall. I've used a ton of calculators and equations, but the one that's working for me right now is the Schofield equation here http://www.globalrph.com/schofield_equation_bmr.htm or the really specific one here: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    Good luck and please don't fall into the typical college diet of alcohol and pizza. Remember, you're an athlete.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    You're a college athlete, you have your settings on "lightly active" and you're worried about sugar consumption? I'm a 40 year old desk jockey and I eat pizza, ice cream, cookies and anything else I want pretty regularly because I exercise regularly. I also drink beer. Relax and live a little. Your body is probably yelling at you to eat, in all honesty.

    I agree with every word of this.

    Plus, you only have 7 pounds you want to lose as per your ticker. I hope you're set to a half pound a week, or about 10-15% below your TDEE. You don't want a large calorie deficit if you want the energy to continue your sports.

    Yup this. Up your goal. If you spread your calories out throughout the day you'll be less likely to make yourself sick.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    If you are seriously craving something, I figure there is a reason. So eat it and move on with your life.
  • skinnydreams19
    skinnydreams19 Posts: 282 Member
    I think you DEFINITELY need to change your setting to very active - you just aren't getting in enough calories and fat most of the time, probably, which is why your body yells at you to EAT whenever you get in a more relaxed setting where your food rules don't feel as stringent!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I never understood the "set to active" thing. It seems to make a lot more sense to enter your actual exercise calories instead of trying to average yourself into one category.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    Are you getting enough fats in your diet? If you aren't, you will want to binge on those. If you can add a couple essential fats (monounsaturated, omega-3s) to your diet, it might help.

    Def if you eat healthy fats, you won't be feeling so deprived. I'm hungry a lot too but having healthy fats in my diet certainly helps. And make sure you're eating enough!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you're a college athlete, so you're in the 18-22 year old range. you work out regularly. if you are really having bad cravings, it means you probably aren't eating enough on a regular basis.

    i remember swimming in college, i used to have the most rediculous cravings. mostly for cheese fries. even now, after a swim, i still crave them.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    For me, personally, I developed major urges to binge when I was very active, yet keeping my carbs too low. For the sort of athletics you are doing, you do need a decent amount of carbs. If you do not get enough, you will react to simple sugars like a crack addict to crack. Add in more whole grains or some baked or sweet potatoes, some nuts and seeds, some dried fruit and such things. And make sure you are getting enough fat as not getting enough can interfere with hormonal levels. You are very active. So to set yourself to only lightly active, is insane. That is for people who exercise moderately 3-5 hours a week.

    Also, there is nothing wrong with some less clean foods sometimes. If you totally deprive yourself for long periods, then yes, you will go nuts when it is available. The 80/20 rule is a sound idea. Your youth along with your activity will be torching calories like no-one's business. Healthy eating is great, but that can include some ice cream and chocolate and cake in moderation.
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
    I never understood the "set to active" thing. It seems to make a lot more sense to enter your actual exercise calories instead of trying to average yourself into one category.

    ^^^This, maybe particularly in this case. That sounds like a lot of training volume to me. As in, a couple thousand calories a day.
    There could also be an overtraining issue here. I was a rower in college so trust me I've been there. I was sneaking off to run hills after practice (at least until my coach busted me).
    I would advise setting MFP to sedentary, entering exercise, and eating back 75%+ of the exercise calories. It makes no sense to let the strength training go down the drain, and your teammates need you to be at 100% on game day :)
  • Thisisnotadiet
    Thisisnotadiet Posts: 89 Member
    The fact that you are HUNGRY ALL THE TIME on the days when you exercise is because you are not having enough calories. Your body is telling you that. EAT MORE. Please follow the link you have been given above and set your TDEE to be at the max level of activity, because that is what it is.

    For example I have my TDEE-15% set at more than 1600 (moderate activity with 3-4h/week exercise), but yesterday I ate way more than that (above 2000). Guess today? This morning my scale is giving me a number lower than it did yesterday and this is likely because I have been very active this week, so the moderate activity has temporarily become intense activity. Yesterday after lunch I almost had the total calorie intake for the whole day with nothing left for dinner. I disregarded that and ate anyway a normal dinner because I was genuinely hungry. If I would have restricted myself too much I would have certainly binged later in the evening on chocolate... Maybe you are in a similar situation.

    Open your diary if you want further advice.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I never understood the "set to active" thing. It seems to make a lot more sense to enter your actual exercise calories instead of trying to average yourself into one category.

    I actually enter mine manually, but since the OP is having trouble with wanting to eat them all at once I suggested it so that she can space them out throughout the day. It would work either way, it's just a matter of preference.
  • christianivanka
    christianivanka Posts: 52 Member
    i really recomend you drink a green juice before lunch, or dinner, this fills u up alot and gives u all the nutrients u need:
    8oz water,
    frozen veggies to make into a smoothie
    1/2 cucumber
    kale
    spinach
    celery
    parsley
    cactus
    ginger
    brocoli
    carrot
    1/2 green apple for flavor
    2
    1 lemon
    1tbs flaxseed
    2 stevias

    and if u want something instant try l-glutamine on an empty stomach works miracles good luck!!
  • foxxykitten
    foxxykitten Posts: 19
    For me, personally, I developed major urges to binge when I was very active, yet keeping my carbs too low. For the sort of athletics you are doing, you do need a decent amount of carbs. If you do not get enough, you will react to simple sugars like a crack addict to crack. Add in more whole grains or some baked or sweet potatoes, some nuts and seeds, some dried fruit and such things. And make sure you are getting enough fat as not getting enough can interfere with hormonal levels. You are very active. So to set yourself to only lightly active, is insane. That is for people who exercise moderately 3-5 hours a week.

    Also, there is nothing wrong with some less clean foods sometimes. If you totally deprive yourself for long periods, then yes, you will go nuts when it is available. The 80/20 rule is a sound idea. Your youth along with your activity will be torching calories like no-one's business. Healthy eating is great, but that can include some ice cream and chocolate and cake in moderation.

    Yup, lots of this is ringing true (especially reacting to sugar like a crack addict to crack, it's frightening….) I like to be in control of my eating (like pretty much all of us I'm guessing) and I work really really hard to stay in shape so these days when I go overboard and am actually in pain from eating so much I feel like a huge failure. But now I realize a lot of it may just be backlash from not eating enough to begin with because I have my calorie level set so low and I never enter in exercise…

    It looks like I've been sort of on a yo yo diet with some days including a 2000+ calorie deficit and others a 2000+ calorie overload. No wonder my tummy hurts like heck.

    If I go on a liquid diet tomorrow and make sure it's including enough calories/nutrients will this ease the pain in my too-full stomach?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    For me, personally, I developed major urges to binge when I was very active, yet keeping my carbs too low. For the sort of athletics you are doing, you do need a decent amount of carbs. If you do not get enough, you will react to simple sugars like a crack addict to crack. Add in more whole grains or some baked or sweet potatoes, some nuts and seeds, some dried fruit and such things. And make sure you are getting enough fat as not getting enough can interfere with hormonal levels. You are very active. So to set yourself to only lightly active, is insane. That is for people who exercise moderately 3-5 hours a week.

    Also, there is nothing wrong with some less clean foods sometimes. If you totally deprive yourself for long periods, then yes, you will go nuts when it is available. The 80/20 rule is a sound idea. Your youth along with your activity will be torching calories like no-one's business. Healthy eating is great, but that can include some ice cream and chocolate and cake in moderation.

    Yup, lots of this is ringing true (especially reacting to sugar like a crack addict to crack, it's frightening….) I like to be in control of my eating (like pretty much all of us I'm guessing) and I work really really hard to stay in shape so these days when I go overboard and am actually in pain from eating so much feel like a huge failure. But now I realize a lot of it may just be backlash from not eating enough to begin with because I have my calorie level set so low and I never enter in exercise…

    It looks like I've been sort of on a yo yo diet with some days including a 2000+ calorie deficit and others a 2000+ calorie overload. No wonder my tummy hurts like heck.

    If I go on a liquid diet tomorrow and make sure it's including enough calories/nutrients will this ease the pain in my too-full stomach?

    why would you go on a liquid diet? that is just not the right thing to do, in my opinion. start eating good solid foods. sure, you want to make some smoothies or green juices, knock yourself out. but full juice diet?? no bueno.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    For me, personally, I developed major urges to binge when I was very active, yet keeping my carbs too low. For the sort of athletics you are doing, you do need a decent amount of carbs. If you do not get enough, you will react to simple sugars like a crack addict to crack. Add in more whole grains or some baked or sweet potatoes, some nuts and seeds, some dried fruit and such things. And make sure you are getting enough fat as not getting enough can interfere with hormonal levels. You are very active. So to set yourself to only lightly active, is insane. That is for people who exercise moderately 3-5 hours a week.

    Also, there is nothing wrong with some less clean foods sometimes. If you totally deprive yourself for long periods, then yes, you will go nuts when it is available. The 80/20 rule is a sound idea. Your youth along with your activity will be torching calories like no-one's business. Healthy eating is great, but that can include some ice cream and chocolate and cake in moderation.

    Yup, lots of this is ringing true (especially reacting to sugar like a crack addict to crack, it's frightening….) I like to be in control of my eating (like pretty much all of us I'm guessing) and I work really really hard to stay in shape so these days when I go overboard and am actually in pain from eating so much I feel like a huge failure. But now I realize a lot of it may just be backlash from not eating enough to begin with because I have my calorie level set so low and I never enter in exercise…

    It looks like I've been sort of on a yo yo diet with some days including a 2000+ calorie deficit and others a 2000+ calorie overload. No wonder my tummy hurts like heck.

    If I go on a liquid diet tomorrow and make sure it's including enough calories/nutrients will this ease the pain in my too-full stomach?

    .... Liquid diet? That's what you've gotten out of this thread?

    Set realistic, healthy, sustainable long term goals and achieve them. Liquid diet is not sustainable, healthy, or long-term.

    Your body is craving food. Give it the food it wants.
  • foxxykitten
    foxxykitten Posts: 19
    Not an all liquid diet for good, but for tomorrow to ease the bloat and pain in my stomach because I honestly don't think I could eat something solid until all this binge food gets moving thru my system..
  • ashfuse
    ashfuse Posts: 224 Member
    You're binging because your body is starving. Up your caloric intake. Are you eating enough carbs? Being that active, you need more carbs. *healthy carbs*
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    you're eating too much during social situations... are you drinking alcohol? If you're getting sick it's either because you ate too much and possibly drank too many fluids causing diluted stomach acids. Undigested food going into the intestines can cause a lot of discomfort.

    You also might have a food intolerance.

    if it's not food intolerance than you just need to control yourself better when you go out.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Do you have your setting on very active? What is your calorie goal? If your calorie goal is too low it can make you want to binge.

    ^^^^ this

    in a lot of cases, bingeing is a survival response, caused by eating too little.

    in some cases it can be psychological but a) you should rule out the physiological causes first, in this case that it's a survival response, and b) people who binge eat for emotional reasons are prone to bingeing all the time, not just when they're on a diet. There may be exceptions to this with some eating disorders, but on the whole if the bingeing only started after going on a diet or healthy lifestyle regime (i.e. diet/portion control plus exercise) then the most likely cause is that it's physiological and due to eating too little.

    Look for a thread called "in place of a road map" which gives you instructions for how to calculate the right number of calories for you.

    BTW if you are attempting to "atone" for a binge by not eating, or eating much less the next day, the most likely result is that it will cause another binge. You need to eat enough to sustain your body and activity levels in order to avoid bingeing. For fat loss, aim for a small, sustainable calorie deficit, that's easy to manage and will allow you to eat treats as well, while staying within your calories. That way you get slow and steady fat loss without being in a cycle of eating too little then bingeing. Slow and steady fat loss also keeps your metabolism fast, whereas eating too little slows it down.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    As others have said, you're probably having cravings because your body is missing something it needs. That could be calories; it could be nutrients; it could be something else, like fiber.
    If you're having problems with your tummy hurting and feeling bloated a liquid diet is almost certainly not going to help, and it might hurt. Yes have more liquids, but also more fiber and food solids to help your digestive system work as it should. A liquid diet or laxatives may make you feel better temporarily, but they will make things worse after the temporary effect and they are not good long-term.
    Also having a diet that varies in calories so much from day-to-day might cause issues. While I generally like to set my activity level low and then add calories for exercise, it works for me because my levels don't vary that much, and I can stand being over a bit one day and under another. Perhaps for you it would be better to figure out your average over a week, and then set your levels to match that? If you're eating 14,000 calories a week, that can be 2,000 a day or 1,500 some days and 2,500 other days (perhaps the days before or when you exercise?). Occasional hunger is normal and healthy. Constant cravings or hunger to the point of pain is not, and you need to try different adjustments until you can find something that is both healthy and will work for you.
    For a list of some types of cravings and what to do, see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/cravings-282817
    Good luck!

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