Constantly HUNGRY

honeylissabee
honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been tracking exclusively on MFP for less than a week (excluding vegetables for the time being), and over the past couple of days I've been EXTREMELY hungry- and it's real, physical hunger. I'm just not quite sure why.

My tracker is public. I don't track my veggies right now, but I do list what veggies I had in the notes section. I try to have at least 1/2 my plate full of veggies, but it's often more.

If anyone can give me some insight as to why my hunger has been out of control, it would be appreciated.

Thanks

Replies

  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    You are hungry because you are reducing the calorie intake that got you fat in the first place

    It is just your body reacting to reduced calories and a normal animal reaction

    It wears off as you body gets used to lower calories
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    You are probably suffering insulin spikes and dips, I haven't looked at your diary, but this will cause you to feel hungry all the time. Take a few days to limit your diet to fruit, veggies, lean meat, and dairy. No grains or starches for a few days. This will help reset your insulin levels and you'll feel a lot better.

    I'm starving today because I had a ton of carbs and sugar yesterday. I know I screwed up, so I just have to put up with the hunger pains for a couple of days. I try to put a positive twist on the hunger sensation, like when you have a hard workout and your muscles feel sore, you know you did your body good. I do this with my hunger pains when I have to clear out all the carby junk from my system.
  • SlimJanette
    SlimJanette Posts: 597 Member
    It looks like you need to eat some more protein, it will keep you fuller longer.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Track EVERYTHING so you'll know where you are, accurately. Anything else is a waste of time. And why on earth are you not tracking vegetables??
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    Track EVERYTHING so you'll know where you are, accurately. Anything else is a waste of time. And why on earth are you not tracking vegetables??

    Agree entirely, veggies are real fillers, and weigh everything, do not guess or go by volume or "portion size"
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
    It's fairly normal to be hungry in these early stages but it will pass, you need to work through it. I would suggest you eat as clean as possible and try to make sure you eat a good amount of protein, I certainly find this helps to keep the hunger pangs away.

    I will point out however that you really do need to count your veggies. Although you have said this is just 'for now' it doesn't really make too much sense.

    In order to get to an appropriate calorie count you need to include ALL of the calories you eat or drink, the only thing you don't count is water!!

    If you are doing this 'for now' in order to not have to reduce your calories too far all at once because you don't think you will cope then I completely understand but you really would be better off counting them and just allowing yourself to reduce calories more slowly. If you don't count them you are basically kidding yourself in one way or another about how much you are actually eating and to be fair that's how most of us got here in the first place.

    Sorry if I sound mean but I really do believe that one of the first and most important steps of long term weight loss is being honest with yourself.

    Good luck :smile:
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    Veggies have calories too, just so you know...
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    I just looked at your diary, and it seems like your are lacto-ovo vegetarian. Are you eating this way in an attempt to lose weight or is it for religious reasons or just your preferences?

    Avoiding meat just to lose weight is not necessary and can be a problem. I agree with the other poster that you need to increase your protein consumption. Aim for 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean body mass.

    Also, log your veggies. They have calories. Some vegetables are quite high in calories (corn, peas, beans).
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    Her diary says she's eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. It seems to me that she falls into the same category of people who get hungrier after they eat breakfast, as seen in the link below. The easiest solution is to skip breakfast and to count your calories when you eat lunch and dinner. Lunch and dinner will obviously be bigger.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/995886-eating-breakfast-is-making-me-hungrier
  • smilesalot1969
    smilesalot1969 Posts: 392
    Try drinking a glass of water. Often people think theyre hungry when theyre actually thirsty. If after 20mins you still feel hungry then you genuinely are so eat something. Salad has very little calories but will fill you up till the next meal. Your stomach will shrink to a normal size eventually
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
    First off, I'm actually eating more than I was when I was on Weight Watchers and I wasn't as hungry then. I'm just transitioning. Actually, that's why I'm not tracking veggies. I don't want to be too overwhelmed by weighing and measuring spinach and broccoli when I didn't measure any fruit or veggies on Weight Watchers. I am starting by measuring fruit and then in a week or two, I'll start tracking veggie calories as well. I do track potatoes and beans (I hate peas and corn, so I don't eat them- it's the veggies that were 0 points on Weight Watchers that I'm not tracking FOR NOW).

    I'm not vegetarian. Where did that come from? I'll admit, I have eaten several vegetarian meals, but that's just because they were quicker and easier to cook up than some non veggie meals. I wasn't in the mood to thaw the chicken breasts in the freezer. Still, I had a hamburger today, bacon yesterday, and I've eaten tuna and salmon as well. I just tend to have some meatless meals on occasion. Some days, I won't eat any meat at all, but there are other days when I'll go out and have chicken for lunch and steak for dinner. It just depends on what I have on hand. I happen to like black bean burgers, and the stuffed sweet potato with beans I made was really good.

    Still, I had 84 grams of protein on Friday, 79 on Saturday, 81 yesterday, and I've eaten 65 so far today. I can't really afford to have a steak with every meal.

    Still, I've been restricting my food intake for over a month and I wasn't this hungry before. It has only come up over the past couple days and the biggest changes I've made are eating more fat (adding in coconut oil and olive oil) and eating a higher veggie to fruit ratio (less fruit, more veggies) than before... while still eating the same VOLUME of food.
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
    I should add that I am constantly drinking water. It's all I drink, other than unsweetened tea, seltzer, and the occasional glass of milk (which I track). Drinking water on a growling stomach just makes me feel sick though, so I don't see how it does any good.
  • andycet
    andycet Posts: 55 Member
    Have you tried making shakes either with casein whey or just yoghurt & wholegrain peanut butter. They are quick and boost your protein that takes longer to digest
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    Most of the people here who are experiencing hunger have either cut back too much (more than recommended, not eating back exercise calories, etc.) or are missing critical nutrients -- usually protein or fiber, but sometimes something else, like the B vitamins or fat. One reason to track vegetables even when they aren't contributing much in terms of calories is to learn the trends. For instance, if you're eating vegetables that have less fiber or aren't eating enough foods that are not calorie dense, are you more hungry on those days? For me, it also helped to eat more protein earlier in the day than I used to do.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/cravings-282817
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
    Wasn't aware of the weight watchers connection and glad to see you are planning to pull everything in to your calorie count.

    If you have only had the hunger thing for a couple of days it may not be directly related to food types. I'm not sure why but I have two 'peak' times each month when I am most hungry. Leading up to my time of the month I'm famished and then a couple of weeks later (I assume when ovulating) I'm just hungrier than normal.

    This has been pretty consistent for me whilst dieting over the last 11 months and passes in a few days. May not be your issue but could be worth logging the dates in case it is cyclical.

    Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it.
  • soniablack1650
    soniablack1650 Posts: 7
    I understand, I felt the same way. I agree with those who say more protein. Shrimp is low in calories so you can eat more of it which will make you feel fuller. Chewing is actually part of feeling full. See if choosing chewier foods makes you feel less hungry. And maybe your calories are too low to begin. The body will shed more if it doesn't feel hungry. It's okay to ease into a lower calorie count.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    When I am hungry, I eat some food.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    If you're eating at a calorie deficit, you're going to feel hunger sometimes, especially in comparison to how it feels to eat whatever/whenever you want. Your body wants to maintain its current weight, and you're giving it less food than it needs to do so. The last thing it wants is to dip into fat stores -- your body loves its fat, so it's going to try its hardest to get you to eat more. The larger your deficit, the more often you're going to feel hungry (obviously), so if you're really struggling, consider a smaller deficit.
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
    I don't like whey protein and I try not to drink my calories. I can't afford to buy a lot of seafood, so I eat what I have on hand. I'm not employed right now, so I have to rely on what my parents buy.

    My goal is set to lose 1 pound per week, but my deficit is less than that because I'm not tracking veggies right now
  • generallyme2
    generallyme2 Posts: 403 Member
    I don't want to be rude or mean, but I'm just going to tell you what I see.

    People are looking at your diary, giving you ideas and advice and instead of trying anything, you're coming up with excuses. Sometimes you just have to push on- count ALL your calories (including veggies) it's not that much extra to do, drink water, eat protein, and if you get that hungry sensation go on a walk or get moving- light exercise can suppress hunger a little bit and if you weren't -really- hungry in the first place, it can get you through the hump.

    Did WW work for you? Why did you choose to switch to this? Whether you're transitioning or just losing weight, you might feel a little hunger but it's okay. It took me a while to realize that I don't have to be FULL to be satisfied :)
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
    I'm transitioning from Weight Watchers because this is free.

    I fill up at least half my plate with vegetables. I have some kind of protein in every meal and snack. Yet my stomach is growling and I am physically hungry an hour after eating. It's not that I am not full. I eat until I am satisfied, but it could be as little as 15 minutes afterwards and I am looking for my next meal. I'm walking around in circles around my bedroom. I eat protein. I chug water like crazy. NONE OF IT WORKS! I am still hungry. Really, truly PHYSICALLY hungry.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Add more healthy fats...avocado, butter, nuts, seeds, cheese, olive oil etc. and some complex carbs.i I find that without these, I get famished too.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I don't know, it looks like you're eating well.

    I have two very basic questions:

    Is it cold there? I get really hungry when I'm chilled and you burn a LOT of calories keeping warm. You don't have to be frigid - 60 degrees outside or damp weather and you get cold. If you feel a little chilly, you're burning tons of calories and need to eat more. Just asking.

    Are you exercising a lot? If you're working hard you get hungry.

    I get hungry when I eat too many carbs - I'm not sure you do, but it's something to think about. It has to do with the way your body sequesters sugars with insulin.
  • 36jessica
    36jessica Posts: 319 Member
    Wasn't aware of the weight watchers connection and glad to see you are planning to pull everything in to your calorie count.

    If you have only had the hunger thing for a couple of days it may not be directly related to food types. I'm not sure why but I have two 'peak' times each month when I am most hungry. Leading up to my time of the month I'm famished and then a couple of weeks later (I assume when ovulating) I'm just hungrier than normal.

    This has been pretty consistent for me whilst dieting over the last 11 months and passes in a few days. May not be your issue but could be worth logging the dates in case it is cyclical.

    Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it.

    This!

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