Really hungry next day after a lot of exercise.

kendragetshealthy
kendragetshealthy Posts: 87
in Food and Nutrition
Here's an example. Yesterday I did a 50 minute cardio workout at lunch and then an hour of zumba last night. When I got home I wasn't that hungry but I still ate what I had planned for dinner. (Y'all can look at my diary- it's public)...

Anyway, I have been STARVING all day today. Is it because of last night? Or do you think I am not taking in enough calories each day based upon the exercise I am doing?

Thanks in advance for the help.

BTW- I started BEGINNER weight training three days a week, with light cardio on those days, and heavier cardio (an hour of zumba) on my off days where I don't do weights.

PS- the scale hasn't moved at all this week.

Replies

  • Charliejl82
    Charliejl82 Posts: 57
    Ok, I'm confused at why your calorie goal changes each day? Purely from a glance it looks like you aren't eating anywhere enough protein. Eat ROUGHLY a gram of protein per lb of body weight. Eat about 150g carbs and 50-60 g fat. I'd say don't go below 1600 cals - this is total rough guide as I don't know your height/daily activity level etc.

    What cardio do you do and how heavy do you lift?

    Eating a lot more protein will keep you fuller, alternate your carb intake - ie eat less carbs on non training days. - technically it doesn't matter what you eat (within reason!) as long as you stay within those protein carb and fat grams.
  • manique45
    manique45 Posts: 99 Member
    Yes you will be more hungry the more you move... makes sense you are using more energy...

    Have you found out your TDEE?

    If not Google : Scooby TDEE Calculator he has a really great tool that helps you pinpoint how many cals you should be eating with your exercise...

    I also bought a body media. It has over a 90 % accuracy for telling you how many calories your body is using throughout the day and night... Zumba ( WHICH I LOVE) is a fantastic cardio exercise burning up to 1000 cals an hour... personally for me my highest burn has been around 700... Any who Yes figure out your TDEE your body will thank you!

    We have been brainwashed to starve and work out excessivley = weightloss not true... not for the long road any how...
  • lindustum
    lindustum Posts: 212 Member
    I can only second the TDEE advice. Your daily intakes are fluctuating wildly, which makes it hard to adjust calories and see what is working.

    So... if your TDEE minus 20% is, say, 1800, you eat 1800 every day regardless of exercise- that is because TDEE incorporates exercise, MFP doesn't.
  • pamelak5
    pamelak5 Posts: 327 Member
    You had so many calories left over - eat some of them the next day. I work out hard Monday through Thursday, I generally go over on Friday since I'm ravenous by then. I am generally under on my workout days.
  • cjcmrn
    cjcmrn Posts: 134 Member
    I have found that on the days that I am really going to work out... ie kickboxing or Crossfit... I sneak in a Vector bar which is full of protein (you could try a protein shake too)
    If you are just getting into increasing your activity then you really need to up the protein! or your body will scream at you that it is starving! Mine did that when I started Crossfit and when I started Insanity, but not so much with the Zumba
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Totally normal. You left a lot of calories uneaten yesterday so of course you're going to be hungry today. The opposite can be true as well. I went over a little yesterday due to unplanned take-out for dinner and today I'm not so hungry so I skipped a couple snacks and will probably come in under a couple hundred calories. The body does not reset itself every 24 hours. If you underate yesterday, that calorie need is going to continue until it's satisfied. Don't worry about going over a few hundred today if you feel the need to eat more, just don't use it as an excuse to eat junk - keep it healthy!
  • kendragetshealthy
    kendragetshealthy Posts: 87
    I am looking at TDEE now. Thanks everyone!
  • andezz99
    andezz99 Posts: 56 Member
    Up your protein, it satisfies your hunger more because it takes the body longer to process than carbs. You can alway load vegetables in anytime, they will fill you up and your body will love you for it.
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