What to do for shakiness/hunger?

Look in Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology. Use the index.

I am not going to tell you what my background is, because that is as bad as testimonials. That is as bad as saying that "I am a nurse and this sounds like BS."
Well, look it up. Be a scientist.
Do some research.
And the ball is in your court. People fast all the time and do great. People skip breakfast with no glucose problems.
The brain needs glucose and over 600 million years of physiologic evolution has developed a system where glucose levels are maintained adequately to support brain function.
And there is a huge psych overlay to our perception of hunger, and the whole concept of weight loss.

Steve,

With all due respect, all of your posts in this conversation, including this one, are filled with generalizations and come across as condescending.

Stating your background when making such adamant assertions that low glucose is never dangerous (if indeed that is what you mean) is appropriate. But, just quoting a textbook and saying "use the index doesn't cut it.

I used to work in the healthcare industry, and I know for a fact that low sugar can lead to a coma, and even possibly death. People in this very thread have shared their experiences with low blood sugar and what they did to take care of themselves around that. Are they wrong? I've had plummeting blood sugar which included cold sweats and shaking and and have had to eat to bring it back up. Am I wrong?

My point is that people who are trying to lose weight should not think that their stomach always has to be filled with something in order to prevent disastrous hypoglycemia.
That just isn't going to happen in the normal, healthy adult.

This is the silliest thing I've heard. So, a person should just sit there and shake and wait to see which way their blood sugar is going to go?

And once they start to eat, then they might eat, and eat, and eat. Learned behavior.

No. Learned behavior around food is a whole other issue. It has nothing to do with eating properly to prevent sugar levels from dropping OR eating in order to bring low blood sugar up.

I'm only awake right now because my puppies woke me up lol and I haven't read all of the responses. However, I would suggest a couple of things....

Firstly, if you're hungry - especially to that degree - eat food. I don't understand "and I wasn't supposed to eat until dinner." If you need to have a snack to keep you from derailing, then do. A little protein, fat, and/or fiber will go a long way toward helping you to feel full for longer, and I would suggest eating portions of each throughout the day. Just watch to make sure they fit your calorie budget.

Also key for me is choosing lots of moderately-caloried foods, as well as smaller portions of whatever else I work in. This means I can eat plenty of food so as not to feel hungry (because the lower calorie nature of some of my choices doesn't use up my calories so fast) and yet I have room for other things, too. If I were eating more of the calorie-dense foods at a sitting, then I would be hungry in the later part of the day, which - for me - is when I prefer to eat the most.

If for whatever reason, I'm just unusually hungry, then I'm going to make it work by filling up on things that fit my calorie budget and I have made a point of seeking out lots of new things that I genuinely love and that fall into that category. I don't feel deprived. I would never be able to persist with my new habits if I had to be hungry all the time. Hand in hand with that, if I want pizza for dinner, then those same foods mean I'll have the opportunity to leave room for it.

Stay well-hydrated. This was especially valuable to me in the very beginning, while I was still getting used to not having a lot of heavy food in my belly all the time. It didn't take long to adjust to the new ways, but lots of water did me great favors. Doesn't have to be plain water, but that's just what I like. Can't drink whiskey all day. lol And now that it's more of a habit, I can definitely feel the difference both in my appetite and in my body if I'm a low for a day in terms of hydration.

You will adjust to eating a different way. This will all come into balance for you as your body gets used to the changes and as you learn more about what works for you. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that deprivation or hunger mean you're successful. Fill up on veggies or whatever fits your goals. Eat protein, fat, and fiber to help you stay full longer - and eat often, but watch your calories/portions. Drink plenty. Move more as you're able to start working that in, not only for the inherent benefits of the exercise itself, but because you earn more calories that way if you choose to eat them (or part of them) back.

You can do this. And you can even the new, healthier habits you adopt. Give yourself time, learn what works for you, celebrate your successes, and don't give up. Take care.

Eat




????

I think we do have to embrace the feeling of hunger a little bit. For those of us who overeat and are overweight, we have forgotten what being hungry feels like. It is good to remind ourselves that our hunger is there as a signal and we should appreciate our bodies do give us signals if we listen to it - just as feeling shaky is a signal.

It is great to see the support and encouraging comments!

This happens to me if I don't eat enough. I figured out that, for me, multiple smaller meals a day is what helps prevent that.

For example, I eat at 8am, 11am, 2:30pm and 6pm. I also have a snack post workout/ before bed. Those times are approximate, but they keep the shakiness away.

Make sure you eat enough

I think we do have to embrace the feeling of hunger a little bit. For those of us who overeat and are overweight, we have forgotten what being hungry feels like. It is good to remind ourselves that our hunger is there as a signal and we should appreciate our bodies do give us signals if we listen to it - just as feeling shaky is a signal.

It is great to see the support and encouraging comments!

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with feeling just plain old hungry. For me, it's not necessary for me to eat every time I feel a hunger pang.

Yesterday I was at a meeting and I was feeling just a bit hungry. I couldn't wait to get it over with so I could eat my lunch, which I'd brought with me. I could have eaten during the meeting but I decided not to. Also, I'd had my protein snack a few hours earlier (nuts) and simply wanted to wait.

However, had I had any symptoms of blood sugar falling- shaking, cold sweat, a bit bleary feeling in the head-I would have eaten at least eaten part of my sandwich. However, chances are I would not have a had a blood sugar drop because I eat six small meals a day to keep my blood sugar level. It's what I've learned works for me.

Food takes darned good, but it's basic purpose is to fuel our bodies.

Seems like you're having a carb meltdown, been there and done that! Carbs=sugar, start removing carbs from your diet a little at a time. When you do it all at once, it will feel like you are going through withdrawal. My suggestions are listed below:



Rid your house of all the junk food, pre-packaged items and unhealthy food! (Have a Food Funeral) This is not healthy for you or your family so don't feel bad about getting rid of it! Donate it to a local food shelter, a neighbor who maybe having a rough time, or church.

Stock up on fresh fruit/veggies, blueberries, raspberries, apples, etc...Kale, Carrots, tomatoes.....Make a smoothie for dessert! Use Greek Yogurt!


First week: remove candy, cookies and cake, pies, desserts etc. remove chips, sauces, dips and processed foods (packaged meals and canned foods).

Second week: Replace all white items for whole wheat: Whole Wheat Pasta, Whole Wheat Bread, Brown Rice

Steve,

There you go with those darned absolutes again.

Nobody said you are going to get a hypoglycemic crisis if you skip a meal. The original question asked was what to do when you have not eaten in awhile and end up getting the shakes, which indicates a fall in blood sugar. Not a crisis, but a fall in blood sugar.

You eat--no, not pig out--but eat something. That will bring your blood sugar up. Then, if you're at work or at a meeting or anywhere you just happen to be, it takes a few for your sugar to level out and you're no longer shaking, have those cold sweats, and are foggy-headed. How do I know this? Because I've had low blood sugar problems in the past. I don't anymore because I eat-no, not pig out-but eat six small meals a day.

The best to you, Steve.

People have to get used to being a little hungry.

Thee's a HUGE difference between being "a little hungry" and being so hungry you have the shakes.

Quit being so daft.

I would pack some veggies to bring to work with you. having an extra 100 calories of veggies a day is far from a tragedy and if it will be the alternative to you falling off the wagon it will be all the more worth it. I find that drinking glasses of very cold iced water also helps satisfy hunger in between meals.

Stop, stop, stop.

Right now you are talking to someone who is not and has never been either obese or a binge eater of any kind. And I can tell you there is a difference between feeling a bit hungry and feeling shaky and light-headed from hunger. The former means you should probably eat soonish, but whenever. The latter means you need something pretty quickly.

When I get that shaky hunger, I can't concentrate, I get dizzy and if I don't eat quickly, I get a migraine. I've never tested my glucose levels and I don't see any reason to. I just know how to listen to my body's signals that it needs food. And while I could probably live a few weeks or even months on fat stores, that doesn't mean I don't need to eat every day.

So just stop it. The OP needed to eat more. Not a lot more. Not a binge. Just a sall, protein/carb snack to tide her over to her next meal. I just don't get why you are SO against that.

THIS^^

I have had this happen to me. It is not every meal, it is not every day. It is just when my calorie intake has been too low and when I have gone too long since eating. (Not including overnight) An example of when this happens is when I have had a low calorie day before, then i do not get breakfast, and if I don't get anything by noon this is likely to happen, especially if I have been doing something, anything other than sitting on the couch. My symptoms progress through: mental dullness, weakness, dizziness, a wave of cold sweat, nausea, seeing stars like on the edge of passing out. If I still do not get any food at that point, my mind and body are at a point of such fatigue and dullness that it is difficult to even make myself move. A few times I have had to ask someone to get me something to eat because I was incapable.

This is not made up, and it is not about 'learning how to be a little hungry'. It is a real physical effect of your body not having enough energy to call on.

Well, then you should see a doctor. And you SHOULD get your glucose checked when that happens, just to reassure yourself that it is normal. Now, you can go into a Walgreen's and get one for maybe 10 dollars.
And I am assuming you are not confusing being hungry from being thirsty. Everyone should drink plenty of water.
There is something called McArdle's syndrome, where the body has trouble breaking down the stored glycogen into glucose. It is a rare bird but out there in a few people.
What we are concerned with is glucose levels, not the psychological anxiety that goes along with not having a full stomach.
Most of the carbohydrates consumed wind up as glucose in the blood- about 95%.
Assuming there is no more consumption of glucose, the free glucose is used up in a few hours, and then glycogen, the stored form of glucose, begins to be broken down into glucose, and used for fuel by the cells.
The average person has enough stored glycogen to last for 12-24 hours.
As the glucose is being maintained by the glycogen (at low-NORMAL levels) a series of hormone changes starts whereby fat is mobilized from adipose tissue to be used as fuel. As the brain uses glucose for fuel exclusively (except in extreme states), over hundreds of million of years a mechanism was evolved for the body to MANUFACTURE ITS OWN GLUCOSE.
This is called gluconeogenisis and non-essential protein is broken down to use for glucose's manufacture.
This is why people can fast for days and weeks consuming nothing but water.

Now, if you are not overweight, then I am not talking to you. You can eat whatever you want and describe different hunger stages as you see them and rreact accordingly.

But if you ARE overweight, and want to lose weight, and have no other medical problems, then you should not get sucked in by the "eat to maintain my glucose" mantra that is JUST PLAIN WRONG.

BTW, wasn't there a third-year medical student who posted on this? This would be a great issue for them to present to a physiology professor and see what they think.

I'd love to hear about your educational and professional background.

Next time, grab a teaspoonful of honey and eat it slowly. Work every time.

Well, then you should see a doctor. And you SHOULD get your glucose checked when that happens, just to reassure yourself that it is normal. Now, you can go into a Walgreen's and get one for maybe 10 dollars.

Just a side note; at least here in the states, the meters are dirt cheap, but the test strips cost a fortune. I'm having low blood sugars, so I bought a machine for $20. Test strips? $150. Sucks. But, I'm consistently having low blood sugars and the doctor is currently running blood tests to identify the problem.

So, I think testing can be worth it, and if you are having low blood sugars, I'd suggest seeing a doctor. I also increased how much I was eating. I'm also not allowed to drive if my blood sugar is below 90 (per my doctor) unless I eat a snack first. It can be dangerous to drive if you blood sugar is plummeting.

Worth it if it's a chronic problem and eating a small snack doesn't help. But if the problem is clearly that you just didn't eat enouh or ate the wrong thing, then thee's no reason to do this.

For example, I know if I'm hungry and I eat a piece of cake and nothing else, it's going to cause me to not feel well. But if I eat nutritional, "real" food and then eat a piece of cake, I do not have that problem. So I generally avoid eating cake on an empty stomach.

And if I do eat that piece of cake and don't feel well, eating some healthy, "real" food solves that problem.

Why would I spend $170 on blood glucose testing products when I know this by years and years of simply being alive?

well, having read a few posts of Steve, I think he talks a lot of sense and he comes across as someone very knowledgeable. My own knowledge is that unless you are diabetic, pre-diabetic (in which case you might suffer a huge drop in blood sugar several hours folliwing a large high carb meal) or have some other medical illness....some kind person in a previous post listed the majority (although I question the "fasting" reason) it is highly unlikely that a morbidly obese person is going to suffer a hypoglycaemic episode from a reduction in her daily calorie intake. So, OP! my advice to you (and anyone else who this might appky to) is seek medical advice and either ask for a random capillary blood sugar or a full glucose tolerance test...that will sort it out