Massively hungry the day after Cheat Day...

I ONLY have this if I binge at night... I have realized that I think it is related to my blood sugar and when it spikes an then plummets That is the only thing I can think of! When do you binge and when do you feel hungry?

Usually I feel the same way after my cheat day. I just have an extra protein shake.
Good luck with your goals!

I don't cheat any day. I eat what I want every day, then when I get to my calorie limit, I stop eating.

I don't cheat any day. I eat what I want every day, then when I get to my calorie limit, I stop eating.

I'm not trying to be rude (honestly), but how does this help the original poster? It is great you can go without a cheat day, but we are all different.

To the original poster--I also feel like the more I eat, the more I WANT to eat. Last night I was hungry so I had late night sugary weight watchers red velvet snacks. When I woke up at 5am I was starving. Stupidly I ate sugary special k bfast bars and those mademe hungry. I think what might help on the day after is eating protein and fiber (pretty filling) and limit your sugar/carbs until you get into a balance again. Just my two cents.

Again--I wasn't trying to be rude.

Yes!!!!! I thought I was the only one.....Dear OP I'm sorry I am in the same boat so I don't have any advice except to provide a sympathetic shoulder from me to you. I would like to ask a question tho.

I was wondering what the other posters think. Could it be that eating a much higher volume of carbohydrates, perhaps in the form of those extra yummy things that we tend to limit more rigorously before and after the "Cheat/Treat Day", sets up a rebound hunger type of experience. If so.....could it be off-set by upping your protein intake alongside the carbohydrates????

Or is it more what the poster mentioning increases in Leptin and metabolism spikes causing the issue.

Please be kind in responding....I'm not trying to start a carb war or anything? Or derail the thread!

Thanks to those who have given the idea of upping the protein for the next day.....will try.

I don't cheat any day. I eat what I want every day, then when I get to my calorie limit, I stop eating.

^^^ This

I'm curious about your cheat day and what foods you ate. I used to eat a bag of Cheetos about once a week (yeah, I know, but I love Cheetos right down to my orange-colored fingertips) and after I while I realized that on that one day I would be RAVENOUSLY hungry by the time I got home where on the days I didn't eat that snack I would be at a normal hunger level at day's end. Think I need to take a trip off to the rest of the Interwebz and see why that was the case...

That's something like Pavlovian reaction. You simply taught your body/brain to react this way. That's the case I guess http://www2.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/wasserman/glossary/reflex.html

If I mess with what my body is used to, this is a predictable result. Since it is predictable, I get to choose-- 1) don't do the thing causing the hunger, 2) accept that I will have hunger the next day and choose to "cheat" anyway. I usually prefer #1, but if I decide on #2 I try to make sure my protein (and other satiating foods) are high for the hungry day, and exercise to give me more calories to eat back (and keep my mind off the hunger).

I'm curious about your cheat day and what foods you ate. I used to eat a bag of Cheetos about once a week (yeah, I know, but I love Cheetos right down to my orange-colored fingertips) and after I while I realized that on that one day I would be RAVENOUSLY hungry by the time I got home where on the days I didn't eat that snack I would be at a normal hunger level at day's end. Think I need to take a trip off to the rest of the Interwebz and see why that was the case...

That's something like Pavlovian reaction. You simply taught your body/brain to react this way. That's the case I guess http://www2.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/wasserman/glossary/reflex.html

If you're suggesting by "Pavlovian" that I'm a dog, you are wrong, I'm quite obviously a cat

Kidding aside, I love the information in the study under that link!

I get the point of cheat day, for sure. It works for a lot of people. However, for some of us (me), this tends to backfire. I go the entire next day craving bad foods. After I go a couple of weeks without a "cheat" meal I no longer crave one. That said, I have to keep a tighter rope on myself than most, but try doing smaller indulgences on a daily basis to keep yourself "satisfied." I rarely crave anything bad now that I've gone long enough without having any of it.

I don't cheat any day. I eat what I want every day, then when I get to my calorie limit, I stop eating.

I'm not trying to be rude (honestly), but how does this help the original poster? It is great you can go without a cheat day, but we are all different.

It would hopefully help the OP to understand not to rely on "cheat days" (which are a ridiculous sentiment anyway for reasons already stated) as part of a health regime. Eating a similar amount each day prevents your body spiking insulin, and making your sugar levels excessively fluctuate.

It might help the OP research what I'm talking about, and stop thinking in the mindset of a "diet", and more of a "lifestyle".

I feel like it's because we eat more empty calories on cheat days. Then the next day your body's like "GIVE ME SOME REAL FOODZ"

I totally agree. I just say no to cheat days and even if I eat "empty calorie" foods I make sure I stay under my total calories - even if it means using up all my exercise calories.

Cheat days to me are just not worth it.

I'm wondering if anyone else has this issue of being rather hungry the day after having your Cheat Day?

AND

What do you do to help curb the day after hunger pangs?

the hormone leptin controls your hunger cues. When you diet your leptin levels decrease...basically an evolutionary response to protect from the discomforts of famine and general lack of food. When you eat more your leptin levels increase...so when you have a cheat you temporarily increase your leptin levels and therefore are hungrier. Essentially, this is why anorexics and people with other eating disorders can eat so little and claim not to be hungry...they're not...because their leptin levels are in the tank. Conversely, this is why obese individuals can seemingly eat and eat and eat without being full...there leptin levels are high and constantly signaling hunger cues.

I don't have a cheat day per sei, but I do a refeed every couple of weeks when I'm dieting. It is controlled and deliberate though, not a random cheat to do whatever. I re-feed in order to deliberately spike my leptin levels and make my metabolism crank it out.

I've always wonder why I felt this way.