Hungry every 2-3 hours

amylouisechambers
amylouisechambers Posts: 70 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work in an office and i seem to be the only person that eats every 3 hours or so. Everyone else eats VERY little and i mean very little. Maybe a bowl of soup through the entire shift. But i feel guilty having loads of plates and things on my desk because i'm literally starving every couple of hours.

A typical day for me at work would be like:
8.30am - a bowl of porridge with half a home made veggie/fruit smoothie
10.30am - a piece of fruit
12.30pm - half a brown sub roll with ham and salad and the other half of my veggie/fruit smoothie
3pm - Start snacking on some grapes

In between all of this i sip on plenty of water all day.

4pm and i am STARVING but too embarrassed to go to the fridge again!
Is this normal or does everyone else sit and starve worse than me?
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Replies

  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    You sound completely normal to me.

    I think you need to stop looking/thinking about what others are eating, it's not healthy.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Keep a small container of raw almonds or other nuts in your desk. Nuts are a great snack, and the bit of protein and fat in them might be more satiating for you and keep you full longer. Either way, if they are in your desk, no need to go to the fridge in front of everyone. :smile:
  • bbail016
    bbail016 Posts: 22 Member
    I eat all day long too, but no where near as healthy as that haha..do you exercise? your metabolism might be the reason your hungry all the time.
  • AlysonG2
    AlysonG2 Posts: 713 Member
    Ugh, I hate this! My coworkers are the same way. Like seriously, a tiny bowl of soup or a salad for the entire day. But I guess it's good because it keeps me in check, and keeps me from snacking all day.
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
    I tend to get hungry every 3 hours too, so I just have small snack-like meals through the day instead of 3 big ones. I think listening to what your body is telling you is important!
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    I also eat every 2-3 hours. Why the heck do you care what other people think? Just eat woman!
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I work in an office and i seem to be the only person that eats every 3 hours or so. Everyone else eats VERY little and i mean very little. Maybe a bowl of soup through the entire shift. But i feel guilty having loads of plates and things on my desk because i'm literally starving every couple of hours.

    A typical day for me at work would be like:
    8.30am - a bowl of porridge with half a home made veggie/fruit smoothie
    10.30am - a piece of fruit
    12.30pm - half a brown sub roll with ham and salad and the other half of my veggie/fruit smoothie
    3pm - Start snacking on some grapes

    In between all of this i sip on plenty of water all day.

    4pm and i am STARVING but too embarrassed to go to the fridge again!
    Is this normal or does everyone else sit and starve worse than me?

    Why are you worried about what the people around you think? You are eating healthy and it's good to eat a few small meals spread out like you are doing. If they really are all just eating a bowl of soup, they are hungry and wishing they could eat frequently like you are. Keep it up, eat at 4 and forget about what other people think.
  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
    It is the same in my office except I learned a really long time ago to not compare myself to anyone that isn't doing the same healthy life changes I am. Remember, you are in this for you.. not them.

    My snacks are similar:
    8am = Breakfast
    10 = pretzel crisps with hummus
    12 = lunch
    2pm - baby carrots
    4pm - apple slices
    6pm = dinner

    If I don't eat every 2 hours I'm starving
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Check out my diary. Every "meal" I eat is 3 hours apart. At 6, 9, 12, 3, and 6.

    Why do you have to make it so complicated?

    Edit: Why are you eating so little!? From what you've written, that looks like a tiny 500 calories.
  • momjulia101
    momjulia101 Posts: 17 Member
    Your eating sounds much more normal compared to theirs. They probably binge when they get home if they eat that little! It actually doesn't sound like you eat that much!
  • RHSheetz
    RHSheetz Posts: 268 Member
    That is GREAT!

    You need to eat when your body tells you to eat. As long as you are reacting to hunger and emotions there is nothing wrong with eating often. Don't let it bother you.

    I actually eat all morning, about every hour I have something small. Of course, I work out in the morning and want to keep my body fed while it repairs and recovers.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I eat constantly, my co-workers make fun of me for it . . . I don't care.
  • AHack3
    AHack3 Posts: 173 Member
    What you do sounds normal to me, it sounds very similar to me. I wouldn't be embarrassed, do what you want/need to do for yourself. I agree with what somebody else said too about having some almonds at your desk to snack on.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    Guess what? your coworkers go home and GORGE. Do you want to be like that?

    I used to work with very fat women who did not eat much during the day. They were huge, like enormous...at least 400 pounds.

    What you eat in private, you wear in public.

    I also eat every 2-3 hours. really, just eat how you like and don't worry about what other people do.
  • kellybean14
    kellybean14 Posts: 237 Member
    Eating 6 times a day is great for you! It sounds like you have rocking metabolism, which is awesome. I agree that adding some more protein-heavy snacks into your eating regimen might keep you fuller longer, but seriously, try not to worry about others' eating habits. (Who knows, maybe one of them later will make a post on here about how they want to eat as much as the cute girl at work, but are too full from eating 1/2 a pizza at 9 pm the night before!)
  • olyakurganova
    olyakurganova Posts: 2
    I do the same thing. And sometimes I think that I eat too much but if you do not go over your calorie goal, sugar, carbs, sodium and fat intake, you are good.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    I feel ya, I make my breakfast, lunch and snack at work... they probably think I don't actually work and just cook food all day but hey, while their overweight and slurping down their lean cuisines I've got a boat load of food with double the protein and half the soduim so I win :)
  • amylouisechambers
    amylouisechambers Posts: 70 Member
    Thanks everyone!
    Some great advice :)
  • Amandabelanger614
    Amandabelanger614 Posts: 110 Member
    During the work week i eat small portions throughout the day too! you are not alone!!

    6:30AM - 1/2 cup cottage cheese
    8:30AM - Light & Fit Vanilla Greek
    9:30AM - 1/2 cup trail mix
    Gum & Water until lunch
    11:30 Lunch - between 100-200 cals
    1:00PM - small banana
    2:30PM - natural applesauce cup
    5:30 dinner......
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
    I get hungry a lot too so I have small snacks throughout the day. I make sure I have some protein in each snack too to keep me full longer. Some nuts, nut butter, greek yogurt, cottage cheese or low fat string cheese with your fruit would help.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    There is a running joke in my office that I have a tape worm because I eat all the time. But yet I am the only one who is losing weight... imagine that. Quantity can be low if calories are very high.
  • rhoule76
    rhoule76 Posts: 217 Member
    I'm the same way. Who cares what everyone else does? Do your thing...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    maybe your co-workers gorge themselves when they get home....

    personally, eating a little bowl of soup, and only a little bowl of soup doesn't sound healthy unless they're getting their calories in at other times...but I doubt they are, they're probably just doing a super awesome crash diet or something.

    I eat all frackin' day from the time I get up to the time I hit the pillow and could give a rats *kitten* what anyone in my office thinks...
  • kill3rtofu
    kill3rtofu Posts: 169 Member
    I work in an office and i seem to be the only person that eats every 3 hours or so. Everyone else eats VERY little and i mean very little. Maybe a bowl of soup through the entire shift. But i feel guilty having loads of plates and things on my desk because i'm literally starving every couple of hours.

    A typical day for me at work would be like:
    8.30am - a bowl of porridge with half a home made veggie/fruit smoothie
    10.30am - a piece of fruit
    12.30pm - half a brown sub roll with ham and salad and the other half of my veggie/fruit smoothie
    3pm - Start snacking on some grapes

    In between all of this i sip on plenty of water all day.

    4pm and i am STARVING but too embarrassed to go to the fridge again!
    Is this normal or does everyone else sit and starve worse than me?

    i do the same thing. if i don't snack i become hungry again within hours--even if i eat all my calories at once (ie 600 for breakfast with no snacking). what i did to appease the stomach is to spread out foods every hour or so. this is only at work where i have this problem.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Guess what? your coworkers go home and GORGE. Do you want to be like that?

    I used to work with very fat women who did not eat much during the day. They were huge, like enormous...at least 400 pounds.

    What you eat in private, you wear in public.

    I also eat every 2-3 hours. really, just eat how you like and don't worry about what other people do.

    ^This. I used to work with a heavy girl who only ate carrots and yogurt at work and claimed she ate much healthie than the rest of us. She never lost any weight (the last time I saw her, she had actually gained), so obviously there was some unhealthy eating going on after working hours that she was in denial about.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
    Sounds normal, i eat all day...
  • ceebeez1975
    ceebeez1975 Posts: 48 Member
    I think this is perfectly normal, it keeps your metobolism fired up and you are eating well. Those at your office, dont worry about what they do and do not eat. Some of them just living off soup may go home and binge for Africa- who knows?
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    I find that if I eat small meals, I am constantly hungry, but if I stop and eat a big meal, I am full for awhile. I gave up on the quick bite here and there because I was always thinking about my next snack. There is no rule that says you have to eat small meals throughout the day. I know people say to do this so you don't get hangry and over eat, but if you are always hangry, it doesn't help.

    Also, and this is a big thing for me, make sure you aren't confusing appetite with hunger. Hunger has physical signs. Appetite is the desire to eat. Sometimes, when your stomach growls, it isn't hunger, it's the desire to eat.
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    you sound normal
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I eat ALL day. This isn't weird or abnormal. As long as you're eating healthy, and it looks like you are, then don't worry about how often you're eating.

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