Recent increased hunger - any ideas?

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  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
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    If you are constantly hungry all the time your body is missing something it needs. Period. I know most people don't wanna hear this but it's the simple truth. First .. try a multivitamin and cod liver oil supplement. That can often stave off any hunger caused by mineral deficiencies if that does not work. It really is probably a calorie issue. In which case listen to your cravings without going mad and binging. If you are having carb cravings then allow yourself a nice moderate serving of spiced rice or something. If you want fat try a moderate 50g or so portion of nuts. Or if you want protein I suggest a packet of beef jerky though that is not to everyone liking. The point is listen to your body. But don't go mad and splurge. Very often such hunger will go away if you stop giving it a a reason to exist.
  • Fit_Natasha
    Fit_Natasha Posts: 83 Member
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    Totally agree! Listen to your body. I also did a quick pick at your diary. Try to remove processed food, since it doesn't give your body a lot of nutrition. I would change 0% fat yogurt to a regular yogurt. No margarine whatsoever! Check the bread that you eat. You listed it as a whole wheat, but is it a whole grain? The thing is with the processed food is that manufacturers take the natural food (for example, wheat grain) remove all the nutrition from it to prolong its shelf life (all amino acids, all vitamins and minerals) leaving only starchy part of the grain. Then produce the whole wheat bread with artificially added Omega 3, vitamins and minerals. It will look good on the label, having all the necessary nutrition that your body needs. But in reality, when you consume this bread, your body will not be getting all necessary amino acids, vitamins and minerals, feeling all the time hungry. I used bread as an example, but this is true for all processed foods. Try to stick to more natural foods and see if it keeps you more full.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I looked at your diary and see very low protien numbers most days.

    Protien keeps you feeling fuller longer.

    As well you mentioned you "save" calories for when you can't weigh...your entries don't reflect you weigh most of your solids anyway...

    There is no reason to "save" calories you are already in a deficit and if you do weigh 98% of your food the other 2% will not make a tonne of difference.

    ETA: as well all this talk of eating "natural" foods and Unprocessed etc...that is not going to make a difference...the protien will.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    When my woman times are approaching, I become a ravenous beast willing to consume anything in my path.
    Oddly enough, by the week of, I usually don't feel that way anymore. Except for the sadly stereotypical craving for chocolate.
    Perhaps your increased hunger is menstrual cycle related?

    I am like this too.

    Me three, I understand it's pretty darn common.
  • jamiesokd
    jamiesokd Posts: 99 Member
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    I looked at your diary and see very low protien numbers most days.

    Protien keeps you feeling fuller longer.

    As well you mentioned you "save" calories for when you can't weigh...your entries don't reflect you weigh most of your solids anyway...

    There is no reason to "save" calories you are already in a deficit and if you do weigh 98% of your food the other 2% will not make a tonne of difference.

    ETA: as well all this talk of eating "natural" foods and Unprocessed etc...that is not going to make a difference...the protien will.

    I weigh everything, unless I am out at someone's house, etc. It may look like I use cup measures, but I weigh and then use my calculator to figure out the percentage of the serving. Ie. .57 of a 55g serving because I measured 30g. (I didn't actually calculate that right now, just an example, lol) OR, I weigh exactly to the serving size. Oatmeal for example, I think it is listed as 1/3 a cup because that is how it has been entered into MFP, but I measure to the exact 30g each time I eat it. Fruit in the morning is .5 a serving because I measure exactly to the half portion of 70g.

    Protein I agree, I have a very hard time getting enough. I do Greek yogurt in the morning, and a meat at supper. I don't have the money to be able to buy meat to eat at every meal. I was doing a protein supplement but it makes my stomach upset.
  • failteromhat
    failteromhat Posts: 33 Member
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    I agree on the processed foods things. I am exactly the same. Some days I can eat low and be fine..other days I can eat and eat and eat and it won't matter. I find if I eat a lot of diet stuff e.g. diet coke, diet yoghurt, diet jello I have more hunger and worse cravings.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    It may be time to reset your goal in another way. Now that you're getting closer to goal, losing 1.5-2 pounds per week should become more like 1-1.5 pounds per week (see chart below). And you should update your weight loss profile to reflect this new goal. This will give you a bit more daily calories. I also agree with trying to get more protein in. If not meat, try eggs, cottage cheese, edamame, quinoa, legumes...
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
  • tlb1175
    tlb1175 Posts: 17 Member
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    I agree with more protein. My two go to's are a 2 egg spinach & mushroom omelet for a meal & a banana with peanut butter for a snack. Also, I always try to keep some form of turkey or chicken & boiled eggs in the frig so I can always have protein on my salads.
  • SunshineKisses_2012
    SunshineKisses_2012 Posts: 471 Member
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    When I started running earlier this year, I had the same issue and I ate and ate and ate to try to keep up with the never ending pit feeling. Turns out I wasn't getting enough protein. I have since started having knee issues, so I have had to stop running as much, but I am lifting weights and walking and to help curb the feeling of being gutted, I have found a protein shake that works for me (Shamrock Farms - Lactose Free - 30g of protein - and chocolate!!) for after a heavy lifting session or long cardio session. If I keep my carbs at or below 35% and eat high protein/fat, my body does SO much better and I have normal hunger pains instead of the never ending pit feeling.
  • jamiesokd
    jamiesokd Posts: 99 Member
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    Well so far today I haven't had the starving pit feeling - but I was almost a pound heavier than I was yesterday. I made it down to 195.2, then the hunger hit and I've creeped up to almost 197 again. Maybe it is related.

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