Why am I always hungry???

My maintenance calories usually say I should eat around 2000 calories a day, but I am STARVING an hour or 2 after every meal or snack. I try stay just a bit under 2000 since some sites say 1900-1700 to maintain. Is my metabolism faster than these sites are guessing? I'm 5'4, around 110lbs, 18 years old, I run/do other cardio 4-5 times a week and do weights/body weight exercises 3-5 times a week. Besides that I just lay around all day. I don't remember a time I have been fully satisfied! And yes, I'm drinking enough water.

Based on your food diary, you eat a lot of simple carbs which make most people hungrier after consumption. Stick to complex carbs… sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, and lots of veggies.

Try to eat a more whole foods diet… processed foods aren't great at satisfying hunger. Eat more fruits and veggies.

Also, water. Make sure you are drinking 10-11 cups of water a day.

You can't be starving an hour or two after a meal. It's likely thirst, not hunger.

Life is unfair. You, me, and nearly everyone else who is our height-- I am 5' 3 1/2"-- has to feel hungry all the time in order to reach, and to maintain, our ideal weight. My ideal weight is 112 and I already know I face a lifetime of hungry days to maintain 112. What works best for me is to save all my calories for one meal at the end of the day. That way, at least I can feel halfway-full once a day! Also, once I start eating I am hungry the rest of the day-- more so than if I wait to eat until late in the day. It's s trigger! AND, I find I am far less hungry if I make sure a good many of my calories come from fat. A 150-calorie tiny bag of chips is way more satisfying than a huge giant plate full of weeds!!:bigsmile:

This is NOT how I feel!!!!
I'm 60 years old. 5'2", 125 lbs.
I lose at 1800 net per day including exercise calories (about 3-500).
I maintain at 2200.
I eat a large bowlful of different veggies a day-think lots of color!
I also eat eggs, turkey, chicken, beef, fish and beans. I eat peanut butter and a little dark chocolate everyday and use a tablespoon of olive oil. I also eat a couple of servings of whole grains, yogurt and fresh fruit.

I am always more than satisfied-never hungry except right before mealtime!
If you need to eat so little to lose-there is something not right in your diet or medically!


ETA-just took a look at your diary-please refrain from giving advice to anyone!
You need to see a doctor for what appears to be a major eating disorder!!

I'd say to increase your protein a bit....

Why are you eating fish oil capsules for breakfast?! That's the most important meal of the day! Get yourself some real food for breakfast! I had 2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, 2 sausage links and a cup of coffee the other morning. It was over 500 calories, but I was satisfied all morning. I had fat, carbs, and protein all together. Freaking amazing.

Took a peek at your diary and you seem to be under carbed to me and what I mean by that is that you don't seem to be eating enough fruit/veg/whole carbs. Remember, your brain largely runs on glucose so if you aren't getting enough, espcially from the right sources, your brain will seek out more. It is all about balance. I would increase the wholefood carbs, and lower the sodium drastically as 2,000 mg is a ton of sodium (which just promotes bloating). Hope I helped :flowerforyou:

Well, someone here has looked at my diary and freaked out. I do NOT have to "eat that little to lose" In fact, I lose weight on the standard 15 calories per pound per day formula for maintenance. When not dieting, when not trying to maintain I average close to 4000 calories per day, and gain about 2 lbs. per month. I would STILL be hungry on 2000 or even 3000 calories per day..Apparently, the person who freaked out is unaware of the FACT that many people would have to consume much more food than THEY do in order to not be hungry. And I have a fast metabolism. I am results-oriented and would not have the patience/perseverance to stick to any one-pound-per-week diet. Nor the motivation to even start on a diet that slow! I will be down to 112 soon and then have to try to figure out my maintenance calories. I tried 1680 for maintenance twice, and lost down to 109 once and 108 once, at the rate of a pound or two per week I guess, and I don't like how I look at that low of weight. For around 30 years, my ideal weight was 131-135. I had gotten to the point where for.over a decade, I hardly ever had to diet because I pretty much knew how much to eat to maintain. And yes, I was always hungry, but I was eating way more calories than most people would need to fill them up. But then within 3-4 years after menopause, my weight-- which did not change-- redistributed, and I had to reassess my ideal weight, which turned out to be 112 due to postmenopausal weight redistribution. Maintaining 112 is new territory for me and that's why I am dieting now. I have had to diet back down to 112 several times within the past 3 years. It isn't because I can't stick to a maintenance plan. It is because I don't know my maintenance calories yet for 112. One thing is certain: if that poster saw how MUCH I eat when I am not dieting, they would REALLY freak out then. They need to realize that not everyone is ever going to avoid hunger on 2000 or 3000 calories. Our bodies do not contain some inner compass to point us toward feeling full on the proper calories to maintain ideal weight. Some people can feel full on that, but not me, and NOT most people. For most people, their ideal weight doesn't correspond with how much they need to eat to feel satisfied. And let me point out that my ideal weight isn't even a very low weight for my height,and it is well within the BMI healthy weight range. AND, yes I am hungry within an hour or two of eating a meal. My body WANTS two huge meals per day, two hours apart. When my ideal weight was 135, I could eat one huge meal per day and maintain, although not quite as huge as I would like.

Well, someone here has looked at my diary and freaked out. I do NOT have to "eat that little to lose" In fact, I lose weight on the standard 15 calories per pound per day formula for maintenance. When not dieting, when not trying to maintain I average close to 4000 calories per day, and gain about 2 lbs. per month. I would STILL be hungry on 2000 or even 3000 calories per day..Apparently, the person who freaked out is unaware of the FACT that many people would have to consume much more food than THEY do in order to not be hungry. And I have a fast metabolism. I am results-oriented and would not have the patience/perseverance to stick to any one-pound-per-week diet. Nor the motivation to even start on a diet that slow! I will be down to 112 soon and then have to try to figure out my maintenance calories. I tried 1680 for maintenance twice, and lost down to 109 once and 108 once, at the rate of a pound or two per week I guess, and I don't like how I look at that low of weight. For around 30 years, my ideal weight was 131-135. I had gotten to the point where for.over a decade, I hardly ever had to diet because I pretty much knew how much to eat to maintain. And yes, I was always hungry, but I was eating way more calories than most people would need to fill them up. But then within 3-4 years after menopause, my weight-- which did not change-- redistributed, and I had to reassess my ideal weight, which turned out to be 112 due to postmenopausal weight redistribution. Maintaining 112 is new territory for me and that's why I am dieting now. I have had to diet back down to 112 several times within the past 3 years. It isn't because I can't stick to a maintenance plan. It is because I don't know my maintenance calories yet for 112. One thing is certain: if that poster saw how MUCH I eat when I am not dieting, they would REALLY freak out then. They need to realize that not everyone is ever going to avoid hunger on 2000 or 3000 calories. Our bodies do not contain some inner compass to point us toward feeling full on the proper calories to maintain ideal weight. Some people can feel full on that, but not me, and NOT most people. For most people, their ideal weight doesn't correspond with how much they need to eat to feel satisfied. And let me point out that my ideal weight isn't even a very low weight for my height,and it is well within the BMI healthy weight range. AND, yes I am hungry within an hour or two of eating a meal. My body WANTS two huge meals per day, two hours apart. When my ideal weight was 135, I could eat one huge meal per day and maintain, although not quite as huge as I would like.

That's all terribly interesting but 700 calories a day is very un healthy-for anyone but even more so for a woman your age. You should be eating at least 1200 calories a day!

You said that you try to stay between 1700-1900. What's your weight doing? Are you maintaining or still losing slowly?

At 110 lbs at 5'4, you've got nothing to lose by giving the 2000 calories a fair shot. (You may gain some water weight initially, give it some time.)

I haven't weighed myself in a long time so that's why I said around 110, give or take a few. Might as well try!

I might suggest u r being depressed and demotivated? Working out will give u a boost, some caffeine maybe ..

Oh I m sorry, I guess "laying all day" part got me confused