i think im going into starvation mode

danaaaaa
danaaaaa Posts: 39
edited September 23 in Motivation and Support
for the past 2 hours i've been REALLY hungry.
i tried eating some crackers and drank 2 bottles of water and im still HUNGRY. :grumble:
what can i do to solve this? :cry:

Replies

  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    Do you have any peanut butter or any meat? You need something solid.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    Have you eaten all your calories (and exercise calories) for the day? Also, what is your weekly weight loss goal? If it's set at 2lbs a week, that might be too much at first, so maybe you could reset it to 1.5 so you're not constantly feeling deprived?
  • Kezzanna
    Kezzanna Posts: 45 Member
    I would try eating something protein based. Some lean meat, tuna in springwater, dare I say it, full fat dairy.....Protein normally works for me.
  • steacher24
    steacher24 Posts: 40
    Eat something with protein. Nuts make a good snack for this.
  • danaaaaa
    danaaaaa Posts: 39
    Do you have any peanut butter or any meat? You need something solid.

    i have peanut butter :)
  • danaaaaa
    danaaaaa Posts: 39
    Have you eaten all your calories (and exercise calories) for the day? Also, what is your weekly weight loss goal? If it's set at 2lbs a week, that might be too much at first, so maybe you could reset it to 1.5 so you're not constantly feeling deprived?

    unfortunately no. =(
    and hmmm. maybe i should reset it. im still new at this. lol. second day. :embarassed:
  • danaaaaa
    danaaaaa Posts: 39
    Eat something with protein. Nuts make a good snack for this.
    I would try eating something protein based. Some lean meat, tuna in springwater, dare I say it, full fat dairy.....Protein normally works for me.

    thanks for the info guys. :flowerforyou:
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    Have you eaten all your calories (and exercise calories) for the day? Also, what is your weekly weight loss goal? If it's set at 2lbs a week, that might be too much at first, so maybe you could reset it to 1.5 so you're not constantly feeling deprived?

    unfortunately no. =(
    and hmmm. maybe i should reset it. im still new at this. lol. second day. :embarassed:
    If you haven't eaten all of your recommended calories and you're still hungry, then EAT!! and don't feel bad about it! You have to eat to keep up your metabolism and lose weight! No sense in going hungry, it will only make you more likely to want to binge or give up!
  • sandeeface518
    sandeeface518 Posts: 41 Member
    peanut butter on whole wheat toast....sooo yummy :)
  • ysaidpie
    ysaidpie Posts: 83
    I am in the same boat. Sooooo hungry!! I usually have no problem staying within my calorie limit, but tonight i don't even care that I have gone over a bit. I keep snacking on nuts & had toast with peanut butter. It was so good & felt like my body needed it. Maybe our metabolism is increasing?
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    peanut butter on whole wheat toast....sooo yummy :)
    mmm, add half a banana on that and you've got perfection!
  • Filmsmyreligion
    Filmsmyreligion Posts: 2
    DON'T eat your workout calories! This will ruin any type of workout you do. Water is your best bet to fend off the hunger. Maybe drink some nice warm tea? How long have you been doing myfitnesspal? What is your caloric intake?

    I also would go against the meat, but hey, I am a vegan so the peanut butter sounds mighty good to me. You do however need to find something high in FIBER or PROTEIN. Sometimes I will make a fiber drink. You can buy organic triple fiber at the store and chug it down with a glass of water. It works wonders!!!
  • cindyhamrick
    cindyhamrick Posts: 7
    So many people talk about calories - and they are important, but what satisfies me is minerals - the kind you get in greens. I make a smoothie with Kale and a little apple juice and a whole orange (peeled) with ginger root. That is a great way to feel full and satisfy your body's craving for vitamins and minerals (amino acids need to make calcium, proteins, etc.) so if you think you have had enough 'minerals' today, then perhaps you should try to focus on something else - chug a large glass of h2o and read a book, watch something intense on TV, take a quick walk around the block, something to distract you till it passes.

    Good luck!!! It looks like we are all pulling for you!!!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Some good threads regarding metabolism and why you SHOULD eat exercise cals. :grumble:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    MUST READS!

    As mentioned, get some protein w/ good fats and/or some good carbs with fiber.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    DON'T eat your workout calories! This will ruin any type of workout you do. Water is your best bet to fend off the hunger. Maybe drink some nice warm tea? How long have you been doing myfitnesspal? What is your caloric intake?

    I also would go against the meat, but hey, I am a vegan so the peanut butter sounds mighty good to me. You do however need to find something high in FIBER or PROTEIN. Sometimes I will make a fiber drink. You can buy organic triple fiber at the store and chug it down with a glass of water. It works wonders!!!

    Eating your exercise calories DOES NOT ruin your hard work. A calorie deficit is calculated for you based on how much you select to lose each week. So even if you didn't exercise at all you'd still lose weight. The way MFP is set to work, they want you to eat your exercise calories. Because your body needs a certain amount of calories each day in order to function properly. Not eating enough or burning calories through exercise and not eating back those calories puts you at a much higher caloric deficit. It won't necessarily help you lose weight faster, and if done over an extended period of time it will slow your metabolism and cause your body to store fat instead of burning it.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    DON'T eat your workout calories! This will ruin any type of workout you do. Water is your best bet to fend off the hunger. Maybe drink some nice warm tea? How long have you been doing myfitnesspal? What is your caloric intake?

    I also would go against the meat, but hey, I am a vegan so the peanut butter sounds mighty good to me. You do however need to find something high in FIBER or PROTEIN. Sometimes I will make a fiber drink. You can buy organic triple fiber at the store and chug it down with a glass of water. It works wonders!!!

    Eating your exercise calories DOES NOT ruin your hard work. A calorie deficit is calculated for you based on how much you select to lose each week. So even if you didn't exercise at all you'd still lose weight. The way MFP is set to work, they want you to eat your exercise calories. Because your body needs a certain amount of calories each day in order to function properly. Not eating enough or burning calories through exercise and not eating back those calories puts you at a much higher caloric deficit. It won't necessarily help you lose weight faster, and if done over an extended period of time it will slow your metabolism and cause your body to store fat instead of burning it.

    Thank you...said in a much more diplomatic way than I was tempted to do. :wink:
  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
    for the past 2 hours i've been REALLY hungry.
    i tried eating some crackers and drank 2 bottles of water and im still HUNGRY. :grumble:
    what can i do to solve this? :cry:
    Hungry is a natural state, and not something that will kill you.

    This is from a previous post because it is an eloquent description of this "mythical" starvation mode. ..... " A lot of people start talking about 'starvation mode' when on diets but this is a fallacy. If calorie intake is restricted hugely (so 200 or so calories per day) for an extended period (at least a week) then the metabolism will shift to run the body on a much lower energy level. However, the other side effects of this would be incredibly noticeable - violent headaches, stomach cramps, nauseousness, huge fatigue. They wouldn't have any energy to move very far (this is how the body reduces its energy/calorie requirement). I doubt many people in the developed world have ever even approached starvation mode".....

    If you are hungry have water, have fruit (banana, apple etc) as this does give your body access to energy it is seeking, sometimes the hungry message is actually your "food addiction" kicking in. The good thing is that hunger does pass.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    for the past 2 hours i've been REALLY hungry.
    i tried eating some crackers and drank 2 bottles of water and im still HUNGRY. :grumble:
    what can i do to solve this? :cry:
    Hungry is a natural state, and not something that will kill you.

    This is from a previous post because it is an eloquent description of this "mythical" starvation mode. ..... " A lot of people start talking about 'starvation mode' when on diets but this is a fallacy. If calorie intake is restricted hugely (so 200 or so calories per day) for an extended period (at least a week) then the metabolism will shift to run the body on a much lower energy level. However, the other side effects of this would be incredibly noticeable - violent headaches, stomach cramps, nauseousness, huge fatigue. They wouldn't have any energy to move very far (this is how the body reduces its energy/calorie requirement). I doubt many people in the developed world have ever even approached starvation mode".....

    If you are hungry have water, have fruit (banana, apple etc) as this does give your body access to energy it is seeking, sometimes the hungry message is actually your "food addiction" kicking in. The good thing is that hunger does pass.
    Is that quote from a legitimate source? I've seen plenty of people swear by the opposite! lol
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    for the past 2 hours i've been REALLY hungry.
    i tried eating some crackers and drank 2 bottles of water and im still HUNGRY. :grumble:
    what can i do to solve this? :cry:
    Hungry is a natural state, and not something that will kill you.

    This is from a previous post because it is an eloquent description of this "mythical" starvation mode. ..... " A lot of people start talking about 'starvation mode' when on diets but this is a fallacy. If calorie intake is restricted hugely (so 200 or so calories per day) for an extended period (at least a week) then the metabolism will shift to run the body on a much lower energy level. However, the other side effects of this would be incredibly noticeable - violent headaches, stomach cramps, nauseousness, huge fatigue. They wouldn't have any energy to move very far (this is how the body reduces its energy/calorie requirement). I doubt many people in the developed world have ever even approached starvation mode".....

    If you are hungry have water, have fruit (banana, apple etc) as this does give your body access to energy it is seeking, sometimes the hungry message is actually your "food addiction" kicking in. The good thing is that hunger does pass.

    I'll readily agree that the term "starvation mode" is thrown around entirely too much and used very loosely. However, that doesn't negate the concept.

    And what is usually meant by it is that, while you won't go into "starvation mode" on 1000 cals or probably even 500 cals a day for a short period, it WILL effect your metabolism and decrease the rate of weight loss. The main goal for most people here is weight loss (and hopefully eating healthy) - thus, the advice given should be to keep the metabolism running at its optimum level and doing it in a HEALTHY way.

    Yes, you can lower cals drastically, be hungry all the time and lose weight. For. A. Short. Time. But it will stall. And for many people that will be the end of their attempt at weight loss because will feel a sense of failure at that point. Much better to do it in a sensible, healthy, SUSTAINABLE way. IMO.
  • toxicbox
    toxicbox Posts: 22
    I wouldn't worry too much about your calories...now before everyone jumps on me let me explain. Some things might be really high is calories and/or might put you over on your calorie in take for the day but take a second to really look at those calories! Your body runs on sugar, water and oxygen so if you have a diet high in fruit...yes, your calories might be high BUT it is natural sugar so your body is going to use it!!! So I would say that if you are hungry and afraid of the calorie monster just try some fruit. My FAV is a granny smith apple with peanut butter (sugar and protien).

    Oh and on the note of peanut butter, the "best for you" is the natural peanut butter. Look at the ingredents, it should say something like: "Made from roasted peanuts, contains 2% or less of: fully hydrogenated vegetable oils" (Simply Jif)...All the other stuff they put in it will hike your calories and is yucky! :)
  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
    for the past 2 hours i've been REALLY hungry.
    i tried eating some crackers and drank 2 bottles of water and im still HUNGRY. :grumble:
    what can i do to solve this? :cry:
    Hungry is a natural state, and not something that will kill you.

    This is from a previous post because it is an eloquent description of this "mythical" starvation mode. ..... " A lot of people start talking about 'starvation mode' when on diets but this is a fallacy. If calorie intake is restricted hugely (so 200 or so calories per day) for an extended period (at least a week) then the metabolism will shift to run the body on a much lower energy level. However, the other side effects of this would be incredibly noticeable - violent headaches, stomach cramps, nauseousness, huge fatigue. They wouldn't have any energy to move very far (this is how the body reduces its energy/calorie requirement). I doubt many people in the developed world have ever even approached starvation mode".....

    If you are hungry have water, have fruit (banana, apple etc) as this does give your body access to energy it is seeking, sometimes the hungry message is actually your "food addiction" kicking in. The good thing is that hunger does pass.

    I'll readily agree that the term "starvation mode" is thrown around entirely too much and used very loosely. However, that doesn't negate the concept.

    And what is usually meant by it is that, while you won't go into "starvation mode" on 1000 cals or probably even 500 cals a day for a short period, it WILL effect your metabolism and decrease the rate of weight loss. The main goal for most people here is weight loss (and hopefully eating healthy) - thus, the advice given should be to keep the metabolism running at its optimum level and doing it in a HEALTHY way.

    Yes, you can lower cals drastically, be hungry all the time and lose weight. For. A. Short. Time. But it will stall. And for many people that will be the end of their attempt at weight loss because will feel a sense of failure at that point. Much better to do it in a sensible, healthy, SUSTAINABLE way. IMO.
    My comment on "hungry" is that people need to recognize "hungry" from "thirsty" or "bored" or "addicted to a taste".

    Through my (very sensible) weight loss I finally learnt what hungry really was, and that took me over 3 weeks. Now when I am actually hungry I will eat (though this may be just fruit or similar low fat and natural items). I know that what I previously thought was hunger was only my stomach being empty, which is not hungry, but it just saying "I am going to have to got to fat store if you don't have anything for me".

    Being hungry also means that the body is taking from fat stores and not from easily available glucose. The body would prefer not to have to go to the trouble of opening the "fat cupboard", so you have to encourage it.

    I think until you know what hungry really is weight loss can fail as you start eating for the wrong reason.

    Also the best way to keep a metabolism going is to exercise (or at least get moving and do something) and build some muscle - as that is your bodies engine, where "calories" are consumed. Hunger ( as it is felt) can often dissipate with exercise, as the body has to go for it's stores
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    My comment on "hungry" is that people need to recognize "hungry" from "thirsty" or "bored" or "addicted to a taste".

    Through my (very sensible) weight loss I finally learnt what hungry really was, and that took me over 3 weeks. Now when I am actually hungry I will eat (though this may be just fruit or similar low fat and natural items). I know that what I previously thought was hunger was only my stomach being empty, which is not hungry, but it just saying "I am going to have to got to fat store if you don't have anything for me".

    Being hungry also means that the body is taking from fat stores and not from easily available glucose. The body would prefer not to have to go to the trouble of opening the "fat cupboard", so you have to encourage it.

    I think until you know what hungry really is weight loss can fail as you start eating for the wrong reason.

    Also the best way to keep a metabolism going is to exercise (or at least get moving and do something) and build some muscle - as that is your bodies engine, where "calories" are consumed. Hunger ( as it is felt) can often dissipate with exercise, as the body has to go for it's stores

    I agree, many people have trouble distinguishing the difference between true hunger and other "sensations" or reasons for wanting to eat. But IMO, that makes it even more important, especially early on, to follow the cal goals to a reasonable degree. Try not to go very far under or over, and don't ignore hunger (usually leads to binging for a lot of people.) Just do something healthy to alleviate the feeling. For someone who has trained their brain to associate (or suppress) hunger with other things (boredom, thirst, certain activities) it's a classic Pavlov's dog - they no longer really KNOW when they are hungry and when they are not.

    Which direction you go (not feeling hungry when you need to eat, or eating when you don't need to) depends a lot on what your previous habits were. I underate for years, in a nutshell. My habit was to suppress hunger during the day, never eat breakfast and rarely eat lunch, and then basically gorge at dinner and snack all evening. During the first week of using MFP, I had to force myself to eat - because I didn't recognize or GET the hunger cues from my body because that's how I trained it. For other people, it can be the opposite, of associating too many things with hunger and getting false cues.

    Again, I think either problem is best solved by following the cal goals, and not necessarily ignoring or waiting for hunger, for the first few weeks so that you and your body learn what is an appropriate amount of food. It's all about retraining - most of us wouldn't be here (overweight) if we knew how to listen to our bodies to begin with.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334

    I agree, many people have trouble distinguishing the difference between true hunger and other "sensations" or reasons for wanting to eat. But IMO, that makes it even more important, especially early on, to follow the cal goals to a reasonable degree. Try not to go very far under or over, and don't ignore hunger (usually leads to binging for a lot of people.) Just do something healthy to alleviate the feeling. For someone who has trained their brain to associate (or suppress) hunger with other things (boredom, thirst, certain activities) it's a classic Pavlov's dog - they no longer really KNOW when they are hungry and when they are not.

    Which direction you go (not feeling hungry when you need to eat, or eating when you don't need to) depends a lot on what your previous habits were. I underate for years, in a nutshell. My habit was to suppress hunger during the day, never eat breakfast and rarely eat lunch, and then basically gorge at dinner and snack all evening. During the first week of using MFP, I had to force myself to eat - because I didn't recognize or GET the hunger cues from my body because that's how I trained it. For other people, it can be the opposite, of associating too many things with hunger and getting false cues.

    Again, I think either problem is best solved by following the cal goals, and not necessarily ignoring or waiting for hunger, for the first few weeks so that you and your body learn what is an appropriate amount of food. It's all about retraining - most of us wouldn't be here (overweight) if we knew how to listen to our bodies to begin with.
    I agree. I thought about this today when I woke up at 12pm because I didn't set an alarm. My body will let me sleep a lot longer than it needs, and way past a reasonable time because that's what I'm used to! It would take time and training for my body to be ready to fall asleep at 10pm and wake up at 7am. You can't always trust what your body is telling you, because a lot of the time it's actually been affected by your own habits. I see eating the same way right now. My body might tell me that I can eat a lot more than I should, or with training, a lot less than I should...and that is why I follow the guidelines set by MFP and ignore what my body is telling me (until it's better trained).
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