Exercising leading to bingeing...?

Elle408
Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I used to be a regular gym-bunny last year and then had to stop until just recently, when I started again. I found then and now that whenever I start a dedicated gym habit I get ravenously hungry and often end up having massive binges (2000cals+ over allowance.)

Any tips on avoiding this? I generally do about 30 minutes of cardio (elliptical, running, stationary bike etc.) and then 30 minutes of weights and generally burn about 200-250 cals for the hour. I do eat those calories back so don't see why I should be so hungry! It's not directly afterwards or during that i feel the hunger but the next day. I usually can manage a few days ignoring it but around day 3/4 I end up going on a carb mission and eating anything in my path.

I know I should 'listen' to my body and if it's so hungry and I get so lethargic I need to eat more... but i'm eating back what's been burnt so I don't see how I need more?? If anyone could shed any light on to why I feel so hungry i'd be very grateful!

Replies

  • Baroque_Ja
    Baroque_Ja Posts: 23 Member
    250 for an hour sorta seems on the low side for that stuff. I would think the cardio alone should give you 250 in a half hour.
  • osbent
    osbent Posts: 1
    I had the same problem when I started doing Zumba the next day I was absolutely starving. I think its because after excercising it increases your bodies metabolism so you continue to burn more calories even when you are not excercising this lasts for 24 hours. also I think you are probably burning more calories at the gym than you think
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    Yeah 250 calories for an hour session does seem low! Yesterday I burned 300 calories by running 6.0mph for 30 minutes and walking 5 minutes. Earlier I did a Jillian Michaels video for 45 minutes and burnt 270 calories. What are you going by for getting your calories burned? A HRM is really good for calculating your calories burned from exercising rather than the machines or MFP's estimates.

    Try eating foods that are high protein.. MFP sets a pretty low protein intake, only 15% I think. Try bumping it up to 20-25% of your daily calories, that way you will feel fuller longer and hopefully curb your binges. I was doing well with my protein and then started slacking and found myself gorging on chips a couple of nights ago. Yesterday I paid close attention to my protein and felt full and satisfied throughout the day. Also, filling up on vegetables for your meals is helpful too and drinking at least 8 glasses of water!
  • helenmelon29
    helenmelon29 Posts: 787 Member
    Hi

    Im like this after swimming, Im not sure if we are talking about the same thing, but when I get out of the baths I am starving and used to go home and eat away until I was annoyed as I had just undone what I had worked off!

    Now I take a banana with me and as soon as I get in the car on the way home I have my banana. I also have my healthy supper (Dinner) ready from when I get home so I dont think of snacking on anything while it is cooking.

    This works for me and I dont then binge on everything else.

    What do you snack on? What time do you go the the gym? Ive looked at your diary and wasnt sure if you drink/record your water. It might help if you fill up with water? x
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
    Thank you so much for the help! (Love this place!)

    I do generally drink a good 2litres a day, i'm just rubbish at logging it!

    I did wonder about the cals, but the machines are saying about 200-250 for the 30 minutes, even though i'm usually at about 7mph. You always hear how the machines overestimate too so I didn't want to push it calorie wise! When I log the weights it doesn't add any calories?? I'm usually lifting quite heavily too... (25kgs etc.) So maybe that's where i'm going wrong?

    It does seem to be better if I save dinner for after my gym session, rather than before... but it just seems like the hunger accumulates over the days until I go on an eating rampage!

    The only problem i have at the moment is that i'm living in a hotel for the next six weeks and our 'cooking' facilities consist of a fridge, toaster, microwave and kettle! Cooking high protein, non-processed, vegetable filled food is difficult! I guess I could try and have some cheese or lean cooked meat in the fridge as a quick snack before/after the gym?
  • GingerKid
    GingerKid Posts: 86
    I wonder what types of foods you're eating. Perhaps you're particularly low on protein?

    After I workout (which generally kicks my *kitten* from one end of the gym to the other LOL), I try to eat a protein rich snack. If you're eating simple carbs, they're going to flush right through you and you'll be hungry a lot quicker. Usually I have a hard-boiled egg post workout if I'm being diligent.
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
    When I stayed in an extended stay for 3mo, I had the same cooking facilities. I used to keep the strips of chicken and beef that you add to salads in the fridge along with clementines. I had my sweet and my salty depending on my craving. they don't require cooking and it was a lot easier to portion control it. i also usually drink a half glass of water before eating the snack so my stomach feels a little full and I don't over eat.
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
    I think I'm gonna get some protein shakes for before I hit the gym, then my exercise cals won't be carb loaded and I can prepare them in my hotel kitchen!

    As far as weight lifting goes... Anyone know how many calories you do burn? I'm really focusing on my strength training right now and doing some quite intense lifting sessions but when you log them it doesn't add any calories, if I'm burning quite a few whilst lifting and not eating them back that could lead to my hunger?
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    its because you do eat those cals back. the more you eat, the hungrier your body gets..the less you eat the less hungry it gets..its simple and its fact.

    ps..eat more carbs before your workout to fuel your workout so you arent burning glycogen from your lean tissue. it'll help reduce the hypoglycemic response, which gives you that very hungry have to eat feeling.
  • crazymgpilot
    crazymgpilot Posts: 26 Member
    The calories you burn weight training depends on how hard you're hitting the weights, your body weight, etc...a good guestimate is inputting "Strength training" in the exercise cardio log. It'll give you a number. The number seems low to me, since I'm hitting it pretty hard when I lift, but it's a good place to start if you're not logging any of those calories. I also get very hungry after lifting weights. Taking protein right after lifting will help curb those cravings and help keep you from bingeing later on. Hope this helps.
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
    The calories you burn weight training depends on how hard you're hitting the weights, your body weight, etc...a good guestimate is inputting "Strength training" in the exercise cardio log. It'll give you a number. The number seems low to me, since I'm hitting it pretty hard when I lift, but it's a good place to start if you're not logging any of those calories. I also get very hungry after lifting weights. Taking protein right after lifting will help curb those cravings and help keep you from bingeing later on. Hope this helps.

    That's brilliant! Thank you! It's payday tomorrow so I'm going to get some protein powder for shakes, have dinner before the gym and then protein for after and see how that works out! The strength training cals number does seem pretty low (85cals burnt for 30mins) when those 30 minutes are physically exhausting! A lot more so than my cardio HIIT session! But I'll have to go with those numbers because I can't afford a HRM.
  • missy1970eb
    missy1970eb Posts: 1,209 Member
    found the same when i first started running, but always run first then eat lunch after:smile:
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