Why am I so HUNGRY!?

NCButterfly
NCButterfly Posts: 4
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been doing great... really sticking with the calorie limit. I'm trying to work in exercise, ever so slightly. But, the thing is, I'm almost two weeks in and I feel hungry soooo soon after eating. Is this a good thing? Is it my metabolism increasing? Any tips for holding off the hunger? Or should I just go with the eating so many times a day?

Replies

  • lruff1987
    lruff1987 Posts: 263 Member
    It must be in the air because for the past couple of days... I cannot stop EATING! I have an insatiable appetite and no matter how much I eat I can't seem to fill up. Which... doesn't work out too well when you're trying to count calories. Hmmm...
  • chrish1981
    chrish1981 Posts: 156
    I've been at it for nearly 3 months now (successfully) and I am always hungry!

    I just try to ignore it. It sucks sometimes.
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
    :flowerforyou: Since you are at the beginning, yes, you are going to be hungry quite a lot. I was hungry all the time for the first two or three weeks. After that, your body kind of mellows out. At least that's the way it was for me. I'm a big believer in throwing in a cheat MEAL once every week or two to keep your metabolism from "plateauing." Is that a word? lol Anyway, hang in there..it will get better..promise! Kudos to you for doing so great!!
  • dixiechicdana
    dixiechicdana Posts: 67
    Try eating something every 3 hours. I found if I eat things with lower calories, I can barely eat enough to make my calories. 5 to 6 mini meals a day.
  • realrayne10
    realrayne10 Posts: 388 Member
    water water water...I find that the more water I drink, the less hungry I get between meals.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    Went through the same thing... last week, I believe. Maybe the week before... Anyways, it's passed now. Sometimes I have weeks where I'm starving, not hungry, or just plain satisfied. It's the weirdest thing. Hoping to see some answers here too. :)

    Anyways, before people give you a bunch of advice about eating more fiber and smaller, frequent meals... I'd like to suggest eating more fats! Healthy fats like cheese and avocado really fill you up. :)
  • rachelblank427
    rachelblank427 Posts: 180 Member
    What the previous posters said. I really try to drink water when I am hungry because it fills you up.
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
    Hi there, I can't see what you are eating but this is what works for me and I'm never hungry. I have breakfast, a snack, lunch, snack, dinner and snack (if I need it to get in my calories for the day). Are you eating lots of protein for energy and high fiber to keep you full longer? Also drinking your water will keep you from feeling so hungry too. At first, I'll admit I was starving all the time too. My diary is open if you want to take a peek. Good luck to you:)
  • sarahrue
    sarahrue Posts: 4
    you should eat often, every two to three hours, that keeps your metabolism up! But protein, good fat and fiber help keep you fuller longer. If your eating a lot of empty calories, or "diet" foods, they likely won't fill you up for as long.
  • jmclowar
    jmclowar Posts: 2 Member
    I don't know what you are eating, but I find it helps if I eat more protien and fiber. I am always over my daily limit for protien but I think the MFP level is set way way too low. Keep at it, its going to be worth it! (at least thats what I keep telling myself when I am hungry :))
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Well there are a couple of things going on here. First, when you exercise (especially with weight training) your body will crave more calories because your metabolism is speeding up. Now without knowing your whole story it's hard to exactly say. But if you went from not exercising to exercising, then what I said previously applies. The biggest thing is getting the right kind of fuel into your system, which means the right type of fats, carbs and calories.


    Here are some tips to reduce hunger:

    1. Eat every 3 hours (even it's it's only 100 calories or so). I actually eat about every 2
    2. Drink plenty of water. (if you have a craving for food, drink 8 oz of water and go for a quick walk). This should cause the craving to supside.
    3. Eat foods high in protein and fiber. These take longer to digest and will keep you full longer.
    4. Enjoy eating. Weight loss doesn't mean cutting food. It just means using premium type foods.
  • MisMolly
    MisMolly Posts: 88 Member
    Pay attention to the kind of food you eat...fiber and protien keep huger at bay a lot longer than carbs. And make sure you are drinking enough water: when I am a little dehydrated, I confuse that feeling with being hungry. Other than that, hang in there! It will get easier!
  • slenderwillow
    slenderwillow Posts: 7 Member
    I go thru the same thing...I'm fine for awhile then will have days where no matter how much I eat I never seem to feel full. Days like that I try to eat more foods with a high amount of fiber and protein to try to beat it. If my schedule that day allows I'll eat small, low cal snacks thru out the day instead of big meals. I also will try to drink more water (I'm not always too good about drinking enough!). There are definitely evenings where I'm trying to ignore feeling hungry but I've learned the hard way it's better to go over your calorie limit a little and have something in your belly than to ignore the hunger pangs and end up overeating and feeling bad about yourself.

    If you feel hungry all the time you will eventually give up your efforts and go back to poor eating habits. It takes time to adjust to change...keep looking for support like you are, it helps!! :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I don't know what you are eating, but I find it helps if I eat more protien and fiber. I am always over my daily limit for protien but I think the MFP level is set way way too low. Keep at it, its going to be worth it! (at least thats what I keep telling myself when I am hungry :))

    I generally eat the daily protein amount in by 10am, lol. It is low. Although, I will say, that your body can only digest 25-30g of protein an hour so the rest will just be deposed of so it isn't a big deal.
  • MsLisaB
    MsLisaB Posts: 256
    It can be hard when you're starting out as your body is used to getting a certain amount of food at one time and now it's not getting that much. Try drinking water when you feel hungry and incorporating low GI foods into your diet. For more info on low GI foods have a look here: http://www.glycemicindex.com/
  • CandiesAndSweets
    CandiesAndSweets Posts: 167 Member
    I have the same problem, and I just ordered a meal replacement powder to help me with that.

    Take a look at the nutrients within the calories you're consuming. Is it enough for your body or does it need more and that's why you feel hungry? Does the food you eat take a long time or short time to metabolize (white bread vs. whole grain bread)? Are you dehydrated? The signal for hunger and thirst is the same, it feels like we're hungry. Only we have a hard time telling which it is. If you feel hungry drink a glass of lemon water. If you still feel the hunger within 30 minutes after that, that means you're actually hungry. If not, it means you were thirsty.
  • kroyalty
    kroyalty Posts: 22
    Several others have suggested drinking more water when you feel hungry. For me the key seems to be to drink LOTS of water all day long and not waiting until I feel hungry to drink it. If I wait until I feel hungry and then drink water it doesn't seem to work, but if I drink water all day long it keeps me from getting as hungry and when I do eat I feel full faster and don't eat as much. I have just made this discovery this week, but it really is helping so far. Good luck--I think it gets better as your body begins to adjust in time too. Hang in there.
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