The more I eat, the more hungry I am...

Options
Xpecta
Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is it just a mind thing? When I eat around 1200, I seem to be fine. But when I kick up my cals to around 1500 or 1600, I get so much more hungry!! Today I ate about 1900 and I'm famished.

Maybe it's because I have more energy from properly feeding my body, that I work out better?

Any ideas or suggestions?

Replies

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Well I just came back to your post after pondering it for about an hour.. I can honestly say, that I have never heard of this before.

    I could ask you several questions about you, your goals and some history.. but I don't think I personally understand or can even begin explain this... I could understand that you may be hungrier (because your goals may be too aggressive), but not the other way around.

    edited to add: yeah there maybe something going on upstairs (in your head)... it has to be a mind thing...
  • Xpecta
    Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    I really really appreciate you pondering this and coming back. Yeah I guess so. I've spent the last 6 or so hours with hunger pangs because of it. Avoiding eating because I ate too much today for my goals, (I had a treat) but it's so uncomfortable.

    I've been at a plateau for a few weeks, while eating at 1200, so during a mfp challenge I bumped up my cals hoping that it could break the plateau thinking that maybe I was in starvation mode or something. Still seem to be stuck however. Keep on pushing I guess.

    But it's going to be hard to be this hungry all the time :(
  • GreenIceFloes
    GreenIceFloes Posts: 1,491 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Is it possible that when you eat more, you get your extra calories from simple carbs? I notice I get hunger pangs a while after eating a large portion of simple carbs in one sitting (which happens pretty often), probably because they get absorbed relatively faster in the blood stream.

    ETA: If that is the case, then maybe get some of those extra calories from fat or protein. They are more filling.
  • caranais
    caranais Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Hi. I can feel like this. I never used to eat breakfast, ever. Then after reading all the advice given about how important breakfast is, I thought I'd better start. That was the start of my real weight problem, and around a 2 stone weight gain over a couple of years. Of course I was adding a couple of hundred calories a day to my normal eating habits doh!!. When I eat breakfast I guarantee I am starving around 2 hours later, it feels like I kick start my appetite or something. (probably not true, but that's what it feels like), but when I don't I am quite happy until I eat lunch. Now I try to listen to my body and if I wake up hungry I eat, if not, I don't. I don't think there is a right time to eat, but listen to our bodies, sometimes we will be more hungry than others so try to keep some healthy snacks to eat when the hunger pangs attack. Good luck xx
  • Xpecta
    Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    This may sound like a silly question, but what is A simple carb?
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,863 Member
    Options
    Or drink more water perhaps if you don't already. Sometimes being hungry is a sign you are really thirsty. Strange I know but you could try it
  • Xpecta
    Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    Thank you caranais. I will try that. I just hope I can eat within my cals!
  • Xpecta
    Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    2essie wrote: »
    Or drink more water perhaps if you don't already. Sometimes being hungry is a sign you are really thirsty. Strange I know but you could try it

    You know I actually knew that. If I've just eaten and I'm hungry, I drink instead. Usually helps. I drink between 2-3 litres a day on average.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    Are the foods you're eating changing? How are you getting your extra calories? What I mean by that is maybe if you're eating less filling foods then that could be your problem as opposed to the actual amount of calories. I know for me if I eat fried/greasy food I feel like I could eat all day long even though I've far surpassed my calories, but when I eat "cleaner" I feel just fine eating at my deficit. Other than that I'm not really sure. Also, around my time of the month I don't think anything fills me up. I could shovel food in my mouth all day long lol. Maybe its a hormone thing with your body right now?
  • Xpecta
    Xpecta Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    hncary wrote: »
    Are the foods you're eating changing? How are you getting your extra calories? What I mean by that is maybe if you're eating less filling foods then that could be your problem as opposed to the actual amount of calories. I know for me if I eat fried/greasy food I feel like I could eat all day long even though I've far surpassed my calories, but when I eat "cleaner" I feel just fine eating at my deficit. Other than that I'm not really sure. Also, around my time of the month I don't think anything fills me up. I could shovel food in my mouth all day long lol. Maybe its a hormone thing with your body right now?



    Today I ate an ice cream cone which kinda screwed me up. I didn't know how many cals it was till much later. I don't think I am.... But maybe I am without realizing it?

    I think I'm over a week away from TOM, but maybe I've started pms-ing. However this has happened before, months ago. I ended up quitting mfp for a whIle to see if it was all in my head.
  • GreenIceFloes
    GreenIceFloes Posts: 1,491 Member
    Options
    Xpecta wrote: »
    This may sound like a silly question, but what is A simple carb?

    This might help:
    http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/carbs.html

    Disclaimer: I don't agree with the belief that complex carbs are 'better' than simple; it is possible to eat simple carbs yet get all your nutrients from other sources simultaneously. I'm just providing the link so that you get an idea about the different types of carbs.
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    Xpecta wrote: »
    hncary wrote: »
    Are the foods you're eating changing? How are you getting your extra calories? What I mean by that is maybe if you're eating less filling foods then that could be your problem as opposed to the actual amount of calories. I know for me if I eat fried/greasy food I feel like I could eat all day long even though I've far surpassed my calories, but when I eat "cleaner" I feel just fine eating at my deficit. Other than that I'm not really sure. Also, around my time of the month I don't think anything fills me up. I could shovel food in my mouth all day long lol. Maybe its a hormone thing with your body right now?



    Today I ate an ice cream cone which kinda screwed me up. I didn't know how many cals it was till much later. I don't think I am.... But maybe I am without realizing it?

    I think I'm over a week away from TOM, but maybe I've started pms-ing. However this has happened before, months ago. I ended up quitting mfp for a whIle to see if it was all in my head.

    Just try to keep a better watch on it and see if that might be your problem. I usually go through periods where I feel totally fine and have no cravings at all and then a week or two where I just want to binge and binge. Push through it and try to change things here and there to see if they help. For example, if I eat breakfast too early in the day I tend to want to eat a lot more earlier on than I do if I eat breakfast later in the day (and for me this can mean the difference in having a good day or being extremely hungry for hours before bed since I work until 4am and have to be up so long). So this is something I've learned and I have changed to make dieting easier for me. Sometimes our bodies respond better and worse to things that we wouldn't think would matter all that much. Try playing around with some things and see if they help. And congrats on the weight you've lost so far btw. You look awesome!
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    caranais wrote: »
    Hi. I can feel like this. I never used to eat breakfast, ever. Then after reading all the advice given about how important breakfast is, I thought I'd better start. That was the start of my real weight problem, and around a 2 stone weight gain over a couple of years. Of course I was adding a couple of hundred calories a day to my normal eating habits doh!!. When I eat breakfast I guarantee I am starving around 2 hours later, it feels like I kick start my appetite or something. (probably not true, but that's what it feels like), but when I don't I am quite happy until I eat lunch. Now I try to listen to my body and if I wake up hungry I eat, if not, I don't. I don't think there is a right time to eat, but listen to our bodies, sometimes we will be more hungry than others so try to keep some healthy snacks to eat when the hunger pangs attack. Good luck xx

    This happens to me too. If I eat breakfast too early I am ready for another meal just a couple hours later no matter how big my breakfast was, but if I put it off until a little later then I don't feel the desire to eat as much
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Options
    Hard to know, when we dont know what youve eaten or much more about you. I do have the eating habits that im less bothered if I on eat, but when I do, then I have to eat a lot. It might have just as much to do with what you are eating.


    I have a feeling 1200 is too aggressive for you, but then you cna do the math and know whether you can sustain it.

    Disagree with greenice in that overall complex are muh better than simple carbs. They will fill you up for longer, more nutritious and are a better source of sustained energy. In certain circumstances simple carbs are handier and in many situations you might want to choose simple carbs because they are more appealing because of the food they are. The majority of your carbs imo should be complex.
  • caranais
    caranais Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Glad I'm not the only one!! It's strange how our bodies work, I do think what we've eaten a couple of days before makes a difference too. I now try to plan over a week, not daily, as some days I really don't feel like a lot of food, but other days I want more, so I try to go with it a bit. Hopefully over time this will work for me. I've also found that if I eat some fat - ie butter on my toast, or Peanut butter in my porridge, etc, I seem satiated for longer. I don't feel deprived, and if I "fancy" something I just have a little of it. If I try not to and eat other things instead, I will probably give in to my craving by the end of the day and the extra calories instead of it being just a part of my "normal" calorie allowance for the day.
  • GreenIceFloes
    GreenIceFloes Posts: 1,491 Member
    Options
    999tigger wrote: »
    Hard to know, when we dont know what youve eaten or much more about you. I do have the eating habits that im less bothered if I on eat, but when I do, then I have to eat a lot. It might have just as much to do with what you are eating.


    I have a feeling 1200 is too aggressive for you, but then you cna do the math and know whether you can sustain it.

    Disagree with greenice in that overall complex are muh better than simple carbs. They will fill you up for longer, more nutritious and are a better source of sustained energy. In certain circumstances simple carbs are handier and in many situations you might want to choose simple carbs because they are more appealing because of the food they are. The majority of your carbs imo should be complex.

    Agreed that complex carbs are more nutritious and keep you full longer. Simple carbs get me hungry soon after (like I mentioned above). But if you are able to stick to your deficit comfortably, and hit your macros and micronutrient targets while eating more simple carbs than complex, then imo it doesn't really matter at the end (assuming you are of sound health and not adversely affected by blood sugar spikes).
  • caranais
    caranais Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Btw Expecta, I meant to say you look great - you're obviously doing something right!! well done you xxx

Categories