Does a growling stomach/hunger actually means you SHOULD still eat more??
pumpkinpocalypse
Posts: 104 Member
I sometimes eat a huuuge meal, especially at dinner (like 500 calories, sometimes 600 in one sitting, super loaded with veggies and protein, taking up a lot of space in my bowl or plate because I tend to be too generous esp. with the vegs when i put them straight in the pan so I end up with a ogre sized plate...) and then feel extremely full afterwards. But like tonight, a hour or so after I started feeling really hungry, like i havent had eaten at all! I don't like late niht snacking, because I'm too used to the ''dinner over, kitchen closed for the day'' jazz. I mean, I only started trying to eat 1500 cals daily this week (I was on 1300 before for a loooong time and rarely needed anymore food than that at the end of the day), and tonight i was topping 1400 calories. Pretty much enough in my opinion, i didn't feel like giving in to a 100 cals dark chocolate mini bar ''just to reach my calorie goals'', it didn't seem smart to me. Would it have been? Is hunger really supposed to mean you can and should take in more food, whatever it is, because you need it? Would it have been good for me to eat the chocolate, or should I have tried to eat something else that isn't dessert (so like, another mini meal???), or is it normal to ignore hunger from time to time if you've already eaten plenty?
(I ate dinner after my workout but I doubt I burned 500 calories before then either)
Thanks, i'm kinda a freak about eating ''clean'' (i know people hate this trend on here but i don't believe in dessert all the time for no reason...actually it's just as confusing as it gets. When is it even the time to eat dessert/late night snacks???)
(I ate dinner after my workout but I doubt I burned 500 calories before then either)
Thanks, i'm kinda a freak about eating ''clean'' (i know people hate this trend on here but i don't believe in dessert all the time for no reason...actually it's just as confusing as it gets. When is it even the time to eat dessert/late night snacks???)
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eat enough to maintain, loose or gain weight depending on goals
If you feel hungry have some water, wait a bit then eat food
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If you got in all your protein & veggies and have left over calories for chocolate that you'd like to eat go ahead and eat it. Dark chocolate is good for you anyway.0
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If your goal is maintenance, which it seems like it is? Then you should not expect to feel hungry. That's your body telling you that it needs something. That's expected when losing weight, but when on maintenance, it shouldn't feel hungry. You might crave things to eat - like something sweet, that sort of thing - which is the not the same as hunger. But an actually growling stomach is typically a sign that you need more to eat.
However, that said - hunger can be a sign that your body is in need of calories, but it can ALSO be a sign that your body needs something else, like vitamins, minerals, carbs, or protein. So it might be worth it to look over your daily intake and check what your nutrient levels are like. Could be there's something you're not getting enough of and that's what's triggering the hunger rather than calorie levels.0 -
However, that said - hunger can be a sign that your body is in need of calories, but it can ALSO be a sign that your body needs something else, like vitamins, minerals, carbs, or protein. So it might be worth it to look over your daily intake and check what your nutrient levels are like. Could be there's something you're not getting enough of and that's what's triggering the hunger rather than calorie levels.
Ohh, that might be it. Thanks for the enlightenment.
I thought about tracking my macros recently but appart from doing a very general average in my head at the end of the day, I can't really get myself to properly count them. Since I always cook for myself realyl complicated meals made up of a bunch of things it it just seems so obsessive and too much to track it down with precision...it's already quite a job to count calories I feel like if i start tracking macros, it will not only be noticeable by people around me (which became really annoyed whenever I simply look like i'm on a diet, even if im not, just because i'm a health nut and they think i'm anorexic and stuff), but the work it implies will make me give up after a short while. Does anyone have tips and tricks on how to make tracking easier, simpler and faster? So it can be intuitive enough and not require a constant access to a phone/notebook? I already write often enough in my food diary...
OR in that case would it be fine to just track macros ''on average'' without being especially precise, while still improving the surprise hunger pans problem?
Thanks a bunch!!
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Well, if I listened to my body, I'd probably have gained back 20 pounds by now.
My body is a lying PoS at least 2 weeks a month.0 -
Honestly, if your stomach is actually rumbling from hunger, I don't think a macro imbalance is going to cause that.
The sound is basically made by your stomach and intestines contracting and pushing your food around. It's louder when your stomach is empty because there's nothing to muffle the sound and so it echoes but it's happening all of the time. About two hours after you finish digesting your last meal, the brain starts signalling the digestive system to start working again for two reasons: one, to clean out any food that might have been missed and two, to make you realize you are hungry so you'll eat again.
Since you just ate what you described as a huge dinner it doesn't seem possible that you're actually hungry one hour later. More than likely, it's just your digestive system happily gurgling away as it digests your dinner.0 -
Well it wasn't making any noise, but I had that stomach pain you get when you're almost starving you know. Im not sure if it's normal for the digestive system to cause that just because it's digesting, but perhaps? I guess that's why i asked on here...Since you just ate what you described as a huge dinner it doesn't seem possible that you're actually hungry one hour later. More than likely, it's just your digestive system happily gurgling away as it digests your dinner.
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Ah, pain. Gas? You know, air pockets in your digestive tract.pumpkinpocalypse wrote: »
Well it wasn't making any noise, but I had that stomach pain you get when you're almost starving you know. Im not sure if it's normal for the digestive system to cause that just because it's digesting, but perhaps? I guess that's why i asked on here...Since you just ate what you described as a huge dinner it doesn't seem possible that you're actually hungry one hour later. More than likely, it's just your digestive system happily gurgling away as it digests your dinner.
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When my stomach is growling, it's telling me "You got an hour to get the food train rolling or I tell the spinal cord to start the stabbing back pains." It's different for everyone, so just because I'm hungry when it happens doesn't mean you are. You can try drinking water/coffee/tea and see if that helps.0
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Well, just because you loaded your plate doesn't mean you have to eat it in one sitting. If this is a nightly occurrence, I would eat half the amount and then come back. Or else save calories for a snack. Unless you have sleep issues, heartburn/reflux, or a close relative who had esophageal cancer, there isn't a reason why you can't eat post-dinner.0
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Do you actually know how many calories you should be eating daily?0
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Pfft. Eat a 100 calorie chocolate bar. I've been eating a 190 calorie chocolate bar every night, because I'm usually stuffed but need more fats and at least 200 more calories. I'm trying to maintain, but still losing a little because I'm so stuffed and can't manage more calories.
It's really funny actually -- never thought I'd roll my eyes and grudgingly eat a whole chocolate bar! XD
There is not however anything wrong with eating a whole chocolate bar, if it fits in your goals. Or maybe a spoon full of something even more dense, like a nut or seed butter.
And, if you're hungry but usually under your goals? Nothing wrong with eating a bit more that day, especially if you remain mindful. Our bodies are liars, yes... but if you're legit still hungry and still have calories, eat them!0 -
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Does a growling stomach/hunger actually means you SHOULD still eat more??
No. Not necessarily. If you haven't eaten in hours it might be, but if it is happening shortly after you eat a big meal, then no.
You might try things like ... tea, a mint, or perhaps visiting the Dr just to make sure everything is OK, especially if there is pain involved.
But chances are it is just digestion.0 -
Mine only does this when I haven't eaten in a few hours from being hungry0
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Divide your dinner in two. Overeating can make me digest things faster.
Eat until you're comfortable. When you're hungry again, finish up the rest. 0 -
Well, if I listened to my body, I'd probably have gained back 20 pounds by now.
My body is a lying PoS at least 2 weeks a month.
pretty much this.
I'm hungry constantly- I could eat all day. My body is also a lying POS who would have me eat way more than I should.
No- hunger pains are not really a good basis for eating. It's a chemical reaction based on conditioning not on reality.
Case in point- I never/rarely eat breakfast- last week- I had breakfast 2 days in a row- 3rd day - by 830 AM I was ready to stab someone b/c I was so hungry. I ignored- and pressed on- back on my normal schedule now- no problems.0 -
500 calories is a lot of volume, but its not really a lot of food as such so I'm not overly surprised you were hungry an hour later, i would be too0
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My long-time trainer told me "never wait til you feel hungry to eat, and never wait til you feel stuffed to stop". He believed in steady but moderate consumption all day. By the time you feel it, you've waited/eaten too long.0
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PeachyPlum wrote: »Do you actually know how many calories you should be eating daily?
Any recommendations for working this out? MFP has me at 1730 calories due to my "sedentary" job. Then I work out and it's like "No, eat 2300!" by which point it's late in the day and hard to catch up.
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PeachyPlum wrote: »Do you actually know how many calories you should be eating daily?
Any recommendations for working this out? MFP has me at 1730 calories due to my "sedentary" job. Then I work out and it's like "No, eat 2300!" by which point it's late in the day and hard to catch up.
If you know you're going to work out later on in the day, eat a little more with each meal.
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I'll defer to some of the actual nutritionists on the forum, but this is part of my beef with calorie counting forcing folks into an OCD and mathematic relationship with food... not healthy.
Kudos to you for being a proponent of clean eating, which doesn't get much love on this forum for some reason. My advice (and feel free to take it with a grain of salt) is to listen to your body, eat when you are hungry -- and try not to stress about 600 calories here or 500 calories there. You seem to have a general sense of where you stand and you're eating quality foods -- so take the stress out of it and try removing the regimen for awhile.
When I'm looking for satiety, peanuts are an awesome high-calorie food. A handful of peanuts or pistachios and a good drinking yogurt are my favorite when I'm hungry after dinner.0 -
PeachyPlum wrote: »Do you actually know how many calories you should be eating daily?
Any recommendations for working this out? MFP has me at 1730 calories due to my "sedentary" job. Then I work out and it's like "No, eat 2300!" by which point it's late in the day and hard to catch up.
I have a super-accurate tracker. MFP was severely underestimating my calorie burns and had me under eating by a lot (I was literally light-headed when I first started).
I'm not saying MFP's not accurate, but it works off the average person at your weight and activity level. If you're different from average, you'll know because you'll either feel like crap or gain weight on their recommendations.0 -
I get that. I just ate a big ommlet an hour ago, but am starving.0
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a lot of times what happens is that you're eating enough in calories but not enough as far as volume. try to limit foods that are calorically dense, and try to fill up on fruits and veggies in addition to your fats and proteins
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Maybe your goals on MFP should be adjusted... do you know your LBM %?? If you do they you should be able to figure out how much protein your body really does need rather than a goal set by an "average".0
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pumpkinpocalypse wrote: »I only started trying to eat 1500 cals daily this week (I was on 1300 before for a loooong time and rarely needed anymore food than that at the end of the day), and tonight i was topping 1400 calories. Pretty much enough in my opinion, i didn't feel like giving in to a 100 cals dark chocolate mini bar ''just to reach my calorie goals'', it didn't seem smart to me. Would it have been?
What is your goal? If to maintain, then yes, it would have been a good idea, or simply working in more calories during the day if you prefer not to eat at night. But you aren't trying to lose more and are trying to find you maintenance, right? You want to figure out a way to eat where you are able to eat your calories and also aren't feeling hungry.Is hunger really supposed to mean you can and should take in more food, whatever it is, because you need it? Would it have been good for me to eat the chocolate, or should I have tried to eat something else that isn't dessert (so like, another mini meal???), or is it normal to ignore hunger from time to time if you've already eaten plenty?
Hunger can be misleading for some of us, both thinking we are hungry when we likely are not and thinking we aren't hungry when we need food. If you've not been eating normally for a while--overrestricting or dieting or gaining or losing weight--it's very common to not be in touch with what is hunger and what isn't, and it would likely be good to try and figure out what your maintenance is, how many calories you need, and then eat in a way that gets in those calories and makes you feel satisfied.
IME, the rumbling stomach often is not really a sign of hunger (although I can be for people), so if I'd just eaten and eaten plenty during the day I'd ignore it. BUT you said you'd only had 1400 calories and that's quite low for maintenance at your age even at your size, so I think eating more would have been smart, or maybe simply trying to work it into your day. Your post made me worry a bit that you are having trouble convincing yourself that it's a good idea to raise the calories.0 -
I am wondering why the idea of tracking macros would be such a burden? MFP tracks it anyways, so it is just looking at the info.
I don't log food on MFP for various reasons, I do it by the good old way in a small notebook, by hand. I don't like searching in the repertory on MFP...especially sicne i often use f*cked up, improvised measurements for food when i cook, it's a burden to register like, 1/8 cup of something when i can calculate it more easily and play around with numbers and stuff by myself. I got very very efficient at estimating, and weight food as well so it's no use for me.Does a growling stomach/hunger actually means you SHOULD still eat more??
No. Not necessarily. If you haven't eaten in hours it might be, but if it is happening shortly after you eat a big meal, then no.
You might try things like ... tea, a mint, or perhaps visiting the Dr just to make sure everything is OK, especially if there is pain involved.
But chances are it is just digestion.
I see, glad to know, it's reassuring! Thanks. Yeah, I do drink a looot of water all day long so maybe that fastens up digestion and empties my system more quickly?My long-time trainer told me "never wait til you feel hungry to eat, and never wait til you feel stuffed to stop". He believed in steady but moderate consumption all day. By the time you feel it, you've waited/eaten too long.
I know, but I try to stick to a precise eating schedule because it's less of a hassle to plan my day around that, like lunch at 12, snack at 4, etc. Dinnertime varies since my workouts aren't always at the same time...in that case I was home at 6, I had no choice but to wait to eat since I was away, starving or not! But i kno i've heard that waiting for a big hunger signal isn't the best idea of all because we might end up making ''bad food choices on a hurry'' etc.0 -
I personally don't think 500 calories is a lot of food or volume myself...perhaps that's why you're hungry...it's actually not that much.0
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