I eat plenty but I am beyond starving in the morning &afternoon..help!!

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LadyNanci
LadyNanci Posts: 20 Member
edited October 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
The last several weeks I have been struggling with being starving *like in bottomless pit* in the daytime until about mid afternoon. I am not very hungry when I get home so I eat dinner but usually its not my biggest meal. I eat a good breakfast but even after just eating I still have a hallow empty feeling like I am starving. No matter now much I eat...I still seem to have that feeling all day. I do have Gerd and I take my nexium everyday. Its not heartburn that I am feeling but it is weird. It doesnt seem to matter if I increase my calories, or fats or protein...I still feel like this all day. :(

I am type 2 diabetic and take thyroid meds. I have been keeping my carbs to about 50 per day and I have plenty of fat and protein. I don't understand the whole Macro thing but I have only been having this problem about the last 2-3 weeks.

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  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,940 Member
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    What are your stats?

    Looks like you are low carbing which doesn't allow you to bulk up your food with lots of low cal vegetables and fruits.

    But, more importantly, it looks like you have a 2lb a week target which is consistently pushing your below your BMR as I doubt that your BMR is 1300-1400 which seems to be your usual net.

    My own belief is that you will have a much easier time losing weight if you eat at a deficit of 10% to 20% of off TDEE (going up to 25% or so while obese) as long as that leaves you eating at or above your BMR. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    Your mileage may vary :smiley:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
    edited October 2015
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    LadyNanci wrote: »
    The last several weeks I have been struggling with being starving *like in bottomless pit* in the daytime until about mid afternoon. I am not very hungry when I get home so I eat dinner but usually its not my biggest meal. I eat a good breakfast but even after just eating I still have a hallow empty feeling like I am starving. No matter now much I eat...I still seem to have that feeling all day. I do have Gerd and I take my nexium everyday. Its not heartburn that I am feeling but it is weird. It doesnt seem to matter if I increase my calories, or fats or protein...I still feel like this all day. :(

    I am type 2 diabetic and take thyroid meds. I have been keeping my carbs to about 50 per day and I have plenty of fat and protein. I don't understand the whole Macro thing but I have only been having this problem about the last 2-3 weeks.

    Have you been keeping your carbs to 50 grams for the last 2-3 weeks when you having been experiencing this problem?

    Normally when people say they are starving, when I look at their diary, they are eating lots of carbs in relationship to protein. You're the opposite - very little carbs in relationship to protein. The simple answer would be to increase carbs but since it sounds like you're doing 50 grams of carbs to manage your diabetes, did your doctor refer you to a dietician? Consult with him or her. Maybe you can safely increase low glycemic index carbs. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    You need to eat more satiating foods that fit into your calorie goals. Check out this list of possible foods to add in: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
  • LadyNanci
    LadyNanci Posts: 20 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I do have avocado frequently as well as coconut oil and butter. All my meats are lean meats (except my breakfast sausage) . I do have to watch things that spike my blood sugar but I thought with all that fat and protein I should be not feeling hungry. I am wondering if it is not really hunger pains (cuz I can still have it right after I eat) but maybe an ulcer or something?

    I have been doing low carb for about 3 months. The first 5 weeks I stayed under 20 net carbs per day. Now I set my goal at about 100 but I don't think I have ever went over 50 gross carbs. Since I dont eat any sugar, bread, rice or pasta it is easy to stay that low. I do eat cauliflower, broccoli and salads.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    LadyNanci wrote: »
    I do have avocado frequently as well as coconut oil and butter. All my meats are lean meats (except my breakfast sausage) . I do have to watch things that spike my blood sugar but I thought with all that fat and protein I should be not feeling hungry. I am wondering if it is not really hunger pains (cuz I can still have it right after I eat) but maybe an ulcer or something?

    I have been doing low carb for about 3 months. The first 5 weeks I stayed under 20 net carbs per day. Now I set my goal at about 100 but I don't think I have ever went over 50 gross carbs. Since I dont eat any sugar, bread, rice or pasta it is easy to stay that low. I do eat cauliflower, broccoli and salads.

    I see above that you are doing low carb, probably because of the thyroid/type II diabetes issues. However, not all people with these issues have to eat low-carb. It is possible to lose weight and keep these issues under control while eating more carbs than you are currently consuming. check with your doctor/dietitian regarding this.
    Some people naturally find carbohydrates to be more satiating than proteins and fats. It just depends on the person. It's likely that you are one of those people. If you increase your carb intake you might find that your satiety problem improves.
    My MIL did reverse her type II diabetes without eating low carb, just by eating at a calorie deficit, because for her, carbs are more satiating than fats or protein.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    LadyNanci wrote: »
    I do have avocado frequently as well as coconut oil and butter. All my meats are lean meats (except my breakfast sausage) . I do have to watch things that spike my blood sugar but I thought with all that fat and protein I should be not feeling hungry. I am wondering if it is not really hunger pains (cuz I can still have it right after I eat) but maybe an ulcer or something?

    I have been doing low carb for about 3 months. The first 5 weeks I stayed under 20 net carbs per day. Now I set my goal at about 100 but I don't think I have ever went over 50 gross carbs. Since I dont eat any sugar, bread, rice or pasta it is easy to stay that low. I do eat cauliflower, broccoli and salads.

    If I have a meal that is out of balance by either too many carbs in relationship to protein or too few carbs in relationship to protein, I will not be satisfied and feel hungry, even though I have eaten plenty of calories.

    How about adding low carb veggies to your eggs and wraps?
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I have to eat snacks in between meals or else I feel ravenous.

    I'll have a 300+/- calorie breakfast, then a yogurt/apple/string cheese halfway to lunch. Beef jerky or mixed nuts is another snack that won't affect your sugars.

    I have a midmorning and midafternoon snack. It helps curb my hunger.
  • LadyNanci
    LadyNanci Posts: 20 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Thanks. I am going to try adding more lower carb veggies and increasing my carbs to at least get nearer the 50 at a minimum. I know I feel much better without sugar (over 3 months no sugar) or bread and of course that lets out fast food too. I did have my goal set to 1.5 lbs per week but I have changed that to 1pd per week now. I do try to eat a low cal/low carb yogurt about mid morning. Maybe I will try adding a low cal/low carb protein shake into my day also.
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
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    How much water are you drinking?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    What's your blood sugar number like two hours after eating breakfast? Is it improving? Is it low?
  • Brrrite
    Brrrite Posts: 14 Member
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    I have that feeling sometimes and I decided it's my metabolism burning up my fatty pounds! There is probably no scientific evidence that this would be true but it helps me not feel like it's "hunger".
  • LadyNanci
    LadyNanci Posts: 20 Member
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    My blood sugar numbers are good since I started cutting my carbs. My normal morning fasting is between 104-115. I have not tested 2 hours after eating but one hour after I am usually around 140 so I think I am good there. I am sure I am not dehydrated (based on skin test and urine color...sorry if TMI) so I think maybe I need to increase my fat. By watching calories and keeping my carbs low I have tried to steer away from too much fat but I think that might be a mistake. Maybe a serving of nut butter or a piece of cheese might help.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    I was having the same "hungry" feeling in the morning until mid afternoon as well [I am not diabetic]. I found out what was causing it - LACK OF LIQUID. I now drink far more water and lemon and the odd black coffee and hey presto the horrible hungry feeling has disappeared.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    What are your stats?

    Looks like you are low carbing which doesn't allow you to bulk up your food with lots of low cal vegetables and fruits.

    But, more importantly, it looks like you have a 2lb a week target which is consistently pushing your below your BMR as I doubt that your BMR is 1300-1400 which seems to be your usual net.

    My own belief is that you will have a much easier time losing weight if you eat at a deficit of 10% to 20% of off TDEE (going up to 25% or so while obese) as long as that leaves you eating at or above your BMR. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    Your mileage may vary :smiley:

    Low carb dieters can eat lots of fiberous vegetables.
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I agree... play around with not only different types of foods that make you feel full but also meal sizes and timing. I have at least something small for breakfast even though I'm not that hungry simply because it holds me over until lunch so I'm not starving by the time lunch rolls around. So maybe try having a bigger dinner and maybe you won't be so hungry at breakfast. Also when you get up in the morning try pounding a glass of water when you first get up. Sometimes we confuse thirst for hunger.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    LadyNanci wrote: »
    My blood sugar numbers are good since I started cutting my carbs. My normal morning fasting is between 104-115. I have not tested 2 hours after eating but one hour after I am usually around 140 so I think I am good there. I am sure I am not dehydrated (based on skin test and urine color...sorry if TMI) so I think maybe I need to increase my fat. By watching calories and keeping my carbs low I have tried to steer away from too much fat but I think that might be a mistake. Maybe a serving of nut butter or a piece of cheese might help.

    You have great morning fasting numbers! I'm actually concerned that your blood sugars are dropping too low which would explain the hunger. Could you test when you are hungriest to see what is going on?

    Fats are very handy as they provide a long, low sustained burn. Add them cautiously, like a tablespoon at a time (like nuts) and see what happens. I found an egg in the morning (the fat in the yolk seems to be about perfect) did me a world of good keeping my blood sugars stable all day.

    P.S. This Canadian had to to a quick conversion to figure out your sugar numbers. We use mmol/l up here.
    http://www.onlineconversion.com/blood_sugar.htm
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    You might also try increasing your protein intake. I know for some people, me included, protein is one of the things that helps curb hunger. Carbs too, to an extent, but if I want to feel full for hours, I need a good substantial source of protein. Probably why steak is my main comfort food.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
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    HappyCampr1 wrote: »
    The only time I feel like a bottomless pit no matter how much I eat is when I don't eat enough at night. I've never had insulin issues, so I'm not sure if that makes it so you need to eat evenly in your meals, and if so this might not help you. But...I've found that I need to eat a lot at night. I tend to eat between 40-45% of my calories for dinner/evening. When I don't, I'm starving all the next day no matter what. I learned this early on in my weight loss because when I'd end up with few calories left at the end of the day, I'd eat a small dinner. I found that it was much better for me to just go over my calories on those days and eat a proper dinner. For me, it was a difference of going over by 200-300 calories, or starving for an entire day and ending up overeating the next day anyway. I figured if I was going to end up overeating the next day and feel like I was starving the whole time, it was better to just eat more the night before. Now...I log my dinners first to make sure I eat enough then. After that, I figure out how many calories I have left for the rest of the day.

    TL;DR - you might want to play around with your meal timing and sizes to find if it makes a difference to how you feel.

    I don't recall being overly hungry if i did not eat a lot at night, but generally I am not hungry during the day because I am working so I eat at least half of my calories after 5 pm when I get home from work and it works for me.

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