Always starving and hungry?
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For what it's worth, we're about the same size and I've been following these recommendations provided to me by a nutritionist/health coach - 1800 calories, 50% carbs (no more than 45g sugar), 20% protein, 30% fat (no more than 14g saturated). I also try to get at least 30g of fiber a day and try to keep to < 2,000mg sodium. I do about 3-4 cardio sessions a week (45-60 minutes) and 1-2 interval sessions with weights & quick cardio hits.
Since I started following the guidelines she gave me about 5-6 weeks ago, I've been consistently losing about a pound a week (sometimes 2) and am rarely hungry. In fact, it's usually a challenge to get to 1800 calories a day while staying within the set parameters.
Before I worked with her, I was probably only eating 1200-1400 calories a day and a lot more protein. I wasn't losing weight and I was often hungry. I also wasn't working out as much so my improvements aren't just from diet change. I just thought I'd share since I've been in your shoes (frustrated and hungry!) and this is what's working for me!0 -
I think your goal is too aggressive. I'm over 10 years more than you and never ate under 1650 calories while losing, and my activity was about the same overall.
Just to make sure though - are you weighing your pasta dry or cooked? Because it's supposed to be dry, so if you're weighing it cooked, you're eating less than you think (and if you're weighing it dry, it's probably too much pasta in one day for your goal, IMO, and I'd switch to whole grain pasta for more fiber).0 -
kirstenb13 wrote: »For me personally (and I know everyone is different) I would cut out the spaghetti for example and include an equal calorie amount of veggies instead. I also don't eat pb, just doesn't fill me enough for the calories. But I'm definitely a volume eater, so if this kind of eating has always worked for you in the past (and you don;t want to increase calories a little bit) you might unfortunately just have to tough it out for a little bit, until your body stops giving you these strong hunger signals.
I actually find a mix of carbs and veggies to be the most filling. I tried just protein and veggies, but it satisfies me a lot less. The carbs especially help before my work out too. I have been trying to tough it out and see if things return back to normal, but I was hoping they would after almost 3 months.
Personally I found that bumping the protein and fat and cutting back the carbs a bit was very satisfying. Everyone has their own personal favorites but adding some bacon and an occasional fast food burger made me think of food less. I have these adjustments made on my base diet and if my workouts require more energy I do tend to go carb heavy to make up the difference but keeping in some fat seems to work. (for me)
Your calorie requirements look dead-on. Sadly this is what a person your size NEEDS if you're trying to cut some weight. It's up to you if that's important or not. If you must eat more then step up the exercise. That might be a path that works for you. Just don't give up yet.0 -
I think you've been given some good advice regarding food. Protein tends to keep people satisfied longer and bulking up with fiber will help too. Plus, our stomachs stretch so it takes a bit after being off the wagon to shrink it back down.
But, I'm wondering if you've ever had your hormones checked. You've been so successful with diet these past few years that it sounds like you know what to do and you know your body. If you're noticing a drastic change in hunger it could be totally unrelated to your diet. It could be health related and if you've tried everything and nothing is helping you should see your doctor and get checked.0 -
Every time I've gotten frustrated with my progress, it was because I was being too casual with measuring the stuff I was putting in my mouth. Use a digital scale, and weigh as much as possible. Only measure liquids by volume, anything solid should be weighed on a digital kitchen scale if possible. Don't forget to account for any drinks (especially alcohol), cooking oil, butter on your toast, etc.
I've just started adding refeed days into my diet, so I can't really tell whether they work for me yet. But there are a lot of people I respect who swear by them. I wrote up a more detailed description of refeeds here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/caurinus/view/i-learned-something-interesting-about-metabolism-today-8192610 -
Thought of a couple more things. First, something that helped me with feelings of hunger was drinking a lot of strong green tea. I didn't care for the taste of it at first, but now I really like it.
Your body might be signaling that it's not getting enough of something, often carbs or protein if you're hitting the gym pretty hard. Maybe I miscalculated, but I'm only seeing 1349 calories with these macros?
You said 91g protein (364 calories, 27%), 146g carbs (584 cals, 43%), and 44.6g fat (401 calories, 30%).
Based on your current macros, the first thing I would try is to reduce your fat intake a little and use those calories to add in some more lean protein -- get fat closer to 20% of calories (but no less than 20%), and protein closer to 40%.0 -
Thanks everyone for the advice, I really appreciate everyone's opinion! I realized in my first post i said I was 5'5, but I meant 5'4 (164 cm). Someone asked if I weigh my pasta and grains dry and I do. I also weigh everything with a food scale to make sure my calories are accurate
That's how I already know I'm eating too much besides gaining more weight ha ha. I have my settings set to losing 1.5 lbs, working out 4 times a week for 60 minutes, and MFP says I should be eating 1,440 calories. I have upped my exercise a bit in the last few months because I wanted to get rid of the"extra weight that I gained" off over the holidays faster which is something I do for about one or two months after the holidays. I always do that after the holidays and never had a problem, but maybe this time it could be causing the problem? Normally I work out on the elliptical for 60 minutes 5 days a week. But I bumped it up to 90 minutes 3 months ago. I also eat back half my exercise calories, so I wouldn't think that could be causing me to become over hungry. I also been exercising that way for 3 months, so I thought my body might've adjusted to the high level of activity. 0 -
Crazy thought: have you had a pregnancy test?0
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DebDesautels wrote: »For what it's worth, we're about the same size and I've been following these recommendations provided to me by a nutritionist/health coach - 1800 calories, 50% carbs (no more than 45g sugar), 20% protein, 30% fat (no more than 14g saturated). I also try to get at least 30g of fiber a day and try to keep to < 2,000mg sodium. I do about 3-4 cardio sessions a week (45-60 minutes) and 1-2 interval sessions with weights & quick cardio hits.
Since I started following the guidelines she gave me about 5-6 weeks ago, I've been consistently losing about a pound a week (sometimes 2) and am rarely hungry. In fact, it's usually a challenge to get to 1800 calories a day while staying within the set parameters.
Before I worked with her, I was probably only eating 1200-1400 calories a day and a lot more protein. I wasn't losing weight and I was often hungry. I also wasn't working out as much so my improvements aren't just from diet change. I just thought I'd share since I've been in your shoes (frustrated and hungry!) and this is what's working for me!
I meant I'm 5'4 (164 cm), not 5'5. But still pretty similar My maintenance level without exercise is 1,800 calories, so I couldn't eat that much. On days that I do exercise, I've been doing 90 minutes on the elliptical. On those days I do eat half my exercise calories back. The machine says I burn 1,000 calories which I don't follow since there always wrong. So I estimate 500 calories burn. So I normally eat back 250-350 calories back. So my daily calories are higher. Even with that, I have no problem eating over 2,000 calories excluding exercise calories ha ha xD But of course I've been trying to stay below 2,000. Maybe cutting back on the exercise might be a good idea, I'm not sure if that could be my issue. But I've been working out for 90 minutes for 3 months, so I'm not sure if my body would've adjusted by now.
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Have you calculated your recommended calorie levels anywhere other than MFP? It might be that your target calories are off for your activity level. Maybe try calculating your TDEE including your workouts and see how that compares to your current calorie goals?
If everything's calculated right and it's just feeling hungry all the time, I've found that tea is really helpful for feeling satisfied even when you're super hungry. Black and green teas have caffeine, which is great for appetite suppression, and tea is so flexible as far as flavors, strength, caffeine, and how you drink it (e.g. warm with milk, iced, mixed with fruit, etc) that it stays interesting while filling you up. With no sugar or milk (or even just a little splash of whole milk) tea is a great low-calorie way to feel fuller.0 -
Crazy thought: have you had a pregnancy test?
Oh gosh!!! Never even crossed my mind since I'm on the depo shot for three years ha ha. I would love children in a few years, but I want to lose the weight first. I also haven't had any symptoms besides extreme hunger. I'm sure it wouldn't be that I think I'm just a heavy eater. 0 -
transitofvenus wrote: »Have you calculated your recommended calorie levels anywhere other than MFP? It might be that your target calories are off for your activity level. Maybe try calculating your TDEE including your workouts and see how that compares to your current calorie goals?
If everything's calculated right and it's just feeling hungry all the time, I've found that tea is really helpful for feeling satisfied even when you're super hungry. Black and green teas have caffeine, which is great for appetite suppression, and tea is so flexible as far as flavors, strength, caffeine, and how you drink it (e.g. warm with milk, iced, mixed with fruit, etc) that it stays interesting while filling you up. With no sugar or milk (or even just a little splash of whole milk) tea is a great low-calorie way to feel fuller.
I have calculated my TDEE on other sites, mostly because I was curious and they all were about the same I have bumped up my exercise a bit for a few months which is something I do normally after the holidays to lose the extra weight I gained. I agree with you that tea is super satisfying and helps a lot with the hunger! I drink 2 liters of tea every day since I don't like water and I love drinking tea. I know I would be a lot hungrier if I wasn't drinking tea. 0 -
Well what I'd do is figure out your TDEE and eat at a 20% deficit... http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ gives you 1964 a day to lose 1 pound a week (moderately active setting)... so I'm not really shocked that you're starving if you're only eating 1400 a day (even if you eat 300 calories back 5x a week... that's still really a big deficit considering that your TDEE is probably 2400-2500).
I assume you're not logging your food on MFP though because your diary is empty so it's hard to see how much you're really eating.
But anyway... yeah you're eating way too little IMO.0 -
Just putting this out there. Do you take a multivitamin? Could you possibly just be experiencing your body telling you it is deficient in some things and trying to get extra nutrition via more food?
Are you getting enough water?0 -
Well what I'd do is figure out your TDEE and eat at a 20% deficit... http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ gives you 1964 a day to lose 1 pound a week (moderately active setting)... so I'm not really shocked that you're starving if you're only eating 1400 a day (even if you eat 300 calories back 5x a week... that's still really a big deficit considering that your TDEE is probably 2400-2500).
I assume you're not logging your food on MFP though because your diary is empty so it's hard to see how much you're really eating.
But anyway... yeah you're eating way too little IMO.
Yes, this!
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So you're doing 450 minutes of cardio a week, and you're sure you're really only eating ~1470 calories every day? And you haven't lost any weight at all in the past... how long?
I don't know. I'll post some links that might help. Good luck!
http://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-break-through-weight-loss-plateaus/
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=118548811
http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/refeed-overeating-to-enhance-fat-loss/
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I think it might be time to read some of tim noakes, or jeff volek. A total re think. You have done amazingly well to get this far though0
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Well what I'd do is figure out your TDEE and eat at a 20% deficit... http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ gives you 1964 a day to lose 1 pound a week (moderately active setting)... so I'm not really shocked that you're starving if you're only eating 1400 a day (even if you eat 300 calories back 5x a week... that's still really a big deficit considering that your TDEE is probably 2400-2500).
I assume you're not logging your food on MFP though because your diary is empty so it's hard to see how much you're really eating.
But anyway... yeah you're eating way too little IMO.
I tried the link and at a 25% deficit for my stats, it says to lose 1.2 lbs per week, I would need to go to 1581 calories. Which isn't very far off since on MFP, I put to lose 1.5 lbs eating around 1,400-1,500 calories. Female, 77 kg, 164cm, age 23, and 3-5 hours moderate exercise. Even if I put 5-6 hours of strenuous exercise, it still says 1581 calories to burn 1.4 lbs per week. But it does says the TDEE is 2451. I didn't think trying to lose 1.2-1.5 lbs per week would be aggressive or starving myself? I know that losing 2 pounds for my weight is too overly aggressive, but I heard that for around my weight 1-1.5 lbs is doable. So I'm not sure. I also thought 1,400 to 1,500 calories per day wasn't considered too low. I had people doing 1,200 calories per day and they were telling me that my goal was too high! They also worked out and they didn't even eat back their exercise calories! But of course I could never live on 1,200 calories forever. Although maybe your right and I actually am starving my body to death because I'm simply eating too less? That would actually make the most sense since I'm constantly starving and always never satisfied. Although it is pretty strange since for the past year in a half, I've stayed around 1,400-1,500 calories and never had a problem until the last 3 months. It's funny because I feel ashamed and upset if I get to 1,600-1,700 calories (Not counting exercise calories) because I feel like I'm being a gluttonous pig. But it's strange it's just happened the last 3 months since I never had a problem before. Do you think 1.2-1.5 lbs is too aggressive for someone with my stats?0 -
So you're doing 450 minutes of cardio a week, and you're sure you're really only eating ~1470 calories every day? And you haven't lost any weight at all in the past... how long?
I don't know. I'll post some links that might help. Good luck!
http://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-break-through-weight-loss-plateaus/
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=118548811
http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/refeed-overeating-to-enhance-fat-loss/
Sorry but I just wanted to clarify Before 3 months ago, I ate 1,400-1,500 calories per day for over a year and I was losing weight. I wasn't hungry and I was always satisfied with my meals. But the last 3 months, the same foods and calorie limit of 1,400 to 1,500 calories wasn't satisfying me at all and I was constantly starving. So I've been eating around my maintenance level and sometimes even above which resulted in my gaining 7 lbs in 3 months. Which is something I'm awake of since I track my calories. So I know no matter how much I exercise, it doesn't matter if I'm eating too much. I was curious as to why this sudden starvation started happening for no reason since I never had this problem before. I was wondering if I was lacking in a certain area or maybe not eating the right foods. My protein is super high which is great, my fat level is good since people say fat keeps you full, and my fiber is right on the recommended amount. The fiber could be higher and maybe it would help, but I've tried increasing my fiber before and never noticed any difference. Someone above mentioned that I've been eating too few calories for my stats and level of exercise. Maybe that could be the issue. Although it's strange it only just started affecting me. 0 -
Any new medications?0
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Could you possibly be pregnant?0
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It sounds like you need to get your mind right about the eating situation. Once you put your mind to it I bet the weight will start falling off again. You're probably bored on some level even though you don't realize it too. Maybe you can find a motivational quote or saying that will flip the switch again. Mine was Carrie Underwood believe it or not (might sound silly but it worked for me) and I haven't looked back. I've lost 20 lbs and still going strong. Good Luck!0
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So I've been eating around my maintenance level and sometimes even above which resulted in my gaining 7 lbs in 3 months.
Ah, OK, that makes more sense. 7 lbs isn't that much. I have gained 5-6 pounds just in water weight when I switch from a calorie deficit to maintenance because of stored glycogen, and all of it will drop off again within 10 days after I go back to a calorie deficit.
I wouldn't call it super high at 27% of calories. I think protein keeps you full much better than fat does. Seriously, give 40% of calories from lean protein a try for a few days, keep the high fiber carbs, and cut fat back to 20% or so. Some days I'm double-checking my food diary to make sure I logged everything, because I am under my calorie goal for the day (at a 750 calorie deficit), but I'm not hungry.My protein is super high which is great0 -
These phrases say a lot.
insane appetite <>hunger
I just can't stop eating and I feel like I'm never satisfied.<>hunger
I can't stop eating.
I feel like I'm always starving
motivation to keep losing weight has almost vanished
I've become depressed
you aren't hungry you are eating because you are missing something you want or because you just are giving up...
no extra food or different food is gonna change that...you have to change it.
you either want to weigh 130 or you don't.
at this point I don't think you want it bad enough.
A cheat day or even a week (and Yes i have them) isn't enough to derail me.
I gain over the holidays, I get back on the wagon, I gain on vacation, I get back on the wagon. End of story.
Now either get back on the wagon or gain the weight back your choice.
This is a really smart comment.0 -
How many days in a row have you stuck to your 1400-1500 calories recently? If I have a cheat period of more than one meal, I can count on about 4 days of miserable hunger before I'm OK again, and that's if I stick EXACTLY to plan--if I keep bouncing up and down, the hunger never really settles down.0
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So I've been eating around my maintenance level and sometimes even above which resulted in my gaining 7 lbs in 3 months.
Ah, OK, that makes more sense. 7 lbs isn't that much. I have gained 5-6 pounds just in water weight when I switch from a calorie deficit to maintenance because of stored glycogen, and all of it will drop off again within 10 days after I go back to a calorie deficit.
I wouldn't call it super high at 27% of calories. I think protein keeps you full much better than fat does. Seriously, give 40% of calories from lean protein a try for a few days, keep the high fiber carbs, and cut fat back to 20% or so. Some days I'm double-checking my food diary to make sure I logged everything, because I am under my calorie goal for the day (at a 750 calorie deficit), but I'm not hungry.My protein is super high which is great
I'm glad to hear it might just be water weight since I've been freaking out about gaining 7 lbs in only 3 months ha ha xD So I'm hopeful that it will drop off soon I thought 91 grams of protein sounded like a huge amount, but I do find that a balance of protein, carbs, and veggies help keep me the fullest. I didn't realize my fat levels were so high. It's funny because I never intended for that. I even use cooking spray instead of olive oil or butter to cut down the fat level and to say a lot of calories. I'm not sure how I would get rid of more fat since none of my foods are really fatty or anything, just the numbers add up. I do admit though that almost all the fat comes from the ground beef, so my fat levels aren't always that high since I don't eat ground beef every night. I always switch off between chicken, pork, and beef of different varieties. That is amazing though! I've never been under my calorie goal and not hungry ha ha. 0 -
hopeandtheabsurd wrote: »How many days in a row have you stuck to your 1400-1500 calories recently? If I have a cheat period of more than one meal, I can count on about 4 days of miserable hunger before I'm OK again, and that's if I stick EXACTLY to plan--if I keep bouncing up and down, the hunger never really settles down.
I haven't been able to stick to 1,400 to 1,500 calories lately because of my insane hunger, but before 3 months ago, I could stick to it no problem! I was on 1,400-1,500 calories per day for over a year in a half! I would always have one or two days per week when I would eat at maintenance level or slightly above. I never had a problem getting right on track the next day or bouncing back, so it's really strange.0 -
I'd be hungry too. Your meals aren't very high volume. Have you ever tried higher volume eating? I would keep my calories around the same but increasing protein and fiber through doubling the amount of vegetables. Also, not all of us are kept full on carbs in the am. Try switching your macros around throughout the day.0
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