Still hungry :(
barrebelle7
Posts: 6 Member
I'm 5'4 108ish lb & 25 years old. I maintain on 1800cal/day including a barre class and average of about 6,000 steps a day.
I still get super hungry at night on occasion though. Is this normal? I feel like 1800 calories is not many for maintenance...
I still get super hungry at night on occasion though. Is this normal? I feel like 1800 calories is not many for maintenance...
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Replies
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If you're neither gaining nor losing (over a period of time, like a few months, or at minimum a few weeks), then those maintenance calories are, by definition, correct. (Of course, you could increase your activity level in order to require more, if you wish.)
If you're getting hungry, consider experimenting with the timing & composition of your eating to see whether you can find a more satisfying regimen. This is very individualized: Most everyone differs in what they find satisfying.
By "timing", I mean how many meals & snacks you eat per day, which ones are relatively larger (in calorie terms). Some people do best skipping breakfast; others are hungry all day if they don't eat a big breakfast. Some people need to save calories for an evening snack. Some are happiest with 5-6 small meals spaced through the day; others do intermittent fasting & only eat one giant meal, and there are innumerable variations in between those extremes.
By "composition", I mean what macronutrients and micronutrients you aim for (within a healthy range, of course), plus fiber. Some people feel full if they get more protein; some find fat more filling. Some people need high-volume food (usually lots of fiber-rich relatively low-cal veggies) to feel satisfied. Some people need some carbs to feel satisfied, while some say that eating more carbs just makes them crave even more carbs.
I had some problems with satiation early on in weight loss, and was able to find a routine that remedied the situation, even at the same calorie levels. For me, I need a solid breakfast with adequate protein. (This even helps me avoid night cravings, surprisingly.) I need protein throughout the day, healthy fats at each meal, and plenty of fruits & veggies. If I start to feel hungry, I have a protein snack so I don't get crazy-crave-y.
But for you, some different formula may work better. Try something new a few days. If it helps, stick with it. If it doesn't, try another variation. I hope you may be able to find an approach that will improve your satisfaction!9 -
If you're neither gaining nor losing (over a period of time, like a few months, or at minimum a few weeks), then those maintenance calories are, by definition, correct. (Of course, you could increase your activity level in order to require more, if you wish.)
If you're getting hungry, consider experimenting with the timing & composition of your eating to see whether you can find a more satisfying regimen. This is very individualized: Most everyone differs in what they find satisfying.
By "timing", I mean how many meals & snacks you eat per day, which ones are relatively larger (in calorie terms). Some people do best skipping breakfast; others are hungry all day if they don't eat a big breakfast. Some people need to save calories for an evening snack. Some are happiest with 5-6 small meals spaced through the day; others do intermittent fasting & only eat one giant meal, and there are innumerable variations in between those extremes.
By "composition", I mean what macronutrients and micronutrients you aim for (within a healthy range, of course), plus fiber. Some people feel full if they get more protein; some find fat more filling. Some people need high-volume food (usually lots of fiber-rich relatively low-cal veggies) to feel satisfied. Some people need some carbs to feel satisfied, while some say that eating more carbs just makes them crave even more carbs.
I had some problems with satiation early on in weight loss, and was able to find a routine that remedied the situation, even at the same calorie levels. For me, I need a solid breakfast with adequate protein. (This even helps me avoid night cravings, surprisingly.) I need protein throughout the day, healthy fats at each meal, and plenty of fruits & veggies. If I start to feel hungry, I have a protein snack so I don't get crazy-crave-y.
But for you, some different formula may work better. Try something new a few days. If it helps, stick with it. If it doesn't, try another variation. I hope you may be able to find an approach that will improve your satisfaction!
Thank you for taking the time to reply! I'm normally not hungry for breakfast- I wake up and force myself to eat because of the "jump start your metabolism" rule, but I'm beginning to think that's just a myth? I make a 3-400 calorie breakfast & it makes me hungrier by the time I'm done with it.
I do find that eating a lot of meat at lunch keeps me satiated for a few hours. I save most my carbs for after dinner snacks.
The 4,000 calorie binge I just had was after drinking 4 glasses of champagne. I'm also starting my period tomorrow and I know pms bumps your metabolism, but I doubt it's anywhere near a 4,000 calorie surplus
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barrebelle7 wrote: »If you're neither gaining nor losing (over a period of time, like a few months, or at minimum a few weeks), then those maintenance calories are, by definition, correct. (Of course, you could increase your activity level in order to require more, if you wish.)
If you're getting hungry, consider experimenting with the timing & composition of your eating to see whether you can find a more satisfying regimen. This is very individualized: Most everyone differs in what they find satisfying.
By "timing", I mean how many meals & snacks you eat per day, which ones are relatively larger (in calorie terms). Some people do best skipping breakfast; others are hungry all day if they don't eat a big breakfast. Some people need to save calories for an evening snack. Some are happiest with 5-6 small meals spaced through the day; others do intermittent fasting & only eat one giant meal, and there are innumerable variations in between those extremes.
By "composition", I mean what macronutrients and micronutrients you aim for (within a healthy range, of course), plus fiber. Some people feel full if they get more protein; some find fat more filling. Some people need high-volume food (usually lots of fiber-rich relatively low-cal veggies) to feel satisfied. Some people need some carbs to feel satisfied, while some say that eating more carbs just makes them crave even more carbs.
I had some problems with satiation early on in weight loss, and was able to find a routine that remedied the situation, even at the same calorie levels. For me, I need a solid breakfast with adequate protein. (This even helps me avoid night cravings, surprisingly.) I need protein throughout the day, healthy fats at each meal, and plenty of fruits & veggies. If I start to feel hungry, I have a protein snack so I don't get crazy-crave-y.
But for you, some different formula may work better. Try something new a few days. If it helps, stick with it. If it doesn't, try another variation. I hope you may be able to find an approach that will improve your satisfaction!
Thank you for taking the time to reply! I'm normally not hungry for breakfast- I wake up and force myself to eat because of the "jump start your metabolism" rule, but I'm beginning to think that's just a myth? I make a 3-400 calorie breakfast & it makes me hungrier by the time I'm done with it.
I do find that eating a lot of meat at lunch keeps me satiated for a few hours. I save most my carbs for after dinner snacks.
The 4,000 calorie binge I just had was after drinking 4 glasses of champagne. I'm also starting my period tomorrow and I know pms bumps your metabolism, but I doubt it's anywhere near a 4,000 calorie surplus
I think it's a myth, too - or at most, a very negligible difference. Assuming you're doing a heavy-protein breakfast (say, around 1/3 of your daily goal, plus or minus), and you're feeling hungrier for it, it may be worth a try skipping it for a few days. What's the worst that could happen: You'll get hungrier yet (then eat a protein snack)? You'll feel fatigued before lunch (then don't keep it up)? You're certainly not going to gain a bunch of weight if you skip breakfast for a week!
Good luck!
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If It helps to give you an idea, I follow a pseudo- IF lifestyle. I go about 14/10 I fast for 14 hours and eat for roughly 10. I wake up around 8 and I'll have coffee at 10 am. Then I'll eat a big lunch anywhere from 12:30-2:30 depending on the given day. Then I'll have some fruit around 3-4 and again around 5-6 then I eat a big dinner at about 7-8 and another snack right around 10. I usually go to bed at 11:30-12. It works for me. If I ate a big breakfast I would be hangry all day. lol
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When do you do your exercising? I workout in the morning and get very hungry a few hours later... so I moved my food around to eat more at that time of day. If you are working out in the afternoon/evening you might just need to move your calories so that you eat more in the evening after exercising.2
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1,800 calories is about right for maintenance. Mine is only 1,400 (and I'm 4'11 - 114 lbs.) Try cutting your meals into smaller portions and eating every 2-3 hours instead of eating three large meals every 5-6 hours. Are you working out as well?0
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If you're hungry at night, eat an apple or some carrot sticks. You're not going to gain weight eating an extra 50 calories every odd day, and there's no sense in laying in bed being hungry. Honestly, if you're "maintaining" and you find yourself super hungry, you may not be eating enough, OR you're not eating the right foods earlier in the day. If you have 700 calories of junk without any fiber you're going to be hungry of course :P.1
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man factors can contribute to ur hunger while maintaining .. are you really maintaining ur weight every week ? how many times do u exercise ? don't just calculate ur maintenance by online formulas etc in real life everyone is very different for example calculators tell me i should maintain on 2700-2800 i'm 21 and i actually lose about 0.75 to 1 kg eating around 1800 -1900 cals plus 1 or 2 5000 cals planned free days a week which puts me far from a maintenance of 2700 -2800 lol . also water are u really drinking enough if ur workout hard with weights and cardio ur body needs more than the recommended 3 liters per day 5 liters would be great . if u are really maintaining by this number of calories every week then i would change ur meal timing and add more veggies like carrots and broccoli0
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I'm 5'4" and quite a bit heavier than you (135ish) and maintain on about 1800 calories as well. I had to relearn how to eat for my smaller self...basically high volume, moderate fat, high protein, low carb. You may have to figure out what works best for you as well. Meal timing is kind of important for me too. I like little to no breakfast so that I can relax and eat a bit for dinner and dessert. 1800 is a tricky number...I'm hungry for 2200 per day EASILY. I suggest you play around with your macronutrients and find food good for satiety.0
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barrebelle7 wrote: »If you're neither gaining nor losing (over a period of time, like a few months, or at minimum a few weeks), then those maintenance calories are, by definition, correct. (Of course, you could increase your activity level in order to require more, if you wish.)
If you're getting hungry, consider experimenting with the timing & composition of your eating to see whether you can find a more satisfying regimen. This is very individualized: Most everyone differs in what they find satisfying.
By "timing", I mean how many meals & snacks you eat per day, which ones are relatively larger (in calorie terms). Some people do best skipping breakfast; others are hungry all day if they don't eat a big breakfast. Some people need to save calories for an evening snack. Some are happiest with 5-6 small meals spaced through the day; others do intermittent fasting & only eat one giant meal, and there are innumerable variations in between those extremes.
By "composition", I mean what macronutrients and micronutrients you aim for (within a healthy range, of course), plus fiber. Some people feel full if they get more protein; some find fat more filling. Some people need high-volume food (usually lots of fiber-rich relatively low-cal veggies) to feel satisfied. Some people need some carbs to feel satisfied, while some say that eating more carbs just makes them crave even more carbs.
I had some problems with satiation early on in weight loss, and was able to find a routine that remedied the situation, even at the same calorie levels. For me, I need a solid breakfast with adequate protein. (This even helps me avoid night cravings, surprisingly.) I need protein throughout the day, healthy fats at each meal, and plenty of fruits & veggies. If I start to feel hungry, I have a protein snack so I don't get crazy-crave-y.
But for you, some different formula may work better. Try something new a few days. If it helps, stick with it. If it doesn't, try another variation. I hope you may be able to find an approach that will improve your satisfaction!
Thank you for taking the time to reply! I'm normally not hungry for breakfast- I wake up and force myself to eat because of the "jump start your metabolism" rule, but I'm beginning to think that's just a myth? I make a 3-400 calorie breakfast & it makes me hungrier by the time I'm done with it.
I do find that eating a lot of meat at lunch keeps me satiated for a few hours. I save most my carbs for after dinner snacks.
The 4,000 calorie binge I just had was after drinking 4 glasses of champagne. I'm also starting my period tomorrow and I know pms bumps your metabolism, but I doubt it's anywhere near a 4,000 calorie surplus
If you don't feel like eating breakfast, then just skip it. I had the same experience as you. I just decided to eat my breakfast when I feel hungry which is around 10:00 AM (instead of having breakfast at 7:30 or 8 AM). This has helped me a lot in controlling my hunger.0 -
You're young, you'd doing a lot of exercise, and you're only eating 1800 or you're netting 1800? I ask because although I'm tall, I'm 56 and you lose of lot of maintenance calories with age. My maintenance calories are 1730. I'm set to sedentary but normally eat another 500 calories because of my steps. So I EAT 2230. And I don't do a barre class.
Did you have MFP calculate for you? And do you accurately measure your exercise using a fitbit?
On breakfast . . . I eat breakfast every day because if I don't I get really hungry and eat too much at night. That said, the National Weight Loss Registry has concluded most people who maintain eat breakfast, but it is NOT necessary if you're hitting your calorie goals.
Personally, I also get hungry at night. I eat my meals. I go for a walk after dinner for extra calories. I eat ice cream around 9 - just 1/4 cup plus nuts. And that mostly does it for me. But I'm eating more than you. And I don't think I should be.0 -
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Your BMI is borderline underweight, I'm not really surprised that you're hungry.
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I never eat breakfast. If I eat it I'm really hungry all day. If I don't I'm fine until lunchtime. I'm about your BMI and hardly ever get super hungry and eat most of my food at night.0
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My BMI is only a jot higher than OP's - and is right for my body type, BTW - and I'm not hungry at 1800 (which is a little below maintenance, but I eat at that level most of the time in order to allow for some bigger days now & then, i.e., weekly maintenance calorie goal, more or less).
A low BMI is not necessarily a ticket to poor satiation.2 -
Sounds about right. When I was 5'4'' 108lbs (I bulked up to like 117), I ate about 2,300 calorie, but I walked like 10,000 steps a day and did both weight training and cardio. In my opinion, if you are hungry don't be afraid to eat more or even gain some weight. From personal experience, I wasn't the healthiest at 108lbs. Although I'm naturally of small frame, I was probably hovering around essential body fat at that time. But at the end of the day, ignore what everyone else says and listen to your body. It's your body and you know it best. If you're genuinely hungry, then forget the numbers and eat a bit more.2
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It happens for me as well and I can relate to this. But with time and discipline I started eating quicker meals. If you are hungry for a longer period of time and then sit to eat a mean with only some calorie restrictions, you don't feel satisfied and want to eat more and will ultimately end up binge eating. Believe me, have done that a couple of time. So have 5-6 small meals. Also give it some time to be a part of your system. But as people have pointed out, you know the best for your body and eat a bit more, but don't feel weak or hungry. Cheers !!0
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My BMI is only a jot higher than OP's - and is right for my body type, BTW - and I'm not hungry at 1800 (which is a little below maintenance, but I eat at that level most of the time in order to allow for some bigger days now & then, i.e., weekly maintenance calorie goal, more or less).
A low BMI is not necessarily a ticket to poor satiation.
Exactly! It really annoys me when people point out that someone is at the lower end of the scale. It's rude and unnecessary.0 -
It happens for me as well and I can relate to this. But with time and discipline I started eating quicker meals. If you are hungry for a longer period of time and then sit to eat a mean with only some calorie restrictions, you don't feel satisfied and want to eat more and will ultimately end up binge eating. Believe me, have done that a couple of time. So have 5-6 small meals. Also give it some time to be a part of your system. But as people have pointed out, you know the best for your body and eat a bit more, but don't feel weak or hungry. Cheers !!
No, that's just how you like to eat. I only eat 2 meals a day and it works well for me.
Also being hungry is not a huge deal although people on here act like it is. You can ignore it for a few hours, just like you can ignore being tired or horny. You don't have to act on every physical symptom immediately (and often you can't because you're at work). No one on these boards is going to die from hunger0 -
barrebelle7 wrote: »I'm 5'4 108ish lb & 25 years old. I maintain on 1800cal/day including a barre class and average of about 6,000 steps a day.
I still get super hungry at night on occasion though. Is this normal? I feel like 1800 calories is not many for maintenance...
I just listened to a podcast on how eating timing/meals etc are truly unique to each person. The gentleman who was talking spoke on how he fought his natural tendency to want to eat most of his calories at night for years (which led to lots of binges and weight gain). He finally decided to stop listening to what everyone else said was going to work & just do what his body wanted. He would eat a few snacks throughout the day & then eat most of his calories at night & found that worked the best for him. It helped him control his binges & he was able to loose/maintain weight his weight.
I know I used to struggle with the bedtime "munchies." For a long time after dinner I always had something to munch on while watching TV. Normally I wanted something sweet/not so healthy so I made a hard and fast rule that I don't eat after 8 (special occasions excluded). It took the temptation away & since doing that yes I have gone to bed hungry, but my breakfast is there in the morning.
I think that is totally normal - our bodies are so different day to day in how they function I can't imagine that wouldn't happen.
You could also test out what happens when you add in an extra 100-150 calories a day. The calculators online aren't always 100% accurate. That might be enough to help with the hungry thing.0 -
barrebelle7 wrote: »I'm 5'4 108ish lb & 25 years old. I maintain on 1800cal/day including a barre class and average of about 6,000 steps a day.
I still get super hungry at night on occasion though. Is this normal? I feel like 1800 calories is not many for maintenance...
Yes. I am 5'4 as well @ 117-118lbs & 26. I'm not a big fan of counting calories, I count my macros instead focusing on the calories. I train between 5-6 days a week (strength training) and my daily calories vary depending on the amount of work I will be doing that day. For example on days I am training bigger muscle groups I'll eat between 2000-2500 calories and on my off-day(s) I'll eat between 1600-1800cal. If you've maintained the same weight for a period of time then that amount of calories is just right.
You might want to start looking at the quality of calories you're eating if you're feeling hungry. All liquid calories are not worth it. High protein and good natural fiber. Tilapia is a great low calorie protein along with canned albacore white tuna. Take a look at Pauline Nordin's Fighter Diet0
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