Does weight loss hormonally stimulate hunger?

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tanyaltrl
tanyaltrl Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've wondered this for years. Lets say I find a calorie goal I find filling and still puts me at a 1lb deficit per week. The diet is easy for first few weeks, and I lose weight. Then suddenly its difficult to stay within the calories because I am so hungry most of the day even though nothing in the diet changes. Its strange because a few weeks ago I could easily eat much less than the goal if I wanted to! I don't believe in starving myself for weight loss so I try my best to eat more veggies or maybe go a little over my goal that day. But again this is not helping me lose weight.

Im wondering if losing 10-15lbs stimulates some hormones (maybe ghrelin?) to make you hungrier so you dont lose too much fat for survival. I can see that making sense for a skinny person eating 1000cals/day but I'm slightly overweight eating the calorie allowance for .5lb loss per week (roughly 2000/day). So frustrating. Can someone tell me this isnt just in my head?

Replies

  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,978 Member
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    That hasn't been the case for me. I find that the more weight I lose the less hungry I am. I also feel uncomfortable if I eat too much and before I could keep eating as long as there was food in front of me.
  • Maria_Fatima
    Maria_Fatima Posts: 238 Member
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    Maybe you have over worked yourself recently or have started doing exercises or activities that make your body demand more food?
    Because your experience is the opposite of what is common. If you have drastically lost weight though, your body will need time to catch up and meanwhile you could lift weights and do some strength training to build muscle and tone your body, and focus on weight loss a little after.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    Yes, extended energy restriction (like during weight loss) does trigger an increase in ghrelin release.

    Also, leptin levels correlate with fat mass, so a decrease in fat mass would mean a decrease in leptin. It may seem counterintuitive that the obese have more circulating leptin, but it is observably higher. Unfortunately, as they gain weight, people become leptin resistant, which explains how it is possible to continue to eat at a surplus and gain weight despite high leptin levels.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
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    I've heard that does happen. And I'm hungry most of the time, partly because I spent many years eating until I was over-full, and now I only eat to satisfaction, which means I still have room in my stomach for more food, aka, "hungry" even right after eating a meal.
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
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    There might be other reasons-- are you in the literal phase of your menstrual cycle? That increases energy expenditure and most women are hungrier then.
  • tanyaltrl
    tanyaltrl Posts: 42 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    There might be other reasons-- are you in the literal phase of your menstrual cycle? That increases energy expenditure and most women are hungrier then.

    Well here's the other weird part, I skipped my last period so I don't know where I'm at in my cycle. Before my last period, I skipped another 3 months.

    Little back story if anyones curious. I was diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea 3 years ago, didn't have period for 2 years. This usually only happens to women who are anorexic or overexercise, not borderline overweight like me. I cured this by eating a lot more, but of healthy foods. Of course I gained weight. Now I'm cutting way back and just eating 2000ish calories. I'm also under some stress with grad school and my internship so that plays a role too. Just wanted to put this out there incase other women are trying to relate this to their own situations.
  • tanyaltrl
    tanyaltrl Posts: 42 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Update and extra info:
    I got my basal metabolic rate tested today. Apparently it's slightly higher than average at 1800 cal/day instead of 1600. I burn 1800 calories by laying in bed doing nothing, in addition to roughly 550 more with daily activity, plus exercise calories on top of that. The guy who administered the test was sure I needed to eat 1400-1800 to be productive in weight loss. I'm not sure whether I should drop my calories to 1800 and eat loads more veggies/salads or if I should increase my calorie goal by 200cal in hopes I can better stick with my calorie budget and not get so starved at times.
  • tanyaltrl
    tanyaltrl Posts: 42 Member
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    danelutza19 wrote: »
    I like the topic of this dialogue.
    I occasionally find myself in your situation. I eat around 2000 calories a day, not much cardio other than daily activities and 2 lifting sessions a week with occasional yoga. Sometimes it's incredibly easy to stay within my calorie limits and sometimes I have a whole week when I'm hungrier than usual. It's taken me 2 years to figure out that it's actually a cycle and once estrogen starts to drop ( about a week before my period), my body wants more food. The way I see it, I loose fat 3 weeks out of the month and stay at maintenance for one week. In the long run, a few breaks are actually helpful. This approach has worked for me so far.... I have dropped over 90lb :)
    I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's ok to take things at your own pace.
    PS way to go on those BMR numbers!!!

    Thanks for your response! I certainly hope its hormonal. I'm possibly starting my period in a few days if I don't skip another month. So the week before your period do you allow yourself to eat just a little over goal or do you actually change your calorie goal for a week?
  • danelutza19
    danelutza19 Posts: 2,025 Member
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    tanyaltrl wrote: »
    danelutza19 wrote: »
    I like the topic of this dialogue.
    I occasionally find myself in your situation. I eat around 2000 calories a day, not much cardio other than daily activities and 2 lifting sessions a week with occasional yoga. Sometimes it's incredibly easy to stay within my calorie limits and sometimes I have a whole week when I'm hungrier than usual. It's taken me 2 years to figure out that it's actually a cycle and once estrogen starts to drop ( about a week before my period), my body wants more food. The way I see it, I loose fat 3 weeks out of the month and stay at maintenance for one week. In the long run, a few breaks are actually helpful. This approach has worked for me so far.... I have dropped over 90lb :)
    I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's ok to take things at your own pace.
    PS way to go on those BMR numbers!!!

    Thanks for your response! I certainly hope its hormonal. I'm possibly starting my period in a few days if I don't skip another month. So the week before your period do you allow yourself to eat just a little over goal or do you actually change your calorie goal for a week?

    When the hunger kicks in, I don't make any changes to my calorie goal in MFP but I usually end up eating at maintenance or a little above. I play it by ear because I hate feeling hungry or deprived. Usually it's just more of the same food I would normally eat. For example, when I'm hungry, I will have 4 eggs instead of my usual 3 and about 1oz more cheese than usual and more fruits and veggies.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Yeah watch for your period to show up soon.

    But I'm hungrier as a whole after losing weight too. The 10 days before my period are just particularly hard.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
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    I think there is definitely something to this. I have been frustrated lately, as the lower my weight gets, the higher my hunger gets. I was easily maintaining a 1400 calorie goal 20 pounds ago, and now struggle with 1600. Lyle McDonald has many theories about this on bodyrecomposition.com. He also did a video/interview floating around somewhere that explains a lot about the interaction of hormones, fat loss and hunger in woman. I need to see if I can dig that up...
  • redmaryclare
    redmaryclare Posts: 33 Member
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    I think it is definitely true. After losing 16lbs which was 10% of my body weight my hunger increased dramatically. I decided to maintain for a while and the hunger did go after a couple of weeks. But I am up 5 lbs, I hope it is water weight - eek. I am back on deficit now - phew.
  • greeneyedfurball
    greeneyedfurball Posts: 23 Member
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    Redmaryclare, it's interesting that you say your hunger kicked in at a 10% loss of body weight, because that is precisely when my hunger started too. I hit the 10% mark a few weeks ago, and it's been a struggle to keep my calories at goal. I've considered taking a break and maintaining for while to see if it helps me reset, but haven't yet done so.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    The more you lose, the fewer calories are needed for survival. Try switching up what/when you eat and be sure to get enough protein & healthy fat, as these macros help satiety. As I progress, hunger kicks in at different times and I find I've needed to switch around my eating patterns every few months. My latest switch has been to drink my protein shake with breakfast, rather than later in the day, which had been working the best.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I have also experienced this. I have lost just over 18% of my body weight and I am always hungry. Always. Well, okay, except when I went nuts at an Italian restaurant for my birthday, but even then I was hungry 2-3 hours later. I eat around 2000 calories a day, lots of protein, fat, and fiber. I was never hungry like this when I was heavier. I never used to be a breakfast person. Now I wake up hungry. It's definitely a lot more challenging to stay within my calories than it was 20 pounds ago!
  • joans1976
    joans1976 Posts: 2,201 Member
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    I. AM. SO. GLAD. I. FOUND. THIS.
    Awesome, thank you ladies! I have changed my eating habits, started exercising and been logging everything for 11 weeks now. 2 weeks ago, I hit my 10% goal (20 pounds lost.) I then immediately was a hungry beast. For a full 7 days. I did what one of you said you did, still ate healthy foods, just more. I was proud of myself for not giving in to cravings because I could have eaten so much crap with all the things I was craving but I didn't.
    I proud but also frustrated because besides the first week, I had not been "starving" or feeling like I was "missing out" then boom! Major hunger after 11 weeks. I figured if it was hormonal, I would have felt this at least twice in a 9 week time frame. (Note: I don't let myself have a period, I'm under close dr supervision, I just take my birth control pills non stop- I have done this for 3 years now and am happy with how it works for me, it also helps reduce the size of my fibroid cysts, so I do not get a period so sometimes I forget about hormonal factors)
    Anyway, I had not felt this much hunger so I was kind of frustrated. I gained a pound. I know, only a pound but I had always lost with each weekly weigh in. I was worried it was the beginning of the end. Now I'm losing again and am not a hungry beast, just back to normal.
    I'm so glad others have experienced the same at their 10% weight loss, it takes a little mystery out of the whole thing.
    Sorry this reply was so long and sorry if it got off topic of OP.

    Everyone keep up the good work and be kind to yourselves!
    Thank you for listening!

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