Feeling hungry- does it pass?

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Weeese
Weeese Posts: 34 Member
edited June 2016 in Food and Nutrition
After years of over eating/binge eating, I have taken the decision to make a lifestyle change for the better using MFP to help me keep a record of my intake and gain some perspective of a 'normal' eating pattern. I have expected that I will feel hungry as my intake is lower than it has been for some time. However, I wonder to myself, in my weakest moments, if this will pass as my stomach shrinks to a normal size at all? I think about eating for a large proportion of my day and have been resisting the urge to eat for the four weeks I've been following MFP.

I expect all of the years of abusing food have led to a 'stretching in my stomach, but wonder if this is something that anyone else has experienced and was looking for reassurance that this will pass as I progress with my journey?

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  • Weeese
    Weeese Posts: 34 Member
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    Good point, there is a difference Need2ExErc1se. However, I do feel hungry between meals if I'm particularly active, (which can I assume is normal?) and usually have a piece of fruit or something to 'tide me over' till the next meal at these times. The 'urge' is there perhaps two or three times out with normal mealtimes, and yes, it is very much related to stress and low mood.
  • Weeese
    Weeese Posts: 34 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Yeah, this! I am the same. When I started out I was more obsessed with food than ever - because I was breaking bad habits. I found the thoughts went away when I was truly full, so I upped my protein (keeps you fuller for longer) and I made sure I was drinking a LOT of water! Keep going, it will pass.[/quote]

    Thanks for this JulesLoveLand! Good to know it's not just me. Agree- I feel more obsessed than ever at the moment. Early days though! Good tip with the protein and water! Thank you! :)

  • gnarlykickflip
    gnarlykickflip Posts: 49 Member
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    Weeese wrote: »
    Good point, there is a difference Need2ExErc1se. However, I do feel hungry between meals if I'm particularly active, (which can I assume is normal?) and usually have a piece of fruit or something to 'tide me over' till the next meal at these times. The 'urge' is there perhaps two or three times out with normal mealtimes, and yes, it is very much related to stress and low mood.

    just so ya know you can use the quote link under someones post and it will notify them that you replied. i think also you can use the @ symbol? like @Weeese

    also to answer your original question, your stomach will adjust to eating less over time. ive been successfully restricting for 9 months now (only binged twice!) and now i can barely eat even a "normal" meal at once. i've been this way for a few months, i can't tell you for how long though.

    also yes it is normal to feel hungrier after exercise! a lot of people recommend eating back at least some of your exercise calories, you gotta fuel your workouts.

    maybe switching to 5 small meals throughout the day will help you? vs 3 larger meals. either way, youve been going for four weeks, i think thats long enough to tell that whatever youre doing is passably sustainable. just remember, if you have a relapse, its an opportunity to learn what triggered it so that you can better avoid such "moments of weakness" in the future.

    good luck friend!
  • Weeese
    Weeese Posts: 34 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Thanks for your encouraging words @gnarlykickflip! Good to hear ur story too. Will keep going!
  • jahillegas_51
    jahillegas_51 Posts: 143 Member
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    As a former binge eater, your body adapts over time:) Keep your head up and keep working towards the goal. On a quick tangent, often times when we are hungry the body is actually dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water to see that could be the case.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    I find I get hungry for a week or two when starting out eating less, then it corrects itself, and now I'm much less hungry than I was and I get full much more quickly. I don't know for sure but I think your stomach stretches to suit how much you habitually eat, but if that is what's happening, then it doesn't take long to shrink back again, at least in my case.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    i want to eat at all times... but i am not hungry all of those times lol.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Feeling the urge to eat and being hungry aren't always the same things. You shouldn't need to be truly hungry except just before a meal when dieting. But you may feel the urge to eat when not hungry, especially if you have been using food as comfort (stress eating).

    This statement needs to be a sticky, so true...
  • wearmi1
    wearmi1 Posts: 291 Member
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    I have my times where I want to eat between meals. I usually test myself first with a bottle of water and a piece of peppermint gum. Usually the water and gum get rid of the urge to eat. But if not I'll have a Kashi bar or something to hold me over.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Its okay to be hungry sometimes. I think we've gotten to used to immediately suppressing those feelings which is why we're so overweight. I know for me at least I am pretty much always hungry if I'm following my calorie goal and I've been at this quite a while. It doesn't get less, I just get more okay with the hunger feeling. And of course there is always the feeling of wanting to eat when I don't truly need to.
  • saraabnoun111
    saraabnoun111 Posts: 1 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Im muslim so I have to fast for a whole month....which means not eating for 20 hours each day!!! You'll get used to it don't worry
  • Ashtoretet
    Ashtoretet Posts: 378 Member
    edited June 2016
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    I think most people will always be slightly hungry at a large deficit. But once you've lost the weight and go back to eating at maintenance, your hunger levels will eventually adjust (it probably won't be instant..don't get discouraged.) Getting 8 hours of sleep and hitting your protein macros will help a lot with hunger as well.
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,965 Member
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    No :angry:

    You just get hungrier
  • cjw6
    cjw6 Posts: 94 Member
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    If you are actually hungry (as opposed to just wanting to eat) maybe consider trying higher protein foods at meals. Eg. Poached egg approx 100 kcal, toast approx 100kcal. The egg keeps u feeling full loads longer.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    Dieting will definitely make you somewhat hungry.

    You shouldn't be extremely hungry, though. If you are, it's a good time to reassess your plan - do you need to up your calories? Are you eating foods that you find filling, and that keep you feeling full longer? Should you redistribute your calories earlier or later in the day?
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
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    I am an emotional eater so I first have to ask am I actually hungry or are my emotions taking over. I do find I am hungrier the more active I become though and so I try to have something small with protien and a bottle of water both before and after a workout and it seems to help.

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