If you feel hungry in the morning can you still be eating a surplus?

Noreenmarie1234
Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
edited December 2 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hello, I am trying to bulk lately and put on a few lbs. I eat 2500-2600 a day. I am trying to do a slow bulk (I maintain 2200-2600). I figured if I hit 2500-2600 a day ever day I will slowly gain as throughout the week I usually have a few lower days around 2200.

However, I wake up starving sometimes. I am afraid this means I am not eating in excess. I am new to gaining weight so not sure if you still feel hungry when eating a surplus? Is this normal? Sorry if this is such a dumb question haha.

Replies

  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
    Well ... no, you could be eating at a surplus and still be hungry in the morning because you have been fasting since your last meal hours previously and feeling hungry simply means that the food has now left your stomach.

    What is the scale telling you? Or the tape measure?
  • zoeandnimo
    zoeandnimo Posts: 7 Member
    Not a dumb question! I am also trying to gain and wondered the same thing just this morning! I'm working my way up in calories gradually and just started so I haven't given it enough time to see gains yet. I'm coming from a deficit (stomach troubles) so still trying to figure out maintenance. I have also woken hungry, more so now that I don't eat late at night (reflux).

    Interested to hear comments.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Fat Jruzer was always hungry in the morning. Hunger is not a reliable indication of energy balance, at least not for me.
  • FSLSBSmfp
    FSLSBSmfp Posts: 38 Member
    Yes you can still be hungry in a caloric surplus. I was always hungry, especially when first reverse dieting out of a caloric deficit.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    edited July 2016
    Thanks for the replies guys. I just was paranoid it means I am not eating gaining amount since I am new to gains and haven't been doing it long enough to see if it's working.

    I am less hungry though, which sucks because it makes food not taste as good. Funny how when you WANT to lose, you are starving and want to eat everything, but when you are trying to put on weight it's the opposite. I think it's psychological :p
  • avadahm
    avadahm Posts: 111 Member
    It helps me to drink extra water before bed. I don't tend to be quite as starving when I wake up that way. At least not until breakfast!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Noreen have you tried having a casein shake before bed, or casein mixed into cottage cheese? I've noticed when i do this i'm not hungry at all the next morning.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Regardless of what I eat before bed, I am starving in the morning, especially while I am lifting heavy. This has been the same regarding if I am eating in deficit, maintenance or surplus.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Hunger isn't a reliable indication of calories consumed.
    Instead track your calories accurately.
    You'll be able to tell if your at a surplus soon enough after logging accurately.
    I wake up starving either way, cutting or bulking. If it was my birthday and I ate at a mega surplus,i still wake up hungry.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Habit makes you hungry at specific times unconnected with calorie intake ..it's an emotional response often, rather than a physical one

    When I didn't eat breakfast I couldn't stand to eat before 12

    Now I'm ravenous at 6 cos I started eating breakfast consistently
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Habit makes you hungry at specific times unconnected with calorie intake ..it's an emotional response often, rather than a physical one

    When I didn't eat breakfast I couldn't stand to eat before 12

    Now I'm ravenous at 6 cos I started eating breakfast consistently

    So true. I have this problem with dessert. It's like my brain expects something sweet straight after dinner. It's a habit i wish i never started!

  • FSLSBSmfp
    FSLSBSmfp Posts: 38 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Habit makes you hungry at specific times unconnected with calorie intake ..it's an emotional response often, rather than a physical one

    When I didn't eat breakfast I couldn't stand to eat before 12

    Now I'm ravenous at 6 cos I started eating breakfast consistently

    It's funny how that works. Right now I'm trying to break the habit of over eating at night, which is not an uncommon issue, but for me definitely a habit. My body tells me I'm starving at around 8pm no matter how much I have already eaten. It doesn't only apply to eating though because I notice if I took a nap at say 3pm, the next day I'll feel really sleepy at the same time.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I was still hungry every morning during my bulk.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    At first I would always feel stuffed... but after a few weeks I found the more I ate, the hungrier I would get. I was super hungry when bulking so much more than when I was at maintenance actually
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    At first I would always feel stuffed... but after a few weeks I found the more I ate, the hungrier I would get. I was super hungry when bulking so much more than when I was at maintenance actually

    From experience, the body quickly adapts to higher calories. The science (if there is any) behind why it wants more, i do not know..
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
    I actually tend to feel hungrier in the mornings during my bulk cycle than in my cut cycles. You can definitely still be eating in a surplus, I have found the more I eat on a consistent basis, the hungrier I become. That does not mean you are not taking in enough cals.
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