If you aren't hungry when you wake up, can you still be in deficit?

charlenekapf
charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
edited September 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
So I have lost weight in the past and am trying after gaining like 40 lbs just this year...have had my fair share of overeating and hypothyroidism, hormone imbalance, etc. so I'm not asking for sympathy here.

But...I have always had horrible issues with sleep when in a deficit and cannot fall asleep hungry for the life of me. I find that intermittent fasting has always helped but even when I don't eat until late afternoon and then another meal around 7, I stay up until around 10 usually and notice I get hungry and more "awake" than when I overeat/do not pay attention to calories.

It has always been this way with dieting but the feeling is back...anyway I had some chicken breast and guacamole left over from dinner at 7, around 9:45 so I could not wake up every hour starving like I have previously when losing weight. However, I am wondering if I overate because I am not hungry this morning and slept well.

I know time is irrelevant to weight loss if you are in a deficit but I'm wondering is it possible i could be in a deficit and not be hungry in the morning ? Or do you find you get hunger pangs when you wake up if you're in a deficit?

I do prefer intermittent fasting and love coffee so I don't have breakfast normally anyways as it just uses up calories and make me ravenous throughout the day.

But i'm wondering if it is possible to not wake up throughout the night with hunger/have morning hunger because I ate something before bed....or maybe I just ate too much again and ruined the deficit I had going.

Appreciate any input, although I know it's hard to know because I did not weigh or measure the food...just want to know your experience with hunger through night/morning while losing.

Thanks for reading the novel. If you got this far...I really would appreciate your experience.
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Replies

  • salsera_barbie
    salsera_barbie Posts: 270 Member
    Let's start with some basic information:
    how many calories is your goal a day? what's your starting weight?

  • RebeccaNaegle
    RebeccaNaegle Posts: 236 Member
    I am in a deficit and I am not usually very hungry right when I wake up. There are days that I am, but not usually. So yes, very possible.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    The only way to know if you are in a deficit is to accurately log the food.

    It doesn't matter when you eat it.

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I didn't read your post, just the question as the title of the thread.


    Hunger and calorie deficit are completely seperate things. You feel hunger when your stomach is empty, regardless of the calorie density of the things you've chosen to eat.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    edited September 2016
    aiming for 1600-1700 calories. Lifting 4x weekly, cardio 5x weekly. I have always been hungry in a deficit. I've never known anything other than feeling hunger. The only time I'm not hungry is when I have been gaining steadily..as in 40 lbs since March. I had lost about 20 prior to that, got on thyroid medication and starting running long distance again. Got injured, went through some life changes, my thyroid became hyper and I got palpitations and heart pain, went off medication completely although I still exercise...now stair master daily. Always sore and work so hard at the gym but my calories tend to go into the 2000's pretty easily.

    have some hormone problems too. being seen by a doctor but nobody has any answers. low estrogen, progesterone, no period for 5 years--lost when I was 115lbs. told hypothalamic amenorrhea and got down to 103 lbs, maintained for 2 years between 103-118.

    Gained to 140 last year, got down to 125. Now 172. Mortified.

    I've never been able to sleep well dieting, and intermittent fasting has been the best solution I've found for hunger at night. However, I still find I will get hungry an hour after eating a salad even with guacamole, chicken and an egg on it when breaking my fast. so as I mentioned, I had to eat more before bed otherwise I would lie awake all night tossing and turning...I know this from experience of going to bed with a hunger pang. Yesterday my calories were definitely lower than 2000 so that's good and Im making an effort to keep the carbs lower as I find that helps satiety. However, I still struggle with keeping a deficit.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    You are in a deficit if you have eaten fewer calories than your TDEE. Keep that deficit up every day, and you will lose weight. Nothing more to it.
  • ItsMariii
    ItsMariii Posts: 23 Member
    You don't need to fall asleep hungry to be in a caloric deficit. Count and log your calories and balance your meals throughout the day if you prefer to have that last meal right before bed. Just stay under your calorie goal and you'll be in a deficit.

    Sometimes people confuse thirst with hunger, so just to rule that out be sure you are drinking plenty of water with each meal especially before bed.

    I have noticed though, in the past when I would eat (usually binge eat) a large meal right before bed I would wake up the next morning starving! Or even waking me up in the middle of the night wanting to eat more. Knowing what genuine hunger feels like now though....I really really believe those were digestion pains not hunger although they resembled the feeling of being hungry. It's all about really listening to your body and trusting your common sense. Try different things until you find what works best for you. Log it to keep track of it all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    being hungry or not has nothing to do with being in a deficit...

    A deficit is simply consuming less energy than your body expends...so, like if you need 2000 calories to maintain weight and you eat 1500 you would be in a 500 calorie deficit.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    edited September 2016
    .
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,611 Member
    It all comes down to the calories. Log your food and you'll know whether or not you're in a deficit.

    Personally I eat later in the day so my last snack will be about midnight or so ... and I don't start eating again until about 10:30 am. I'm just not hungry in the morning.

    Maybe experiment with timing.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    I find it is more my carb intake rather than how many calories that determines how hungry I am. If I am not hungry all day long and I don't eat, I assume my body will care. If this goes on for days I assume my body will seriously care. I have had absolutely zero appetite lately. I know people say, "Listen to your body! If you're hungry eat, if not then don't eat!" I am afraid to NOT eat. So the past few weeks when I get up, hungry or not I get in some form of nutrition. It may be in liquid form, but I still do it. That's just how I roll, others may advise differently. It is not easy to force feed when not hungry which is why liquids are easier for me.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    I very seldom wake up hungry. In fact I don't really feel hungry for a few hours a lot of times and trying to eat too early in the morning often really upsets my stomach. Even eating at a deficit.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    You have not answered the question--are you weighing and logging all your food?
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    Thank you everyone for input. As some mention, carbs and possibly eating large meals may be triggering the reaction of wanting more food. But I also appreciate other's personal experiences and responses knowing you don't have to have the empty stomach feeling each morning and can still possibly be in a deficit.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    I will be. I am starting to get back on track but I wanted to know if it was possible to not have to feel hunger in the morning and still be losing. I was not asking if I actually WAS in a deficit as I know nobody can tell me that but myself if I'm accurately weighing and tracking. I wanted to know more about the feeling of waking up in the morning when dieting. Weird question I know but I was curious as I've always felt ravenous and dead if I'm in a deficit.
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    You have not answered the question--are you weighing and logging all your food?
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Your question is OK, but you can't know if you're in a deficit if you're not tracking. Your tired feeling could be caused by missing vitamins or nutrients. That's also why tracking and watching your "macros" could be important for you.
  • grob49
    grob49 Posts: 125 Member
    I have tried that fasting and found that I did have the fuel to do a hard intense weight workout. When I hit the gym I hit it hard with minimal rest between sets. That takes fuel. I also found it harder to stay within my calorie allowance. If I get hungry it all over for me.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    Thank you. I agree. Thyroid also plays a role I know. I was less tired on armor but the heart pains freaked me out.
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    Your question is OK, but you can't know if you're in a deficit if you're not tracking. Your tired feeling could be caused by missing vitamins or nutrients. That's also why tracking and watching your "macros" could be important for you.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    If you're not actually weighing your food, you might not even be eating enough to begin with, which would explain why you're so hungry at night. Best bet is to get all your numbers put into MFP...figure out what you require each day to lose whatever weight it is you're looking to lose, and start to weigh, log and follow your trends. Once you start weighing each food and logging, you'll be able to better see overall why you are so hungry at the end of each day. Sometimes just a couple simple tweaks can fix everything.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    appreciate that...but I didn't gain 40 lbs. by not eating enough. I agree I need to be tracking but I was just wondering more or less about the feeling of hunger and if it needed to be present in the morning to be in deficit.
    JustMissTracy wrote: »
    If you're not actually weighing your food, you might not even be eating enough to begin with, which would explain why you're so hungry at night. Best bet is to get all your numbers put into MFP...figure out what you require each day to lose whatever weight it is you're looking to lose, and start to weigh, log and follow your trends. Once you start weighing each food and logging, you'll be able to better see overall why you are so hungry at the end of each day. Sometimes just a couple simple tweaks can fix everything.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    Nope. Why don't you start each day as a new day, new deficit to build?
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    If you are always hungry in a deficit Id take a look at macros. Eat more fat and protein. For me I stay fuller longer eating close to 50% of my calories from fat. If I get the bulk of my calories from simple carbs Im hungry a lot more through out the day.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Of course it's possible to not be hungry in the morning and be in a deficit. I eat most of my food just before going to bed so I'm rarely hungry before 1:00 even though I get up at 6:30. I've lost 30 lbs this way.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    Thank you. Appreciate the input!
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Of course it's possible to not be hungry in the morning and be in a deficit. I eat most of my food just before going to bed so I'm rarely hungry before 1:00 even though I get up at 6:30. I've lost 30 lbs this way.

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  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    being hungry or not has nothing to do with being in a deficit...

    A deficit is simply consuming less energy than your body expends...so, like if you need 2000 calories to maintain weight and you eat 1500 you would be in a 500 calorie deficit.

    This^

    Hunger is due to the release of ghrelin and you don't need to be in an energy deficit for it to be released, it normally is released when your stomach is empty. People who consistently eat far more than they need still get hungry.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    The other thing I would say is just because I and others don't always feel hungry in the morning doesn't mean it will ever happen for you. My dad is one who has always been ravenous when he wakes up and he has maintained his weight within about 10 pounds for about 50 years. I have actually seen him get up at 3am, make a full breakfast and go back to bed. It can be a part of your physiology if you are hungry in the morning or not.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Hunger doesn't depend on how many calories you eat, but on WHAT you eat. You could eat 2000 calories of chocolate and still be hungry, or 1200 calories of veggies and be stuffed.

    So hunger really isn't a factor at all.
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
    edited September 2016
    unfortunately I find this to be false. If I eat pounds of cauliflower and brussels sprouts, etc. I am stuffed but still feel ridiculously hungry because the lack of fat. It's an odd feeling but I did that a lot when I was really strict with counting. I would look pregnant by night time, but be so hungry because my fats were low. I do believe that your body also senses calories and that yes veggies help bulk up meals quite nicely but only eating vegetables for the bulk of your calories makes you bloated, gassy and not really full for longer than an hour.
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Hunger doesn't depend on how many calories you eat, but on WHAT you eat. You could eat 2000 calories of chocolate and still be hungry, or 1200 calories of veggies and be stuffed.

    So hunger really isn't a factor at all.

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