Trouble dealing with "hangry" moods

megschurr65
megschurr65 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 15 in Getting Started
Hi everyone,

My name is Meaghan and I'm starting my MFP journey once again, after a three year break from dieting/watching my weight/regular exercise- so it feels very overwhelming at the moment. I used MFP religiously from January to June 2014 and lost about 25 lbs, and was in the best shape of my life...until I hit a few road bumps in my personal life and fell into a deep depression. I haven't had the motivation to do anything, much less lead a healthy lifestyle and lose weight- so instead, I've been packing on the pounds. My bipolar depression hasn't quite cleared up yet, but the medication I've been taking is notorious for causing weight gain and I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. In the past, losing weight was as easy as 1-2-3, but the deadly combination of medication side effects, a crappy thyroid, and a depressed mood has made it almost impossible to lose a pound.

But I have finally had enough and I can't stand feeling sorry for myself or making excuses any longer, and I've reached my breaking point with my weight. I am 5'8 and I weighed in at 203 lbs a few days ago, a full 54 lbs heavier than I was in June 2014. My clothes don't fit anymore, I'm never comfortable, and I hate leaving the house or seeing friends. So I'm putting my big girl pants on and committing myself to losing this weight and getting back to the healthy, happy woman I used to be.

But there's one problem- my "hangry" moods. For those of you who don't know, "hangry" is the combination of hungry and angry, the state one gets in when they are very hungry and agitated. I enjoy working out in the AM (around 4:45 AM) before I start my day, but when I get to work (around 8:30), I become uncontrollably hungry...which turns into awful hangry moods that can only be squashed by eating something. After I get home from the gym, I have a greek yogurt and a banana, and I have an apple with a little almond butter when I first get to work, and that seems to be working....for an hour or so. By 10 AM, I'm shaky and starving, and I can barely focus on the work I need to get done.

I was expecting to feel hungry during the first few weeks of dieting because I've been stuffing my face for a few years, and it will take my body some time to get used to eating like a normal, healthy human being. But I'm not just a little bit hungry, I'm STARVING and NEED to eat- not bad food, just something (apple, yogurt, granola are my usual fixes).

I prefer to work out in the morning because I'm exhausted by the time I get home from work in the evening (I commute 2 hrs/each way, and work 8 hours). I usually do 40 minutes of cardio (I love cardio) and then 20 minutes of weights/circuit training, if that helps. I drink plenty of water during and after my workout, and I just started adding fiber to my water to help curb the intense hunger.

Does anyone have any tips/food recommendations/advice/inspirational quotes to help me get through these awful hangry moods and this unquenchable hunger?? Does anyone have experience with overwhelming feelings of hunger during the first few weeks of dieting/working out? If so, what did you do to get through it?

Thank you!!

Replies

  • thetoughequus
    thetoughequus Posts: 25 Member
    I go through patches where I'm just outrageously hangry, even though I've been at this for about five months and have not really changed my diet since September (when I drastically changed it due to moving countries). I honestly do not eat particularly well, like for example breakfast is two sausages, two slices of bacon, a hash brown, a small croissant, and a juice box... it's just the cafeteria breakfast and that's what's included with my residence fee so I can't stretch much outside of that. BUT, aside from fibre helping that full feeling, so does proteins and fats. Don't fear them or cut them out of your diet! For in between meals, try some things cut up into smaller pieces, so it takes you longer to consume. I find a lot of "hunger" is just missing the habit of it and then being cranky because you're stopping yourself, like your body throwing a toddler style temper tantrum!

    If you're having trouble fitting within your calories (I don't know how much you're set up to lose per week), you can try bumping it up and just losing weight slower (although you may find the first little bit goes quickly when you make changes), or walk in place doing some things at home (like during reading or watching tv/netflix), to get yourself some extra calories.

    Mad props to you for battling against weight as well as mental health. I was in a similar spot in late summer last year: 5'7 and 195 pounds, and finally got around to going to a doctor and diagnosed with depression. You can do it, it's just one foot in front of the other from here, and you've already taken the first step :)
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    How many calories are you eating and what are your stats? I get this way if I cut my calories too much. You may have to take a slower approach. Are you weighing and measuring everything you eat and drink? Do you use a digital food scale?
  • Beth150Ann
    Beth150Ann Posts: 17 Member
    Hi Meaghan - Thank you for your posting. We are almost at the same spot irt height/weight and I feel your pain as I begin my journey again. I find when I get that hungry/angry at work a quick walk helps. I also have a large bottle of carbonated lime water on my desk and I'll tell you half the time a break and sipping on the lime water really helps. Do you think you are hungry/angry because you are tired? Maybe smaller steps are in order. I'm starting small - 8.5 hours of sleep; 11,000 steps daily and keep within my 1600 calories. I tell you, without enough sleep I crash quick at work. I started to get more sleep (my FITBIT doesn't lie!) and it is amazing the difference when I get my sleep in. And it is tough -- I had to change my routine. I too get up early in the morning but I have to make myself get into bed by 8. REALLY. 8 pm. And I had to make myself LEAVE work on time (still working on that one). Once I get those small steps going sleep, steps, and keep withing my 1600 daily then I can move on to bigger and better things that I really want to do but I NEED that foundation first.

    Your hours seem hard 2 hours drive; 8 hours work; 2 hours drive back -- that's 12 hard hours. It does not you much time for fun and trust me -- the older I get the more time flies and I sure wish I would have spent more time enjoying myself instead of working/over eating to have enough fuel so that I could work some more Take Care, Beth150Ann
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    Sorry I dont have the attention span to read your post, but you are only the second person that I have seen with their name spelled like mine and the first one is who I was named after. Very cool.
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