Feeling Hungry and Unsatisfied in the Evenings

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Dani_Cali_Carolina
Dani_Cali_Carolina Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been fighting the good fight and holding my own the past 6-8 weeks. I've managed to start eating breakfast (a serious challenge that I am proud to have conquered as I get easily nauseated most mornings). I'm aiming to make lunch my biggest meal and am hanging in 75-80% of the time to make that happen. I have a snack between lunch and dinner (usually nuts/cheese, 1 T pb on a rice cake and 1/2 banana, or cottage cheese/fruit), but I'm still STARVING by dinner time. I find myself wanting to race to the pantry when I get home and devour anything, doesn't matter what. I've done fairly well thus far avoiding temptation but my willpower is starting to dim. My stomach actually growls and I feel unsatisfied no matter what I eat in the latter part of the day.

Is this normal? Maybe my hunger hormones are finding their balance since I've started eating breakfast and adjusting my eating habits? Is this an ill-fated, subconscious attempt to soothe myself after rough days? Has anyone else experience this? I don't know what to do so I can restore balance in my evenings. This is miserable. Help me please!

Replies

  • aikilady
    aikilady Posts: 35 Member
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    Yes I agree, totally not necessary to eat in the morning. I successfully lost 15 pounds by delaying breakfast till noon.
    I had to reinstate early breakfast recently however because I began heavy strength & conditioning around 9am and there's no way I could preform without fuel.
    Design your meals when they work for YOU. just don't eat in the morning if u get nauseous and save your calories for the evening.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I second whatever everyone else says. Save your breakfast calories for later in the day.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    Another option is to meal prep for the week. If you are starving when you get home, you should eat. If you've prepped a few days worth of dinners on Sunday, dinner will be available when you get home.

    I usually eat dinner around 430 and need a relatively large snack around 7pm.
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
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    Eating at specific times of the day is modern day invention. If you naturally feel nauseous in the morning and your appetite is not there, put off eating. I'm the same way - I may be hungry but I rather go without than to be miserable. Plus I can sleep in a little or have some extra time at the gym.

    I believe "break" "fast" is the most important meal of the day, so I make sure my first meal of the day is nutritious. My first meal is usually around noon.
  • heiliskrimsli
    heiliskrimsli Posts: 735 Member
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    Dani_Cali_Carolina wrote: »
    I've been fighting the good fight and holding my own the past 6-8 weeks. I've managed to start eating breakfast (a serious challenge that I am proud to have conquered as I get easily nauseated most mornings). I'm aiming to make lunch my biggest meal and am hanging in 75-80% of the time to make that happen. I have a snack between lunch and dinner (usually nuts/cheese, 1 T pb on a rice cake and 1/2 banana, or cottage cheese/fruit), but I'm still STARVING by dinner time. I find myself wanting to race to the pantry when I get home and devour anything, doesn't matter what. I've done fairly well thus far avoiding temptation but my willpower is starting to dim. My stomach actually growls and I feel unsatisfied no matter what I eat in the latter part of the day.

    Is this normal? Maybe my hunger hormones are finding their balance since I've started eating breakfast and adjusting my eating habits? Is this an ill-fated, subconscious attempt to soothe myself after rough days? Has anyone else experience this? I don't know what to do so I can restore balance in my evenings. This is miserable. Help me please!

    There's no reason that you have to eat breakfast, and if you prefer you can actually make dinner the biggest meal of the day and still lose weight because what matters is overall deficit and not what time you eat different amounts of food.

    Since I don't usually get hungry until at least noon, or later, I tend to have a light lunch and a huge dinner. It's not unusual for me to eat a 300 calorie lunch and a 900 calorie dinner purely because that's when I know I like to eat.

    I tried the breakfast thing for a while. It did nothing for me and only used up calories that I would rather have for dinner. These days the only time I eat breakfast at all is when I know I'm going to do something that requires a lot of exertion very early in the day, like running a race of more than 8 miles, and even then I just have one serving of oatmeal with some stuff mixed in that totals under 300 calories.
  • Dani_Cali_Carolina
    Dani_Cali_Carolina Posts: 31 Member
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    I guess maybe I'm stuck in the "3 meals a day" mentality? I never ate regularly from middle school to just a few months ago and often overate when I did get food. I thought breakfast (and subsequently spaced meals) would signal my brain that food is on a schedule and get my body into a rhythm. I didn't realize I was screwing myself over.
  • Dani_Cali_Carolina
    Dani_Cali_Carolina Posts: 31 Member
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    Since I don't usually get hungry until at least noon, or later, I tend to have a light lunch and a huge dinner. It's not unusual for me to eat a 300 calorie lunch and a 900 calorie dinner purely because that's when I know I like to eat.

    I never knew it was okay to eat heavier in the evening. How long between your dinner and bedtime? Does that sort of thing matter?
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,365 Member
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    Are you eating enough calories? Are you exercising? And if so, do you eat back some or all of the exercise calories?
  • Dani_Cali_Carolina
    Dani_Cali_Carolina Posts: 31 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    I

    How much do you want to lose total and what is your weekly weight loss goal set to?

    I'm not so much centered on a total loss number. I'm more focused on getting healthy (easing the burden on my back/knees, getting off of blood pressure meds) but if I had to put a number on it, about 145 pounds. At my heaviest I was 294.4 but weighed 284.0 at my last weigh in. I am currently not doing exercises due to a bulging disc in my lower back that has slipped again (I see my neurosurgeon next week, wish me luck! Hoping to be cleared to resume physical activities.) and my weekly goal is set to 1 pound a week.

    Sorry for the info blast. I tend to rattle on. :)

    Also, my height falls between 5'6-5'7.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Dani_Cali_Carolina wrote: »
    Since I don't usually get hungry until at least noon, or later, I tend to have a light lunch and a huge dinner. It's not unusual for me to eat a 300 calorie lunch and a 900 calorie dinner purely because that's when I know I like to eat.

    I never knew it was okay to eat heavier in the evening. How long between your dinner and bedtime? Does that sort of thing matter?

    That is fine. It does not matter when you eat. I literally eat dinner and then go to bed.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Dani_Cali_Carolina wrote: »
    Since I don't usually get hungry until at least noon, or later, I tend to have a light lunch and a huge dinner. It's not unusual for me to eat a 300 calorie lunch and a 900 calorie dinner purely because that's when I know I like to eat.

    I never knew it was okay to eat heavier in the evening. How long between your dinner and bedtime? Does that sort of thing matter?

    That is fine. It does not matter when you eat. I literally eat dinner and then go to bed.

    The only issue is some people will have bad heartburn if they eat and go to bed. Again, it will come down to your personal preference, but if you can eat a big meal and go to bed without issue, then there is no issue. I find I need a couple hours, but not so much for heartburn as I find sleeping on a full stomach a bit uncomfortable.
  • heiliskrimsli
    heiliskrimsli Posts: 735 Member
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    Dani_Cali_Carolina wrote: »
    Since I don't usually get hungry until at least noon, or later, I tend to have a light lunch and a huge dinner. It's not unusual for me to eat a 300 calorie lunch and a 900 calorie dinner purely because that's when I know I like to eat.

    I never knew it was okay to eat heavier in the evening. How long between your dinner and bedtime? Does that sort of thing matter?

    If you're getting all your protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, and you have energy and no symptoms of malnutrition or issues with heartburn or poor sleep, there's no reason at all you can't eat all your daily calories in a single meal 15 minutes before you go to sleep if that's what you want to do.

    I do recommend brushing the teeth in between, but other than that, have at it.

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