Always hungry

Anamargonz · April 2018

For the past 3 weeks I'm hungry 24/7!
I've lost 18 kg since July last year which means I reached my weight goal 60 kg. I'm eating at MFP maintenance 1700kcal for the past 3 months, my weight is stable just lost 1kg since 3 months ago but still losing cm which I guess is good as I am trying to do body recomposition.
I do strength training with heavy weights 4 times a week but as I said... i am always hungry and dont know what to do...
Shall I increase my maintenance calories? Should i just deal with it? Any suggestions or anyone in the same situation?

I eat 149gP/149gC/50gF i am 1,68 cm current weight 59 kg

nickfehr · April 2018

If you're not already eating complex carbs over refined ones, that could probably help. You're already relatively low carb, but if you're open to it, you should consider reducing carb intake even further (50g-100g per day) and seeing how that affects your appetite. Ketogenic diets are known to reduce appetite, which is something I've experienced personally. Otherwise, it's just something you gotta deal with unless you're willing to give up either the carbs or the exercise!

urloved33 · April 2018

I drink tea makes me feel full.

RoxieDawn · April 2018

If you are trying to maintain and 1700 is keeping your weight stable its the right amount.

Have you tried manipulating your macros to where you are satiated better? Maybe eating more volume foods? Worked with meal timing around the times you are most hungry in the day? Does it happen more on exercise days, maybe cycling calories to where you eat more on heavier exercise days? Do you find you are more hungry during ovulation and/or time of the month? Just some ideas.

kommodevaran · April 2018

I would eat a more balanced diet macro-wise - the protein is way too high, and fat a bit on the low side. You are also very lean, maybe you're getting too lean (for you).

Anamargonz · April 2018

I try to avoid simple carbs as much as possible and eating lower amount of carbs makes me moody and to crave for the wrong foods....

The time of the month makes a difference in my hunger levels thats true but i have learnt to cope with it as I've always been that way. I usually have breakfast, postworkout snack, lunch, snack and dinner so I eat frequently as I cant stay long between meals.

My current goal is to get very lean. Therefore my macros so I dont think I will be eating less proteins.

kommodevaran · April 2018

You have choices, and they're not what you think. You will get very lean if you continue eating in a calorie deficit (1700 is a small deficit for you at this point). You will stay hungry if you don't eat balanced.

Lillymoo01 · April 2018

Lower your protein and up your fats. There is absolutely no benefits in eating more than your body weight in kg x2 grams which for you is 120 grams.

Francl27 · April 2018

Learn to be hungry, especially if you want to get very lean. And play more with your macros to find a better balance (I agree with more fat).

Davidsdottir · April 2018

I have a similar issue when cutting or eating at maintenance. I recommend looking into volumetrics to help feel more satisfied. This site has some good info and recipes.
https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/volume-eating-recipes/

carolsoules · April 2018

Try more protein and fewer carbs. I do a 40%P-30%C-30%F ratio when I am cutting (though I don't recommend this for maintenance--if you're still looking to change body comp then you're not really in maintenance). I struggle to eat everything I have to eat in a day.

I find carb timing is important. I have some with breakfast (usually from yogurt and fruit) (~20g), a lot for my pre-workout meal (~40g), and then I re-carb during my post-workout meal (~30g). The rest of my carb intake comes from things like protein powder, nuts, and veggies, and is scattered throughout meals that focus more on protein/fat. I try not to have non-veggie carbs in the hours before bed.

Also, drink plenty of water, get your electrolytes, and fill up on veggies!

Anamargonz · April 2018

Thanks everyone! I'll change my macros more fats and maybe decrease my proteins. I will still eat 1700kcal for a couple of weeks and then try reverse dieting to increase muscle mass. Or maybe i wait until I come back from holiday.

nexangelus · April 2018

Why do you need to reverse diet? Do you mean slowly increase cals until you see no change in weight upwards? Or increase until you are slowly gaining weight? I would say your maintenance cals are more like 2000 or thereabouts...that would explain the hunger...

kommodevaran · April 2018

I'm not quite sure what reverse dieting is, but kudos for taking advice - I think you are among those who will prosper

PAV8888 · April 2018

If you're maintaining on 1700 based on your loss time period I would of course play with macros and types of food but would also consider cautiously increase calories first by 10% and then by 100 or so a week till I saw a clear trend upwards before pulling back.

Maintenance calories, NEAR, tdee, are all dynamic and there are many reasons to believe that body processes and mood may rev up or slow down to compensate within narrow margins. From faster or slower nail and hair growth to slightly higher or lower body temperature and foot taping and stronger or more tame workouts.

Losing cm also means that you ARE in a (very slight) energy deficit which would partially explain your continuing hunger. And of course when you get to the point where centimeters change but overall weight doesn't change, you're definitely at a point where daily water weight fluctuations makes it very hard to figure out what is happening with your energy reserves.

Being lean and trying to get leaner is much harder physiologically than losing excess weight in my opinion.

Having lost almost 25% of your total body weight in less than a year you may need to spend a couple of years weight stable at this lower weight before everything stabilizes.

amusedmonkey · April 2018

If manipulating macros doesn't work try this experiment: eat until you're not hungry for a few days. Try not to overindulge, just eat the least amount of calories that you can eat without being hungry and see how many calories that is. You may go over your usual 1700, but you may be surprised that all it takes is an extra 100 or so calories. It may be more, but it's good to give it a few days to see how much is pleasantly sustainable to you. You're currently in a small deficit, so maybe don't need more than eating your true maintenance to feel okay. If you do feel you need more, you'll have a few things to think about.

After that you will be able to decide if the hunger is worth it, if you're willing to work on your NEAT or exercise a little bit more to reach a comfortable maintenance level, or if maintaining at a few kilos higher would be a thing you're willing to consider.

Anamargonz · April 2018

All I am aiming to get my body fat to 20%. Last time i checked it was 25% and this was one month ago.
I feel I'm in the right direction just need to adjust macros and calories. Meal prep is tough with an 11 months old baby to look after 24/7 but I'm trying my best.
Thinking of still eating 1700 kcal for a couple of weeks to compensate 3 days of eating whatever i felt like... my tummy has come back lol
The idea of reverse dieting is because I believe it could give me the extra push to build more muscles and reduce body fat ? I'm lifting heavier with the time but muscles look the same, just a bit of shape.
I'll check body fat % in a couple of weeks I dont think it's a good idea right now. It's always a terrifying moment for me bcos i get very upset if there is no improvement. Don't really care much about my weight but I'm scared of it going up as it's been hard. Seriously i fell I've been on a diet all my life (wad obese when a kid)

RoxieDawn · April 2018

Anamargonz wrote: »

All I am aiming to get my body fat to 20%. Last time i checked it was 25% and this was one month ago.
I feel I'm in the right direction just need to adjust macros and calories. Meal prep is tough with an 11 months old baby to look after 24/7 but I'm trying my best.
Thinking of still eating 1700 kcal for a couple of weeks to compensate 3 days of eating whatever i felt like... my tummy has come back lol
The idea of reverse dieting is because I believe it could give me the extra push to build more muscles and reduce body fat ? I'm lifting heavier with the time but muscles look the same, just a bit of shape.
I'll check body fat % in a couple of weeks I dont think it's a good idea right now. It's always a terrifying moment for me bcos i get very upset if there is no improvement. Don't really care much about my weight but I'm scared of it going up as it's been hard. Seriously i fell I've been on a diet all my life (wad obese when a kid)

I have gone back through the comments.

It sounds like 1700 is actually a point you have reached being in a deficit for quite some time, as in you have reached equilibrium with your current intake, NEAT and EAT, keep in mind this would not be your real TDEE. A reverse diet can help you slowly increase calories, in which if you would be working towards your 'actual' TDEE. You will not have built muscle at this calorie intake outside of newbie lifter gains and depending on how long you have been lifting, exhausting your potential in this aspect tapers down until you are ready to maintain and move to recomp.

So reverse dieting to your actual TDEE would then allow you to recomp (continue with fat loss/build muscle) keep in mind this is a longer term commitment as you are working on body compensation, so keeping up with weight and some other ways to guage your progress will be needed, also you need a reliable source for testing body fat% as in a professional scan to get a much better estimate.

Eta: I would start reverse now, you will need to start getting out of this dieting mentality if you want to build muscle. Your calorie intake is your #1 way to progress. Of course an optimal lifting program and protein intake is crucial as well.

Always hungry

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