New to weight training ... so hungry!

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aoifem20
aoifem20 Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've just started weight training in the gym 3 times per week ... and now I can't stop eating.

I am so hungry all the time , less than an hour after lunch I'm looking for more! Previously I would rarely snack so not sure what's happening.. is this normal?

I have increased the size of my meals to eat back to exercise calories

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Are you eating enough fat and protein?
  • aoifem20
    aoifem20 Posts: 3 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Are you eating enough fat and protein?

    Protein , yes I think so .. I would have plenty of chicken & turkey & egg everyday. Fat, not so much. I would probably be a bit heavier on the carbs to make up for not eating much fat .. could that be it ?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    aoifem20 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Are you eating enough fat and protein?

    Protein , yes I think so .. I would have plenty of chicken & turkey & egg everyday. Fat, not so much. I would probably be a bit heavier on the carbs to make up for not eating much fat .. could that be it ?

    Could be.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I get this way too with lifting. I recently upped my protein and fat and use vegetables to give more bulk with fewer calories. The other thing to consider is if your calorie goal is appropriate. I couldn't do 1200 cals with lifting. I aim for around 1700. But you need to evaluate this within your goals.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    aoifem20 wrote: »
    So I've just started weight training in the gym 3 times per week ... and now I can't stop eating.

    I am so hungry all the time , less than an hour after lunch I'm looking for more! Previously I would rarely snack so not sure what's happening.. is this normal?

    I have increased the size of my meals to eat back to exercise calories

    It's definitely normal. How long have you been on the weight lifting program for? How long are you spending lifting? I usually lift for 2-hours a day, all heavy weights and the highest reps I can handle. I've been doing this for over 3-years and still have many days when my stomach is growling. I count my protein, calories, carbs and fat to a T - weigh everything out and have it down to exact numbers for what I need to bulk and cut. Right now I added on 60-minutes cardio and I'm basically hungry all the time. Trick is to not just eat back whatever you want if you're in a cut and trying to lose BF%. If you're in a bulk, I think the suggestion is 200-300 cal increase from your maintenance. I suggest upping protein, that's what works for me. I aim for 150 g protein in a cut and 200 g protein in a bulk per day. Keeps me feeling full. In a cut, that means every meal is loaded with protein and little else. Egg whites, spinach and ground turkey is a good go-to.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
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    I'd bump the protein a little if you are using the MFP default settings.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited July 2018
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    aoifem20 wrote: »
    So I've just started weight training in the gym 3 times per week ... and now I can't stop eating.

    I am so hungry all the time , less than an hour after lunch I'm looking for more! Previously I would rarely snack so not sure what's happening is this normal?

    I have increased the size of my meals to eat back to exercise calories
    It's normal if you increased your activity level to be more hungry.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    aoifem20 wrote: »
    I have increased the size of my meals to eat back to exercise calories

    This is what you should be doing. That’s how mfp is designed. You should be eating your exercise calories. So yes-this is perfectly normal and exactly what you should be doing.

    Or am I not understanding what you mean?

  • vcancel
    vcancel Posts: 96 Member
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    All good advice. I don't eat my exercise calories back though. When I'm getting extra hungry, I drink more water. Your muscles need it to heal and that can make you feel hungry when you are really just thirsty.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
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    Totally normal, make sure you're eating plenty of carbs too. You'll need them for recovery.

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