1 week into an increased calorie diet and I am STARVING!

Sararainmaker
Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!

I am one week into a diet where I have increased my calories as well as began eating better in general. As I started tracking what I ate, a few weeks ago, it made no sense to me... I should have been burning more calories just by my work and life in general than I was taking in. It was brought up by friends that I could be gaining weight because my body was basically in hibernation mode. As I started tracking my calories daily here, and eating my daily recommendations... I noticed I did start losing weight!

Starting about 3 days ago I have been STARVING! I am guessing that this means that my metabolism has finally increased. It's driving me nuts! I am trying to stay within my recommended allowances, but I find it difficult not to eat more! Snacks ebb the hunger a bit, and meals for about an hour but after that the feeling of intense hunger comes back! Before I could go a day without eating and never even notice I was hungry.

I generally eat 3 main meals a day as well as 1 or 2 smaller snacks to hold me through till the next meal. I feel like I am ALWAYS eating, and ALWAYS hungry!

My question is basically this: Will this feeling eventually pass? I don't want to go from severely under-eating to overeating... and it is VERY hard to fight off just going over to the pantry and eating my days worth of calories to try and make the feeling go away!

Also: Do you guys have any suggestions of snacks or foods that will help me through this, however long it lasts?

I want to remain healthy, and reach my goal weight!

Thank You in advance,

Kelly
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Replies

  • missjordy
    missjordy Posts: 1
    how do i see peoples answers lol cause iv only just started and feel the exact same way :( all i can think about is food its driving me nutty
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    i would like to see what others say because i have the same problem. i was not netting enough calories so i changed my goals to lose 1/2lb a week to up my calories. before i was netting less than 1000 and was never hungry. now i eat more and am always hungry! i dont get it. weight loss is confusing tricky business!
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
    Were you tracking your food before this. People tend to eat a lot more than they think they are eating when not tracking. For instance I make my kids a meal and eat two bites off of their plates, but only really pay attention to what I have put on my own plate. The more likely answer is that you are now paying attention to your intake.
  • nmerley
    nmerley Posts: 98 Member
    Try having snacks with protein. Peanut butter, nuts, eggs. Also try drinking lots of water. Water is good for u and if u drink enough it will fill u up and help flush your system. That seemed to help me when I was like that. Yes it does goes away but not totally. I can b fine for weeks and then out of the blue I will have a day or week that I am just starving.
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
    A lot of people find it very helpful to change the ratios of nutrients you're eating. Not all calories are created equal. Calories from carbohydrates provide instant bursts of energy, but they don't last. If you want calories to keep you full for longer so you don't get hungry all the time, try eating fewer carbs and more protein. Calories from protein burn slowly and steadily. My doctor recommends that I eat something with protein in it every three hours while I'm awake, and since I started that, I'm never hungry any more. I even have to set the alarm on my phone to remind myself to eat! :smile:

    MFP will let you go in and manually readjust the nutrients. Everyone's body is different, so it may just be that your body needs fewer carbs and more protein in order to be satisfied. That works for many people, anyway.

    Good luck to you!
  • beathen
    beathen Posts: 11 Member
    To stave off my hunger I eat almonds. With the raw almonds I'm able to eat 24 pieces for only 160 calories. It keeps my hands and mouth occupied without eating my guilty pleasures like chocolate or chips and dip.
  • deb_rn
    deb_rn Posts: 144 Member
    I like greek yogurt because the protein takes longer to digest so you feel full for a longer time. Almonds are good! If I get hungry, I try to get busy and focus on something else! I also think that in the beginning I was obsessing because all I could think about was what I wasn't going to be eating any more!! Good luck, MFP is working for me!
  • theradiantbride
    theradiantbride Posts: 50
    Get some very low calorie snacks to eat whenever. Mostly vegetables. Celery practically has no calories and it tends to fill me up if I'm feeling hungry. Also, make sure you're drinking lots of water. Sometimes you'll feel hungry, but you're really thirsty. It's recommended that you drink 64oz every day.

    If you're working out a lot, you may not be replacing enough of the calories that you burn.

    Other than that, just try to eat things that are more filling. High fiber, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. I feel like it will pass after your body gets used to the amount of food you're eating. It's most likely just an adjustment issue.
  • o0Amanda0o
    o0Amanda0o Posts: 41 Member
    For me I noticed if I drank 20 ounces of water whenever I am eating it makes me feel full. Also, try to eat more protein and fiber because that also makes you feel full longer. Hope this helps :o)
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
    OK, I can't see your diary so I'm going to put a few things out there that I find make me hungrier.

    Are you drinking at least 2 liters of water a day?
    Are you eating more carbs than protein? If I eat too many carbs, especially the simple ones (i.e. processed foods) I CRAVE MORE FOOD!!!!!
    Are you eating breakfast? If so are you eating protein?

    I find if I fix all of the above in my diet I am less hungry. Good luck!
  • kgunther
    kgunther Posts: 2
    You should try 5 mini meals and always have protein with each meal.
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    I had the same problem when I first started, I went from eating once a day to eating every couple of hours in portions. It was a huge difference. IT GOES AWAY! Remember that. I try to keep all of my food under 300 calories except dinner. I try to keep that one under 600. Once your body gets used to getting food on a consistent basis, it will stop craving and you will stop being so hungry so much. Just fight through it and remember - IT WILL GO AWAY!!!
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
    What percentages of your caloric intake represent fat, carbs, and protein?
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    When I'm eating really healthily, I often find it challenging to eat all the food I'm allotted, and I only have a 1200 cal target because I'm short, but I choose healthy foods that keep me feeling full or take a long time to eat. Try to avoid foods with simple sugars and carbs, and make sure you get some protein and fat with each meal/snack. For example, oatmeal or cream of wheat are good breakfasts that stay with you, or a high-fiber creal with low-fat milk. I'll have a BIG salad for lunch, with protein - takes forever to eat, and I feel stuffed for most of the afternoon. Dinner - protein and more veggies. Good snacks are high in fiber and/or protein - raw veggies with hummus or low/cal dressing/dip, apples (with peanut butter if you like, or a little low-fat cheese). They keep you busy crunching away until your body registers that it is full/satisfied. Low-fat popcorn. And this still leaves room for a treat or two (for me, I like fat-free pudding and Skinny Cow ice cream, but others swear by Greek yogurt). The trick is to make the calories count - be prepared with healthy, nutritious foods that you can graze on all day if you are hungry. Stay away from empty calories and high glycemic foods.
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    Were you tracking your food before this. People tend to eat a lot more than they think they are eating when not tracking. For instance I make my kids a meal and eat two bites off of their plates, but only really pay attention to what I have put on my own plate. The more likely answer is that you are now paying attention to your intake.

    I would basically go a day without eating, or snack on something that is like 300 calories then the next day I would eat 1 meal that day that now that I look back had about 900-1000 calories, (Baja fresh is NOT your friend) On some days I might have gotten up to 2000 calories or past, but an overall average I would have to say i was in-taking about 1000 or less a day... Most of that was from my coffee drinks, as I am a barista, and would have about two a day of the full blown sugar/caffeine rush drinks... My husband joked that I lived off caffeine and sunshine... sadly it wasn't much of a joke.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    more mini meals helps me keep the hunger away. please feel free to look at my profile/diary, just uh, not for this weekend. it was a lot of family stuff, first sunday of football. leave me alone.

    seriously, small snacks like trail mix or and apple an peanut butter will help you fend off hunger in between meals.

    ps, my trail mix is a 1/4 cup of each almonds, craisins, and peanut m&m's.
  • mscoco10
    mscoco10 Posts: 527 Member
    i agree wit smaller meals and more friuts and veggies. also try to increase water intake. hope this helps
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
    Were you tracking your food before this. People tend to eat a lot more than they think they are eating when not tracking. For instance I make my kids a meal and eat two bites off of their plates, but only really pay attention to what I have put on my own plate. The more likely answer is that you are now paying attention to your intake.

    I would basically go a day without eating, or snack on something that is like 300 calories then the next day I would eat 1 meal that day that now that I look back had about 900-1000 calories, (Baja fresh is NOT your friend) On some days I might have gotten up to 2000 calories or past, but an overall average I would have to say i was in-taking about 1000 or less a day... Most of that was from my coffee drinks, as I am a barista, and would have about two a day of the full blown sugar/caffeine rush drinks... My husband joked that I lived off caffeine and sunshine... sadly it wasn't much of a joke.


    Might just be that you are spending much more time thinking about food now :) I bet it will get easier for you soon. I use to work at a little coffee shop, and we would spent hours coming up with new ideas for drinks... and then drinking them. I went home one night and figured up that I had had about 14 shots of espresso that day. Ugh my heart should have exploded!
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    What percentages of your caloric intake represent fat, carbs, and protein?

    In the past 7 days I have consumed between 200-400 grams of carbs, 17-58 grams of fat and 40-58 grams of protein.

    Most of my carbs come from oatmeal, rice or pasta.
    Most of my fat comes from olive oil in a home made salad dressing... and one day where I gave in to Baja Fresh. :D
    My protein also comes from my oatmeal, rice and pasta.

    I don't know what is normal by any means...
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    Try eating 100+ grams of protein per day. It fills me up!
  • twyrm
    twyrm Posts: 22 Member
    I had this problem in the past, even though I was losing weight. I would get almost frantic with how hungry I was in the afternoon. Now I am eating more protein, less bad carbs. Check the glycemic load diet. I am eating much better and not really feeling like I'm missing anything, except that starving feeling.
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    Might just be that you are spending much more time thinking about food now :) I bet it will get easier for you soon. I use to work at a little coffee shop, and we would spent hours coming up with new ideas for drinks... and then drinking them. I went home one night and figured up that I had had about 14 shots of espresso that day. Ugh my heart should have exploded!

    I have been very good with my drinks and tracking my food. I was so proud of myself when I remembered at the end of a work shift that we had all sampled a muffin and I had about 1/4 of one, and I tracked it, just like everything else! :) It's true, food is on my mind a LOT more now. While I was at work this morning I was actually okay. I handed out a ton of very good smelling breakfast sandwiches and my tummy didn't grumble in the slightest~ Perhaps it IS the mental aspect of it... I haven't thought about food this much since I was a freshman in high school and in sports!
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    Try eating 100+ grams of protein per day. It fills me up!

    Good God... how do you do that?! :D
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    I find that it's crucial that I eat protein with every meal. If I eat an all-carb breakfast, I will actually get nauseous. One boiled egg or one piece of low-fat sausage cures that. The rest of the day, an all-carb snack will just make me hungrier. Every snack I eat has some cheese or nuts, or jerky - some kind of protein.

    I also LOVE raw almonds. I can munch on 6 almonds for 15 minutes and it's only 55 Cal or so.
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    For me I noticed if I drank 20 ounces of water whenever I am eating it makes me feel full. Also, try to eat more protein and fiber because that also makes you feel full longer. Hope this helps :o)

    I have been drinking crystal light as well as water... though I failed today on both accounts... I really should up my water intake though, you are definitely right there!
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    I think I just made my profile public... not sure. Now you can all see what I have been eating, perhaps this will help. I have yet to have dinner tonight, so today won't be much help, though :D
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Try eating 100+ grams of protein per day. It fills me up!

    Good God... how do you do that?! :D

    Egg whites (although I prefer whole eggs and rarely waste the yolk but the protein is all in the whites), Greek yogurt, lean meats, and protein powder (any brand will do, but make sure it have very little fat and carbs in it.)
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    Try eating 100+ grams of protein per day. It fills me up!

    Good God... how do you do that?! :D
    Lean meats, Greek yogurts, and protein shake!

    Grilled chicken breast is my staple. I eat it pretty much every day. Fish is good too, though I personally don't like the taste as much.

    If you usually eat cereal for breakfast, try putting 1/2 scoop of protein powder in your cereal.
  • howie4four
    howie4four Posts: 54 Member
    Hunger is still a problem for me.....I've been dieting since January and lost 75 pounds.....for me....I fear hunger will always be an issue but I remind myself how bad i felt when I was 75 pounds heavier and now tell myself I'd rather be hungry than feel fat. I do chew alot of gum and drink alot of water too, but the line I repeat to myself is "would you rather be hungry or fat...you get to choose"
    Works for me!!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    For me I noticed if I drank 20 ounces of water whenever I am eating it makes me feel full. Also, try to eat more protein and fiber because that also makes you feel full longer. Hope this helps :o)

    I have been drinking crystal light as well as water... though I failed today on both accounts... I really should up my water intake though, you are definitely right there!

    For some people artificial sweeteners make them more hungry. You may want to try doing this drinking just straight water with no crystal light.
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