Do you trust your hunger?

Change1992 · January 2023

Similar to a lot of people on here, my weight has been up and down over the past few years.

I have about 2 stone/30lbs to lose.

I've stuck to my calorie limit religiously, weighing everything for the last 3 weeks with no change on the scales. I'm not losing faith, I know it'll come eventually. I'm planning another week and then I'll look at whether my calorie goal is too high.

I'm absolutely starving today but I don't know why. Not done any extra exercise etc. I'm craving everything from chicken to dairy

What do you do on the days like today?

sbelletti · January 2023

Some days I'm hungrier than usual, some days not. I tend to average my calories over a week to allow for this. It could be tied to a female's monthly cycle, changes in exercise, different macros (some foods are more satiating than others), etc.

If I'm super hungry but feel like I shouldn't be, I usually start by having a lot of water or hot tea. Sometimes it's thirst and not hunger signaling my brain. If I'm still hungry, I eat! Start with something small, wait awhile and see if you're still hungry. If you are, eat!

spiriteagle99 · January 2023

Hunger happens sometimes when you're thirsty. Sometimes your body needs certain nutrients that it isn't getting (i.e. protein). Sometimes it's boredom. Sometimes it's making up for too big a deficit the day before. I find I get really hungry the day after a hard workout. I generally trust my hunger signals, but I've been maintaining for several years so I can usually tell if I want to eat because I'm actually hungry or if I am stressed out and seeking solace.

healingmysticmelody · January 2023

Hormones are what cause days like that for me. The cold does too. I have a pre-mixed low cal cocoa that helps. It is a cup of skim milk (or half skim and half coconut milk) with a TBS of baking cocoa (no sugar) and a TBS of erythritol, and a TBS of stevia. An apple with a TBS of peanut butter is my evening snack on those days, or 6 Triscuits and a slice of cheese (Muenster, Pepperjack, Provolone). They are extra filling but reasonable calories.
I also eat multiple 5 calorie sugar free jellos if I must. But I have a LOT more weight to lose. Maybe one of those suggestions will help.

HoneyBadger302 · January 2023

I've found that the only way to really have my hunger be manageable was finding out the way of eating (macro distribution) that allowed me to stay in a calorie deficit without feeling like I was starving. Unfortunately, it's kinda trial and error for you, your body, and your lifestyle.
Low carb ended up being the key for me - obviously all things end up tracked, but the only macro I worry about are my carbs. I find for me, staying below 150 net carbs works wonders (this is no where near keto low, just lower carb). Lots of veggies, protein, but avoiding most grain-based foods most of the time, or in very small quantities when I do have some.
The biggest issue is that it requires a fair bit of home cooking and planning, and eating out can be difficult if I can't plan ahead for some reason. Most "meals" have pretty significant carbs in them, and a salad doesn't always cut it lol.

neanderthin · January 2023

I've seen hunger and it's not nice or understood in 1st world Countries very well or at all by the majority of people. Blame goes to 2 million years of adaptive physiology that isn't coping/adapting well to our new and improved lifestyles of the majority of people in certain demographics. I digress, cheers.

Change1992 · January 2023

Thanks everyone!

The thirst thing is always the first one I jump to. I've drank 5 litres of water today ...

I've managed to hold out so I'm going to have an early dinner and see how I feel tomorrow. I'm not sure if it's psychological because I know I haven't lost anything yet.

Thanks for all your suggestions - keep them coming!

refactored · January 2023

I have noticed 2 different types of hunger in me. One where my stomach gurgles and hurts a bit and one where my mouth wants to eat something even when I know my stomach is full.

I find I am not getting stomach hungry that often. I am really eating more based on my mouth hunger than my stomach hunger. I am struggling at the moment but what I have noticed in me is that there is only a few seconds between when I experience mouth hunger, I think of something to eat, then eat it.

I will try and put some distance between when I want something and eating it by having a cup of tea. I will tell myself I can have it after I have finished the tea. But while I drink the tea I look at photos and quotes that inspire me.

Sounds good I'm theory but I am struggling to put my words into action. Stress is a big problem for me at the moment. I feel it weakens my resolve but I know I need to stop making excuses and apply the strategy because it has worked in the past.

I hope you find something that works for you.

elbubble · January 2023

That’s such a good way of putting it. Last time around I focused on stomach hunger and didn’t restrict anything I ate but only ate when my stomach told me and it worked wonders, I lost 35kg in 8 months and did not deprive myself of anything.

What I found out was when my stomach told me to eat it also told me what to eat, which seemed to get healthier and healthier and the mouth hunger almost aligned itself as I would find myself munching on frozen grapes and such.

Where it all went wrong for me over the next 4 yrs was a new man and a lot of takeaway food plus cutting down on exercise due to corona. I gained back 15kg by eating stuff that to be honest I did not really enjoy (except the cheese, love love love cheese 😂)

Thankfully now I have lost both the man and the first 2 kg in the past 3 wks and looking forward to going back to listening to myself
and not catering for someone else.

So in conclusion to a very long and kinda irrelevant post I would say by paying more attention to what your body wants when it’s stomach hungry your mouth hunger will start to play along. I mean I did walk into the shop for chicken once and walked out with a pineapple as I started salivating when I smelt them 😂😂😂

I hope you get to where you want to be in time and enjoy the journey

CurvyEmmy · January 2023

Wow this post is so interesting because I’m realizing that: 1) I’m constantly hungry 2) Maybe I have never been hungry before???

Like, I’m constantly craving food. But my stomach is always physically full. I’ve always been a compulsive snacker and nonstop emotional eater ever since I was a kid. I typically never go more than an hour without food.

I only ever feel stomach pain from being too stuffed. I am trying to remember if my stomach has ever hurt from being hungry no I don’t think so? I feel like that would freak me out so bad.

At the same time, “I’m always hungry” but it’s like an emotional feeling more than anything. Does that make sense?

I’ve been I overweight my whole life and I could never understand why because I TRY to eat healthy foods and be at least semi-active but my weight keeps going up every single year.

Maybe I don’t understand what hunger is??? @_@

DFW_Tom · January 2023

"Do you trust your hunger?"
Yes, but only after I was able to tell the difference between true hunger and carb sugars craving. At 65, the revelation was unexpected and shocking .... it has helped me understand why I was always hungry. True hunger feels very mild compared to cravings - at least to me. Hunger is easy to ignore, while crashing blood sugar levels are impossible to ignore - again, at least to me.

Change1992 wrote: »

I'm absolutely starving today but I don't know why. Not done any extra exercise etc. I'm craving everything from chicken to dairy

What do you do on the days like today?

I'd eat some (a lot of) chicken and dairy then. I wouldn't worry about going over my calories and macros for the day. I would try to ease that carb craving with proteins and fats in the hopes of staying away from eating bread, cookies or a large bag of chips.

omobad312 · January 2023

What helps me not think about hunger much and be able to more easily stay on track is intermittent fasting. I don’t think the IF itself is to credit but the predictable eating times. There’s that 16 hours where I just don’t think about food now bc I know I’m not eating and when I am eating I often just want to eat one meal or one and half meals. It’s always hard for me to get back into IF if I get off but after the first or second day I feel better. I also never feel too stuffed or too hungry. And this is not how I naturally eat at all, I have a tendency to binge and overeat ever since I was little but IF always feels like magic when I get over the initial hump. If I’m not doing it, I’m hungry (or think I am) nearly all the time and am always thinking of food and it’s exhausting. I do get all my calories in too, and I like that I can have that big meal with all the foods I need at one or two meals during the eating window. Fulfills my need to eat a lot and saves a lot of headache around food as well as time. Just sharing my experience though, some variation of IF has only been what’s worked almost effortlessly for me but I’m sure there are maybe other things that could work for you.

Change1992 · January 2023

Thanks everyone.

There's definitely still work for me on the identifying hunger vs blood sugar crashes. I don't even know where to start on that one!

I travel a lot so often eat at odd times e.g. have breakfast and lunch within 2 hours of one another then not eat dinner for another 10 etc.

I did try IF previously when my schedule was more stable. I found it pretty easy from a mindset perspective once I got into it so maybe I need to take another look...

westrich20940 · January 2023

I did not trust my hunger cues when I started. Particularly, many people (including me) make the mistake of thinking....well I don't feel hungry so I don't need to eat more. Especially when what you've eaten is significantly below your daily calorie goal.

I think it's important to reevaluate what your calorie goal is to make sure it's not too low (or too high, which sounds like you suspect it is). I think the best way to do that is to get a re-calculation estimate of your *maintenance* calories....and BMR. And then choose a daily calorie goal that is somewhere between those two. Daily activity level will make that a bit more complicated, however, if you plan to use MFP to log your intentional cardio workouts (again, as accurately as you can)...using 'sedentary' (if you have a desk job/are sedentary at home other than your planned workout) is appropriate.

I was eating too little on my first (short-lived/half-assed attempt) at using MFP.

Jan. 2020 was my earnest start to using MFP and I ate much more...and *still* had some days where I was under my calorie goal but didn't 'feel' hungry...but I made sure to eat my calories.

Now, ~25lbs down and at my equilibrium weight (I have stayed consistent within +/- 5 or so pounds, with the exception of the Holidays every year lol)...where I DO trust my hunger....when my body communicates to me that it needs food - I give it food and I am much more thoughtful about what I give it. I make sure to give it what it craves as well as what will nourish me and help me reach my goals. I do not restrict or try significantly to stick to some calorie number.....I eat similar things everyday so I do tend to have a general idea of how many calories I am consuming though. But, my weight has stayed consistent, I eat when I'm hungry so I feel pretty good about trusting my hunger. And I"m also at a place where I don't fear gaining weight. I have other goals that are external to my weight/body and if I have to weigh more to reach them, then that's OK. =D

sollyn23l2 · January 2023

westrich20940 wrote: »

I did not trust my hunger cues when I started. Particularly, many people (including me) make the mistake of thinking....well I don't feel hungry so I don't need to eat more. Especially when what you've eaten is significantly below your daily calorie goal.

I think it's important to reevaluate what your calorie goal is to make sure it's not too low (or too high, which sounds like you suspect it is). I think the best way to do that is to get a re-calculation estimate of your *maintenance* calories....and BMR. And then choose a daily calorie goal that is somewhere between those two. Daily activity level will make that a bit more complicated, however, if you plan to use MFP to log your intentional cardio workouts (again, as accurately as you can)...using 'sedentary' (if you have a desk job/are sedentary at home other than your planned workout) is appropriate.

I was eating too little on my first (short-lived/half-assed attempt) at using MFP.

Jan. 2020 was my earnest start to using MFP and I ate much more...and *still* had some days where I was under my calorie goal but didn't 'feel' hungry...but I made sure to eat my calories.

Now, ~25lbs down and at my equilibrium weight (I have stayed consistent within +/- 5 or so pounds, with the exception of the Holidays every year lol)...where I DO trust my hunger....when my body communicates to me that it needs food - I give it food and I am much more thoughtful about what I give it. I make sure to give it what it craves as well as what will nourish me and help me reach my goals. I do not restrict or try significantly to stick to some calorie number.....I eat similar things everyday so I do tend to have a general idea of how many calories I am consuming though. But, my weight has stayed consistent, I eat when I'm hungry so I feel pretty good about trusting my hunger. And I"m also at a place where I don't fear gaining weight. I have other goals that are external to my weight/body and if I have to weigh more to reach them, then that's OK. =D

I would argue that generally, people tend to feel hungry when they don't actually need to eat, not the other way around. Most people trying to lose weight have a strong tendency to overeat. For those individuals, I would strongly recommend not eating unless and until they are hungry. Even if they haven't met their calorie goals.

SafariGalNYC · January 2023

I don’t believe I’ve ever experienced true hunger.

Fortunately my entire life I’ve been well nourished with constant access to food .. I think there is a difference between appetite and hunger — Appetite being the desire for food, hunger being the need for food.

Even on days I run out the door to work and skip breakfast and lunch ..: I can eat dinner - sounds appealing- but I’m not “hungry” … I’m just used to eating typically 3 times a day. So it’s mostly habit.

Do you trust your hunger?

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