Late morning hunger (more like starvation!)

by 10:00 i'm hungry so i have a snack because i'm hungry. my snack is either yogurt, string cheese, fruit, granola bar or nuts. if i let my stomach continue to growl at me until lunchtime i would devour my lunch so fast i wouldn't even realize i ate it. if you're hungry have a snack. there's no reason to wait until "lunchtime" to eat something. those old rules are gone.

I just starting intermittent fasting because I was suffering the same thing. Didn't matter if I ate 100 or 300 calories at 7AM, by 9:30-10:30 I would be ravenous. I just started skipping breakfast because I wasn't really hungry when I woke up, and the late morning hunger went away on it's own.

I'm not sure if this would work for you (I'd recommend researching before just doing this, please please please I am not a health professional AT ALL haha), but that's what cured it for me.

I have studied nutrition a bit, and for most people, this will not work. Your body needs fuel in the morning to start the metabolism... the reason not eating cured your mid-morning hunger is because you stalled your metabolism... your body thinks you're starving and is probably storing everything as fat. You may be losing weight, but imaging how much more efficient it would be if you were eating properly . Eating 5-6 smaller meals a day (including breakfast) will increase your metabolism, causing you to burn fat faster. Yes, you'll be hungry more often, but carry some almonds or a piece of fruit. I pre-plan and pack all my meals and take them to work with me. I also have a can of almonds in my desk if I start getting hungry... a handful will cure any hunger pains.

Where did you study nutrition?

I took classes on weight lifting, aeorobic dance, health, nutrition science, etc. in college... I have always wanted to be a nutritionist, so I took 5 or 6 (can't remember exactly) classes so I could see if I wanted to switch my major. I have done quite a bit of extensive research over the years and I have several friends who are nutritionists and personal trainers. I am by no means an expert... I was just giving some advice, which is the point of these forums, is it not?

SO MY PROBLEM IS I WORK OVERNIGHT....IM REAL CONFUSED ON HOW TO EAT HEALTHY WHEN I MOSTLY SLEEP DURING THE DAY(EXCEPT DAYS OFF) AND WORK OERNIGHT WHAT SHOULD MY EATIN SCHEDULE BE? CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP....

Eat as often as you would eat if you worked day times. This isn't rocket science.

If you're really hungry (and not just bored ) eat! You only have a protein shake between 8-1? I'd be starving too!! Bring food with you to work and eat when you're hungry. I eat several small meals throughout the day--as long as you make healthy food choices you probably won't go over on calories.

I just starting intermittent fasting because I was suffering the same thing. Didn't matter if I ate 100 or 300 calories at 7AM, by 9:30-10:30 I would be ravenous. I just started skipping breakfast because I wasn't really hungry when I woke up, and the late morning hunger went away on it's own.

I'm not sure if this would work for you (I'd recommend researching before just doing this, please please please I am not a health professional AT ALL haha), but that's what cured it for me.

I have studied nutrition a bit, and for most people, this will not work. Your body needs fuel in the morning to start the metabolism... the reason not eating cured your mid-morning hunger is because you stalled your metabolism... your body thinks you're starving and is probably storing everything as fat. You may be losing weight, but imaging how much more efficient it would be if you were eating properly . Eating 5-6 smaller meals a day (including breakfast) will increase your metabolism, causing you to burn fat faster. Yes, you'll be hungry more often, but carry some almonds or a piece of fruit. I pre-plan and pack all my meals and take them to work with me. I also have a can of almonds in my desk if I start getting hungry... a handful will cure any hunger pains.

Where did you study nutrition?

I took classes on weight lifting, aeorobic dance, health, nutrition science, etc. in college... I have always wanted to be a nutritionist, so I took 5 or 6 (can't remember exactly) classes so I could see if I wanted to switch my major. I have done quite a bit of extensive research over the years and I have several friends who are nutritionists and personal trainers. I am by no means an expert... I was just giving some advice, which is the point of these forums, is it not?

I wish people would give no advice rather than poor advice if they have no idea what they are talking about.

When I am that hungry I eat. I eat a granola bar so I can last an extra 2 hours. Nothing wrong with eating pretzels either. Just adjust your food later to compensate or go for a 15 min fast walk to burn it off so you even out. Either way listen to your body and do what works for you not someone else. Obviously waiting to eat is not working so add a snack in and adjust. Me I usually don't eat until 9 because if I eat at 4am when I wake up I am hungry all day. It plays with my glucose levels. Usually I have a granola bar only which gets me through until 12pm. But that works for me. What works for you?

You should be eating far more than 100 calories between 8 am to 1 pm. That is the main issue. Try having a well rounded breakfast and that should help your light headed feeling as well as your hunger pangs. Most days I have some greek yogurt with fruit and nuts and I sprinkle flax seed on top. Other people enjoy eggs or hearty oatmeal as well. I keep my breakfasts between 250-300 calories but they are always filling and healthy. Hope your issue gets resolved!

I just starting intermittent fasting because I was suffering the same thing. Didn't matter if I ate 100 or 300 calories at 7AM, by 9:30-10:30 I would be ravenous. I just started skipping breakfast because I wasn't really hungry when I woke up, and the late morning hunger went away on it's own.

I'm not sure if this would work for you (I'd recommend researching before just doing this, please please please I am not a health professional AT ALL haha), but that's what cured it for me.

I have studied nutrition a bit, and for most people, this will not work. Your body needs fuel in the morning to start the metabolism... the reason not eating cured your mid-morning hunger is because you stalled your metabolism... your body thinks you're starving and is probably storing everything as fat. You may be losing weight, but imaging how much more efficient it would be if you were eating properly . Eating 5-6 smaller meals a day (including breakfast) will increase your metabolism, causing you to burn fat faster. Yes, you'll be hungry more often, but carry some almonds or a piece of fruit. I pre-plan and pack all my meals and take them to work with me. I also have a can of almonds in my desk if I start getting hungry... a handful will cure any hunger pains.

Where did you study nutrition?

I took classes on weight lifting, aeorobic dance, health, nutrition science, etc. in college... I have always wanted to be a nutritionist, so I took 5 or 6 (can't remember exactly) classes so I could see if I wanted to switch my major. I have done quite a bit of extensive research over the years and I have several friends who are nutritionists and personal trainers. I am by no means an expert... I was just giving some advice, which is the point of these forums, is it not?

I wish people would give no advice rather than poor advice if they have no idea what they are talking about.

The reason this happens is because your levels (I am sorry but I can’t remember the verbiage, too much for my brain to hanlde) are at their highest in the morning and they get the lowest at night like 20 something in the morning at only 4 at night. So if you have low body fat and eat something early in the morning your levels spike and cause you to gorge and be hungry an hour later. I have tried strictly protein in the morning too to rule out “it’s the carbs” and it makes it worse for me. This happens again to mostly people with low body fat. I can’t find the article about it anymore… erg. This doesn't happen to the average Joe. I didn't take any classes but I researched it because this was a constant battle and if I ate too early and alot my levels would spike and then I was gorging all day. If I wait until 9 to have a bar that is low cal and not alot... my levels are not as high, it’s a light snack, and I don't gorge. Easy and simple. Maybe someone has the link to the article I was talking about on this board. But regardless of how many “classes” or “articles” anyone has taken me included, this is how my body reacts to eating in the morning and I am at around 16.4% body fat. So I skip breakfast.

Bottom line = I don't want to eat out of boredom, yet I don't want to starve myself, either. Trying to keep it at 1,200 cal all day.

1200 net or gross? Let me guess... gross.

I'm working under that same assumption.

Let me get this straight. Between 8am and 1pm, all you consume is 100 calories? Do you eat anything before 8am, or is it that you are going a full night and all morning without anything but your shake?

Edited to add: You note that without a schedule, you can go quite a while between meals. Are you intentionally fasting?

Full night into morning with just the shake. I do that b/c I'm not much of a "breakfast" person anyway. I like to save my calories for lunch and dinner, especially after a good workout.

I'm not intentionally fasting, but I guess my point is the whole thing is mental. For instance on Saturday, I worked out in the AM, cleaned the house, and went to look at a car on no more than like 300 cal until I had dinner around 5:00. I was completely fine and distracted by my activities, I didn't feel hungry (at least not that I couldn't deal with).

Bottom line = I don't want to eat out of boredom, yet I don't want to starve myself, either. Trying to keep it at 1,200 cal all day.

Okay but you need to take a step back and look at your situation realistically. You're trying to get through (let's say) 14 hours on 100 calories. You are focusing really hard on disciplining yourself to not to want to eat, when you SHOULD be eating, and for a reason I can't really understand. For one, your diet is already very low calorie (1200). Furthermore, you're trying to pidgeonhole your body into rules for when you are allowing yourself to eat. But you're asking for advice on how to trick your body into not feeling legitimately hungry. Drugs, I guess.

Eating too little, and too infrequently, is not a healthy habit. If you don't like breakfast, then don't eat it. Eat when you're hungry. Would you rather do a 10:30am "brunch" kind of deal? Then do that. The timing of your meals is going to have no effect on your fitness goals.

Any by the way, you can't boost your metabolism or slow it down in the course of a day based on what you eat, or when you eat. But if you eat too little for too long, you can slow down your metabolic rate considerably. I suggest not using any "starvation" or "deprivation" methods. Losing weight doesn't have to mean being hungry. If it does, it's not a sustainable plan.

Also - From your pic, you don't have a lot of weight to lose (it's aesthetic at this point rather than for health reasons, am I correct?) yet from your ticker you still want to lose 10+ more. You and I have similar body types... I ate 2000 calories yesterday. Your picture was taken in a gym, I have to assume that you must be doing some kind of physical activity. 1200 calories might work for someone who has a lot to lose and isn't very active, or a thin model who doesn't have an ounce of muscle, but I have a strong feeling that you're fighting against yourself with the rules you've set for your body.

Not sure if anyone suggested it already (don't have time to read through all the posts, sorry!) but maybe you could eat lunch at 11:00 if you're that hungry?? I used to have it stuck in my head that I had to wait until 12 or 1 to eat lunch, but was STARVING from 11:00 on. (I eat breakfast around 6:30-7). About a year ago I started just eating lunch at 11 or 11:30 when I was hungry, and this has made a HUGE difference!

I keep snacks close by otherwise when that hunger hits if I have to wait until 1 p.m. to eat I am not going to make proper choices, I am going to binge and I am going to feel awful afterwards and then think - man, if I had just gotten control of it.

very first post people

http://www.leangains.com/

/discussion

THATS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! Thanks fhsjewfro.... This is why I don't eat breakfast... this happens to me. I am bookmarking it this time so I don’t loose it!!!

Article is called "Why Does Breakfast Make Me Hungry?"

http://www.leangains.com/2012/06/why-does-breakfast-make-me-hungry.html

OP, I hope you are reading this:

Okay but you need to take a step back and look at your situation realistically. You're trying to get through (let's say) 14 hours on 100 calories. You are focusing really hard on disciplining yourself to not to want to eat, when you SHOULD be eating, and for a reason I can't really understand. For one, your diet is already very low calorie (1200). Furthermore, you're trying to pidgeonhole your body into rules for when you are allowing yourself to eat. But you're asking for advice on how to trick your body into not feeling legitimately hungry. Drugs, I guess.

Eating too little, and too infrequently, is not a healthy habit. If you don't like breakfast, then don't eat it. Eat when you're hungry. Would you rather do a 10:30am "brunch" kind of deal? Then do that. The timing of your meals is going to have no effect on your fitness goals.

Any by the way, you can't boost your metabolism or slow it down in the course of a day based on what you eat, or when you eat. But if you eat too little for too long, you can slow down your metabolic rate considerably. I suggest not using any "starvation" or "deprivation" methods. Losing weight doesn't have to mean being hungry. If it does, it's not a sustainable plan.

Also - From your pic, you don't have a lot of weight to lose (it's aesthetic at this point rather than for health reasons, am I correct?) yet from your ticker you still want to lose 10+ more. You and I have similar body types... I ate 2000 calories yesterday. Your picture was taken in a gym, I have to assume that you must be doing some kind of physical activity. 1200 calories might work for someone who has a lot to lose and isn't very active, or a thin model who doesn't have an ounce of muscle, but I have a strong feeling that you're fighting against yourself with the rules you've set for your body.