Does anyone else experience Bottomless Hunger?

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I just figured that maybe someone here could help me... I'm a very active female who has never been a huge eater, but in the last few weeks I have not been able to stop eating!! here is an example of food for a day :

Breakfast: one cup oatmeal, and orange, coffee

lunch: tuna, crackers, carrots, milk

umm...lunch 2: more oatmeal, toast (whole wheat with cream cheese, yum) small apple

haha lunch 3: cold corn bran cereal with blueberries and bananas (was still hungry but I just stopped myself, it was getting ridiculous.

other food (after going tobogganing, how cool am I?) fruit and yogurt and hot chocolate from timmie's

Dinner: scrambled eggs (1 yolk, 2 whites) and a piece of toast

2 hour hockey practice

cake (tiny piece)

Wow, okay now what I wrote it all down, thats pretty impressive... but at no time was I stuffed. Does anyone else have this bottomless hunger? does anyone know how I can quell it? I can't afford to buy this much food! (haha, but no kidding, feeding me is getting expensive)

any help would be appreciated and sorry for the long post!

I'm fairly new at all this too, but I'll do my best in telling you what I see. It seems you're eating rather healthy food (minus the cake, but it was only a tiny slice) which is good, but maybe you're just not taking in the right amount of calories? If you exercise a lot, you need more calories to keep you going.

I think a 400-500 calorie difference between what you burn and what you eat is healthy (although I'm NOT sure and anyone else posting should correct me).
It's either this, or you need more protein? I know that the eggs and tuna are a good source, but i'm not sure about the rest.

Anywho, I have had days where I was just hungry, not matter what I ate, but that was usually when I was highly active and needed more to sustain me.

Good luck with this!

One more thing! If you haven't yet, use the tools on the site to show you an estimated calorie expenditure and allowance. It'll show you how much you burn and how much you should be eating :)

Thanks... I did what you suggested and apperently what I ate was only about 1850 calories. . . I thought it would be WAY more, like 3000 or something. And the thing said that I I was very active, I need 2400 calories (5'7" 125 lbs), but I know hockey is really calorie burning but I'm not sure if this would put my totals up at all. So my calories might be a little low, even? I'm confused. . . so now I guess I have a new problem, I need to get that many or more calories in (hopefully) less volume of food.  any suggestions?

You're sample menu looked positively wonderful to me -- very healthy and really not too much food at all. Being active like that it makes sense that you've got the so-called bottomless pit. I think that's a great plan to split your meals up like that (i.e., "lunch" and "lunch 2"). You didn't say how old you are -- if you're still growing, that has a major impact on how much intake you need. 

Since you're already consuming high fiber foods in the form of oatmeal and bran cereals, I would suggest upping the protein with lean deli meats, a handful of nuts, beans, peanut butter, etc. Protein has a high satiety value that might curb your hunger better than carbs alone. Making sure that you get 20 or 30% of your calories from good fats (the kind in peanuts, fish, etc) can also help with satiety.

It might be a good idea to have a more substantial snack after your two hour practice; your muscles need carbs and protein to refuel and rebuild. A ham sandwich or some peanut butter with apples could work.

Btw: an article that talks about the benefits of lean protein
 (www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-10-16-prote in-diet-hook_x.htm)

That's 7 small meals.  Did you know that eating frequently can boost your metabolism?  I try for 5 or 6 small meals a day and have noticed that when I have only 3 meals a day I don't lose.  Of course I'm a lot older and less active than you are.

A good way to boost cals and protein is to whip up some protein shakes. If you add milk, yogurt, or fruit, you can have a good, healthy, protein-filled shake that's about 200-300 cals.

Thanks for all your help. . . I'm 18, but I'm finished growing I think. The concensus seems to be more protein. . . So more protein it is! I plan to have more protein at lunch, in the form of beans (they are tasty and filling, but somehow I always forget about them) and maybe some protien before bed too...  like a drumstick or something. 

hungryman792: thanks for the article, it was interesting! And you are absolutely right about more food after practice, the training staff are always harping on me about that. The problem is, my practices are often late (9-11 pm) and when I'm done I'm totally exhausted and just want to go to bed. The cake was a one-time thing, it was someone's birthday. . . it is definitly better to eat after excersize but at that time I just can't stomach it. Sorry depleated muscles!

Oh Geez, I would give anything to be 18 again, only 125 pounds and as tall as 5'7" eating that healthy.  Call me when you get to my world.  I would agree, more protein for a healthy, young, active adult.  It sounds like you are doing great!

I was hungrier than usual last night.  After getting home from the gym, I ate 2 rice cakes, an apple, and a 'healthy' home-made blueberry muffin.  I still could have eaten more, but I STOPPED myself before it got out of hand.  I think it's the week's activities catching up.  Just the body saying - feed me please!!!

You know that really is a lot of carbs.  The fiber is good and you'll get lots of essential vitamins from cereal and bread, but you need to switch some of it for higher protein foods and add just a little good fat.  The protein will keep you from getting hungry.

I'm not sure if this is helpful but I find if I don't eat enough calories one day, the next day I get ravenous and eat everything I can find (- putting your 3 lunches to shame).

At first I couldn't understand why I was eating so much, although I am what my family terms a grazer (I eat small bits all day) but it was getting out of hand when the small bits became big meals in themselves 

I started tracking my calorie consumption on spreadsheets and realised that every time I went under the minimum daily calorie allowance the next day I would consume about three times over my daily calorie limit.

I'm not sure if that might be the case but I hope it helps :)

Protein is definitely the way to go.  I don't think I would consider your eating "binge" eating.  When I binge, it involves oreos.  If you are truly hungry, your body is telling you it needs calories.  My favorite filling mini meal as of late is wasa crisp crackers, on which I spread a mashed avacado that I mix a little of the dry guacamole seasonings, a package of the salmon (with the tuna in the bag) and sliced tomato.  The wasa is crispy, which satisfies that urge, and the proteins are so good for you.  Plus, it has the "good" fat that keeps you full longer.  It might not sound good, but it is very tasty.  My husband (who avoids all things healthy) took a bite and surprised himself because he liked it.

You are missing protein, big time. You are definitely a healthy eater. After increasing the protein you will probably be even better in sports.  Also you did not mention WATER. We sometime graze not from hunger but THIRST. Your diet plan screams for protein. Suggest:

Breakfast- 4 egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal or Special K,3oz OJ

2-3 hours later Protein shake or small apple and piece of cheese

Lunch- 4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, 1/3C string beans, 1/3 C brown rice or a red potato the size of a golf ball

2-3 hrs later 11oz Protein Shake , yogurt and small apple, or albacore tuna

Dinner- 4oz chicken breast, turkey, or fish, 1/3 C vegetable, 1/3C starch Stop eating after 7:30pm

I drink Worldwide Pure Protein it has 35 Grams of protein and 2 Grams of Carbs. I have been on the diet plan above for 4 months , along with cardio and weights/strength training and have lost 3 dress sizes and 40 pounds. I only have the urge to binge and reach for sweet things when I don't eat enough protein. For years I couldn't lose until I went to a nutritionist and reviewed my diet and discovered I had a minute amount of protein in my diet. I need my protein now for my weight training. I am amazed each month at the positive changes in my body. I was 315 pounds in a size 26 dress size four months ago. I will definitely be in a size 20 at the end of February. 

We all can be healthier, one day ata time. Thank you for sharing.

I agree. Up your protein intake and drink lots of water (8 - 8oz glasses a day).

Thanks all, it really is helpful. Don't worry, I drink water like a fish, I didn't mention it because I'm always drinking something - it never stops. I tried the higher protein thing, with an additional chicken breast in the afternoon, and I didn'y want a third lunch. Hooray! haha of course I fell off the bandwagon by eating Shawarma for lunch yesterday (very fatty and simple carbs, but so good), and guess what? It gave me food poisoning. (I bought it at a gas station) There must really be Karma. Now I can't eat anything at all. :( It's typical, tho, isn't it? we always get punished for our bad deeds, but usually not that directly!

hmm...your not really suppose to fell "stuffed."  You should fell liike you have had enough. In which is what I think you meant.

You stated that your a "very active female." I assume this mean that the amount of activity you're involved has not change recently. So, I'm not really buying that this is a caloric issue.

You stated that protein help a little but then you eventually"fell off the bandwagon." Again, not buying the calorie in take theory here. Try to think. What's different? What change in the last couple of weeks? Don't assume that its food related. in my experiences it rarely is.

p.s.: hope you fell better soon. Food poisoning sucks!

Azawadi:

Good for you girl.  I've lost 18 pounds (so far) by reducing my half-to-full plate of rice/potatoes/pasta/couscous, or what have you, and meat, to a quarter of my plate each, and a half-plate of vegetables, mostly lettuce based salads.  With the right vegetables, and sometimes meats, a dinner salad is amazingly filling. 

Even with the added carbs from added fruit snacks, which I'd never eaten in my life before, the weight started falling off.  But, I still haven't lost a dress size, still in a 22.  How do you make that happen?  I'm hanging in there, maybe it could happen to me.

Hockeygirl:

When I was your age, until I was 45, I weighed 125-130 at 5' 8.5", but I was proverbially inactive.  Later, when my hormones changed in menopause, I had no support from an active metabolism, and gained 100 pounds in no time, eating exactly the same way.  Keep up the great work, and hopefully, nothing like that will ever happen to you.

Shawarma?  What is that, please?  Sorry about your ptomaine poisoning.

Shawarma is really a pita with meat (chicken or beef, I get chicken) that roasts on a stick... there are a few veggies in there too. I ask for only hot sauce, but the whole thing tastes to rich it has got to be bad for you!

After your 2hr hockey practice you ate cake. If you're anything like me, high intensity cardio makes me want to clean out the cupbards.

On Thrursday I went for a long-high intensity run. I feel like I'm still recovering be/c I'm STARVING!

I am so glad that you are dicussing this topic!  I too have a problem with night time eating, but mine is carbs and sugar the two worst things to eat at night.  I do o.k. during the day but my control goes out the window at night!  I find that If I am not getting enough protein during the day it is more difficult.  I am 66 and feel my metabolism has gone south!   I do walk for 30 minutes most days.  any suggestions?   

Thank you