Constantly Hungry

I'm brand new to this community, and am actually quite happy with the site capabilities, so hopefully I stick with this. As for my question.

I have changed up my diet a bit. Mostly consuming lean meats, beans, legumes, and mixed vegetables, with some occasional dairy and fruit. The problem I am experiencing is the constant feeling of hunger. I can have just eaten, no more than an hour ago, a full meal, and still have a solid hunger pangs. For as long I can remember, this is has always been the case, regardless of my current diet. 

I did read some of the other posts with people mentioning hunger pangs. But none seemed to mention clear hunger pangs within a half hour after eating a solid meal, and also, as I mentioned, I can have been experiencing this long before reworking my diet recently.

Furthermore, I have intensified my workout routine as well as my cardio. I workout 3 times a week, intensely, and do sprints twice a week. As a result, I have gained between 5-10 pounds over the last month and a half.

Thank you in advance.

How many calories a day are you having?

It looks like you're getting plenty of fibre but I suspect that your diet is super-low-fat. A bit of fat can make your food more satisfying, and you do need *some*.

I average around 2000 calories a day. I'm hoping this service will provide me with a more precise record of how many calories I am getting. But I think 2000 is pretty close.

You said you have gained weight even though you intensified your workout?  I would suggest lower intensity for a longer time period.  For example, rather than running at 6.5mph on the treadmill for 20 minutes, try jogging at 5.5mph for 30 minutes.

As for your diet and frequent hunger, one thing I would suggest is eating small meals then having healthy snacks as often as you are hungry.  I've been doing this over the past year and have lost 42 pounds total... Also if you eat small snacks every hour or two, it keeps your metabolism up.

Message me if you'd like to chat more!  Good luck!

What would be the reasoning behind slightly lower intensity/longer time running?

Listen to your body. If you have hunger pains, then you need to feed your body. Drink a glass of water first to make sure you're not mistaking thirst for hunger. But if you're still hungry, eat a snack. I am like you - I am constantly hungry. I've just adapted my meals - I eat at least once an hour, if not more. I exercise everyday and have lost weight, even with my increased calories. Good luck!!

It has been my experience that I burn more calories when I run slower for longer periods.  I'm by no means a doctor or anything, but I feel like I can pace myself and workout longer when I'm not overly pushing myself.

From the other point of view, I've heard its good to push for a couple minutes then recover going slower for a minute and then push again and go back and forth like that.  I have just had more success lessening the intensity and working out longer.  :)

I think I'm going to eat more frequent, healthy, snacks. Also, I have decided to up my water intake. Hopefully that works. It's sort of a pain with work and classes throughout the day. 

As for my cardio workout, I generally do a combination of sprinting and running. I go to the track, sprint the straights, slow jog the curves.

Off the top of my head two things come to mind.  You have cut whole grains from your diet.  Whole grains have fiber and nutrients necessary to good health.  Try adding some whole grains back into your diet and that might also curb your hunger.

My second thought is that you may be cutting calories too low depending on your stats and exercise.  Plug in your food and exercise for a week, then take a good look at your deficits after exercise is counted in.  If you are burning more than 1000 cals than you are consuming, then you need to up your calories.

Original Post by solarii:

As for my cardio workout, I generally do a combination of sprinting and running. I go to the track, sprint the straights, slow jog the curves.

 Ah, I do that when I can make it to the track too, great routine. Make sure you're actually eating enough to compensate for the level of energy you're expending, as plaidpooka said.

Try adding more healthy fats (fish, nuts, flax seed, etc) into your diet.  Fats are filling and should curb hunger!

Your hungry because you are a man and only eating 2000 calories a day.  Not eating enough good fat and complex carbs and whats wrong with dairy? Fat is not bad and neither are carbs. You need both for a balanced diet. Trans-fats are the only fats we do not need. All others are needed for a healthy body in the right amounts.

Balanced/clean is key. If your hungry your body needs food. I am a female, 4'11" and 94 LB and I can eat 2000 calories a day easily. You need to rethink you calorie intake and what you are eating.

Do you lift/strength train? If not look into that. Nothing is better at burning fat that heavy lifting and HIIT type training.

Water is excellent. Drink plenty of it and don't waste calories on other drinks.  Avoid heavily processed foods and chemically altered foods. Stay away from "diet" "Fat free" and "sugar free" crap. 

The problem with how many calories I am currently consuming, which I mentioned to be around 2000 a day, is that over the past month and a half I have been gaining weight, and more weight than I think one would typically attribute to muscle gain. I do high intensity workouts 3 times a week. I dunno, maybe I did gain 5-10 pounds of muscle mass, in the last month, but that seems unrealistic to me. Also, I feel maybe slightly less "fat" than a month ago, but that feeling is minimal--abysmal--at best.

Have you taken measurements. You would be able to tell if you gained muscle. Don't go so much by the scale but more by how you look and feel. How your clothes fit. I have gained some weight in the last few months also but it is muscle. Not fat. I have lost fat and gained muscle by increasing my weights and more intensive HIIT. 2000 calories a day is not too much for you if you are eating well/clean/balanced. Do you measure your food and log everything you put in your mouth? Most people underestimate their calorie intake. They forget the handful of candy, the soda, the bag of chips. If you are accurately measuring and recording then I doubt you are gaining fat on 2000 calories a day.

Original Post by jcl76:

 I am like you - I am constantly hungry. I've just adapted my meals - I eat at least once an hour, if not more.

I tried this today and it seemed to work. I normally eat between 4-5 times a day, including snacks. Today I ate around 8 times, meals with intermittent mixed nuts or fruit. The only issue is, since it was my first go at it, I increased my caloric intake by 300, which isn't too bad. I'll simply have to decrease my meal portions to make up for the more frequent snacking. Either way, thanks for the advice, I think it'll work out in the long run.

Solarii-you may want to check out my post on "Weird Feeling" and do some research on metabolic typing-I have a lot of info in my journal, too. I have just started looking into this with alot of the same symptoms you describe. It is very intriguing to me-just thought I would through it out there,

Best of luck and welcome..this site is the best!

Check out Low Glycemic foods. They will help keep your blood sugar constant and help with the massive food cravings. I like to eat my biggest calorie meal for breakfast too. That helps. Lots and lots of egg beaters and vegetables!

:-)

I am new to this site as well and am totally blown away by its capabilities- i have tried paid sites like W.W. which has a fraction of this ability with minimal loss.

I also was having the same issue with hunger pains- i started eating a trail mix i made myself of almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cashews, dried fruit and the big filler, roasted sunflower seeds (unsalted). Basically all i did was go to the grocery and by the pre-made snack mixes of nuts, dried fruit, and then added in more of what i love- sunflower seeds and almonds. Then i divided it into ziplock bags and kept some at the office and some at home. I find that i will be great at meals with watching calories and then snack on unhealthy things- like candy from vending machines just because i'm starved and need something quick at the office. I've only been doing this for a couple weeks and already the hunger is at bay and I am more energized by my little mix- I find the mix of the LIGHTLY salted nuts with the sweet dried fruit to hit all my cravings. If you would have told me a month ago I would be eating sunflower seeds i would have thought you were crazy.

hunger pang?

Agree with goingblue. Try a lot of low GI foods.

"Lots and lots of egg beaters and vegetables!" Me too. I eat a 4 egg-beater omlet every morning for breakfast w/protein and veggies. My hubby says that should make those beaters in the gallon size just for me :)

Cheers. I throw in a real egg or two from time to time for funzies. Thankfully Costco sells egg beaters by the case! I can make that the protien in a lot of different meals.

On Friday, I prep a massive bowl of yellon onions, red onions, green peppers, yellow peppers, red peppers and whatever I feel like...and I use that as a main focal point of a lot of meals. Heck...you can eat this stuff until you are stuffed to the gills...hardly any calories...