Ever.  I am either hungry or way too stuffed.  There is no in between feeling of just being content & full.  Even when I eat a normal sized meal (by normal sized I mean I'm eating the same exact amount of food as those around me) and wait like 30-45 minutes.  I still feel hungry and continue to feel hungry no matter how much time I give myself to digest and to let my brain and stomach catch up to each other. 

Is this because I was overexercising and therefore in a calorie deficit and very underweight?    I mean I honestly can't figure out how I can eat 2-3 times as much as my husband in a day and be half his size.  I have gained over 10 pounds already.  I don't remember always being this way so I'm hoping it goes away & that it goes away VERY soon.  Its horrible to never feel sated and either be hungry or too stuffed.  I try eating healthy, balanced, normal sized meals and I'm not restricting AT ALL.  But I still end up eating all day long.

i just wanted to say ditto, ill be full sometiems for like 5 mins then hungry again.  and i dont over excercise.  ?

So how do you deal with it?  Do constantly just give in and eat?  Or do you try to hold out and only eat at meal/snack times?  I've done both and neither makes me feel better ot worse...they both suck.

im recovering from anorexia, so ill preface it w/ that, but i know that if i eat at an unscheduled time for me, then ill end up restricting later, which would be worse, so i wait.  ive been trying to "listen" to my body for hunger cues or what it is that i am craving at the moment rather than preplanning my meals, but that doesnt work either.  when i try to satisfy what it is that i want at the moment, its as if my body stops talking so i just eat the same things repeatedly.  i try and eat high fiber foods, sometiems it does the trick, sometimes it doesnt.  i really dont know.  where are you weight wise?  are you still very underweight?  maybe it has to do w that and that youre body is still craving food?  how much do you excercise now?  maybe its a sped up metabolism?

Me too!  I barely excercise even.  And I always feel starving but I would never think I have a fast metabolism.  The most I eat is 2,000 calories a day.  But still sometimes I even feel starving in the middle of the night!  I dont think im really underweight.....but oh well.

Im 5'4 and 114 pounds....Who knows.

im slightly under 5'4, 25 yrs old, 113 in the bottom for the height range, just throwing that out there.  im currently underweight so im thinking my hunger may be due to that, but i really dont know how to eat or how to listen to hunger/satiety signs bc its been so long for me.  i eat about 1600 cals right now so that could very well be it, i dont know.

Original Post by agruskin:

ive been trying to "listen" to my body for hunger cues or what it is that i am craving at the moment rather than preplanning my meals, but that doesnt work either.  when i try to satisfy what it is that i want at the moment, its as if my body stops talking so i just eat the same things repeatedly.  i try and eat high fiber foods, sometiems it does the trick, sometimes it doesnt.  i really dont know. 

where are you weight wise?  are you still very underweight?  maybe it has to do w that and that youre body is still craving food?  how much do you excercise now?  maybe its a sped up metabolism?

 I could have written that first part.  I try to listen to my body.  The problem is that its always screaming at me to eat more food.  And its not as though I'm restricting.  Its still screaming at me even after I've eaten a panini, two big chocolate chewie cookies, an oreo blizzard, and a bag of chips.  Thats what I just ate...and that was my dinner after a 600 calorie breakfast of cereal, sausage, oatmeal, fruit, and nuts and a lunch of a turkey burger wrap, ice cream, a brownie, fruit, and some peanut butter.  And although I've eaten all that food (and probably more that I don't remember) I'm STILL feeling hungry.

I can't give you an answer as to my weight because it freaks me out too much to know.  I got scared about how quick the scale went up, not the actual gain itself.  I was happy to gain and think I look alot better.  I would guess I weigh about 100-105 & I'm 5'4"...I have much more meat on my bones than before.  I actually have something for my husband to grab ahold of for the first time in over a year (and he loves it). 

 EDIT: ANd I'm about to turn 29 (if that matters).  ANd I understand that I am still underweight, but I have a very slight frame and even my doctor agreed that 105 will most likely be a healthy weight for me.  She thinks that we should just wait and see how I feel, see if my period comes back, and not focus a number, but rather my overall health. 

Oddly enough, some people actually experience a "false sense of hunger". I went through that several years ago and again recently. I went to the Dr. and it turns out that what I was interpreting as "hunger pains" was actually the pain of several ulcers. When the "false" hunger pains came back, I recalled the experience and resumed treatment. This helped both times. See, I would eat and feel full or satisfied, then, within an hour or two, sometimes only 30 minutes, I would feel this pain in my stomach that was like hunger, so I would eat a little bit and the pain would subside only to reoccur again within a short time. I was starting to gain weight from all the extra eating to satisfy my "hunger" and finally went to the Dr. to find out why I always felt so hungry! ULCERS. That was why.

Have you tried increasing the fiber in your diet? That often helps tremendously. Also, it could be what your eating as well. Foods that are quickly or easily digested leave you feeling hungry sooner than other foods might. That is another way fiber can help. I can sustain you a little better/longer.

You say you eat "healthy, balanced meals". Well, roast, carrots, potatoes, onions & maybe a slice of bread and fruit for a noon meal is considered "well-balanced", but it's also quickly/easily digested, leaving a person to feel hungry within an hour of eating.

You can try eating up to 5 small meals a day instead of 3 main meals. Also, snacking on veggies or other low calorie foods can help ease that "I feel as if I'm absolutely starving" feeling. Consider too:Could you be an emotional eater? Remember all feelings are considered emotions, happy, sad, angry, excited, content...

I don't know if any of this helps, but I hope it will. :)

 

AUNIN-thanks for that info.  i actually have IBS and acid reflux, but as of last yr at least, no ulcers.  high fiber rather than protein seem to keep me a little fuller.  i dont think im an emotional eater either. 

my parents are moderately over weight, not active, and i even think that once i am recovered i will be over weight and that that is my destiny, not even confused w/ED thoughts, thats just how my family is and how i was b4 i got sick.  i think, MAYBE, that bodies are made to be a certain weight and that maybe you, or me, are supposed to be heavier and thats why youre still hungry.  LILMINIME-eventho youve gained, you know youre still underweight.  im about to be 25 and about your height and truly see myself being in the 130-40s once im recovered, right now im about 91 give or take, sometimes more sometimes less.  i dunno, i cant imagine eating 4000 calories like some of the teenagers who post but im really deaf to my hunger feelings.  i try and preplan and stick to that but yea, i just ate, i was full for maybe 15 mins.  i eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day? lol

 

EDIT-just read your edit, lol.  105 is way below the weight range for that height, even thoguh you said youre doctor said its alright.  hmm, im still struggling to eat more but i suppose i just need someone to give me a meal plan of about 1800 cals, i think that would be a good increase from 1600, and i just need to snap out of it already.

I also have IBS (which I'm pretty sure is just what they tell everyone who has digestive issues they can't pinpoint any other cause for).  And I've had a colonoscopy within the past 6 weeks so I don't think I have any ulcers.  I do eat tons of fiber, plus take a fiber supplement (recommended by the GI doctor even though I eat TOO much fiber as it is). 

AS for the 4000 calories - that was me for about 2 straight weeks.  And it was all junk food.  That was how I gained most of the weight. I tried gaining on 1900-2000 calories for a while with no exercise at all and all it did was make me bloated and made me feel horrible, but there was no actual gain on the scale.  I went from eating 1800-2000 calories a day while running 7-10 miles each day to eating the same amount and doing NOTHING AT ALL and I didn;t gain weight.  This whole thingis crazy.  It's so confusing and frustrating and horrible. 

Oh, and during the week I do eat smaller meals/snacks all throughout the day.  I usually eat around 7:45 am (breakfast), 10 am (Snack), noon (lunch), 2:30pm (snack), 4pm (snack), 6pm (dinner), and 8pm (snack).

 

LILMINIME-

well i never ran that much or excercised that much, another thing that scares me into thinking that my metabolism isnt built for 4000 cals.  how long did it take you to gain how much, and what intake were you at?  mentally i cant eat "junk" yet, but i do eat cliff bars and stuff like that, i just sometimes break them in half depending when im having it.

I really have no idea when I gained what because I refuse to weighmyself out of fear, but the majority of the weight (which I believe to be about 10-12 pounds) went on TWO weeks.  I tried for a month and half doing what you're doing with absolutely no progress.  Then I went on vacation and ate like 15 cookies each night and over a two week period I gained most of what I have put on to this point.  I got back from vacation about 3 weeks ago and I have maintained no less than 2000 calories per day, most days are 2500 or more (only because I can't control myself - I aim for 2000/day).  Sometimes its way more than 2500.  In the time I've been back I would guess I've only gained a pound or two.

are you hungry--i.e. getting hunger pangs--or craving food for no reason at all?

i'm kind of like you; i'm always hungry but it's never real hunger. i never get hunger pangs, my stomach is never hungry, but my mouth is. i usually eat about 500-550 calories just for breakfast but i'm never, ever satisfied. i sometimes manage to hold off, but sometimes i get off schedule and i have to adjust the rest of my day and it's a pain. i'd rather just have a consistent schedule.

but because of this i usually end up eating most of my calories during the day and i barely have any for the night. i dunno :| the only time my mouth ISN'T craving food is at night anyway; during the day it's torture.

so i just went to someones house for dinner, and im stuffed!  this will happen and then ill get hungry a little later, most of the time.  im hoping that since im starting to eat more on a consistant basis, that i will eventually start to get full after i eat, and not have to eat again soon later when no one else does.  right now im pretty stuffed tho. 

GARNET-i get hunger pangs and breakfast is never enough, or it will be for about 15 mins and then im hungry again, even when their close to 400 cals.  im not a binger, im just very rigid and need to stick to my schedule of eating so even if im hungry, im not always sure if its real hunger or just in my head or boredom, or what, so i for the most part dont give in and wait untill my next meal, which isnt too far off bc i try to eat every few hours.

ah. well honestly i'm kind of envious. i like that empty feeling, but i rarely feel it. i'm either on neutral or bloated; but even when i'm bloated, my mouth wants more food. i find it hard to go even thirty minutes without eating, so like i said, i sometimes give in and then adjust the rest of my day's calories so that i barely have anything left for dinner (usually about 100 calories, sometimes even none). i know that drinking a lot of liquid can help with hunger pangs, though; maybe you could try that.

Oh they are definitely real hunger pangs.  My stomach feels completely empty and starts making rumbling noises.  I know the difference between real hunger and just wanting to eat something for emotional reasons. Both happen to me, but recently its been reall hunger all the time.

Garnet, Lilminime, Agruskin...Ladies? Ladies I'll assume...

I'm wondering about a few other ideas for you. Have you ever read the information for the basis of the South Beach Diet Plan? It has really helped me a lot. I tried following the diet for quite awhile, but time and money made it almost impossible so I stopped. However, the understanding I gained about health, nutrition, body functions & needs were priceless. I still apply a great deal of their ideas. If you haven't read it, it would be worth getting a hold of. You should be able to find in your local library. The South Beach Diet Book-by Dr. Arthur Agatston It has a bluish-blue green cover usually. The Intro is where the in depth information is.

I also wanted to suggest a look at what you eat for meals and snacks. A 200 calorie nutrition bar or drink per say,(especially high protein/fiber) will stave off hunger longer than 200 calories of sweetened cereal, cookies, cake, or other sweet stuffs. The sweets are considered "empty" calories since they leave you "empty" feeling so soon! :)

Also, if you have the time and interest, consider using this site to tentatively plan out a day's worth of meals and activities. Play with several ideas. Try planning a week even. Then you can take a look at what will work, and keep it recorded, change it as you like, and see if that helps you. I used to do that with Slim Fast's website until the shut down for months on end with repairs and upgrades. Then I went back to Fit Day's site but it wasn't all that accurate for me. That's actually how I found this site. I was feeling desperate for a way to continue to track and plan my eating & activity so I could effectively resume my "diet". I think this site is absolutely fantastic! WOW! I use it to the full. It helps me see what will and won't allow me to be in my caloric intake range and also plan my activities to see, "if I do go over my calories, will my actions counter the extra?". Say for instance I WANT that candy bar or soda today; Will it push me up past my set limit? If so, do I want to eat it anyway? OR, do I want to add a little extra effort to my activities today? Do you get the general idea? If my soda adds 240 extra calories more than I want to have, I can always do something to burn off the 240 calories. I have my burn meter set to sedentary, so practically everything I do in a day is a bonus burn. I like that! :)

If you're interested, I can post an idea for you of what I eat/do?

I have to tell you three something else as well...I'm so impressed with you! Your attitudes are amazing. No matter what is being thrown at you, you're not letting it kick you off track. WAY-TO-GO! Keep on keepin' on.

AUNINN-hi, that would be great if youd be willing to post a sample fo waht you eat, about how many cals is it?  i dont eat empty cals ussualy, treats for me are kashi, luna bars or the sort.  i dont necessaraly work out, i try and lift weights for about 40 mins 2/wk.

thanks so much!

 

Good for you on the snack choices!

Okay Agruskin, here goes. My caloric intake goal is to stay between 1200-1500 daily, the closer to 1200 the better. (see below for my avg.) Here's what I have so far. I've only been on this site since Tuesday, July 1st, so I've only got 4 days to offer you.  For starters, I'm female, my age is almost 43, height 5' 5", weight on Tuesday was 187. For me the morning meal is "breakfast", noon-time meal is "lunch" and the evening meal is "supper". :) (growing up I wondered where/when dinner fit in, 'cause that meant there were 4 meals in a day and I was only getting 3! hahahha)

Tuesday--

(Breakfast) Slim Fast Optima Shake, 2C. Decaf. w/ 4T.(oz.) french vanilla creamer, *this is something I'm trying totally unrelated to dieting...1T. each of honey & apple cider vinegar in 1C. warm water.*

(Lunch)

(Snacks) 1/4C. small twist pretzels-------I also drank a total of 12C. of water.

Calories eaten=1185 Burned=1543*****So I burned 385 more than I ate. :)

Wednesday--

(Breakfast) Slim Fast Optima Shake, 2C. Decaf. w/ 4T.(oz.) french vanilla creamer, 1T. each of honey & apple cider vinegar in 1C. warm water.

(Lunch) Homemade egg salad sandwich from 1 hard boiled egg, 1T mustard, 1T mayonnaise, 2 slices wheat bread.

(Supper) Slim Fast Optima Bar

(Snack) Med. chocolate shake-------I also drank a total of 12C. of water.

Calories eaten=1416 Burned=1885*****So I burned 469 more than I ate. :)

Thursday--

(Breakfast) Slim Fast Optima Shake, 2C. Decaf. w/ 4T.(oz.) french vanilla creamer, 1T. each of honey & apple cider vinegar in 1C. warm water.

(Lunch) Slim Fast Optima Bar

(Supper) 1 medium sized baked potato w/ sour cream/chive, 3 deli slices of ham (chopped), & 2T. shredded mild cheddar cheese on top. (I felt really stuffed after eating this meal)

(Snack) 1C. oil popped popcorn------I also drank a total of 14C. of water.

Calories eaten=1216 Burned=2124*****So I burned 908 more than I ate. :)

Friday--

(Breakfast) Slim Fast Optima Shake, 2C. Decaf. w/ 4T.(oz.) french vanilla creamer, 1T. each of honey & apple cider vinegar in 1C. warm water.

(Lunch) Slim Fast Optima Bar

(Supper) 1 large flour tortilla shell, 1T. sour cream, 3 deli slices ham, 2 deluxe american cheese slices, 15 hamburger dill chips. 2C. decaf. coffee w/ 4T. french vanilla creamer.

(Snack) 6C. oil popped popcorn & 20 Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper------I also drank a total of 14C. of water.

I was up early in the morning and late this night. I did a lot of extra exertion this day as well, moving furniture and boxes for hours on end, housekeeping & extra-long studying as well.

Calories eaten=1866 Burned=4977*****So I burned 3111 more than I ate. :)

All total I burned 4873 more calories than I consumed in the last 4 days. (Wow, do I ever feel excited about that. But I won't be so active regularly either) Anyway, when I keep up with my food & activity entry, it helps me decide if I want that potato for a meal, or to add the sour cream to my food, or soda, shakes...That way, I'm in control, I'm choosing to do or not to do. I love it! Some would say I'm a control freak, hahhaha, well, maybe I am:) I calculated my daily average caloric intake and it is currently 1420 so I'm staying below 1500 which makes me feel good and shows me that I need to consider reducing the cream in my decaf., or eliminate the sour creams, have a 12 oz. soda, or less/no ice cream & soda in the same week! :)

Whenever I get hungry, or the munchies, I try to either find something small to nibble on or I distract myself with something different to do if possible. This seems to help me not want to eat so often either. I tend to think the water intake helps too. OH, OH, OH! I almost forgot to tell you, my weight loss is 2 pounds, I am down to 185 pounds!!

I sure hope you can find something useful in this. And keep up your own good work! You could also try doing a daily activity. If you don't have weights at home, basic movement/stretching exercises are good. Like windmills, scissors, bike pedaling, range of motion with hands, arms, legs & feet. Also any kind of reaching/stretching is good. You can even break it up into 5-10 or 15 minutes at a time 3 or 4 times a day to increase your activity. Walking is always good. So is playing with kids/pets.

 

 

 

thanks for the advice, aunin; i find that my problem isn't feeling hungry, though, it's more about wanting to have something in my mouth to chew and taste constantly, even when i'm so bloated that i can barely walk. my problem is that i don't do math when it comes to calorie burning; i don't even know what my true BMR is because my metabolism has slowed so much. i probably don't eat as many calories as i should, but i don't overexercise; i walk 3 1/2 miles a day minimum, maybe 6 maximum. the rest of the day i just sit around the house. i don't calculate net calories burned or anything; all i know is that my weight has hovered around the same number for a month or so at me eating a very small amount of calories (i don't know the exact number because it varies daily depending on if i get off "schedule").

 

anyway, i dunno. i constantly go out and buy calorie-free drinks to keep my mouth and taste buds occupied, but after i've wolfed down 50 ounces of liquid (just did) all i want is to eat more food. and i'm so stuffed right now, hah.

I don't stay full for very long and seem to be starving all the time, which I know that I am not.  The only time that I didn't get hungry was when I was working and doing heavy manual labor, then I was nauseated. I have tried  Weight watchers, South beach and so on . I keep veggies and fruit around and rice cakes and that still does not cut it. I have used diet drinks, and I drink tons of water. My favorite drink is water with  fresh lemons so I drink it by the gallons.

Personally, I have about had it with trying to stay fit and  am about to throw in the towel and eat myself to  death.