why am i always hungry?

rbehm521

it's not a constant problem, but there are days like today where i'm just a bottomless pit. today i had a bagel thin with lowfat cream cheese, a 6 inch turkey and ham sub with half a mini bag of baked chips, a salad, and a (too large) chicken breast with corn and rice. i finished dinner about 3 hours ago and i'm already pretty hungry again.

i work out 5 days a week (cardio every day and weights 3 days a week) and i don't really count calories but i try to eat mostly lean meats, veggies, and lo fat/cal snacks. i don't think i'm consuming too few calories but i guess it's possible.

also i think part of my problem is that i work online from home and i'm constantly exposed to food commercials on tv. when i'm out and about all day i don't think about food as much and i'm not constantly hungry.

how do you guys stick to your calorie limits and still stay satisfied?

MyWedding13

I think the fact that you are at home and also see food commercials is what is making you hungry. If I am at home, especially with the TV on, I am always hungry. Could you plan to have healthy snacks around like fruits and veggies and air popped popcorn? Could you get up every hour and do something else (except watch tv) to distract yourself?

angelsong21

You also aren't really eating all that much either, especially if you work out every day.  Have you tried adding in some protein at breakfast?  Protein helps you stay fuller longer since it takes longer for our bodies to break down.  Try adding an egg or cottage cheese on with breakfast. The bigger serving of chicken breast is fine!  It's a good thing to fill up on lean protein, so keep that up.  Snacks are also important if you tend to get hungry between meals.  Try eating a carb and a protein -- this can be light, like a few crackers with a few pieces of cheese.  This combo helps prevent spikes/dips in blood sugar levels.    How's your water intake?  Most of us need 8-10 glasses of water per day and sometimes we feel hungry when we are actually thirsty.

If you haven't plugged your numbers into a website or phone app like LostIt or MyFitnessPal, etc, you should definitely do that.  Realistically, you need more food than you are eating for daily functioning, daily cardio, and daily muscle repair.  Food is fuel.

rbehm521

i think i definately need to get away from the tv more than i do, and i do have some healthy snacks but i guess i'm never sure if i can "afford" to have a snack i'm looking into joining the lose it website right now actually.

i have definately noticed that eggs and greek yogurt keep me fuller longer so i do have them for breakfast a few times a week; today was a kinda off day as far as breakfast is concerned but lunch and dinner were pretty average. and i probably don't drink as much water as i should...

thanks for the tips! i'm definately gonna start using one of those websites to make sure i'm getting the right amount of calories.

Allycat11

As stated before, part of it could be tv commercials or other external influences. A lot of it could be mental.  I know there are times I think I'm hungry but honestly my body doesnt need much.  The only thing I'd suggest is making sure you have a good amount of lean protein and fiber in your diet because those will hold you over longer.  When I started eating more of those and less of other categories like sugar and carbs, i realized I felt full longer.

sb9411

It sounds like you could use some more fiber.

cdavislynn

I agree with the comments about fiber and more protein. Also, I used to have the same problem when I was eating a lot of foods with refined flour and sugar...even things like white rice instead of brown, or white bread instead of wheat.
When you eat foods that are loaded with refined carbs (processed), little protein and little fiber, your blood sugar usually spikes, then inevitably drops (due to the spike). When it drops, you get hungry, and fast.
Alternativly, If you eat foods with no refined flour/sugar, and with lots of fiber (whole wheat, whole grain, brown rice etc) and protein, your blood sugar will stay more stable throughout the day (no spiking and dropping), and you won't get hungry as quickly. It will reduce your cravings..at least it did for me. It was like night and day. Even eating too much fruit on an empty stomach can sometimes make me have a blood sugar crash later, and makes me hungry. I suppose everybody's blood sugar reactions are different. Google "glycemic index."

raynes

I agree with everyone else, not enough food, and not enough protein, and probably not enough water.

Even if you don't plan to do it long term, using a free site/app to track your calories for a few days/weeks will really teach you a lot.

rbehm521

thanks for all the suggestions! i signed up for myfitnesspal and i'll look for foods with more fiber (i've already swtiched to whole wheat bread and brown rice). what kind of stuff falls under the "lean protein" category? all that comes to mind for me is chicken lol.

raynes

Chicken, turkey, pork, eggs, dairy, fish, beans etc.  That sort of thing.  Even leaner cuts of beef.  Basically, things that have protein but not a lot of saturated fats.  Google "lean protein" and you'll see lots of examples.

bananafanafofashley

I actually get like this quite a bit. I honestly believe it's hormonal. Also, you and I sound llike we have the same work out schedule.. I spoke to a girl at my gym about it and she told me that is totally normal when you are working out the way *we* do.

When I get that feeling I will drink a glass of silk light chocolate soy milk or eat a quarter cup of almonds.. but TBH with you when I'm hungry I just eat. When I get this way it's nto as if I just feel like munching.. I am genuinely hungry. If the TV was on would your stomach still be growling?Our bodies wouldn't tell us they were hungry if they weren't! (With the exception of dehydration of course). I suggest eating when your body tells you to.

rbehm521

well i did my full workout today and plugged everything into myfitness pal, and i'm coming up about 500 calories short so i guess i really wasn't eating enough. i wasn't sure if it was just boredom or true hunger, but i think i can safely squeeze in some more snacks in my day now, heh.