Hunger escalating with activity

[gbbloom]

Has anyone else noticed that their hunger levels have skyrocketed with the increased activity that Fitbit brings on? This is the end of my first full week with my Fitbit. On day one, I only had about 7,500 steps, and that was me pushing myself, so I was clearly far too inactive. Pushed my goal up to 11,000 since I have not gone under 12,000 (and hit 15K twice) since my 3rd day. I set up the food plan so that I'm cutting 500 calories every day... and I'm finding myself damned near ravenous. For breakfast today, I had 2 cups of strawberries and a clementine - vitamin C, plenty of other nutrients, and fiber. It's crazy how hungry I am - that was only 45 minutes ago! Planning to wait until 10:30 / 11:00 until my mid-morning snack (smaller bits, more during the day, I learned), but I don't know if I can. Does anyone else experience this incredibly amped up hunger? Tips on curbing it? Don't want to end up with an accidental binge and ruin my progress of week 1!

[Odyssey13 · Accepted solution]

First of all, don't be so hard on yourself. It took time to develop bad habits, so it will take time to learn how to replace them with better ways. You should feel good that you're being more aware of what you're eating and how much you're moving!

That does sound like a good healthy breakfast, but why not add a piece of bread with some almond butter or something similar so you have some crunching going on. Even celery has that crunch factor that I seem to need. If everything I eat is easily chewed, it doesn't feel like I've eaten.

Find things you can eat that are good for you and low in calories depends on what you like. Popcorn is a good source of fiber and is filling. You can't go wrong with raw veggies and as a treat, add something to dip them in.

If you're trying to lose weight, is this due to some medical conditon? That would have some bearing on what you're eating or should eat. Diabetics or prediabetics should avoid too many carbs. People with high cholesterol have to add more fiber and watch those hidden fats. High blood pressure people need to avoid excessive sodium.

Looks like you're walking and getting yourself motivated and that is half the battle. I know the feeling of being hungry, but find a nice cup of tea helps. Eating slowly and making sure I chew throughly helps. If I eat too fast, I seem to be hungry faster.

Give yourself some credit for making this commitment to a better, healthier you. You can do it and you have a whole community here to support you.

[gerrymcd]

 Hi there,

Sounds like you are on a good track.  Just keep going!

Up until I hit age 30 I was very active - martial arts, running marathons.  But, then work and life and all that stuff took precedent on my time and my only regular exercise became an occasional stroll around a local reservoir.  Naturally my weight went up. And my fitness level went down.  Way up, and waaaaaay down! 

Once I decided to be more mindful of my health I planned on a new 'diet and exercise' regime.  But, after I started exercising regularly I temporarily had to abandon the 'diet' part of the equation.  I was just too hungry.  I was hungry to the point I was constantly thinking about food.  So, i decided to let the exercise part firmly established as a daily routine, and then start to be more vigilant with my calorie intake.  Sure it took a LOT longer for me to loose much weight.  But, I reasoned it was more important - for me - that exercise became as automatic as brushing my teeth and being so hungry was getting in the way of that process.  I'd be driving to the gym on the way home from work and all I could think was 'go home and eat.....go home and eat'.  Once I started having a snack before I left work I was fine, and could get to the gym without that distraction. 

It took many many weeks or even months before my body settled down and I stopped feeling so hungry.  Everyone is different, so I'd never recommend anyone take the same path.  But, for me changing diet and exercise at the same time proved difficult.  Sorting one at a time worked (its been 7 or 8 years and I'm still at the gym 4 times a week, and never take the elevator when there is an option to walk up stairs). The important thing is to do what works for you......

[Macca]

I have found it is all about balance.

When being sedatary I was fine on x amount of cals a day but once I started exersising I, like you, got really hungry, I tried to fight it but the answer was to feed the body what it needs. If I am working out alot then my body need extra caloiries to function so I eat a litttle more & that in turn stops the hunger, it's just a balacing act & you will need to tweak it over time.

[gbbloom]

The crunch aspect might be a good idea. Maybe that's why I don't feel right... although, oatmeal generally fills me up. Still, I made it to 11:00... so maybe it's time for some baby carrots.

Why I'm losing weight... a) high blood pressure (I watch sodium) b) long term health concerns - don't want to develop weight-related issues c) had back and Achilles surgery on back to back years from sports injuries and need to take pressure off those parts.

What low-key exercises do you also do? I'm trying to incorporate pushups... but I keep seeing that sit-ups and crunches are bad for you.

[gbbloom]

Blanace makes sense... but here's a question: what do you eat when you're adding calories for working out? Should all of this fat provide plenty of calories?

[carl669]

i'd be hungry too if that's all i ate for breakfast.  consider adding in some fat and protein.  try 2 eggs, some sausage/bacon and only 1 cup of strawberries.

the rationale is that fat and protein will keep you satiated longer than just having carbs.  just as an example, my daily breakfast is a 2-3 egg omlette with an ounce of sharp cheddar cheese and whatever meat i have in the fridge (today it's chorizo).

[gbbloom]

To be fair, I was trying not to wake my wife, I developed lactose intollerance a year ago, and I bought 2lbs of strawberries for her... and she suddenly stopped liking strawberries - tasted good!

[jaf0905]

When I started using Fitbit in late November, I tried to stick to my 1,500 calorie intake that I was used to with MyFitnessPal. This month I've been less afraid to eat the additional calories afforded by my exercise. I've also found that smaller meals with small snacks in between really helps. I usually have something like a banana or 40g of cashew nuts or one of those Whitworth died fruit or seed shots. Tesco and Morrisons both currently sell them at £2 for five bags. So in theory I have five "meals" a day - breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, tea (maybe evening snack if I have leftover calories).

[Inga]

You don't need to add fat, you can add more good carbs: fruit & vegies are low in calories, high in nutrition, make you feel full, esy to carry, easy to prepare, don't generally require cooking, what's not to like?

[AraK]

I just posted this, I am copy/pasting it for you~That happened to me and here is MY solution:

I wish I could market this bc I'd be rich! I'm just sharing. I was very stuck, stopped losing. I always heard about "drink more water" I did, it didn't help. Here is is: Keep a pitcher of water with Fresh Lemons and Ginger ROOT not extract. Take the root, peel some, then w the peeler slice some pieces of (about 3, 4) and put them in the water then drop the root in as well. Refill as you drink. The lemon and ginger will be potent for about 2 days then start over. The ginger and lemon curve your hunger 100%. I have not had ANY cravings; it is a natural detox, anti inflammatory as well and has many other benefits (google ginger root benefits). My husband has been doing it too, he's not on a diet but had late night cravings and he's completely stopped! Drink as much as you can, every time you remember, get up, exercise. Let me know!!! I'm healthy, just want to lose some weight and I've tried a lot of things and THIS has been the best (besides FitBit of course).